CHAPTER 19: CHAPTER 19: WHAT IF SHE DOESN’T COME BACK?

The dinner was an unhappy one for the whole family.

Talia had nothing to say to them, so she finished eating early and went upstairs to her bedroom.

Seeing the gift box on the table, she remembered she still hadn’t given Adrian the watch.

Talia dialed Adrian’s number.

"Hello, Adrian, I mentioned last time that I got a gift for you. I’ll deliver it to you now, are you at the old house?"

"I am."

"Okay, please wait for a moment, I’ll bring it over right now."

...

Serene Gardens Villa.

Ethan Grant and Vivian Coleman entered, and the housekeeper Aunt Zhang glanced behind them, "Sir, didn’t Miss Rhodes come back with you?"

Ethan Grant: "She’s not home?"

Aunt Zhang appeared puzzled, "Didn’t Miss Rhodes go out with you? She hasn’t been home these days."

Suddenly realizing something, Ethan Grant’s heart tightened, and he quickened his pace upstairs.

On the second floor, in Talia Rhodes’ room.

All the cosmetics and skincare products on the dresser were gone, and the small decorations in the room had disappeared as well.

He opened the wardrobe, and there wasn’t a single piece of clothing inside!

All of Talia Rhodes’ belongings had vanished.

The room had reverted to the way it was before she moved in.

Ethan Grant’s breathing became more labored. He rushed to the top of the stairs and shouted down to the housekeeper Aunt Zhang, "When did Talia Rhodes move her things out?"

The housekeeper, seeing his distressed expression, was somewhat frightened and spoke in a softer voice, "I... I found Miss Rhodes’ room empty when I went to clean the next day; I thought you knew..."

Ethan Grant clenched his fists, feeling extremely agitated.

He took out his phone and called Talia Rhodes, but only a busy tone came through.

Talia Rhodes had blocked his number.

He immediately called Autumn Sterling.

Talia Rhodes didn’t have many friends in Mirehaven, and if he recalled correctly, Autumn was quite familiar with her.

Autumn Sterling was quite surprised to receive the call.

"Talia Rhodes? She didn’t come to find me, and I don’t know where she’s gone."

"I’ll ask around for you." As Autumn spoke, she opened her phone’s WeChat and sent a message to Talia Rhodes.

However, as soon as she sent it, she saw a red exclamation mark appear on the screen.

Autumn Sterling was momentarily stunned.

Talia Rhodes had blocked her too.

Why would that happen? She hadn’t had any direct conflict with Talia Rhodes.

Ethan Grant’s voice was anxious, "How about it? Did you find out anything?"

Autumn Sterling sighed, "She blocked me too."

Ethan Grant: "..."

Vivian Coleman, listening from the side, guessed that Talia Rhodes had packed up and left, feeling secretly pleased.

"Ethan, did you break up with Talia Rhodes?"

Ethan Grant was stunned upon hearing this.

Break up?

He hadn’t intended to break up.

What he said that night, about not wanting to see her again, was just out of anger.

Even when Talia Rhodes blocked him in anger, he hadn’t thought about breakup; he just felt she was being petulant and waiting for him to coax her.

But she had moved all her belongings out. Was this really just a tantrum?

Seeing Ethan Grant’s grave expression, Vivian Coleman affectionately linked her arm with his, "Ethan, since you broke up with Talia Rhodes, let’s part peacefully and not disturb each other. Let’s go on a trip to relieve some stress."

It was only then that Ethan Grant realized, and his mood shifted from initial panic to anger.

Fine, that’s just fine.

Talia Rhodes had the nerve to play breakup with him.

This time he wanted to see how long she could hold out.

Ten days, half a month?

Angered by her unannounced departure, he decided to leave her alone for a while.

He also wanted to show her that without her, he could still live happily and freely.

So, with a smirk, he replied, "Alright, where do you want to go? You decide."

"Really?" Vivian Coleman asked enthusiastically, "I want to go to Zheria first. At this time of year, the scenery in Kanara is beautiful."

Kanara, huh.

Ethan Grant’s expression flickered.

Why did that place sound so familiar?

Oh, he remembered now; Talia Rhodes had mentioned it before.

She had said she wanted to travel to Kanara during the October holidays.

What had he said back then?

During the October holidays, there are so many people, what’s the fun in that?

Now it was the October holiday, and Ethan Grant instinctively wanted to refuse, but thinking of Talia Rhodes, he changed his mind.

"Alright, let’s go to Zheria then."

After watching TV with Vivian Coleman for a while, that agitation in Ethan Grant’s heart still hadn’t dissipated.

"You just got out of the hospital, rest at home well, I have something to take care of," he said.

Vivian Coleman was understanding and didn’t ask where he was going.

With Talia Rhodes having just broken up with him, it was natural that he was not used to it and needed some time to vent his feelings. Vivian Coleman didn’t want to pressure him too much.

She smiled gracefully, "Alright, you go ahead, I’ll wait for you at home."

Outside the gate, Ethan Grant called Wyatt Jacobs.

"Wyatt, come out for a drink, bring Aaron Lynch and the others too."

...

At a high-end club Ethan Grant frequently visited.

He pushed open the door to the private room where a few friends were already waiting.

Seeing him arrive, Aaron Lynch greeted him with a smile, "Ethan, just you alone? Didn’t Vivian come with you?"

Ethan Grant gave him a curious look, "Why would she come with me?"

"Uh..." This counter-question stumped Aaron Lynch.

Before he could think of an answer, Ethan Grant dropped a bombshell.

"My girlfriend is Talia Rhodes, why aren’t you asking about her?"

Aaron Lynch was stunned.

"No way, Ethan, ever since Vivian returned from abroad, haven’t you been bringing her along every time you go out? Why are you suddenly bringing up Talia Rhodes? Didn’t you say she can’t have fun and is boring?"

Ethan Grant’s face instantly became very complicated.

He found himself unable to refute.

Wyatt Jacobs quickly steered the conversation away.

"Ethan, you haven’t been out much these days, what have you been busy with?"

Ethan Grant walked to the sofa and plopped down, lighting a cigarette, "Vivian got hurt and was in the hospital for a few days, I was there keeping her company."

Wyatt Jacobs’ expression turned odd, "Ethan Grant, didn’t you just say that Talia Rhodes is your girlfriend? You’ve been in the hospital with Vivian all this time, isn’t Talia Rhodes causing you trouble?"

Ethan Grant’s expression darkened.

Talia Rhodes wasn’t just causing trouble; she wanted to break up with him!

Thinking of this, Ethan Grant took a drag of his cigarette, "She did, she’s breaking up with me."

Uh...

The guys exchanged glances, feeling like they’d hit a sore spot.

Aaron Lynch scoffed, "Talia Rhodes willing to break up with you? You’re probably the best man she can get! I bet she’ll be back in under ten days."

"Yeah, yeah, Talia Rhodes loves you so much, we’ve all seen it over these three years. She can’t live without you, I bet eight days."

"There’s no way she’d want to break up with you, she’s just throwing a tantrum waiting for you to coax her, I bet half a month, she’ll definitely come crying for a reconciliation."

Hearing them say this, Ethan Grant’s tightly knit brows finally relaxed.

He took a sip of his drink, looking quite dismissive, "Coax her? Not going to happen."

At this point, Wyatt Jacobs tentatively asked, "Uh... what if she doesn’t come back?"

This question left Ethan Grant speechless.

If Talia Rhodes doesn’t come back, what will he do?

He hadn’t considered that possibility.