No Person Found

My husband, Ezra, and I had been married for four years. Every year for the past four years, he would disappear for three days at the same time and transfer a large sum of money out of his bank account. I suspected he was doing it for an unforgettable ex. Yet, no matter how hard I investigated, I couldn’t find a single clue. “I don’t have any exes worth hiding from you," Ezra once told me. “Olivia, can you please stop digging into this?” That was until this past weekend, when I went to deliver an early birthday present to Nina—a young woman I had been financially supporting for eight years. The moment I inserted my key into the lock, I heard Ezra’s voice coming from inside. “It’s your birthday tomorrow, but I can only stay with you for half the day this time. We can’t afford to make her suspicious again.” Nina chuckled. “Olivia hasn’t suspected me at all. What are you so afraid of?” Outside the door, I held the gift in my hands, tears streaming down my face. My intuition had been right all along. The only difference was that he was cheating on me with the person I had personally funded and cared for over the last eight years. I knew right then that our four-year marriage was over. Chapter 1 The apartment went quiet for a few seconds. Then, Ezra Wright’s voice echoed again. “Nina, I love you, and I don’t want to keep hiding from her every single time. Why don’t we just come clean?” Nina Doherty suddenly raised her voice. “Are you crazy? Olivia has funded me for eight long years, through high school and grad school. If she finds out about this, what would that make me? An ungrateful backstabber who bites the hand that feeds her? If word gets out, my reputation will be ruined!” I let out a bitter smile. So, she knew she was in the wrong. Yet, not only did she do it, but she also chose to hide it. The sound of someone pacing back and forth could be heard from inside the apartment. “But she’s been investigating this for four years. You haven’t seen the way she looks. She’s almost convinced herself that she’s going crazy with delusion.” Nina’s tone softened and became tearful. “Babe, can’t we just wait a little longer, please? Just until I’ve established myself at the company and the dust settles. Stick to the plan. Let’s just keep it hidden for a bit longer, okay?” A long silence followed before Ezra sighed. “Fine. We’ll do whatever you want.” Nina immediately stopped crying and broke into a smile. “That’s more like it. In that case, I have one condition. For my birthday, you have to go on a trip with me. This time, I want to go to Asper for skiing and hot springs for three days and not a single day less.” Ezra chuckled and replied gently, “Alright, my little princess. I’ll just tell her it’s a business trip. She won’t be able to trace a thing. She hasn’t found out in four years, so what’s there to worry about a few more days?” Outside the door, I bit my lip until it bled. I had no idea how long I stood there, but eventually, I calmed down, gently placed the birthday present on the ground, and left. The cold breeze outside the apartment brushed against my face, and only then did I realize I had broken out in a cold sweat. On the drive home, Ezra sent me a message. [I have to go on a last-minute business trip this week. I leave tonight.] I stared at the message for a long time. What a half-hearted excuse! He knew full well I had been suspicious about this the whole time, yet he didn’t even bother providing a reasonable explanation or valid reason. Instead, he brushed me off with the same old excuse of a business trip. I was simply too foolish to realize earlier that the culprit was right by my side the entire time. I replied, [Okay.] Once I was home, I went to the study. I began taking inventory of everything in this house that belonged to me over our four years of marriage. I opened a drawer and pulled out a folder. Inside were the things I had gathered over the past four years. There were screenshots of the money he transferred at the same time every year, call logs from the three days he disappeared each time, search results for that unlisted number, and a private investigator’s report from three years ago. Back then, I wept in the study for an entire night, staring at the report. Now, looking at it, all I wanted to do was laugh because the person had been right beside me all along. I first contacted my attorney, Frank Jenkins. “I want a divorce. Please prepare the divorce papers for me.” “Sure.” Then, I calculated all the assets that belonged to me and listed out our shared assets accumulated over the years. I refused to give him a single bit of what belonged to me. Chapter 2 Ezra’s flight was scheduled for ten o’clock that night. Before wheeling his suitcase out the door, he turned around and kissed my forehead. “I’ll be back in three days. Wait for me, okay?” I smiled and nodded. “Safe travels.” The moment the door closed, the smile on my face disappeared. At eleven o’clock that night, Nina sent me a photo. In it, the gift box had been opened, and the necklace she had been talking about for a long time was clasped around her neck. [Thank you, Olivia! I absolutely love it. Why did you drop by without telling me beforehand?] I stared at that necklace for a long time. I had bought it with the money I earned after spending half a