Chapter 43
Curtis had meticulously mapped out the trip, sparking a flame of excitement in Leanne that she hadn’t felt in ages. She dived headfirst into the depths of the internet, scouring blog posts and travel forums for the hidden gems of Iceland. She was serious about crafting the perfect itinerary.
The promise of Iceland’s spring had her imagination blooming with visions of the Northern Lights, fields of wildflowers, and the spectacle of seabirds returning from their
southern winter sojourn across the ocean’s canvas.
Yet, the honeymoon never happened. It fizzled out, just like that.
Curtis became a rare sight at home, and his responses to Leanne’s calls grew colder. It was late when Curtis got home, straight to the shower, then bed, without so much as a whisper of conversation.
Leanne was lost, swirling in what she thought was a dizzying romance, clueless as to why Curtis had suddenly turned so distant.
At the time, Curtis had just broken away from the clutches of the Richardson Group, launching his venture, ElitePinnacle Investments. Curtis was a man brimming with pride, determined to make it without riding on the coattails of the Richardson family.
But for a fledgling investment bank to snag an IPO underwriting deal for a listed company. was no walk in the park.
Leanne tried to console herself, reasoning that his absence was due to the relentless grind of work, that his silence was born from sheer exhaustion, not a lack of desire to
connect.
Back then, her love for Curtis was at its peak, so she mustered all her bravery and crashed Devin’s birthday bash uninvited, just to catch a glimpse of Curtis.
But it was there she heard those words that would haunt her at night, sending chills that jolted her awake.
It was only when the eyes of people in the room descended upon her, casting looks of disdain and pity, that she slowly came to a painful realization,
Oh, it wasn’t his job. She just wasn’t worth it.
It turned out he still loved Suzan. Leanne was nothing but a compromise, a distraction
as in the mood, easily discarded when he wasn’t.
unseen.
left Devin’s gift behind. As she walked out, her spine was straight, her shame
Her shattered pride lay scattered on the floor, crushed by Curtis’ hands.
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He had brought her up to cloud nine, just to pull the rug out from under her.
After that, the chill between Leanne and Curtis solidified into ice.
It wasn’t long before Curtis left for Emberland, Rumors swirled that he was still hung up on Suzan, resentful of being pressured into a loveless marriage, and had fled across the ocean to rekindle old flames.
Leanne retreated back into her shell. For a long stretch, she spoke to no one but Joy.
When Leanne returned to the silent haven at Crystal Cove Villas Number 9, the quiet was deafening.
Laura, the housekeeper, bounded out, bubbling with news, “One of my friends works as a caretaker over at Number 12, looking after the elderly. Their kids are all settled abroad and the old folks are bored stiff. I mentioned our kittens and she asked if they could have one. They even had a family video call to vote on it and made a big show of it.”
Laura was tingling with a sense of accomplishment, and Leanne nodded in agreement, “Once the kitten is two months old and vaccinated, we can send it over.”
“Vaccinations, eh?” Laura hadn’t realized there was so much to it, “They’ve already set up a kitty bed and stocked up on cat food. I’ll let them know.”
“I have other friends who might be interested too. I’ll ask around,” Laura said, eager for a project since Leanne had caught her red-handed skipping out for card games. She was
determined to make herself useful.
“When all the cats are gone, Mr. Curtis won’t have his allergies to worry about, and he cant come home every day.”
Leanne faltered her steps ascent up the stairs. She didn’t tell Laura that Curtis’ absence. had nothing to do with the cats.
He just didn’t want to face her at home.
That night, Leanne’s battle with sleep resumed. She tossed and turned restlessly until she succumbed to a melatonin pill. Half an hour later, drowsiness crept in, but even then, her sleep was tainted, filled with tumultuous dreams.
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