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“But he would never leave you because he wanted to.”

Nancy’s pure indignation was making everything worse. A few new tears slipped down Eve’s cheeks. “But he must have wanted to leave me. Why else would he have done it?”

“Because he’s a stubborn, noble jackass, and he must have decided it was better for you this way. But he never would have left because he wanted to. It must have torn him apart to do such a thing.”

Eve hadn’t thought about that. She hadn’t thought about much of anything except the pain in her heart ever since she’d found the ring. “Wh-what do you mean?”

Nancy reached over to grab Eve’s left hand and held it firmly. “He’s been so much better since he married you, honey. He’s been happier and more connected to his entire life.”

Choking on emotion, Eve rasped, “I… I thought I was good for him. But he… He…”

“Youaregood for him. You’ve transformed everything for him. But it hasn’t been easy for you. Even I can see that it’s hard for you when he’s sick, when you’re trying to take care of him. And obviously it’s going to be even harder for you when he’s gone. He must have finally realized that.”

“But… But…”

“I know it doesn’t make any sense. He clearly wasn’t using his brain. He must have gotten scared of what he was doing to you and was foolishly trying to undo it. But you can’t believe he’d ever leave you because that’s what he wants. You can’t really believe such a ridiculous thing.”

Nancy’s earnest words were finally breaking through the bleak fog in Eve’s brain. And they felt right. Inevitably right.

Of course that was what Jude was doing right now.

He wouldn’t have chosen to leave her. She’d never believe it. Not only because he needed her but because he cared about her. He’d made that more than obvious.

He’d mumbled that he loved her, and every sign she could recognize confirmed he’d been speaking the truth.

He hadn’t left her for him.

He’d left her forher.

“But he’s… He’s… out of his mind!” she burst out.

“Yes. He is. I wonder if he was getting another headache and had some sort of panic attack about burdening you with all his suffering.”

“But he can’t manage on his own! He needs me!”

“I agree. We need to find him somehow and bring him home. I can’t believe he’ll hold on to this noble insanity for long.”

“But how can we find him? He won’t answer his phone. He could be anywhere.” Eve stood up with the momentum of her new understanding and rubbed her face urgently. “How dare he do this to us? I really want to shake him right now.”

“Why don’t you ask Mr. Gregory to help you find him?”

“What can he do?”

“He’s a very wealthy man, honey. He has resources that we don’t. He can check usage of Jude’s credit card or get his private investigator on the job or something like that. I bet he’ll be able to find him.”

Eve swallowed over a weird surge of nerves and nodded. Of course she would ask Jude’s father if that was the only way she could track him down. She would do absolutely anything. But it was weirdly hard to make herself leave the library and walk through to the opposite wing to knock on the office door.

Mr. Gregory wasn’t a bad man or a mean one, but he also wasn’t relaxed or outgoing. Even making small talk at breakfast was always a little intimidating. But he’d been nothing but kind to Eve, and he obviously loved his son. He undoubtedly would be willing to help.

“Come,” he called out from the other side of the closed door.

Eve opened it and stepped in. “Hi. Sorry to bother you. But I’m… I’m worried about Jude.”

Mr. Gregory immediately turned away from his computer, his eyebrows lowering. “Is he ill?”

“I… I don’t know.” Eve walked over toward the desk and showed him the ring in her hand. “He’s gone. He won’t answer his phone. And he left this.”

The frown on Jude’s father’s face deepened. “He loves you. Why would he leave you?”

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