All This Time… He Was Waiting for HER - Chapter 6: Chapter 6
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Corey stood frozen, the secretary's words hitting him like a punch to the gut. His mind reeled, struggling to make sense of it. "The document? That's been under lock and key at the station for three years. How the hell did she get her hands on it now?"
The secretary mopped his sweaty brow, voice trembling as he shot a nervous glance toward Jennie's hospital bed. "I-I don't know, sir. But your wife mailed a copy. I tried calling her—no answer. I think she knows. I came straight here before even reporting to the station."
A cold dread settled in Corey's stomach. "If Winona presses charges or goes public, the company's reputation—everything we've built—will be destroyed."
From the bed, Jennie's eyes flickered with smug satisfaction before she schooled her face into concern. "Corey? Is everything alright at the company? You should go handle it. Sebastian will be here soon—I'll be fine."
His jaw tightened. After a beat, he forced out, "Winona's missing. I need to find her."
Jennie stifled a laugh behind her hand. "Oh, that's all? Please, you know how she is. She's probably still sulking over the banquet. Give her a few days—she'll come crawling back. Don't let this distract you."
Corey exhaled, some tension easing—until Jennie erupted into violent coughs, trapping him at her bedside. He barked orders at the secretary to track Winona down, frustration simmering as he remained stuck playing nurse.
The moment the door clicked shut, Jennie's act dropped. She lounged back, spinning honeyed tales laced with poison—each casual remark a carefully placed knife twisting Winona's character. Too emotional. Too dramatic. None of it matched the woman Corey knew.
His patience snapped. "Enough. I know Winona better than that."
Jennie's eyes welled up instantly. She scrambled forward, clutching at his sleeve. "I didn't mean it like that! You've been so good to me these past three years—I just hate seeing her hurt you. That accident with Aunt Edna... God, Corey, you know I'd never—"
"Stop." The word came out sharper than intended. The memory of Winona's shattered expression at their wedding flashed behind his eyes, sudden revulsion churning in his gut. "I'm done rehashing this. Sebastian's coming. I'm leaving."
She called after him, pleading, but Corey was already striding down the hallway, phone pressed to his ear as his secretary's panicked update came through:
"Sir, the police confirmed—Mrs. Zettel was there yesterday. Copied some documents. They wouldn't reopen the case, but she knows. You need to get home now."
"A day ago?" The realization hit like ice water. Tires screeched as he peeled out of the hospital lot, weaving through traffic, ignoring red lights. His thumb jabbed at his phone—call after call, message after message—but every attempt bounced back.
Still offline.
The empty notification glared up at him, a red exclamation point screaming what his gut already knew:
He was too late.
The secretary mopped his sweaty brow, voice trembling as he shot a nervous glance toward Jennie's hospital bed. "I-I don't know, sir. But your wife mailed a copy. I tried calling her—no answer. I think she knows. I came straight here before even reporting to the station."
A cold dread settled in Corey's stomach. "If Winona presses charges or goes public, the company's reputation—everything we've built—will be destroyed."
From the bed, Jennie's eyes flickered with smug satisfaction before she schooled her face into concern. "Corey? Is everything alright at the company? You should go handle it. Sebastian will be here soon—I'll be fine."
His jaw tightened. After a beat, he forced out, "Winona's missing. I need to find her."
Jennie stifled a laugh behind her hand. "Oh, that's all? Please, you know how she is. She's probably still sulking over the banquet. Give her a few days—she'll come crawling back. Don't let this distract you."
Corey exhaled, some tension easing—until Jennie erupted into violent coughs, trapping him at her bedside. He barked orders at the secretary to track Winona down, frustration simmering as he remained stuck playing nurse.
The moment the door clicked shut, Jennie's act dropped. She lounged back, spinning honeyed tales laced with poison—each casual remark a carefully placed knife twisting Winona's character. Too emotional. Too dramatic. None of it matched the woman Corey knew.
His patience snapped. "Enough. I know Winona better than that."
Jennie's eyes welled up instantly. She scrambled forward, clutching at his sleeve. "I didn't mean it like that! You've been so good to me these past three years—I just hate seeing her hurt you. That accident with Aunt Edna... God, Corey, you know I'd never—"
"Stop." The word came out sharper than intended. The memory of Winona's shattered expression at their wedding flashed behind his eyes, sudden revulsion churning in his gut. "I'm done rehashing this. Sebastian's coming. I'm leaving."
She called after him, pleading, but Corey was already striding down the hallway, phone pressed to his ear as his secretary's panicked update came through:
"Sir, the police confirmed—Mrs. Zettel was there yesterday. Copied some documents. They wouldn't reopen the case, but she knows. You need to get home now."
"A day ago?" The realization hit like ice water. Tires screeched as he peeled out of the hospital lot, weaving through traffic, ignoring red lights. His thumb jabbed at his phone—call after call, message after message—but every attempt bounced back.
Still offline.
The empty notification glared up at him, a red exclamation point screaming what his gut already knew:
He was too late.
End of All This Time… He Was Waiting for HER Chapter 6. Continue reading Chapter 7 or return to All This Time… He Was Waiting for HER book page.