Marrying Her Was Easy, Losing Her Was Hell

of photos. Clothes scattered carelessly, two people holding each other t

ind of thing before. T

st, and Stella knew it was Marc's. Her husband. T

ctures, and her stomach sank. It was th

'd vanished for three days. All she got was a message from

ly urgent-in someone else's bed. She then closed th

cked up almos

the voice on

ut the classified research

candidate?"

M

ou're in the classified research project, there's no turning back. No outside contact, no personal ties. You'll be officially listed as missing, and everythi

the framed wedding p

her feel warm, but now they

used to sound sweet, no

said quietly. "I'll come by t

her end could say anything else. She didn't wa

er, Marc Walsh walked in, tall as ever, loosening hi

estive scent of FIRE2, the latest women's perfume of brand Vl

, dripping from a fast show

and abs. Damp hair fell around his face, and

Walsh family, Marc had everyt

to all of that. Now,

, sliding an arm around her waist, his

but his touch made her skin c

eyebrows knitting together. "Wha

g herself. She wasn't going to

ned over and picked up a locked box from th

ned. Her final present. "You'll have to gues

little games, and tossed it onto the table. Then he pulled her close a

meaning to. Marc notice

nniversary? Work's been nuts," he sai

small box from his coat

ou li

and gold-plated, clearly cus

You've always liked things like

familiar mix of co

e been enough to

ll believed Marc d

believed

ved in her phone, she might've

tious eyes and long, wavy hair pinned up using the same hairpin that now lay in

Marc gently lifted her hair, his rough fingers brushing against

n fast-she nearly stabbed the dam

yes colder than usual. "The

his gut. But the moment she smiled, that famil

e it." Stella calmly closed the box. "I've go

holding the box tightly, not

n robe, and for some reason, it l

seemed colder

ox on the table, and a str

r than he did. She loved him deeply... so deeply tha

w, not

ver and over insid

, flirty messages lit up the scr

ything, and carelessly tossed the p

on the sheets eased his nerves, a

ped a picture of the hairpin and sent it to

nk account. "Send

stitute's off

ined could still b

.

ened his eyes, Stella wa

his elbows and m

d soft with sleep. "Co

ar and composed. "Something urgent came up at the institute. I've got to leave no

ked out, just like last nig

ling creeping back into his chest. He slowl

he always made sure breakfast was ready just in time. Then she'd gently

ot to

ell

s voice behind her. It felt like somethin

wly, her eyes

ead. "Make sure you eat, even if things get hectic. And don't stay up too late. The

." Stell

le and sparkling eyes reminded him of th

n softer. "Once work calms down, let's go to Mids

ng, felt like it was br

out places they'd travel to together-one for every anniversary

oman to that very place. The photos of

d answered quietly, "Sure.

he turned an

f warmth was le

m, that chance w