All Chapters of The Bride Who Vanished Before the Proposal: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Vincent stood there for a moment before he left.That night, he showed up at the lab unannounced, holding a small box. Inside was a slice of tiramisu.I am allergic to caffeine. One bite would make my heart race and my skin break out in hives. After all this time, he still did not remember that tiramisu was Cora's favorite, not mine."I thought you might forget to eat while working," he said, offering me the box.He had extended an olive branch. I had no reason to refuse. I smiled and said, "Thanks."Vincent seemed surprised I did not say more.On the drive back, he asked, "Claire, are you angry with me?"I was distracted, thinking about the data I needed to hand over to Tessa. I barely heard him. "Sorry, I was distracted. What did you say?"My tone must have been too distant, because he hit the brakes and turned to look at me. "Are you still upset about the dress?""What?" I blinked. "No. Why would you think that?"He studied me for a few seconds, then turned back to the road. "Claire

I smiled. "What would I be jealous of?"Cora hurried after us in high heels. A few steps later, she swayed, her hand reaching out to steady herself against Vincent's arm."Vincent… I feel dizzy."He moved to help her, then hesitated, glancing at me.I spoke first. " She looks pale. You should get her something to eat."Vincent seemed almost surprised by how calm I was. He squeezed my hand. "I will find her something. Wait for me here. I will be right back."I said, "Okay."He studied my face for a moment, searching for something. He did not find it. He put his arm around her to steady her, but she leaned into him, her fingers gripping his sleeve. He half-carried her toward the café across the street.I went to the clinic that day. When it was over, the doctor asked me how I felt. I felt lighter. Like I had just put down something I had been carrying for too long.That morning, I was back at the estate. When I opened the door, I found Cora already there.She showed no sign of embarrassm

At the campus gate, Vincent pulled a small velvet box from the trunk and handed it to me. Inside was a strand of pearls. Vintage. His mother's."I know you have been upset. I am sorry about the dress. If it bothers you, I will get you another one. And the necklace, if you don't want it anymore because Cora wore it, I will have it redesigned. Whatever you want."I looked at the pearls. They were beautiful. They were also not what I wanted. I closed the box and gave it back to him. "You choose about the dress. And do not worry about the necklace. I have to go."He caught my wrist. "Claire, what is going on with you?"I pulled away gently. "I will tell you later."In Dr. Shaw's office, she handed me the journal reprint. "This paper puts you on the map. You should be proud."She paused. "Still, the research institute is hard. Days of repeating experiments. Endless data. Are you sure you are ready for that?"I remembered Vincent in the car saying he did not need a researcher for a wife. "Ye

The next morning, Vincent called Claire. Seven rings. No answer. He tried again. Nothing.He stood in the bedroom and sent her a message: "Are you awake? I will come get you." No reply.He drove to the estate. The house was quiet. The curtains were still drawn. There was no coffee smell in the air. Her slippers were gone from the shoe rack. He walked quickly to the bedroom. His clothes were still in the closet. Her side was empty. The dresser was bare. The drawers held only a few old files.He went to the study. On the desk lay a worn journal. He opened it. It was from their first year together. The last entry was written in fresh ink: "Vincent. This is where we end. Today's date."He called her phone. It went to voicemail. Again. Voicemail. He kept calling until the phone turned off.He drove to the research institute and found Tessa. "Where is Claire?" Tessa looked at him without pity. "She left. Did you not know?"He asked where she had gone. Tessa laughed without warmth. "When you

Three years passed. I sat in my room at the research facility, flipping through case notes. Outside, the sky had grown dark. I had removed my phone card on the third day after I left.I received one message from Vincent. "Where are you? I will come find you." I did not reply. I never saw his name on my phone again. I thought he would eventually stop. He did.Tessa later made it into the same program. She told me what she knew about Vincent. He had found the paper. He knew who C. L. Moreau was. He had searched for my travel records, my flight history, every place I might have gone. I had left no trace. "He knows about the child," Tessa said. "The report you sent. He never told anyone about it. But someone told me he locked himself in his study that day. When he came out, his eyes were red."Tessa said he wanted to apologize. He had drunk too much after I left, and he had been hospitalized a few times. But he never mentioned my name in public. One researcher said he had stood outside th