Chapter 12 In the hospital VIP room, the smell of disinfectant was covered up by the scent of lilies nearby. Reid sat on the edge of the bed, holding a bowl of steaming chicken soup. The spoon made a crisp sound as it tapped against the rim of the bowl. "Kelsey, have another sip." He held the spoon to Kelsey's lips, his voice soft as water. "I cooked this for four hours and skimmed off all the oil." A blush appeared on Kelsey's pale face. She sipped from his hand in small mouthfuls, her eyelashes casting a shadow under the light: "Reid, you're staying here with me, will Ms. Valemont..." "She wouldn't mind." Reid cut her off, sounding like he was trying to convince himself, "Max was the most understanding." But when he put down the bowl, the porcelain spoon hit the glass coffee table and made a sudden "ding" sound. That sound was like a needle, suddenly stabbing into his temple. It's already been three days. It had been three days without any news from Maxine. "I'm going to make a call." He suddenly stood up, and his suit pants brushed over the low stool. In the fire exit at the end of the hallway, Reid pressed the dial button for the third time. It was still the beeping sound with no one picking up, and the sound made a weird echo in the empty stairwell. He called his assistant again. "Go to my place now," he paused for a moment and didn't say he wanted to confirm Maxine's location, just said he wanted to check the Merrow's mansion's access control. About half an hour later, the assistant replied. "Mr. Merrow, everything was fine at the Merrow's mansion, it's just..." "What was it?" "The kitchen trash hadn't been taken out for three days, and it already had maggots." 0.0%. 06:33 Reid's breathing stopped for a moment. Maxine was a neat freak and would never let kitchen waste sit overnight. It was pitch black in front of him, no lights were left on, and even since he opened the door, the house had stayed completely silent. "Max?" His voice echoed in the high-ceilinged living room. No one replied. The faint scent of roses in the air was already gone, replaced by a cold emptiness. Reid stood at the master bedroom door, his heart was beating really fast for no reason, and a wave of panic came over him. And when he slowly pushed the door open, the scene in front of him made his eyes widen without him realizing it. The wardrobe was wide open, and all her clothes were gone. On the dressing table, her usual perfume and jewelry box had all disappeared. The photo that used to be on the bedside table was gone, and now there was just an empty frame left there. His heart suddenly sank. He walked quickly to the study, pulled open the drawer. Her passport, state ID, everything that could prove she existed, was all gone. There were only two things lying quietly on the coffee table. A necklace, and a stack of yellowed love letters. Reid picked up the necklace with trembling hands. This was what he gave her on Maxine's eighteenth birthday, and all these years, she never took it off. And now, Maxine was nowhere to be found, and this necklace was left here all alone. 54.8%. 06:33 Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!