But none of what those people said mattered to Samuel.
All that mattered was what Isabella thought.
Samuel was determined to spread the news as widely as possible, and he immediately instructed the PR department to upload the video to the company’s official website. He even ran ads on mainstream social media platforms across the globe, replacing the usual company promotional videos.
As for his phone, it remained on 24/7, always within arm’s reach. He was afraid he would miss any news related to Isabella.
Days passed, and while he received numerous calls, none were about what he truly hoped for. At first, it was just scammers pretending to have seen Isabella. They made up random stories about bumping into her in different places and tried to con him for money.
Samuel had a vague sense that these were lies, but he clung to the faint hope they offered. He would rather pay them off than face the crushing reality.
The days stretched on, and he lost count of how much money he had wasted on these deceitful calls.
Tristan and Eleanor watched quietly and felt heartbroken for him, but neither of them dared to stop him. If spending a little money would help ease his suffering, then so be it. They never imagined that Samuel’s mental state would be this bad, teetering on the edge of despair.
Soon, even the scammers grew tired of taking his money and stopped calling. All that was left were strange women, bold and direct in their intentions.
“Mr. Grant,” they would purr through the phone, “Your wife may have turned her back on you, but if you’re lonely, we have women of all kinds. We can even find someone who looks like your wife…”
That last comment made Samuel snap. His rage flared as he shouted, “Shut up! Get the hell away from me! Who the hell do you think you are, insulting her like that? Shut up!”
These unwanted calls became the first numbers he blocked
Another month passed. Finally, Samuel couldn’t take it anymore and collapsed at home. Fortunately, a servant found him in time and rushed him to the hospital, so his life was not in danger.
After examining him, the doctor led Samuel’s parents outside with a grim expression.
“His mental state is deteriorating rapidly. If it continues, there’s a serious risk of him having suicidal thoughts. You need to get him into therapy as soon as possible.”
Tristan and Eleanor knew the root of Samuel’s pain, but they were powerless to help.
They bought the best plot at the cemetery for Isabella and placed the bloody shirt inside the grave. Then, they laid flowers in front of the tombstone and lit candles.
“Bella, Samuel knows he was wrong. Please rest in peace.”
What they didn’t know was that at that very moment, Isabella was traveling the world. She hadn’t gone online for a long time and hadn’t paid attention to any news related to her past.
