Chapter Seven— The ghost he created

Leo's hands wouldn't stop shaking. The image of the blood soaked item burned in his mind. The question pounded through his head with every heartbeat.

What happened to her? He burst into his house, his breath coming in ragged gasps. His eyes darted around wildly.

The house felt wrong. Cold. Empty.

He froze mid-step, his gaze sweeping across the living room. Something was missing.

His head snapped toward the mantel above the fireplace.

The wedding portrait. The massive frame that had hung there for five years. Gone.

He turned slowly. The side table near the window. Elena's favorite crystal vase that was always filled with fresh flowers. Missing.

The decorative pillows she'd chosen. The paintings she'd hung. The small touches that had made the house feel warm and alive.

All of it. Gone.

The house looked sterile. Lifeless. Like a hotel room.

"No, no, no," his voice trembled. "What the hell is going on?"

He ran upstairs, taking the steps two at a time. He threw open the bedroom door and went straight to the closet.

Elena's side was completely empty. Every dress, every shoe, every piece of clothing. Vanished.

"Where are all her things?" His voice was a roar that tore through the house. "WHERE IS EVERYTHING?"

Footsteps scrambled from downstairs. The housekeeper appeared in the doorway, her face drained of color.

"Sir..."

"Where are the pictures? Elena's things? WHERE ARE THEY?" Leo's voice cracked.

The housekeeper's hands twisted together, trembling. "Mrs. Crane came two days ago, sir. She... she cleared everything out. All her belongings. She had a moving truck."

Leo's world tilted.

Two days ago. While he was with Lydia at the gala, Elena had been here. Erasing herself from his life.

He staggered back downstairs, his chest heaving.

Then his eyes landed on the kitchen counter.

A brown envelope sat there, perfectly centered. Like it was waiting for him.

His hands shook violently as he picked it up. The paper felt heavy. Final.

He tore it open.

The words at the top made the room spin.

PETITION FOR DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE

Divorce papers.

Elena had filed for divorce.

The papers slipped from his fingers, scattering across the floor. His hands clawed through his hair.

"Leo?" Lydia's voice came from the doorway. She stood there in one of his shirts, her eyes wide with alarm. "What's wrong? What happened?"

Leo couldn't speak. His jaw clenched so hard he thought his teeth would crack.

Lydia's gaze dropped to the papers scattered on the floor. Her face paled. "Are those... divorce papers?"

Leo's head snapped up. His eyes locked onto hers with terrifying intensity.

A memory flashed through his mind. Sharp and sudden.

During their early marriage, Elena had told him she believed marriage was sacred. "If I ever divorce you," she'd said softly, curled up against him in bed, "it would mean I found out something unforgivable. Something that broke my trust completely."

His voice came out low. Dangerous. "Did you tell Elena I was cheating on her with you?"

Lydia's expression shifted from confusion to fear.

"Did you tell her about the insurance?" His voice dropped even lower.

"I..." Lydia's mouth opened, but nothing came out.

Tears welled up in her eyes. "Oh God, Leo..." Her voice broke. "What if Elena is doing all of this just to get your attention?"

She pressed a trembling hand to her chest, her voice rising with emotion. "She's always been jealous of the care and attention you give me. She hates me, Leo. She hates that you care about me."

"She's trying to cause a rift between us," Lydia continued, tears spilling over. "She wants to tear us apart! Can't you see? This is all a game to her!"

She pulled out her phone with shaking hands. "Let me call her. I'll apologize. I'll do anything to make her come back. I'll beg for her forgiveness if that's what it takes."

“I will leave the master’s bedroom for her and maybe your house, I will make sure you stop caring about me and start giving her the more attention she craves”  She sniffed.

Lydia dialed Elena's number. The call wouldn't connect. She tried again. Same result.

"It's not going through." Fresh tears streamed down her face. "She... she really despises me. She's blocked me too."

More tears fell. Real or fake, Leo couldn't tell anymore.

His suspicion wavered. His expression softened as he watched her cry.

He was once worried about Elena’s whereabouts, but it instantly shifted into guilt for accusing Lydia.

"This is all Elena's fault," he muttered, his voice hardening again. He reached out, wiping a tear from Lydia's cheek. "I'll find her. And I'll make sure to teach that ungrateful woman a lesson she'll never forget."

Lydia's lips trembled. But as Leo turned away, a tiny smirk ghosted across her face before disappearing.

Her voice came out slowly. Calculated. "But Leo... why do you care so much?"

Leo's brow furrowed. "What?"

She stepped closer, tilting her head innocently. "Shouldn't we be happy she's out of our lives? We can finally be together without her in the way."

Leo's chest rose and fell rapidly. "I don't care about her!" he snapped. "I only care about the insurance money. She filed for divorce. If the company finds out she's divorcing me, there's no way they'll approve the claim."

"Besides," his voice turned colder, "where does she think she can run to? That pathetic woman doesn't have anyone. No family. No friends. No one."

He let out a bitter laugh. "She's always been weak. Useless. A burden I've had to carry for five years."

"She thinks she can just walk away?" His hands clenched into fists. "Like she has a choice? I'll find her soon enough."

His jaw tightened. "And when I do, she'll beg to come back."

"She's nothing but a tool," he continued. "Something I used for a purpose. And when I'm done, I'll discard her like the trash she is."

Lydia's lips curved into a pitying smile. "She's faking all of this, Leo. Elena has always been so dramatic. She thinks if she makes a big scene, you'll chase after her and beg her to come back."

Leo said nothing. His eyes were fixed on the scattered divorce papers.

But the image of those blood soaked bandages kept flashing through his mind. Something didn't add up.

+++++++

Days passed with no sign of Elena.

"Mr. Crane, Mrs. Elena were spotted at the airport terminal three days ago," his head of security reported.

"But there's no information about which flight she boarded. She managed to avoid the cameras after check-in. We've checked passenger manifests, but she could have used a different name or had help covering her tracks."

Leo's nostrils flared. "Then find out. I don't care what it takes. Check every airline. Bribe whoever you need to. Track her down. Now."

"Yes, sir."

He hung up, his mind racing. Elena was running. Hiding. But she couldn't hide forever. He would find her. And when he did...

The thought trailed off as he stared out the window. What would he do when he found her?