He Divorced Me Six Years Ago Without Me Knowing Chapter 08

He Divorced Me Six Years Ago Without Me Knowing Chapter 08

Julian took care of Claire and her son for an entire day and night.

Only after the boy’s fever finally broke and both mother and child had fallen into a deep sleep did he wearily pinch the bridge of his nose, turn, leave the room, and drive to the courthouse.

Traffic moved in fits and starts. While he waited at a red light, Julian suddenly thought of Sophia.

When he had seen her at the hospital that day, her face had been frighteningly pale.

Then he had mistakenly believed she had kidnapped his son with Claire and had her sent to the detention center.

Julian remembered the way Sophia had looked when he picked her up yesterday. She had been so thin and fragile, as if a gust of wind could blow her away. A belated ache of concern rose in his chest.

He took out his phone and opened the chat he had not touched in a long time.

The last message between him and Sophia was still from the day he had lied about working late.

Sophia had fussed over him, reminding him not to overwork himself, then thoughtfully asked what he wanted for a late-night meal so she could make it and bring it to him. Every word had been full of warmth.

Thinking of Sophia’s quiet tenderness, Julian felt a trace of warmth pass through his heart.

His fingertips tapped lightly against the screen as he typed out each word.

Julian: [Sophia, how are you feeling?]

After sending the message, he rested one hand on the steering wheel and tapped it now and then.

A little while later, he added another message.

Julian: [Don’t look at the online comments for now. Once the attention dies down, we’ll go back to living the way we always did. As for Claire, I’ll also talk to her and have her withdraw the lawsuit as soon as possible so your accounts can be unfrozen.]

After pressing send, Julian suddenly felt an inexplicable wave of panic. Just as he was wondering how Sophia would reply, he caught sight of the red light turning green out of the corner of his eye.

He paused, set his phone facedown on the passenger seat, and drove into the flow of traffic.

After arriving at the courthouse, he first dealt with the work that had piled up over the past few days. Once he started, he stayed busy for the entire morning.

Only during his lunch break did he finally have time to take out his phone.

Claire had already sent dozens of messages, but Sophia’s chat remained silent.

Julian stared at the two messages he had sent without receiving a reply. His brows drew tighter and tighter.

This was not right. Sophia had never gone this long without replying to him.

Even when she had been drowning in work before, she would always find time to answer.

A surge of unease suddenly rose in Julian’s chest.

Had something happened to Sophia?

The moment that possibility crossed his mind, he could no longer sit still. He drove straight home

When he pushed open the door, the house was unnervingly quiet.

“Sophia?”

Julian called out, but there was no response.

He strode toward the bedroom. The room was still neat and orderly, but it was empty.

Then he checked the study, the balcony, the bathroom, and every other corner of the house.

Julian searched the entire place, but there was no trace of Sophia anywhere.

In the end, he dropped onto the sofa in panic and called Sophia’s phone.

But all he got was a cold automated voice.

[The number you have dialed is currently busy. Please try again later.]

Julian called three times in a row before belatedly realizing that Sophia had blocked him.

Anger surged through him. In frustration, he tossed his phone onto the coffee table in front of him, stirring up a thin layer of dust from the surface.

Julian froze for a moment. Then he reached out and wiped at the dust, finally realizing that Sophia might not have been home in a long time.

Then where could she have gone?

Suddenly, Julian thought of something. He pulled out his phone and called a friend. “Did Sophia borrow money from you?”

“No,” the friend quickly replied. “She didn’t even accept the money you asked me to send her before.”

Sophia had not even accepted that money?

Julian was so shocked he could not speak.

All of her accounts had been frozen, and she still refused to accept that money. How had she been getting by these past few days?

“Julian, did something happen?”

His friend’s voice pulled Julian back to himself.

Julian opened his mouth, his voice slightly rough. “Sophia is missing.”

His friend fell silent for a moment before saying, “You really went too far this time. Sophia has every right to be angry. Do you want me to help you find her?”

“No.” Julian closed his eyes and forced down the irritation rising inside him. “I’m busy. I don’t have time to play this cat-and-mouse game with her.”

“If she wants to hide from me, then I’ll see how long she can keep it up.”

After hanging up, Julian sat on the sofa for a long time before getting up and returning to the courthouse.

Over the next few days, he forced himself not to think about Sophia.

Then one day, he was busy with a difficult case until late at night, yet Claire kept sending him message after message.

One minute, she wanted him to bring her late-night takeout from a certain restaurant. The next, she wanted

him to buy her some new luxury item from a boutique.

Julian could not help feeling irritated. Sophia had never disturbed him while he was working.

So after work, almost as if possessed, he returned to his and Sophia’s home.

Julian collapsed onto the sofa and rubbed his throbbing temples. Out of habit, he said, “Sophia, help me

analyze this case.”

The moment the words left his mouth, he froze.

Sophia was still angry with him and playing this disappearing act.

Where was he supposed to find her?

That night, Julian spent the night on the sofa without bothering to go to bed.

When he woke the next morning, his head felt heavy, and out of habit, he called again, “Sophia?”

But the only answer was the same roomful of silence.

Julian slowly sat up. His gaze swept across the empty living room, and for the first time, he felt a discomfort he could not name.

In the past, whenever he worked late into the night, Sophia would always bring him a hot late-night meal and thoughtfully massage his temples.

In the morning, after preparing breakfast for him, she would patiently help him tie his tie

But now, all the small routines he had taken for granted had disappeared.

A surge of irritation rose in his chest, and Julian finally realized that he could not be without Sophia.

He closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he called his friend. “Stop paying the care facility bill for Sophia’s grandmother.”

“Julian, do you hear yourself?” His friend sounded utterly incredulous.

But Julian only said flatly, “This is the fastest way to force Sophia to come out of hiding. I’m busy. I don’t have time to search for her slowly.”