THE PRIVATE LIBRARY · PREVIEW
A police officer gives Kelly the news that should not belong to someone sitting alive before him: her husband declared her dead. When she reaches the family he formed afterward, a young girl’s apparent age makes his timeline harder to accept. Read the first two chapters free to follow the questions that this homecoming immediately raises.
CHAPTER ONE
Chapter 1 Her Husband Remarried
"We've looked into your case. You've been missing for five years. Two years ago, your husband had you declared legally deceased and removed from official records. We managed to ge…
"We've looked into your case. You've been missing for five years. Two years ago, your husband had you declared legally deceased and removed from official records. We managed to get in touch with him, but ... you should be prepared. He's remarried." Kelly Yeager sat frozen in her chair at the police station, struggling to process the officer's words. It all felt so surreal. Five years ago, she had traveled with a medical team to provide aid in Oasisvale, only to be taken hostage by terrorists. After enduring the suffering, she and her team had finally been rescued by peacekeeping forces, allowing her to return home at last. The thought of her husband, Eric Gray, had kept her going through all those years. From the moment they met in college to the day they married, their love had been everything to her. He was her whole world. She had often imagined their reunion—perhaps they would embrace through tears, overwhelmed by the miracle of finding each other again. But she never expected that she'd return to a life where he had already moved on. Outside, the Seaville city in Drakonia was bathed in the warmth of spring. The leaves whispered in the breeze, and the sunlight cast gentle golden hues. Kelly sat by the window, absentmindedly reaching out as if trying to grasp something familiar. Five years of desert life had made her a stranger to the world she once knew. The horrors she had witnessed left her unable to speak—her trauma manifesting as aphasia. On the day of her rescue, she cried as though finally releasing all the fear and grief that had built up over the years. She had believed that once she saw Eric, the wounds in her heart would start to heal. But reality slapped her in the face. Eric had erased her from his life in the third year of her absence. Not long after, he had married someone else. The police station door swung open, and a man hurried inside, his face filled with urgency. Though five years had passed, his appearance remained largely unchanged—except for a newfound maturity and steadiness in his demeanor. Dressed in an impeccably tailored suit, his wealth was apparent. The watch on his wrist alone was worth a fortune. It was clear that life had treated Eric well in her absence. "Kelly ... " his voice trembled as he scanned the room. The moment his eyes landed on her, emotion flooded his face, turning his gaze red-rimmed. Kelly parted her lips, but no sound came out. If she hadn't heard it from the police herself—that he had moved on, married again, and even had children—she might have believed, just for a moment, that he still cared. "You've been through so much," Eric murmured as he stepped closer, resisting the instinct to pull her into his arms. "Come home with me." Kelly didn't move. Could she even call it home anymore? "Kelly, you're safe now. It's all behind you," he reassured her, crouching to meet her eyes. Tears blurred her vision. The police must have been mistaken. How could the man who once adored her enough to climb a mountain at dawn just to leave a love lock at the peak have given his heart to someone else? Had it all been a lie? "Mr. Gray, I've already informed you about her condition," the police officer in charge of Kelly's case walked over and spoke softly. "The trauma has caused her to lose her ability to speak." A flicker of pain crossed Eric's face before he gently reached for her hand. Without resisting, Kelly allowed him to lead her out of the station, her steps slow and hesitant. She had believed that escaping hell meant she was finally returning to paradise. But reality sent a chill through her body. "Kelly, I'll take you to a hotel for now. A lot has changed over the years, and as for home ... " Eric trailed off. He had no intention of bringing her back—he was afraid of upsetting her. Kelly took out a pen and paper, her hand moving swiftly as she wrote, "Take me home!" That house wasn't just a place to her—it was their marital home. It was the symbol of the love they had shared for five years, the place where her happiest memories began. Eric froze, his expression unreadable. Seconds stretched into silence before he finally spoke, his voice heavy. "Kelly ... I'm sorry." Her hands clenched, trembling. Even in the chaos of war, with bullets flying past her, she had never felt fear like that. Yet, he continued, "You were gone for five years. Everyone believed you were dead. I moved on and remarried. My wife and daughter live there now. Sorry, I can't do anything that would hurt them." At that moment, the heart that had been clinging to hope finally shattered.
