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Chapter 8
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Love Burns Without a Trace Chapter 9
Anthony hardly had time to go home while juggling work and an affair.Meanwhile, Isobel received stack after stack of photos of Anthony and Sasha at home. Sasha herself had sent out the photos.Love could be faked through performative acts. All the details in the photos were so similar.Anthony had rented out an amusement park for Sasha, just as he had done for Isobel's 16th birthday.Isobel contacted the photographer who had been capturing moments of her and Anthony for years and had all the negatives destroyed—including those taken at the amusement park.Anthony and Sasha were pictured hanging a love lock at a famous bridge—just as he had done with Isobel on their second anniversary.Isobel spent an entire day searching for the lock she and Anthony had once placed there. It was engraved with the words "Anthony & Isobel, together forever".Weathered by time, the inscription had faded. Isobel borrowed a hacksaw, cut the lock off, and scraped away every trace of their promise.A
Love Burns Without a Trace Chapter 10
Anthony woke up by Sasha's side on his birthday. Their bodies were covered in love marks.He checked the time and was about to get out of bed. However, she wrapped her arms around him to stop him. "I really love you, Tony. Can you not marry Isobel? The baby and I can't lose you!""Sasha…" Anthony held her hands. "I've given you more than enough. You shouldn't dream about becoming my wife.""But we're perfect for each other! I can give you everything Isobel can. I can even give you what she can't!" she cried."Sasha," Anthony said seriously. It was hard to tell whether he was saying this for her or his own benefit. "What I feel for you isn't love. Isobel is the one I love. She's the only one I'll marry.""Why do you have to be so harsh, Tony? I've been by your side for so long. My heart hurts, too…" She looked like she was about to cry as she spoke.His heart softened at the sight. He kissed her hard to pacify her like she was a pet. "Come on. Don't cry. Be good, and I'll never ab
Love Burns Without a Trace Chapter 11
As soon as Anthony heard the news, he forgot all about the opening ceremony, which had descended into chaos. He immediately hurried to the scene of the accident.A black MPV had crashed into a bus. Both vehicles were burning in an inferno. Anthony recognized the MPV. It was the one he'd arranged to pick Isobel up.Light reflected off the glass shards that were scattered everywhere, piercing his eyes. He was in so much emotional pain that he couldn't breathe. He seemed to lose all his strength and collapsed onto the ground. "No… No!"He staggered to his feet, wanting to run into the fire. However, the police officers gathered around stopped him. "Calm down, sir! You can't go over there! It might explode another time!""Let me go! I want to look for Belle!" Anthony roared. His eyes were almost bulging from their sockets.Just then, an explosion ripped through the night. Shards of glass and metal scattered from the sky. The force made Anthony fall to the ground again. This time, he d
Love Burns Without a Trace Chapter 12
Anthony dragged himself back to the home he'd shared with Isobel for seven years. His footsteps were heavy, and he felt dazed. The house was dark and empty. Everything about it reminded him that no one would ever leave a light on for him and wait for him to return despite there being so many people in the world.He stood in the foyer for a long time. Suddenly, he remembered that he'd yet to open the birthday gift Isobel had prepared for him. He ran to the bedroom and opened the box with trembling hands.All he saw was a diagnosis report issued by a hospital. The words "ectopic pregnancy surgery" pierced his eyes. He saw that it was dated a month ago—the day that he'd used a business trip as an excuse to bring Sasha out for fun. It had also been a few days before Isobel's birthday.Anthony couldn't believe his eyes. His heart felt like a sledgehammer had hit it, and he couldn't breathe."This can't be… No, this is impossible…" he muttered, sounding almost possessed. His eyes turned
Love Burns Without a Trace Chapter 13
Anthony slowly returned to his senses. He tried to find some comfort in the things Isobel had left behind, but the closet was empty when he opened it.His breathing hitched. He stiffly turned around and looked at the dusty bedside table. There had been a photo of him and Isobel on it, but it was now gone.A horrifying thought formed in his mind, and a chill ran down his spine. He ran around the house, searching every corner like he was possessed. He went from the kitchen to the bathroom and, ultimately, the storage room… Everything was gone.Everything and anything that had to do with Isobel had disappeared without a trace, just like the lone snowfall that had graced Halthorne City that year. The snowflakes had descended upon the city but had melted overnight, leaving nothing behind. It was almost as if Isobel had never existed.Experiencing such an emotional roller coaster in a single day made Anthony feel like he couldn't breathe. He collapsed on the bed weakly. Even the sheets n
Love Burns Without a Trace Chapter 14
Sutton Manor had been refurbished without Anthony's knowledge. The flowers and plants that had once dotted the place were replaced with messy soil. He stumbled into Isobel's bedroom. The walls had been repainted a plain white. They still smelled pungent.Every moment he and Isobel shared from childhood to adulthood was a memory that he could treasure for life. Yet, they were now all gone.Everyone called him the untouchable crown prince of Halthorne City, but he had no idea that the love of his life had been preparing to leave him all along.The surveillance cameras were still intact, but the footage had been wiped. Only a short clip that had been recorded half a month ago remained.Anthony suddenly felt a little scared of seeing its contents. He clicked on it with trepidation and played it. The camera had been aimed at a corner of the second-floor landing. Isobel's figure soon appeared in the shot."Belle…" he mumbled.A second later, she looked out the window to see Anthony and
