The Rejected True Heiress (Liora and Callum) novel Chapter 416

Callum’s POV

“Zane, what point are you trying to make? You’re talking in circles.”

“The point is that I think you owe me a little credit, Callum,” Zane huffed. “I mean, I’m basically the whole reason you two are even together right now! I feel like that deserves some kind of acknowledgment at minimum.”

“You’re not, and it doesn’t,” I said with a yawn.

“Gods, could you at least listen to me for once? I’m standing here trying to warn you about an impending disaster, and it’s like you can’t even hear what I’m saying.”

“I’m hearing you. I am. It’s just… I’ve got things under control.”

“Do you?” Zane planted one hand on his hip. “Because Liora’s gone.”

“What?”

Zane pointed, and I turned. I cursed under my breath. The space where Liora had been standing was empty.

“Where’d she go?” I asked.

“Beats me.” Zane looked around. “Liora? Did you wander off?” No response came from amongst the bookshelves, indicating that she hadn’t slipped away in search of a good book.

I looked at the doorway. I hadn’t heard her leave, but the door was open, the hallway beyond it empty and quiet.

“Liora?” I called, poking my head out of the library. She wasn’t there.

I walked out into the hallway. The dining room doors at the end of the corridor were partially open, spilling golden light onto the floor. I could hear voices coming from that direction, so I went that way, figuring my parents had called her back to finish their tea.

Upon entering the dining room, I found that my parents were exactly where we had left them. My mother was at her end of the table with what looked like a fresh cup of tea in front of her, and my father was in his chair with a cigar between his fingers. They both looked up when I walked in.

Liora wasn’t with them.

“Where’s Liora?” I asked.

My mother set her cup down. “She left, sweetheart.”

“Left?” I repeated.

“Do you want me to prove it?” my mother asked, cocking her head to the side.

Zane nodded and folded his arms. “I’d be honored.”

My mother made a small hmph sound, then brushed past me and Zane and out into the hallway. Picking her skirt up, she ascended the stairs with her head held high. Zane and I looked at each other, then followed.

My mother led the way upstairs, then down the hall to the Rose Room. There, she paused outside the door and shot me a meaningful look.

“I’m sorry, Callum,” she said.

Then, she opened the door.

I stepped inside. The sunlight had faded, leaving the room dark and quiet with the shadows of dusk stretching long across the hardwood floors. There was no lamp on to indicate Liora’s presence. The bathroom door stood open and dark beyond.

The room was empty.

No. Not just empty, but… Cleared out. Liora’s bag was gone. Her toiletries had been swept away from the vanity. Her toothbrush wasn’t even on the bathroom sink.