Shawn was in a hurry, but securing a visa and a flight ticket wasn’t something that could be done instantly.
It wasn’t until three days later, after arriving in Neloria, that Shawn could start contacting the embassy and local police to find Noelle.
Shawn knocked on the apartment door, shouted Noelle’s name, and rushed inside. Yet, he was stopped by the landlord, Cameron Abner, who was in the middle of cleaning.
“Who are you?” she asked him warily.
“I’m looking for Noelle,” Shawn replied. He quickly added, “You see, she’s my wife, and we’ve recently had a bit of a misunderstanding. I just want to talk to her and clear things up.”
Upon hearing that, Cameron waved her hand dismissively and said, “There’s no one by that name here.”
“She goes by the name Noelle Anderson.”
Cameron insisted, saying, “I can assure you, there’s no one by the name of Noelle Anderson living here. I only have a tenant who goes by the name Aria Byrd.”
Upon hearing that name, Shawn was momentarily confused. He then hurriedly asked, “Are you sure about that?”
“If you don’t believe me, then suit yourself,” Cameron replied, looking visibly displeased. She then proceeded to close the door.
Shawn was unwilling to let go of the lead. He took out some money and said, “Here, take this. Is it possible for you to tell me when she moved in and who she’s been in contact with during her stay?”
After taking the money, Cameron still refused to disclose anything. In the end, Shawn walked away with nothing.
His voice, a hollow echo of its former self, was filled with the despair of one who had been through too much.
He waited despondently for a long time until he was certain that Noelle had vanished without a trace. He then, with a heavy heart, returned home and withdrew from the world, refusing to go back to work and locking himself within the confines of his home.
Charlie had called to discuss work matters with Shawn when the latter abruptly interrupted him, asking, “Is there any news about Noelle?”
“I’m sorry,
but there’s no news yet. I’ve already put out the missing person notices, but there’s been no response.”
Everything was carried out per his instructions.
