Chapter 8

This was the home Silas shared with Elodie, though she managed it most of the time. She kept everything in perfect order. They had housekeepers and helpers at the villa, yet she still insisted on tending to the flowers herself and even installed a lamp on the rooftop terrace. She said it was for him. There was always a light left on for him whenever he came home from work at night. He pushed the door open and found the house was just as cozy and peaceful as it had always been. He glanced toward the garden and pictured Elodie gently clipping dew-covered roses and bringing them inside to put them in a vase in the living room. It was one of those peaceful and beautiful moments beyond words. He tiptoed through the entryway, intending to surprise her. However, she was nowhere to be found after searching the first floor. He frowned and turned to one of the housekeepers who was working nearby. "Where's Mrs. Creed?" They all paused what they were doing and looked at each other for a whi