The Day I Walked Away My Empire Began novel Chapter 119

Lucie’s face fell. “So there’s still no real lead?”

“Nothing useful yet. All we know is he went to that sanatorium, and once he checked in, he didn’t come out.”

Lucie felt her chest tighten, her mind spinning with confusion.

So that’s it. The woman he’s so in love with has been living in a sanatorium this whole time? What kind of woman could make him so obsessed?

“Lucie, I’m sending you the info on the place now. If I find out anything else, I’ll let you know.”

“Okay, thanks.”

Mira hung up. Not two minutes later, a string of photos and details about the sanatorium popped up on Lucie’s phone.

She opened them, staring at the images.

The sign out front was all gold lettering: Sovereign Gardens Sanatorium.

It looked insanely luxurious, nestled in the middle of rolling hills and lakes. Even in a quick photo, the place looked like a high-end resort, the scenery more perfect than a postcard.

She could only imagine what it must look like inside.

Is that woman really living there? But why would she need to?

Lucie tried to push those thoughts away, but they kept swirling in her head.

The past few days, she’d scoured the internet for anything about Steven’s love life. Nothing. Not a single rumor, not one tabloid sighting. His record was spotless. Of course, maybe he was just really good at hiding things. That didn’t mean there weren’t other women.

He’d been in Switzerland for a week now. He hadn’t called her once. Clearly, all his attention was on that woman.

Just thinking about it made her eyes burn.

“Forget it. We’re already breaking up—what’s the point of being jealous? It just makes me look pathetic. If he doesn’t love me, why should I love him? At least if you get married young, you’re still young when you get divorced.

“But the cost of making mistakes is so high. I don’t think I’ll have the guts to try again.”

Her emotions tumbled over each other, and she couldn’t stop the tears from coming.

She let herself cry, hard, letting it all out.

“Steven, this is the last time I’ll ever cry for you. Soon, you won’t be my husband anymore. We’ll just be strangers, walking past each other like we never met.”

—

The next day, Lucie and her grandfather were discharged from the hospital together.

“Lucie, you’re still recovering. Work can wait. Come home with me. I’ve arranged for an old family doctor to help you get your strength back.”

Lucie walked into her spacious office. Five carefully packed crates waited for her.

She changed into her work clothes, pulled on gloves, and started opening the boxes one by one.

There were five items: a noblewoman’s sheer formal gown, a painted sculpture, a shattered bronze cauldron, and two ancient paintings.

Lucie laid everything out on the long worktable, examining each piece in detail while Ruby snapped photos and took notes.

When she finished, Lucie drew up a thorough restoration plan, listing every technique and material she’d need. She sent the whole proposal to Dr. Tate.

Dr. Tate replied quickly, happy with her plan and giving her the green light to start.

Lucie got to work. “Ruby, this Norman dynasty painting calls for a few natural pigments. We’re out of stock. Tomorrow you’ll come with me to Great Ashwood. I want to source them myself.”

Ruby nodded. “Absolutely, Ms. Anderson. I’ll get everything ready.”

—

The next morning, Lucie woke up early. She took Ruby and their bodyguard Jean, and they all set off in the car for Great Ashwood.

Great Ashwood was a sprawling island nature reserve, right between New Amberton and Elmridge.