Chapter 57: The Birthday Without Her
The soft golden morning light seeped through the tall windows of the mansion. It was Luca's birthday, but he wasn't one to celebrate with cakes or candles. Still, a quiet hope stirred in his heart that maybe this year would feel different… because of her.
He walked down the stairs slowly, his dark blue shirt rolled up at the sleeves, hair perfectly tousled, yet his eyes darted left and right, looking for one face. Janet.
But she wasn't there.
The hall was too silent. The usual smell of fresh coffee, her laugh echoing from the kitchen, the sound of her bare feet across the wooden floor — none of it.
His jaw tightened. He turned to the nearest maid.
"Where is Janet?" he asked, voice clipped.
The maid looked nervous. "Sir, she… she hasn't come out of her room since morning. We thought she might be sleeping ."
Luca checked his watch. He had a meeting with the foreign investors at noon. With a final glance at the empty staircase, he muttered, "If she didn't want to be here… that's fine."
Suppressing his disappointment, he grabbed his coat, took his keys, and walked out.
But Janet… she had a plan.