Chapter 272

Upon receiving the news, Juan rushed to the seaside, where the rescue team laid out a piece of clothing before him. “Sir, is this the clothing your wife was wearing?”

Juan stared at the garment, his expression momentarily blank. He recognized the dress. It was the same one Debra had been wearing in the surveillance footage on the day of the kidnapping.

“Yes.”

“We infer that your wife must have perished, and the search and rescue efforts have been halted. Please accept our condolences.”

After days of scouring the sea with no sign of Debra, the discovery of this clothing seemed to seal her fate. Juan frowned, protesting, “Her body hasn’t been found. You can’t just say she’s dead.”

Before he could say more, Joe noticed his distress and intervened. He said to the rescue team, “Thank you all for your hard work these past few days. We will prepare a small token of appreciation for you. Please take a rest now.”

The team members nodded and left. Juan shrugged off Joe’s hand. “Until Debra’s body is recovered, she’s not dead.”

“Mr. Nichols, please face reality,” Joe advised. Everyone around him had accepted the grim truth, but Juan refused to yield. Clearly, someone who had fallen into the sea days ago couldn’t be alive.

Juan looked out at the vast sea, his eyes dry and sore. “Debra is not coming back.”

As evening descended, Juan returned home. Shelia approached him, her hands reaching out to help him remove his outerwear.

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Juan recoiled, his voice cold and distant. “Don’t touch me.”

Seeing the disgust in his eyes, Shelia didn’t advance again. She deliberately said, “Juan, since Debra is already gone, to ensure she rests in peace, Melody has decided to hold a funeral.”

“What did you say?” Juan growled.

He stormed into the living room and found Melody leisurely sipping tea on the sofa. “Since you’re back, take a look at the guest arrangements. Check who should be invited and see if there’s anything that needs adding.”

“Who agreed to hold a funeral for Debra? Why didn’t you ask me first?” Juan snapped.

His outburst confused Melody. “It’s not a big deal. The funeral date is already set. You just need to attend on time and don’t let outsiders criticize us.”

Turning to Shelia, she instructed, “Send out these invitations. Sophie will assist you.”

“Certainly, Mrs. Nichols Sr.,” Shelia replied.

In just a few days, she had managed to win Melody’s favor, a feat that would have been unimaginable given Melody’s previous disdain for her. Juan’s blood ran cold, but it all made sense. He had grown up in the cold environment of the Nichols family, where affection was a rare commodity, and interests reigned supreme. He thought he had learned to navigate this—to maintain relationships based on benefit rather than emotion.