Chapter 14

The apology article had been published for many days, and Jasper's men had been searching relentlessly. Still, there was no trace of Holly. It was as if she had never existed at all. The loving days they once shared now seemed like an illusion. Now that the dream was over, Jasper could no longer see her. He regretted it over and over again. If only he had settled down sooner. If only he hadn't indulged Nadine time and again. If only he had... He imagined countless possible endings for them. His voice grew lower, and his eyes reddened. The more he imagined what could have been, the clearer the reality became—Holly was no longer by his side. He drank bottle after bottle in a private room at a bar, trying to get himself drunk. Maybe then he would be able to see Holly again. But no matter how much he drank, he didn't even get tipsy by a little. On the contrary, he became more and more clear-headed. His buddies exchanged uneasy glances. "Honestly, Jasper. Since Holly has already lef