month working into the wee hours on illustrations. I didn’t reply and simply shut my phone. Early the next morning, she sent another message. [Olivia, why are you ignoring me?] Still, I didn’t reply. At noon, a message from Ezra arrived as well. [Babe, I’ve landed. The signal here isn’t great. Let me know when you get to the hotel so I know you’re safe.] I didn’t even bother to look at it again. After four years, this was the first time I felt so sure. Over the next three days, I filled my schedule to the brim. On the first day, I met my lawyer, Frank. He slid the divorce papers over to me. “Don’t worry about the assets you had before marriage, but his income from the past few years of marriage is considered a joint asset. If he’s at fault, you can claim even more.” I pushed a folder toward him, asking, “Are these enough? Take a look at them for me.” As he flipped through the transaction records and call logs, his brows furrowed. “These can only prove that things look suspicious; they don’t prove an affair. I need concrete evidence.” “Can you find it?” “Yes, but it will take time.” I nodded. “Then find it. I can afford to wait.” On the second day, I began packing my things. I didn’t have many belongings, so two suitcases were enough to fit everything. I also placed the divorce papers on his desk in the study. For the past four years, this place was my home. However, only now did I realize that I had been an outsider all along. On the third day, I moved back into the small apartment I owned before we got married. As I pushed open the door, a cloud of dust hit me in the face. I opened all the windows, allowing the wind to rush in, and sunlight fell onto the old sofa; nothing here had changed. At eight o’clock in the evening, my mother’s call came in. The moment I answered, a barrage of scolding burst through. “Olivia Clarke, why on earth did you move out? I heard you two are getting a divorce? What has Ezra ever done to you? He has a good career, and he treats you well! You’ve just been living too comfortably, and now you’re starting to act up!” I held the phone, waiting for her to finish yelling at me. “Mom, he cheated.” “Where’s the evidence? Show it to me! You were the one who said no person was found. You spent four years searching and haven’t found a single clue! Now you’re saying he cheated again. Cheated with whom?” I closed my eyes. Even my own mother didn’t believe me, which made sense. Even I hadn’t believed myself over the last four years. “Mom, I’ve signed the papers, so I’m getting this divorce. Don’t get involved in this.” “Don’t you dare! If you get a divorce, I’ll disown you as a daughter!” With that, she hung up. Holding my phone, I stood in the empty living room for a long time. Outside the window, the sky had turned dark. Three days, and everything was taken care of. The asset inventory, the divorce papers, and a new place to live, along with a heart that was dead. Chapter 3 On the afternoon of the fourth day, Ezra returned. I was sitting on the floor of my small apartment, sorting through my old belongings when my phone rang—it was a call from him. As soon as the call connected, I was met with a barrage of angry questions. “Olivia, where did you move to? What happened to the house? Why are all your things gone?” I spoke calmly. “The divorce papers are in the study, on your desk. Sign it, and have your lawyer set up a time.” On the other end of the line, it went quiet for a few seconds. Then came his roar. “Divorce? Olivia, what kind of madness has gotten into you? Why are you making such a scene when everything was going so well? I went away on business for three days, and I come back to find you’ve cleared out the entire house! Even if you’re throwing a temper tantrum, there ought to be a limit!” I moved the phone a little further away and waited for him to finish with his yelling. “Ezra, answer one question for me. Where did you go the past three days?” “I was on a business trip! Didn’t I tell you?” “Which city, which hotel, and which client did you meet?” He paused for a moment. “It’s confidential company information. Why are you asking in such detail? Olivia, you’re starting to investigate me again, aren’t you? It’s been four years. Why are you still doing this?” His voice grew increasingly agitated. “I’m telling you, this is a sickness of yours, and you need to get it treated! You’re so paranoid! You’ve been investigating this for four years, and what have you found? Even the therapist said you’re obsessed, and your behavior right now is the best proof of that!” His comment made me burst out laughing. “Ezra, guess why I moved out. Why did I sign the papers without telling you to stay?” He froze. “What do you mean?” “The day before Nina’s birthday, I went over to give her a gift, and I stood there for a very long time.” Dead silence fell over the phone. I could hear his breathing suddenly turn erratic. “H-How much did you hear?” “From the moment you said you could only stay with her for half the day to when you two made plans to go on a trip together to Asper. I heard every word.” It took a long time before he found his voice again. “Olivia, listen to me. It’s not what you think. Nina and I aren’t in that kind of relationship.” “Oh? Then what is that fixed sum of money transferred every year? What is the reason behind you