When You're Gone (Colette) novel Chapter 10

Five days later, James returned from Sunderton. He immediately noticed something off with the villa. Gone was Colette, who'd always run up to welcome him home.

He changed into his home slippers and walked into the living room. It was too quiet.

Suddenly, he recalled how silent Colette had been in the past five days. She did not call or provide any updates.

Sophie muttered, "Where's Colette? Is she still angry at your no-show that night? Well, it's not like you did it on purpose; you had work! She's acting like a child. You need to talk to her later."

Her words stoked his anger. He growled, "Colette is no kid. She's almost a college student. Why is she making a scene? I will ignore her this time. No one shall entertain her. Let's see how long it takes for her to leave her bedroom!"

Sophie hid her smugness when she heard his angry remark. She comforted him disingenuously before returning to their bedroom. The longer James and Colette fought, the better.

James did not immediately head to the bedroom or the study. Instead, he checked out the dining room. He was appalled at the stench when he stepped into the space.

Frowning, he scanned his surroundings. His gaze fell on the waste bin. Flies crowded around it.

It didn't take him long to connect the dots. He was enraged. Did Colette really have to throw such a tantrum at him over this? What was she trying to achieve by leaving the trash around?

James grabbed his phone and called his assistant. "Please look into Colette's whereabouts."

After the call, he turned his anxious attention to the odd-looking, sealed closet. He peeled off the tape. Just as he was about to open it, his phone rang, shattering the silence.

The phone slipped from James' grasp, hitting the floor. His heart skipped a beat, and his ears rang. He was in disbelief. Was this a prank? How could Colette, an 18-year-old with a bright future, disappear from this world?