PAUSE · ONE CHAPTER IN
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CHAPTER TWO
Chapter 2 Her Home Is Not Hers Anymore
"That's my home." Kelly's emotions surged, threatening to overwhelm her. She struggled to stay composed, using sign language to tell Eric that the house belonged to her. But he didn't understand. Just like their current relationship—so close, yet impossibly distant. A heavy silence settled between them, and once again, Kelly bore the weight of her pain alone. Five years had taught her to keep her suffering to herself. Tears dripped onto the back of her hand. Her fingers trembled as she clutched the pen and scribbled on the paper in uneven handwriting. "I want to go home and get my things." Eric opened his mouth as if to persuade but stopped when he saw the tears in her eyes. After a long pause, he finally relented. "Alright." The car ride was quiet. Kelly gazed out the window, lost in thought. There was a time when she believed the passenger seat beside Eric would always be hers. But now, cartoon stickers decorated the dashboard, and trinkets belonging to his wife filled the space. The man who once swore he'd never abandon her, who promised his love would last forever, had given his heart to another—just three years after she disappeared. Seaville's shimmering skyline blurred past her, a stark contrast to the endless deserts of Oasisvale. The dazzling lights felt surreal, almost suffocating. It had only been five years. Just five years. Why had the world left her behind? "Have my parents abandoned me too?" Kelly couldn't suppress the thought any longer and scribbled the question on the paper. There had been six of them taken that day. Her mentor, already elderly, had children waiting for him. Her senior, who had always quarreled with her husband and even considered divorce before disappearing, was greeted by that very same husband the moment she stepped off the plane in Drakonia. Everyone was claimed by someone—except Kelly. She tried calling every number she had memorized by heart, but none connected. When Eric never showed up to get her, she reassured herself that maybe he was swamped at the hospital. When her parents didn't come, she reasoned that they were aging and might not have gotten the news. But the truth was far crueler than any excuse she could come up with. "Kelly, let's talk about your parents tomorrow, alright?" Eric said after pulling into a parking space, his expression uneasy. A deep sense of dread crept over her. She shook her head insistently, desperate for answers now. "Come inside first. My wife made dinner." Avoiding the topic, Eric stepped out of the car and opened the door for her. Some things hadn't changed. As she exited, he instinctively placed a hand above her head, making sure she wouldn't bump it—just like he always had. Once, that kind of tenderness had been meant for her alone. But things were different now. Love hadn't just faded—it had been given to someone else. "You know her." As they entered the elevator, Eric spoke again, maybe to prepare her in case she got upset. "She's Dr. Lynch's daughter. She was there for me when I crazily searched for you. I became a wreck because of you. She pulled me out of it and stayed by my side ever since." Kelly lowered her gaze, her hands clenched into fists. It turned out that his wife was Regina Lynch, Beau Lynch's daughter. She had been their junior back in school. She was bold, direct, and unashamed. She had pursued Eric openly, even confronted Kelly about it. She had said, "I don't care if he's taken. If he's not married, he'll be mine eventually." Kelly had never taken Regina seriously. She had believed, without a doubt, that Eric's love for her was unshakable. She had been wrong. The elevator doors slid open on the 19th floor. Kelly hesitated. They had chosen the marital home here because she loved higher floors. The view of Seaville's river from here was breathtaking. Because it was a river-facing unit, the price had been much steeper than other layouts. She hadn't wanted to burden Eric's family, so she had asked her parents for an extra 230,000 dollars to secure it. That was supposed to be their home. A place they each owned 50% of after marriage. Now, the other woman lived there. Eric entered the password. The lock clicked open. Kelly stared at him. Five years had passed, yet he had never changed the password. Was that a foolish gesture of lingering sentiment? After all, the password was her birthday. Before she could process that thought, a small figure came rushing toward Eric. "Daddy!" A little girl flung herself into his arms. Eric tensed, darting a nervous glance at Kelly before turning an irritated look toward Regina. "I told you to take Faye to your parents' place." Regina remained silent, her eyes settling on Kelly. Kelly, however, wasn't looking at Regina. Her gaze was locked on the child. Eric had remarried three years after she disappeared. But judging by the girl's age, she wasn't a toddler of one or two—she looked closer to four or five. Kelly's breath caught. Her head snapped up, eyes blazing with anger as she turned to Eric, demanding an explanation.
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