FLASH MARRIAGE; CHARMED BY THE RUTHLESS BILLIONAIRE CEO - Chapter 427

Chapter 427: Keeping Hope Alive

“Sarah,” Sebastian called softly.

But she didn’t respond except for the steady hum of the ceiling fan and the mournful hiss of the distant ocean.

“You can’t keep ignoring me forever. You are my wife now and I love you despite what you think of me.”

He stepped closer, his voice dropping and his words dripping with a desperation he could no longer hide.

“I know you hate me. But a man has got to do what is necessary to claim the woman he loves. Nevertheless, I didn’t bring you to this paradise to watch you die inside yourself. I brought you here because…” Sebastian’s voice trembled with a mixture of self-pity and longing. “… because I wanted a life with you. I wanted a family with you. I love you so much, Sarah. That is why I gave up my entire career and life just for you.”

Sarah finally opened her eyes. But she didn’t look at him. Rather she kept her gaze on the ceiling.

Sebastian smiled thinking he was getting through to her.

“Listen, my love…” He came closer to her bedside and knelt beside it, staring longingly into her face. “…we’re thousands of kilometres away from the rest of the world. It’s just you and me on this entire Island. No one will intrude on our privacy. We won’t even have to go out to look for anything. I have been stockpiling these islands for months. And I’ve trained myself to take care of you.”

Sebastian paused, beaming at himself as he traced a line down her arms while looking into her eyes, expecting a welcoming reaction.

“You know, I’ve been thinking about starting a family with you. I’ve even made plans for our first baby. Which would you prefer, a boy or a girl?”

“….”

Sebastian leaned closer until his face was inches away from hers as though he wanted to kiss her. “Say something, Sarah. Anything.” He swallowed the lump in his throat, heat rising in his face. “Curse me. Hit me like you used to. Just… don’t shut me out like this. It’s driving me insane.”

Sarah’s lips parted as though she wanted to speak. Then she exhaled, shifting her gaze to the window where the ocean glimmered under a dying sunset.

Henry’s soothing smiles flashed across her mind, and for a heartbeat, her eyes flickered with pain. Then she closed her eyes, retreating back into her void.

Sebastian’s jaw tightened at her dismissive reaction. He lifted his face away from hers, his hand slowly balling into a fist.

“You think dying will bring him back?” His voice cracked with a blend of fury and bitterness. “Well guess what.. It won’t, Sarah. If you die now, it will only make his death meaningless.”

Sebastian inhaled and exhaled, to calm his rage. He unclenched his fist, his gaze shifting from her face to her collarbone, tracing down her rising and falling chest. He tenderly placed his hand on the left side of her chest, feeling her weak, beating heart.

“But if you stay here with me…” He continued, whispering in the softest voice. “I promise, I will make you forget the pain. I will make you forget him. I will make you whole again.”

Sarah remained still, her eyes still closed and her silence heavier than the waves pounding outside.

Sebastian rose slowly, his shadow falling over her and his eyes darkening as he said.

“You don’t want to talk now? It’s fine by me. I’m a very patient man. But my patience is wearing out. It’s been a month since we got married and you’re yet to perform your wifely duty. Don’t push me to force myself on you because I will. You can’t starving me of your love forever. I am a man with needs.”

He turned around and stormed out of the room, slamming the door hard behind him.

Sarah finally opened her eyes, burning tears sliding down her temple and disappearing into the soft pillow.

“Henry…” She whispered, her whole body trembling as she resumed mourning her loss.

*****

Back at Salvine city…

It had been over a month since Sarah and Henry vanished from the island without a trace.

Blaze and his team of investigators had scoured all the cities and neighbouring countries around the Bamtif coast but found nothing. It was as though Sarah and Henry had been swallowed by the sea with no hope of resurfacing.

The body washed up ashore about a month ago had long been identified as Father Robert – a clergyman who was reported missing about three months ago.

