My Mute Bride

Early the next morning, the sound of running water could be heard coming from inside the bathroom.

After doing up his necktie and fastening on golden cufflinks, Justin threw open the wardrobe door and pulled out a set of clothing. Tossing them on the bed, he ordered, “Get dressed and pack your things. You’re coming with me.”

The redness on Rachel’s face was slowly fading away, making her look pale and weakened. Where are you taking me?

“Why so many questions? Are you intending to tell Julian or someone else?”

Hearing that, she clutched the blankets tighter to herself and fell silent again.

The car sped the entire way.

Inside the car, Frankie looked in the rearview mirror for a moment at the two people in the backseat. The interior of the car was very strange and quiet.

Once they reached the hotel and the driver went to park, Frankie mumbled, “They were so quiet the whole way. I didn’t even dare breathe too loud. Are they fighting?”

Unimpressed, Ramsey side-eyed him. “President Burton was never especially chatty and Mrs. Burton can’t

speak. Why wouldn’t they be quiet? Did you expect President Burton to speak up first?”

With a pause, Frankie conceded that Ramsey had a point and that he was probably reading into things too much.

After all, if the couple were truly quarreling, Rachel wouldn’t have come on this business trip with Justin.

By the time they reached Brookville, it was already late in the morning.

Since Justin had to rush off to the meeting, he left Frankie behind to handle Rachel’s check-in.

“I’ll leave your luggage here, Mrs. Burton. If there’s anything you would like to eat or drink, the hotel menu is over there and you can eat downstairs or call for room service.”

The moment she entered the room, Rachel sunk down on the couch, looking listless.

Seeing that she wasn’t responding, Frankie added, “You must be tired. The car ride was very long. We were all quite surprised that President Burton was willing to do so much traveling just to celebrate your birthday.”

Celebrate my birthday?

Astonished, she jerked her head up and gaped at Frankie.

rest? President Burton might be a bit busy these two days and might not make it back during the daytime to see you. If there’s

Frankie shut the door and the room descended into

words were still

turned out that Justin rushed back to Riverdale from Brookville just to

her apartment building when he saw her and Julian handing cake out to the children, as well as her telling Julian that she

he

I was with Julian or because I said

in her mind

out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse

woman in the mirror had her hair tangled around her shoulders. Her face was gaunt and her eyes were dull

when did / start looking like that? She

I assume Justin was starting to

can that be

Rachel’s phone chimed as a notification popped

have a new

skyward at the message from

found the killer? Who

Let me show you a picture.

message, Rachel received

in a black jacket, he had the eyes of a hawk

Suddenly, her heart clenched.

met this

highway and brought her back to Southwind Villa. It

one of Justin’s hired thugs. He met

people at Tran-Q that day, carrying an aluminum box. If I

hand started to shake as she could guess what Janice

on your guard, Rachel. Hans’ death might be related to Justin and you mustn’t be tricked by Justin’s words. Those businessmen prioritize profit

silently at the words on the screen, she

any breath. She felt like she was drowning or crushed beneath a large boulder. No matter how

Rachel

violent bout of coughing, tears rolled down her cheeks and a silent

that after going around in a huge circle, Hans’ death was ultimately found to very

a long time to force herself to calm down and reply to