Eleanor's Demise ✔️

Chapter 17: I'm a Baker Not a Shrink

He was back in Jersey, wearing a confident smile on his face. Adam was back and better than ever before. Or at least that's what he wanted the media to think as thousands of paparazzi snapped photos of him driving into his awe-inspiring mansion.

Ever since telling that red head off and leaving that person at the airport, Adam couldn't convince himself to believe her words. It seemed too rushed for a plan that could have possibly worked. Perhaps that was what happened. He couldn't get the thoughts to leave.

He couldn't bring himself to believe Eleanor was actually dead, even though every bone in his body was screaming at him to just get over her. He had a gut feeling that she wasn't dead, that she was out there somewhere on this Earth and he would find her.

Do other people have it easier, when the love of their life dies, does it only take them a year to get over it. It felt like it would take him a lifetime. The thought of her faking her death plagued his mind constantly as his wedding day approached and a happy-go-lucky Magdelene continually attempted to cheer him up.

She couldn't do much when his head was in the gutter and his heart splayed across the street. Every night he walked over to the street trying to think of how Eleanor could have faked her death. He had shown up a couple minutes after everything had happened; that wouldn't give enough time for anyone to steal her body. The truck driver would have seen someone right?

And every night he stood there, he slowly drifted farther away from Magdelene. He had stopped going on February 18. He had stopped thinking on February 18. He had stopped living on February 18. Adam had unmistakably buried himself in a pool of Eleanor's blood and all the kings horses and all the kings men couldn't put Adam together again.

His hand slipped past the lightswitch, shutting it off as he walked over to his bed.

March 30 was his wedding day meaning he had slightly over 30 days to find Eleanor- or get over her. A million thoughts jumbled his mind until he had grown sick of it. Perhaps he should extend the months until marrying Magdalene, he surpassed all expectations of mourning and had moved on rather quickly in the eyes of the world. However, Adam was a sucker for a positive reputation and he knew that if he dared say a thing about Eleanor at an interview- now that it had been a year, Magdalene would surely dump his sorry ass.

The thoughts pestered him until he'd had enough, of he didn't do something he'd go insane. His curiosity was peaked and he knew he wouldn't get a wink of sleep. His legs seemed to move of their own accord as he hopped out of his bed, wearing nothing but his boxers and ran down his luxurious stairs where the portraits of Adam and Eleanor's engagement and wedding still hung very high. He called for whomever was at the gate to call him a flight immediately. Of course nobody could refuse Mr. Carnegie. Within the hour, he was on a jet and on his way back to the town of Clearwater, Oklahoma.

He would get answers this time. He didn't believe that Josiah guy for one second and he still had a burning desire to find Bree Walker and ask her of her association with Eleanor. Perhaps Josiah had been lying. But why would a doctor feel the need to lie?

His thoughts swam aimlessly as he remained wide awake. He remembered Eleanor sleeping beside him, their special night, the pier.

Oh how that damn pier haunted him everytime he thought of it. It was a mistake, he'd tricked her and for that he deserved what came to him- but Eleanor didn't deserve any of it.

He stood up once the private jet landed and thanked the pilot. Immediately he walked the short distance to the city of Clearwater just as the sun was beginning to rise.

Lavela's Bakery was the first place he caught sight of and entered casually.

"Has Bree come back?" He blurted as soon as the old woman appeared.

"Oh hey doll, it's you." Everytime he was in this place, the world seemed a thousand times brighter. He caught sight of the paintings plastered on the walls.

"Yes, I need your help." He said again, running his hands through his messy brown hair. It was so unlike Adam to make rash decisions when he normally takes months before coming to a choice. Guess that was one impact Eleanor left on him.

"Son, I'm a baker not a shrink. Maybe you should put some clothes on before the folks wake up. I should also inform you that I close in a few minutes. It's Sunday." Lavela said. Adam looked down, his boxers were still on and his bare chest was covered with a measly sweater that he had found on the jet.

"What's Sunday?" Adam furrowed his brows, finally breathing the fresh country air.

"It's church day darling." Adam looked confused. "Everyone goes, you can't talk to anyone until afterwards." Lavela said. "I best get going. I already told you son, Bree left Josiah and she's gone."

"People don't just disappear!" Adam's voice rose as his hand slammed the table angrily. He had never been that impulsive, well besides a certain day with Eleanor.

"Look son, I need to get going. Maybe talk to Dr. Matthews, he still lives here you know. Maybe he can give you whatever you're looking for."

Adam nodded. Smoke flying out of his ears as he angrily walked outside into the sun lit sky. It was strange that the rest of the country was still dark but the sun was shining ever so brightly at this very moment.

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Josiah walked out after the church service ended and he headed to his office. Normally he would head home- everyone took Sunday off, of course it was the day of rest.

But today, he had decided to go check if he had all the antiseptics that were needed. His miniature office was beside a miniature pharmancy.

After checking around, he finally decided to head home.

Something felt odd, Josiah couldn't put his finger on it, but there was a strange darkness that had filled his home. And before he could look any further, it was gone.

For a second, he had believed Bree had returned to him but the tides seemed to shift as a tall brooding brown-eyed man knocked on his front door on that cold Sunday afternoon.

Immediately, he recognized the face of the man who had visited his office weeks ago demanding Bree. Of course Josiah had no clue what had happened. But he refused to tell Adam.

Adam Carnegie was indisputably the most handsome man in a thousand mile radius. Even when he was exhausted and looked like he had crawled up from the hole to china. Adam stared at Josiah for a few seconds before Josiah recognized him.

"I'm begging you to please tell me where Bree is?" Adam finally said. He looked exhausted and completely worn out. Josiah's eyes widened, wondering if Adam had figured out that Eleanor was Bree. But he kept his mouth shut.

"I don't know." Josiah finally said, still leaving Adam to stand outside his home in the cool air.   "Look, I already told you. She left me. I don't know why you keep asking me of all people. Don't you have investigators or something. Isn't there someone who can tell you what you want to know?"

"Look, then fine. But just tell me how she had Eleanor's ring." Josiah stood still, his eyes poking fun at the dark brows of Adam Carnegie. The dark circles under Adam's eyes were prominent on his face. Adam was exhausted, stressed out, and unable to remain patient any longer. He and Josiah glared at each other for a minute before Josiah opened his mouth.

Josiah sighed, "Would you like to come in?" And Adam knew he had unlocked some sort of dark power. The shield behind Eleanor's demise seemed to have been cracking ever so slightly until it would not exist anymore. The sun appeared behind the clouds now as Adam stepped into Josiah Matthews small southern home- a feminine smell was the first thing to hit his nose.