No one knew how Father Robert ended up in the ocean, thousands of kilometres away from his parish, with multiple bullet wounds on his body.

Even Blaze and his team couldn’t crack the mystery behind Henry’s signature black diamond ring that was found on Father Roberts” finger.

There was simply no relationship between the two men as Father Robert was living in a completely different country at the time of his disappearance.

Back at the Hunt residence, the atmosphere remained gloomy.

The once lively mansion had turned into a home of silent prayers and sleepless nights.

Judith sat on the balcony of her bedroom, wrapped in a black shawl, her gaze fixed on the bleeding horizon. Her eyes were sunken from sleepless nights and tearful days. And she had lost a great deal of weight from continually starving herself.

Her hands trembled around the teacup she hadn’t touched for hours, her eye moist and teary as another day slowly came to an end without words from her daughter or her future son-in-law.

She didn’t even hear Amelia approach until she stopped beside her.

“Aunt Judith….” Amelia’s voice was gentle but carried the weight of worry. She placed her arm around her shoulder. “… Please come inside the house. You’ll catch a cold sitting here all day.”

Judith’s lips curved into a fragile smile. “Cold….it doesn’t hurt anymore, Amy. My heart has turned into frost. My shining star is dead. My baby have refused to come back to me.”

Amelia sighed. She took the chair beside Judith and sat down slowly, glancing sorrowfully at the fading sun, the breeze tugging at her hair.

“I know my Sarah will come back home. She is strong, courageous and a born fighter. She could still be out there with Henry.”

Judith shook her head slowly, her eyes glistening and her voice trembling as she spoke.

“For how long…a month. Oh, Amelia, I want to be strong, but a whole month is just too long. I want to believe that my daughter is fine but I have to face the reality at some point.” She turned slowly to look at Amelia’s moistened eyes, tears steaming down her cheeks.

“If the sea hasn’t taken them already, time would have. I can’t keep living every sunrise with false hope. I have to make peace with the truth that my baby may never return home.”

“No….” Amelia said firmly, her tone sharpening with emotion. “Don’t say that, Aunt Judy. Sarah and Henry are alive. I have this strong feeling that they are.”

“They are not,” Judith whispered, almost to yourself. She inhaled slowly, her heart made up as she continued. “I’ve started making plans… for a memorial.”

“What?!” Amelia’s jaw dropped.

“Yes.” Judy dabbed at her tears with her shawl. “People have been asking questions and I’m tired of giving them false hope. I’m tired of giving myself false hope. I can’t keep pretending that she’ll walk through that door this moment.” Her eyes filled with fresh tears. “Maybe it’s time to accept my fate. Maybe it’s time to let them rest in peace.”

Amelia stood abruptly, tears springing to her own eyes. “No, Aunt Judith! I will never bury Sarah while there’s still breath in me. I’ll never call her dead, not without proof. I believe she’s out there somewhere, trapped and trying to get home. I believe Henry is alive too. We just haven’t found them yet.”

Judith lowered her gaze, her fingers trembling against her lap. “You still believe that after all this time?”

“I have to believe it,” Amelia said fiercely. “Because if we stop believing, then….they might never come back to us.”

At that moment, Hillary, Amelia and Michael join the women outside, their hearts breaking at Amelia’s last words.

“Mom,” Michael squatted in front of his mother taking her trembling hands into his. “Aunt Amelia’s right. We will find them soon. We can’t give up hope. Sarah wouldn’t if she were here.”

Judith met her son’s hopeful gaze and then shifted to her husband, who was nodding and stroking her back.

“I want to believe,” she said softly. “I really do. But I’m scared. I’m scared of keeping hopes alive and waiting in vain. I’m afraid my heart will give up any second if I keep waiting for news that will never come.”

“It will come.” Hillary lowered himself and planted a kiss on the centre of his wife’s head. “And remember, you are not alone. We will all wait for them to come together.”