Unspoken Hearts: My Neglected Mute Wife’s Escape

Chapter 44:

As Kallie stormed upstairs, her anger palpable, Jake stood in the hallway, his brow furrowed in deep thought. He felt the urge to follow her but resisted, knowing that any confrontation now would only escalate the situation. Instead, he pulled out his phone and dialed Sarah. Kallie had insisted that neither Stella nor Sarah were to blame, but Jake couldn’t shake the lingering doubts her words had left.

The phone rang, and Sarah picked up quickly. Before she could speak, Jake got straight to the point. “Do you know anything about the fire at Linsey’s bookstore tonight?”

There was a brief pause on the other end as Sarah absorbed the question. It was clear she hadn’t expected such an accusation.

“Jake, that’s unfair!” Sarah finally responded, her voice tinged with disbelief and hurt. “What has Kallie told you? Why would you think I had anything to do with this? I’ve accepted my place by your side. What would I gain from harming her? It wouldn’t change anything for me.”

Her voice grew more desperate as she continued. “In a world with laws, I’d be in jail for something like this! Killing Kallie would only complicate things for me. Why would I bring that kind of trouble into my life?”

Jake remained silent for a moment, choosing his next words carefully. “I’m not accusing you. I just want to know if Stella mentioned anything suspicious to you.”noveldrama

“Stella?” Sarah’s tone shifted, now a mix of confusion and concern. “Are you saying she was behind this? Did the police find something? Jake, if she was involved, I swear I didn’t know. I would have stopped her if I had! I’d never let things get that dangerous, especially over something as trivial as embarrassment.”

“Just tell me if she ever said anything to you that might explain this,” Jake pressed, his voice calm but firm.

“Absolutely not! I didn’t know she was capable of something like this,” Sarah insisted, her voice sincere. “Yes, I’m jealous of Kallie, but not enough to wish harm on her. I’m not even close to Stella. If she did all this because of what happened at her grandfather’s birthday, that’s terrifying. I don’t understand her at all.”

“Alright, I believe you,” Jake said evenly, before ending the call.

But Jake wasn’t done investigating. He immediately dialed his assistant. “Look into Stella’s schedule from the time Kallie started at Hayden’s studio. And find out where she got that bracelet Kallie repaired. I want a full report.”

Jake suspected this entire situation might have been orchestrated from the start, with Kallie unknowingly caught in the middle. Rubbing his temples, he glanced up at the closed bedroom door and decided not to follow her upstairs.

The next morning, Kallie came downstairs wearing a brightly colored outfit, a stark contrast to her usual muted attire. It was as if she had decided to step out from the shadows she had been living in.

The butler, startled by the sudden change, asked, “Madam, are you feeling particularly cheerful today?”

Kallie smiled, gesturing to ask what was on the menu for breakfast.

“A full spread of your favorites,” the butler replied, still adjusting to her transformation as he pulled out a chair for her.

After finishing her meal, Kallie made it clear she intended to head to the studio for the entire day. She asked the butler to have her lunch delivered to the studio, even offering to take leftovers from breakfast if it was too much trouble.

The butler hesitated. Jake had recently requested that Kallie take all her meals at home, and she had complied—until now. “Madam, if Mr. Reeves finds out you’re not here for lunch, he might be upset.”

Kallie signed curtly, stating that if Jake got upset, so be it. She had made her decision.

Without waiting for the butler’s approval, she turned and walked toward the door, her determination unmistakable. She had finally reached her breaking point. Jake’s controlling nature, his lack of trust—it had all become too much. The fire had brought clarity. She didn’t value Jake’s protection; she valued her freedom.

As she left the house, the butler stood frozen, conflicted. Ultimately, he decided to inform Jake of her defiance.

When Kallie arrived at the studio, she expected her lunch to arrive at noon. What she didn’t expect was for Jake himself to show up with it.

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