I Walked Away And He Lost His Mind (Zephyra and Steven) novel Chapter 282

“How do you know about Verna?!”

His reaction was all the confirmation I needed.

My heart clenched, a sharp, constricting pain spreading through my chest as the color drained from my face. Tears welled up, blurring my vision.

But I was terrified of misunderstanding Steven, so I forced myself to ask one more time.

“All these years, when Steven has flown abroad twice a month, without fail… was it to see her?”

Gordon looked pained. “Mrs. Lancaster…”

A tear finally escaped and rolled down my cheek. I fought back a sob, keeping my voice gentle. “I won’t make this difficult for you. Just answer that one question, and I’ll leave immediately. You can pretend I was never here.”

Gordon hesitated for a long moment before nodding. “Yes. Mr. Lancaster goes abroad to see her.”

My heart felt as if it had been ripped in two. The pain was so intense it was hard to breathe, yet somehow, a laugh escaped my lips.

Maybe it was because Steven had been so cold to me over the years. I’d just assumed that was his nature—a stone that could never be warmed.

I never imagined he would humble himself for a woman, enduring flights over ten hours long, more than thirty hours of travel round trip, twice a month, all just to see her.

Such a sincere, profound love.

It was nothing like the purely physical connection we had.

I left the office in a daze, like a ghost drifting through the world. For the first time, I didn't go straight back to the villa. Instead, I went to my mother's grave and sat there, staring blankly at her headstone.

After I got married, I had cut ties with all my friends. Rachel was gone, and so was Horace.

The only people I had left were family, but my father wouldn't care, Janice was busy hunting for a wealthy husband, and Aunt Janice was helping her refine her taste. They had no time for me. I knew what the answer would be, but I still summoned the courage to call my dad.

“Dad, can I come home to stay tonight?”

He sounded pleased. “Of course! Is Mr. Lancaster coming too? I’ll have your Aunt Janice get a room ready.”

I lowered my eyes. “He’s busy tonight. Is it okay if I just come by myself?”

His tone soured instantly. “If he’s busy, you should be taking care of him. You’ve been married for years, do I really need to remind you of these things? Use your head for once.”

He hung up. I listened to the dial tone for a long time before finally putting my phone away.

In that moment, I felt like an outcast, abandoned by the entire world.

I rarely saw Steven truly angry. He was usually just mocking or distant. In all our years of marriage, I knew my existence had never been enough to stir any real emotion in him.

I looked up at him. “Were you looking for me?”

His expression was grim. “Was I looking for you? Or did you think I came to a cemetery to look for ghosts?” He scanned the silent, empty grounds, and his face grew even darker. “Why was your phone off? Weren’t you worried something could happen? What if I couldn’t find you?”

My gaze drifted back to the headstone. “My mother’s here. Nothing bad would happen. But… how did you know I was here?”

Steven glanced down at the grave. “You didn’t go home, and you didn’t go to the Joneses. Where else would you be?”

“It’s late. Come home with me.”

He reached out to pull me up.

“Okay.” But I instinctively flinched away from his touch and slowly got to my feet on my own. My legs were still pins and needles, and I wobbled as I tried to stand steady.

Steven froze, his eyes narrowing as he stared at me.

“You don’t want me to touch you?”