Love Burns Without a Trace Chapter 15
Anthony slumped on the cold, hard floor of the surveillance room. He got soil and dust on his initially sharp and clean suit. He looked disheveled and unkempt, nothing like the CEO of Johnson Group.Roger stood guard outside. He tried to enter the room a few times, but Anthony barked at him, stopping him. "Don't come in! I want to be alone."Anthony stared emptily at the screen, his mind seemingly going blank as well. Then, he pulled out his phone to look at photos of himself and Isobel.She stood beside him as a ten-year-old, looking frail and pitiful. That was the year the Sutton family had gone bankrupt, and her parents had both taken their lives. He'd held her hand when she was at her lowest and brought her home. That was also when he had secretly sworn to protect her forever.When Isobel celebrated her 18th birthday with a coming-of-age ceremony, Anthony had chosen to confess his feelings for her that day. As the night had fallen, he'd brought her away from the superficial ple
Love Burns Without a Trace Chapter 16
Anthony didn't believe that Isobel was dead. After seeing the message she'd left him, he was only more sure that she just wanted to get away from him. Still, he knew he could gain her forgiveness as long as he could see her again.He hadn't given up on searching for her since she'd left. None of the people he'd sent out had come back with news of her whereabouts, though.At the same time, he got ready to settle the score with Sasha. He knew that she'd sent Isobel those photos to provoke her. There was also one more thing he wanted to confirm. He wanted to know if Sasha could be behind the accident if it weren't an act that Isobel had put on but an actual accident.Anthony opened the door to the CEO's office and found Sasha bossing everyone around while proudly flaunting her baby bump.She berated a female employee because the latter hadn't heard her clearly over the phone. She screamed at the employee over being inefficient and unable to handle such a simple task.The employee's f
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Love Burns Without a Trace Chapter 26
Anthony looked like a fanatic as he sat inside the cramped spaceship. The photo was already crumpled in his tightly clenched fist."I'll still stand a chance as long as you can hear my confession, Isobel. As long as I fix the vinyl and immediately return to your side, we'll go back to how things used to be. I love you, Isobel. I love you so, so much. Don't give up on me, okay?" he muttered. He sounded pleading but also like he was trying to comfort himself.He didn't dare admit that he'd already lost Isobel long ago. He didn't have the courage to face the truth, so he could only brainwash himself into acting like everything wasn't already over. He told himself that she would return to his side as long as the vinyl continued playing.The countdown was over. Anthony looked up, his eyes bloodshot and filled with determination."Launch the rocket!"Flames burst from the tail end of the rocket, and the crushing pressure plastered him to his seat. He stared dazedly out the tiny window,
Love Burns Without a Trace Chapter 25
The truth behind Anthony's murder of Sasha got out. The police investigated the matter based on clues provided and soon traced it back to him. However, he was no longer in Halthorne City and refused to cooperate with the investigation.He was heading toward a space shuttle launching center in the remote desert. He was going to take a spaceship to space to repair the vinyl. Once he returned safe and sound, he would beg for Isobel's forgiveness again. She was the one thing he couldn't lose.When Anthony arrived at the launching center, the employees there were performing the final checks on the spaceship. He stood before the launching platform and looked at the spaceship he was about to board. His gaze carried a hint of almost obsessive stubbornness.It was almost as if the spaceship wasn't just a cold machine but the only path to Isobel's heart.Unfortunately, things weren't proceeding smoothly. During the pre-launch check, the system detected an abnormality in the spaceship's fuel
Love Burns Without a Trace Chapter 24
Two months passed before Anthony heard anything else about Isobel. She'd still appeared in Airland but was no longer in Darblink City. Instead, she'd moved to a smaller, more remote town. Rumor had it there were an abundance of beautiful flowers there.Anthony immediately left for Airland. This time, he kept his profile as low as possible. Close to no one knew where he was. On his way there, he kept looking through photos of Isobel on his phone.In the pictures, she was smiling happily, her eyes bright. His gaze turned expectant and tentative as he looked at the images.The sky was just starting to brighten when he landed in Darblink City. He had no time to rest. He drove straight to the small town where Isobel was and went to the flower shop.It had yet to open for the day, so he went to the coffee shop opposite it and waited there after ordering a coffee. It was noon when the flower shop showed some signs of life.A young woman in a white dress opened the glass door and started
Love Burns Without a Trace Chapter 23
