Chapter 5
Back at the Fox Mansion, Ollie was holed up in his study all afternoon.
The copy of the divorce agreement he'd signed sat on the coffee table, mocking him every time he glanced at it.
Feeling restless, Ollie loosened his tie and lit a cigarette.
As the smoke curled around him, his thoughts were a tangled mess.
Violet really left.
There were no tears, no hysterics, not even a single word to make him stay.
She just walked away, calm as ever, tossing him aside, and their three-year marriage, like an old piece of clothing she'd outgrown.
Ollie felt that this was way too strange.
This was nothing like the Violet he used to know.
The Violet in his memory was always gentle and soft-spoken, always looking at him with careful adoration and affection.
Her mood would be lifted for the whole day just from a casual compliment from him. If he mentioned a craving, she'd spend the night searching recipes to cook it for him.
She looked after every detail of his life, his routines, his favorite dishes, even remembering the precise temperature to iron each shirt.
She was like the air, always present, so familiar that he often took her for granted.
But today, it was like the air itself had disappeared.
For the first time, Ollie realized just how empty and cold this huge mansion felt.
He stubbed out his cigarette, picked up his phone, his fingers moving to dial Violet's number without thinking, ready to demand where she was.
But the moment his finger touched the screen, he stopped.
He remembered the cold, emotionless look in her eyes when she left.
A wave of irritation washed over him.
Ollie scoffed to himself, "So she left. Whatever.
"She's just a wannabe Unity, only got to marry me because she looks like her. What right does she have to give me attitude?
"Let's see how she manages without me.
"She'll come crawling back in less than three days, begging me to take her back!"
Just then, his phone rang.
It was Unity.
Ollie took a deep breath, pushed down his irritation, and picked up the call, his voice softened instantly.
"Hey, Unity," he said.
"Ollie, where were you this afternoon? I waited for you forever," Unity's voice came through with a pouty, playful tone.
"Something urgent came up at the office. Had to take care of it," Ollie lied without a hint of hesitation.
He didn't want anyone to know about his divorce from Violet, and definitely not Unity.
It was too humiliating.
He had actually gotten dumped by a lookalike he'd never even taken seriously.
Unity said, sounding understanding, "I see. Are you done now? I just got to the hotel. How about we grab dinner tonight? It's been seven years since we last saw each other."
"Sure," Ollie replied.
After hanging up, Ollie got up and started getting ready to head out.
Out of habit, he walked over to the walk-in closet, expecting Violet to be there to help him pick out an outfit.
But as he pushed the door open, it hit him that Violet was gone.
Her side of the closet was empty.
She left without taking a thing.
She didn't take a single one of the million-dollar jewels he'd given her, the designer bags, or the custom-made dresses.
She was like a breeze, here one moment, gone the next, leaving no trace behind.
Standing in the empty walk-in closet, Ollie felt a pang of anxiety for the first time.
He shook his head, trying to clear his mind of that unsettling feeling.
He told himself that it was just his imagination.
After changing, he walked through the living room.
Abby Bowman, the family's longtime housekeeper, was polishing a blue-and-white vase. When she saw him, she hesitated, clearly wanting to say something but holding back.
"Mr. Fox..." she began.
"What is it?" Ollie snapped, his tone sharp.
Abby hesitated, then finally whispered, "Has Mrs. Fox really left?"
"She's free to go wherever she pleases," Ollie replied, his tone icy.
Abby let out a sigh, her eyes turning red with emotion.
She said, "Mr. Fox, forgive me for saying this, but Mrs. Fox really treated you well. Your stomach was always acting up, so she learned to make all kinds of soups to help. She never made the same one twice.
"You're obsessive about cleanliness, so she kept the house spotless. You said you liked orchids, so she'd be out in the garden under the blazing sun, taking care of those flowers better than anyone..."
"Enough!" Ollie cut her off, his voice sharp.
"Isn't that just what she is supposed to do as my wife?" he said coldly.
Abby lowered her head, saying nothing, just quietly dabbing at her eyes.
Ollie looked at her, feeling even more annoyed.
He slammed the door and sped off from the mansion.
The city was alive with lights and traffic, buzzing with energy as night fell.
Ollie cruised through the city with nowhere to go, just letting the streets take him wherever.