All Chapters of I Searched the World for You: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

In the early hours of the morning, the snow that had fallen for two days and nights finally stopped.Quentin woke from a nightmare that left his heart pounding.He opened his eyes, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and stared at the dim sky outside as he struggled to catch his breath.The second hand on the wall clock ticked on.Once he calmed down, he checked his phone and saw that it was five o'clock.The light woke Zoe beside him. She opened her eyes drowsily and moved closer.Their naked bodies touched, and Quentin responded at once.Zoe noticed. Her hands wandered over him, and her voice turned sweet."You're up early, Quentin. Don't tell me you want..."But Quentin pulled her hands away, got out of bed, and went into the bathroom.The sound of the shower brought Zoe fully awake. Irritated, she turned on the light.Clothes lay scattered across the messy room, and the scent of their perfume still lingered in the air.The sight reminded her of the night before, and a smug s

It was barely dawn, an hour when the square should have been quiet, but a crowd had already gathered at its center.They were all fans of Quentin and Lauren as a couple. After hearing about the video the night before, they came to see it for themselves.The moment Quentin appeared, they erupted in screams."Quentin! Where's Lauren? Isn't she coming to see it with you?""Tell Lauren we said happy twenty-sixth birthday!""We'll be cheering you two on until you're old and gray! Happy fourth anniversary!"Quentin waved to them as their well-wishes washed over him.He looked up at the images moving across the screen, and memories he hadn't thought about in years began to surface.Every scene brought back a moment they shared.The rainstorms they got caught in together, the mountains they climbed, the times they raised a glass in celebration...As he watched, Quentin found himself smiling along with the man on the screen.For a moment, he felt the same shy rush of excitement he felt when he

Lauren slept until eleven.Mina was knitting a scarf on the sofa. As soon as she saw Lauren was awake, she asked the housekeeper to bring in the breakfast she kept warm for her.Lauren washed up, then ate her oatmeal at a leisurely pace while she watched the scarf take shape in her mother's hands."Mom, is that for me?"Mina smiled. Once Lauren finished eating, she led her to another bedroom."When I returned to this world and bought this house, the first thing I did was make a room for you."She opened the wardrobe. It was full of dresses, clothes, and handbags in the latest styles, along with gloves, scarves, and hats she knitted herself.The dressing table held unopened makeup and skincare products from all kinds of brands, each one a recent release.Twenty beautifully wrapped boxes sat in a display cabinet, one birthday present for every year they spent apart.No one ever lived in this bedroom.Yet it was bright, spotless, and fully furnished, ready for its owner to come home at an

Twenty-four hours after Lauren disappeared, the police found her phone at a waste facility.Quentin went to the police station as soon as they contacted him.Before handing over the phone, an officer asked him several questions."Mr. Hale, are you certain you last saw your wife at six thirty that evening? Did you contact her later that night?""Does your wife know about the allegations concerning you online?""We've learned that your wife's mother also disappeared twenty years ago and hasn't been heard from since. Do you think their disappearances could be connected?"Each question struck Quentin like a blade.He pressed a hand to his chest, but he couldn't ease the dull ache there.He hadn't rested in a day. His mind struggled to process the questions, and uncertainty crept into his answers."Yes, it was six thirty. It was her birthday. I sent her a message that night, but she didn't reply.""The stories online... I don't know. I don't know if she saw them.""Her mother left because

The visitor was Evan Shaw, CEO of Shaw Group, Hale Group's biggest rival.He arrived with seven or eight people. At the sight of Quentin on his knees before his father, Evan couldn't help applauding."My father heard about your grandfather's illness and asked me to pay my respects. Is this a bad time?"The Hale family saw the delight on his face and knew something was wrong. Their expressions darkened as they told him to leave.Evan ignored them.He smiled and tapped a document against his palm."That's all right. I have another reason for coming today.""A few days ago, I received a share transfer agreement signed by Lauren Ingram, Hale Group's largest shareholder. “She transferred her entire seventy percent stake to me for the lowest possible price. “I've signed it too. I'm here to let you know that my lawyer and I will be at Hale Group headquarters tomorrow at ten to complete the formalities. I trust you'll be ready."His words struck everyone in the room like a thunderclap.Que