Unspoken Hearts: My Neglected Mute Wife’s Escape

Chapter 29:

Kallie stared at Jake with an expression of sheer disbelief, puzzled by his unexpected presence. Wasn’t he supposed to be taking care of Sarah? How had he ended up here?

After the commotion Sarah had caused, it seemed inevitable that she would have demanded Jake’s attention for the entire night. Yet, here he was, back home.noveldrama

“Did you get Ethan to drive you back?” Jake inquired, his tone insistent.

Kallie shook her head vigorously, quickly clarifying her situation: there were no taxis around, and just as she was about to give up, Ethan drove past and offered her a ride.

Kallie paused, realizing that her explanation seemed to indirectly fault Jake for leaving her stranded earlier, necessitating Ethan’s unexpected assistance. She wanted to clear the air, especially about the earlier incident at the party. Hastily, she added that she didn’t cause the mishap with the red wine.

Kallie had intended to argue that it was Sarah who had actually splashed the red wine, but mid-gesture, Kallie hesitated and dropped her hands in resignation, convinced that Jake wouldn’t believe her. After all, he had made his choice clear when he left with Sarah earlier. Any explanation she offered now would be pointless.

Jake remained silent for a long beat before turning to the butler, his decision abrupt. “Have Gilbert come here. From now on, he’ll drive my wife,” he declared.

Stunned by his sudden arrangement for a personal driver, Kallie could only offer a stiff, awkward nod of gratitude. Back upstairs, Kallie heard the rumble of a car outside the villa. Jake had left.

Kallie tossed and turned, unable to find rest that night. The next morning brought a text from Linsey. “Sweetheart, fancy a day out for some fun?”

It was clear that Ethan was aware of the previous evening’s events, and evidently, so was Linsey, though Kallie hadn’t mentioned it directly.

A small smile played on Kallie’s lips as she responded, “Sure, where should we go?”

Kallie assumed that after the previous day’s drama, Sarah would likely stick closer to Jake. This meant Jake would be too preoccupied to pay her much attention.

Linsey’s next message popped up. “I heard Hayden’s studio is looking for apprentices. You’ve got a knack for it. Interested in giving it a shot?”

Kallie’s eyes widened in surprise. It had been years since she’d thought about Hayden Wyatt.

A master of cultural relics restoration and an old friend of Roderick, Hayden had recognized Kallie’s potential during a visit to Roderick’s place. Hayden had handed Kallie some minor tools to tinker with.

To everyone’s surprise, Kallie had shown a natural aptitude. Her hands were remarkably steady, ideal for meticulous work.

Hayden had eagerly taken Kallie under his wing in his studio, where she had shown considerable promise.

However, after Roderick passed away and Kallie married, she drifted away from that world and lost touch with Hayden.

Kallie hadn’t anticipated Linsey offering such a chance.

The prospect filled her with both excitement and unease. She typed down her response: “Jake won’t be on board with this. He’s against me working.”

Linsey responded swiftly, “How is this considered working? It’s just about stepping out occasionally to learn. Besides, if you do pick up some restoration tasks, it would barely count as a part-time gig, right?”

Kallie pondered Linsey’s words and found them reasonable. The studio’s schedule was indeed flexible, allowing her to return when Jake needed her culinary skills. Plus, his visits were sporadic at best. The longest he had been away previously was a month.

“Alright, I’ll come to you!” Kallie replied with newfound resolve. This job offered more than just a way to pass time and grow personally. It had financial perks.

Unlike her bookstore job, restoring cultural artifacts and ancient books could lead to projects worth hundreds of thousands, even millions. This opened a path for her to diligently save the twenty million Jake had demanded.

Though the thought of divorce still seemed distant, for the first time in a long while, Kallie felt a glimmer of hope.

.

.

.