disappearing for the same three days every year? And who went skiing with her in Asper?” He couldn’t answer. After a long while, his tone shifted, and he softened up. “Fine, I admit I was wrong. But Nina is young and doesn’t know any better. Be the bigger person and don’t hold it against her. If this gets out, her reputation as a recent graduate will be ruined. Olivia, she’s looked up to you like a sister for eight years.” I almost laughed out of sheer frustration. “And so it’s okay for her to sleep with my husband for four years? Ezra, is that your reason for pleading on her behalf? I’ve left the papers on the desk. Are you going to sign it or not?” “I refuse to sign it.” He hardened his stance again, saying, “Olivia, don’t even dream about getting a divorce. Never mind if I disagree, but if you take this to court, what will happen to Nina? She’s looking for a job, getting settled in the city, and planning for marriage. One blemish on her record could ruin it all. If you destroy her, what do you stand to gain yourself?” The very last bit of hope in my heart disappeared. Even at a time like this, he was protecting Nina’s reputation. “Ezra, I’ll say this one last time. Whether you sign it or not, I’m definitely getting this divorce. If you don’t sign, I’ll file a lawsuit.” “Olivia, you dare threaten me? Let me tell you, you–” I hung up, unbothered to listen to another word he had to say. Then, I blocked his and Nina’s numbers. Outside the window, the evening glow painted half the sky red. I sat on the floor, looking at the room full of my old things. There was a photograph—the very first photo of Nina and me together. Back then, after finishing her summer school in high school, she was tanned dark and stood timidly beside me. At that time, I had just started working and sent half of my monthly salary to her. I thought I was planting a seed of kindness, but instead, I had raised a snake and led it right into my marriage. I flipped the photo over, placing it face down on the floor. Chapter 4 The next day, they showed up at my doorstep. I hadn’t gone home, so they cornered me right downstairs from my studio. Nina rushed over to me, her eyes already red from crying. “Olivia!” She grabbed my arm tightly, asking, “Why did you block me? I sent you so many messages, but you haven’t replied to a single one!” Ezra followed behind her, dressed sharply in a suit, his expression grim. “Olivia, let’s talk through this. Let’s not make things so awkward and tense.” I shook off Nina’s hand. “Talk? Weren’t you guys talking perfectly fine that day?” Nina’s tears immediately gushed out. “Olivia, I was wrong. I really was. It was just a momentary lapse of judgment. I didn’t mean for it to happen. But I just graduated, and my life is only beginning. If you make a scene out of this, my reputation will be ruined! “Olivia, I beg you, please don’t go around spreading this. I’m still young. If my reputation is ruined, I’ll have nothing left.” I watched her cry, feeling nothing in my heart. When I first discovered there was an annual transaction, I had stood in the rain crying just like this, and where was she? She was sending me messages saying, “Olivia, don’t overthink it. I asked around for you, and he really isn’t cheating on you.” “Nina, let me ask you one thing,” I said. “I financially sponsored you for eight years. You lied to me for four years, meddled in my marriage, and stole my husband. How can you justify what you did after everything I’ve done for you?” Her sobs suddenly stopped. She straightened her back and defended herself, “Olivia, you can’t say it like that. You sponsored me out of your own free will. Nobody forced you to do it. “Helping an underprivileged student was your own act of kindness, but kindness shouldn’t be used to hold a lifelong favor over my head. Besides, you were the one who invited me over to your home for dinner. If you couldn’t maintain boundaries in your own marriage, how is that my fault now?” I was almost driven to laughter by her sheer exasperation. Talk about turning the tables. Ezra frowned and finally spoke up. “Olivia, as harsh as Nina’s words sound, there is logic in what she says. She’s just a student who recently graduated. Are you really going to ruin her life? If this gets out, people will laugh at us. Resolving this behind closed doors is best for you and everyone else.” I turned to look at him. “Ezra, you cheated on me with her. Who are you to speak about any of this?” He avoided my eyes. “I admit it, and I’m sorry. But going to court over a divorce is too much. Let’s sign the papers privately, and I’ll concede a larger share of my assets to you. How about that? You must protect Nina’s reputation. If you want an explanation, I’ll apologize to you if that’s what it takes. But you can’t file the lawsuit.” I finally burst out laughing. This was the man I had loved for four years. He was willing to apologize, beg, and give up his assets. Yet, when it came to Nina’s reputation, it couldn’t be tarnished in the slightest. Ezra and I had been married for four years, and in their eyes, I was just a fool who could be easily placated. “Please don’t apologize to me. And you don’t need to concede your assets to me, either. That was mine to begin with. Listen closely, both of you. I’ve filed the lawsuit, and I’ll see you in court.”