A Message From My Future Husband Set Him Free—So Did I Chapter 05

After the wedding, Julian realized Amelia was gone.

“Where’s Amelia?”

“Not sure. I think she headed for the exit a while back.”

He frowned and sent her a text.

But Amelia, who always replied instantly, didn’t answer for an hour.

He stood outside the hotel and called her for the seventeenth time.

Each time, the same cold recorded voice: The person you’re trying to reach has their phone turned off.

He tried again. Still off.

A strange weight settled in his chest, like something had slipped away from him without him noticing.

Julian put his phone back in his pocket. His fingers brushed against the sapphire ring, and he spaced out for a second.

“Julian.” Skylar stood behind him at the hotel entrance, smiling softly. “Time to see the guests off.”

He nodded and started walking back. His gaze caught on something on the floor and stopped.

“What is it?” Skylar looked down.

A small stain. The edges were already dry, the color like rust.

It was Amelia’s blood.

“Oh, how messy.” Skylar covered her mouth, looking disgusted. “Where’s the cleaning staff? Why haven’t they wiped this up?”

She linked her arm through Julian’s. “Come on, Julian. The guests are waiting.”

Julian didn’t move.

Skylar frowned. “What’s wrong?”

“I have to go find Amelia.”

“She probably just went home.” Her voice was light. “She looked upset today. Let her have some time alone.”

He sighed. “Her phone’s off.”

“That’s normal. Maybe the battery died. Or she just doesn’t want to talk. You know how she is. When she gets mad, she ignores everyone.” Skylar’s words tumbled out quickly.

“Find her tomorrow. Today’s our wedding day.”

Julian looked down at the pale band of skin on his left finger where his wedding ring used to be. “Skylar. I’m sorry.”

Her lashes fluttered. Tears filled her eyes. “Julian, what are you saying?”

“I have to go find her.”

The sounds from the ballroom seemed to fade away.

The hotel staff were still moving chairs and taking down flower stands, but it felt like they were in another world.

“Today is our wedding.” Skylar’s voice changed, her face full of pleading. “You promised me. You said you would give me a wedding.”

Julian pressed his lips into a thin line and didn’t answer.

Tears fell silently down Skylar’s cheeks. She held tight to Julian’s hand.

“Julian, you promised me. When I was fifteen, you held me in your arms while we waited for the ambulance. You said you would always protect me.”

Tears slipped down her face, smearing the makeup at the corners of her eyes.

She wiped her cheek with the back of her hand, her eyes locked on Julian. “Tell me. Did you mean it?”

Julian looked at her and sighed. “Skylar, but right now, Amelia needs me too.”

He turned toward the exit.

Her shrill scream followed him. “Julian! If you leave, don’t come back! You owe me! You’ll owe me forever!”

He didn’t look back.

Driving home, he called her for the twenty-third time. Still off.

Text messages piled up on his screen, one after another. No replies.

He parked in front of their building. He looked up. The windows were dark.

The weight in his chest suddenly grew heavier.

His fingers shook as he put the key in the lock.

The living room curtains were drawn. The light was dim.

“Amelia…” No answer. He rushed to open every door, but she wasn’t behind any of them.

Standing in the empty bedroom, Julian felt like something had been ripped out of him.

He picked up his phone and dialed for the twenty-fourth time.

The same automated voice answered.

He slid down the side of the closet and sat on the floor.

Amelia was really gone.