Once She Came Like a Flash novel Chapter 52

**Faith Didn’t Survive Time – by Aadi Sharma**
**Chapter 52**

Adam hurriedly escorted Kayla to the hospital, her injuries demanding immediate attention. The sterile scent of antiseptic filled the air as they entered, a stark contrast to the chaos of the evening. Just as they settled into the waiting area, Julian appeared, his brow furrowed with concern.

“Where’s Renee?” Adam’s voice was laced with urgency, his eyes scanning the room as if she might appear at any moment.

Julian’s expression shifted to one of confusion, his head tilting slightly. “You’re asking me? Isn’t your wife with you?”

Adam’s heart sank. “Kayla took a spill and got hurt, so I rushed her here first. Didn’t you see Renee after you settled the bill?”

A wave of anxiety washed over him. He had assumed, perhaps naively, that Julian would have checked on Renee before leaving, ensuring she was safe at home. Their dynamic had always been seamless, a silent pact of brotherhood that he thought would extend to their wives as well.

“No,” Julian replied, shaking his head slowly, a frown deepening on his face. “I thought you had someone arranged to take her back.”

A sense of dread clawed at Adam’s insides. Without wasting another moment, he pulled out his phone and dialed Renee’s number, his fingers trembling slightly. The line rang, but soon a cold, mechanical voice interrupted his hopes.

“We’re sorry. The number you have dialed is unreachable.”

Frustration bubbled within him as he tried again and again, each attempt met with the same disheartening response.

“Her phone’s off,” Adam concluded, panic creeping into his tone, his mind racing with possibilities.

Seeing the distress etched on Adam’s face, Julian quickly reassured him, “Don’t stress. I’ll make a few calls and see if anyone knows where she is.”

After all, their circle of friends had been present at the event; surely someone would have seen Renee. Julian swiftly dialed a contact, his voice steady as he asked, “Samuel, we had to leave early just now. Did you see Renee anywhere?”

Samuel Judd’s voice came through, casual and slightly mocking. “Yeah, I saw her leave with Mr. Zeller.”

“Are you out of your damn mind?!” Julian exclaimed, jabbing a finger into Adam’s chest, his voice rising in urgency. “Jasper already took Renee back, and she’s probably in his bed right now. Do you really want to go looking for her there?”

The words struck Adam like a thunderclap, draining the color from his face. Panic surged through him, threatening to overwhelm his senses. “Don’t you have Luke’s number? Give it to me. Renee’s my wife. No matter how much of an asshole I am, I would never let my wife sleep with someone just for business!”

All he had wanted for the evening was for Renee to enjoy a drink with Jasper, nothing more than that.

Julian sighed, placing a reassuring hand on Adam’s shoulder. “Look, man, I know Renee made a huge sacrifice this time. But it’s not for nothing. Jasper’s definitely going to talk business with us tomorrow. Worst case, we split the deal fifty-fifty.”

“What the hell, Julian?! What the hell do you think Renee is?” Adam’s anger erupted, his fist flying out in a swift motion that connected with Julian’s face. “There’s no way I’d sacrifice Renee for a business deal!”

The impact was enough to send Julian staggering back a few steps, shock and pain flickering across his features. A thin line of blood trickled from the corner of Julian’s mouth, and he grimaced, steadying himself against the wall, irritation mingling with the pain.

“Don’t play the lovesick hero. You’re the one who pushed Renee to go seduce Jasper. Now that it worked, you want to act like you care.”