Ten Days to Leave My Stepbrother (Beatrice) novel Chapter 15

**Across Quiet Meadows Rise Dreams Waiting For Their Moment – Chapter 15**

When Maverick stepped through the threshold of his home, a profound silence enveloped him. Derek had just departed with Celia, leaving behind an unsettling stillness that seemed to echo in every corner of the house. The absence of life was palpable, as if the walls themselves held their breath, waiting for something to break the tension. The only sound that accompanied Maverick was the rhythmic thud of his heels against the wooden staircase, a stark reminder of his solitude.

His mind was a whirlpool of thoughts, but one singular obsession dominated his consciousness: he had to open that door. The door he had swung open countless times before, each time filled with the promise of warmth and familiarity. But this time felt different, heavy with a sense of dread.

As he pushed the door ajar, anticipation mixed with trepidation coursed through him. The moment it creaked open, Maverick was met with a stark void. The bathroom, the walk-in closet, the small study—everything stood in its place, yet it felt as if the essence of what made it home had evaporated.

He could visualize every item, every cherished memento that had once filled the room with life. But now, as he gazed around, he was met with an overwhelming emptiness. The secrets that had once thrived within these walls had vanished, leaving behind a haunting silence that echoed in his ears.

It was in that moment of stark realization that the truth hit him like a cold wave: Beatrice had truly left. The psychological barricades he had erected around his heart crumbled in an instant, and a torrent of panic surged through him, flooding his senses with despair. His body trembled, a visceral reaction to the chaos swirling within him. He felt disoriented, as if the ground beneath him had shifted.

Frantically, he searched the room, peering into every nook where she might have hidden—behind the wardrobe, beneath the desk, even behind the door itself. The room was a whirlwind of disarray, yet still, there was no trace of her. Desperation clawed at him as he finally turned his attention to the bed, a symbol of their shared moments. He yanked the covers aside, his heart racing, but found nothing but crumpled sheets.

In a haze of urgency, he dashed back to his own room, where he tore open the letter with shaking hands. The paper felt foreign, as if it were a barrier between him and the truth he dreaded to face. The words were few, yet each line struck him like a dagger. The first line spoke of a breakup, wishing him and Maribel a lifetime of happiness together—a cruel twist of fate.

The second line revealed that the five million dollars in the account were funds she was returning to the Melton family, a final act of closure. The third line shattered him further, clarifying that Celia was not the homewrecker he had imagined; his mother and Derek had divorced two years prior to the public announcement, and Celia had been unaware of their past.

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