Roger entered Anthony's room the following day, looking conflicted. "Your vinyl on the spaceship has stopped, Mr. Johnson.""How did that happen?" Anthony frowned."It seems that something went wrong with the player on the spaceship. No one has been sent over to repair it yet."Anthony paled. He waved a hand to dismiss Roger and remained alone in his office in a daze. After a moment, he called the space travel company and told them he wanted to purchase a spot for space travel.The vinyl held the record of his love confession to Isobel and also her sweet reply. It was the one trace of their love that she couldn't destroy. He would not let it stop.Since no one could fix it, he would do it himself. He wanted the boundless sky to remember his love for her forever.Space travel would require a considerable sum, but Anthony had long since stopped bothering about Johnson Group. Things were a mess there. The company's finance director approached him with a stack of documents, trying ha
Love Burns Without a Trace Chapter 22
To ensure the smooth operation of Johnson Group and expand his influence into Airland, Anthony had no choice but to return to the business world.Public opinion shifted rapidly, and the traces Isobel had left behind in Halthorne City grew fainter by the day. Anthony never would've expected to next catch hold of something tied to Isobel's past at a business cocktail party.He noticed the watch on his business partner's female companion's wrist. Only one was in the country, and he'd given it to Isobel as a birthday gift. Yet now, it was on another woman's wrist."And so, Mr. Johnson, I think our collaboration this time—""Excuse me." Anthony's gaze landed on the watch as he interrupted his business partner. "Sorry, but do you know Belle? Do you know Isobel Sutton?"The female companion exchanged a look with the business partner. For a second, they didn't know what to say. Everyone in Halthorne City knew of Isobel, whether it was because of her romantic love story with Anthony or her
Love Burns Without a Trace Chapter 21
Anthony had a global network of informants. Soon enough, someone brought him a sliver of hope. An email from his private investigator contained a blurry photo. It captured the figure of a woman who resembled Isobel. She was at a flower shop in Darblink City.Anthony looked at it several times to be sure before he shot to his feet excitedly. He immediately canceled his plans and booked the closest flight to Airland. He arrived over ten hours later and drove straight to the flower shop.The store wasn't large. He could see the inside of the store through the clean windows. It was clean and cozy, like the designs Isobel had created in the past.Opening a flower shop had always been Isobel's dream, but it had never come true because she'd been bound by the chains of being in the upper crust. As Anthony's future wife, she'd had to attend many social events and functions with him.He'd once promised her that he would one day make Johnson Group the best in the industry. When the time came
Love Burns Without a Trace Chapter 20
Sasha and the baby's deaths didn't bring any news of Isobel's whereabouts. After dealing with the rest of the matters, Anthony slumped tiredly on the couch in his office.The dazzling city lights outside the floor-to-ceiling windows filled his view, but his heart felt hollow, incapable of holding anything. He hadn't slept for three nights. Whenever he shut his eyes, Isobel's face would appear in his mind.He dragged himself home, feeling exhausted. He turned on the lights, which only showed how empty the place was. His life, much like the house, had been devoid of anything tied to Isobel since her departure. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't hold on to any traces of her.He tried to seek out their personal photographer, someone who'd witnessed countless happy moments between him and Isobel. However, it seemed that Isobel had expected this day to come. She had prematurely asked the photographer to discard the negatives for all their photos.Anthony recalled the lovers' lock t
Love Burns Without a Trace Chapter 19
Nothing went as Anthony wished. Sasha refused to get the abortion no matter how she was threatened, and he didn't manage to get any clues on Isobel's whereabouts despite the sensation it had caused on the Internet.He kept telling himself that Isobel had to be alive and that she was in another corner of the world. He believed that he still stood a chance of turning things around as long as he could convey his regrets to her. At the same time, he couldn't help being afraid that Sasha had truly made Isobel lose her life.He descended into boundless agony, and his temper turned unpredictable. When Sasha saw how dazed and absent-minded he was, she knew that her plan to use public opinion to help her climb the ranks had thoroughly failed. Still, she struggled. She tried to use their past relationship to gain Anthony's pity.She knocked on his room door one night while dressing in a skimpy lace nightgown. It showed off her baby bump. She deliberately splashed some water on her chest. She
Love Burns Without a Trace Chapter 18
Sasha escaped the first time she was taken for an abortion. She was beyond reluctant to have everything she'd fought so hard for be wasted because of Isobel's death.So, she spread a carefully edited video online. It showed the showdown at Johnson Manor. She made sure to portray herself as a pitiful woman who'd ended up being abandoned."I've always known about Tony and Isobel's love story. I've also always been envious of them. I'll admit that I love Tony deeply, but it never crossed my mind to come between him and Isobel!"My child is a beautiful accident between myself and Tony, but it's also a gift that I'm more than willing to accept. I know that Isobel's death has weighed Tony down with guilt. I can understand why he doesn't want to acknowledge the child."I've never dared dream of marrying Tony. I only wish that the Johnson family would give me and my child the chance to survive. I don't want to lose my only kin…" Sasha faced the camera, tears streaming down her face as she
