Page 37 of Unfaithful

I took a deep breath and began to walk. As I entered the building, I scanned the lobby, my heart racing with worry.

No sign of them.

I felt a moment of relief as I stepped into the elevator and again when I entered my office, even though I was holding my breath the entire time.

Almost to my room, I heard Dona shout, "Thank fuck you're back, Sara!"

She rushed over and wrapped me in a hug.

I hugged her back, feeling a pang of guilt. She must have been struggling without me here. She definitely needed a raise.

"Give me fifteen minutes, then update me on everything, okay?"

Dona nodded, giddy with excitement.

I scanned the room, offering a smile to my team, who responded with waves and smiles of their own.

There was no way to know for sure if they were aware of Cole and Elsa unless I asked. But I would never ask. So, I decided to pretend that no one knew. Pretend everything was normal, even though nothing felt normal anymore.

Elsa wasn't at her desk, but her things were still there. I'd asked Cole to take her off the team, and I hoped to God that he already did it.

Dona noticed where I was looking. "She's been missing all week, and her phone's been off. We don't even know if she's had the baby yet."

"Right," I muttered, stepping into the office straight to my desk.

Everything I wore, I had borrowed from Janet, including the small bag I carried. Inside it was just my phone and my wallet. My bag was still at the office, untouched since the day I chased Cole with the taxi.

I pulled out my phone and turned it on again.

I held my breath as it beeped frantically, the screen popping up with message after message. There were dozensfrom Emma. I went straight to the last one, which was a voice recording.

"Where the fuck are you, Sara?" Emma's voice boomed through the phone. "It's been a week, and I'm so fucking worried! What's going on? I couldn't get hold of you or Cole the entire week. That asshole called me asking where you were, and then his phone was off until now. I've been calling everyone we know, and no one has a clue where the fuck you both are! You've given me heart palpitations all week, you know that? I'm sending you the doctor's bill. No, I'm kidding. I'm okay."

She laughed at her own joke.

Not funny.

My heart seriously stopped for a second hearing that.

"I finally got hold of Bobby, and she told me I needed to come. She said you stayed with Archie. What the fuck does that mean, Sara? What's going on? Oh, by the way, is Archie still as hot as I remember?"

I heard her chuckle before she kept going. "Bobby sent me a plane ticket, thank fuck, because I couldn't afford it. So now, I'm at the airport, about to board the plane. See you soon, okay!"

Through her rambling, one thing stood out: Cole's phone was off, and no one knew where the hell he was.

I checked my messages, and the last one from him was from the morning he camped outside of Archie's house, waiting in the car.

He hadn't contacted me at all.

I thought it was because my phone had been off, and he didn't want to call Archie, knowing he wouldn't answer.

That thought gnawed at me all day. It consumed me, and I couldn't focus as Dona updated me on work.

By 3 p.m., I couldn't take it anymore. I called Archie.

"Please take me to my house right now."

"Okay," he answered, his voice laced with confusion. "I'm actually at the café across from your building. I'll be there in five minutes. Let me get my car first."

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