"Janet!" Ethan was stunned to see her there. He immediately hung up the phone and ran after her.In that split second he had
seen the sad expression on her face.She looked as if she had just suffered a terrible blow out of the blue.
Janet turned a deaf ear to him.She quickly made her way to the elevator while keeping her head down, so no one would see the
tears that were already streaming down her cheeks.
Although Ethan walked as quickly as he could, he couldn’t catch up with the elevator before the doors shut.He pressed the
button several times, but the doors didn’t open.
The elevator had already gone up.It was obvious to Ethan that his wife had misunderstood the whole situation this time.He
wanted to speak to her before things got out of hand.
In a haste, he took another elevator and went home.
But when he got in, he saw that Janet had already locked herself up in her room again.
The entire house was as quiet as a grave.
The dim moonlight fell on the windowsill.It seemed as if nothing had happened.
"Janet, please open the door.I need to talk to you."
Ethan knocked on the wooden door heavily with his clenched fist.He pressed his ear against the door.
But he didn’t hear anything from the other side.
Afterward, he turned the doorknob again, but the door was still locked from the inside.
"Janet, please believe me.I’m not unfaithful.I don’t have any relationship with Charis.We only talked about her work on the phone
earlier.Open the door so we can talk this through."
The occurrences of the past few days hinted Ethan that Janet hated lies.
However, it seemed like a well-intentioned lie was better now than telling the truth.He didn’t like to lie to her, but he had no other
choice at this moment.
There was still no sound from the room, so Ethan wasn’t sure if Janet heard him or not.
"Janet, I know you are awake.Please open the door.Please," he said in a pleading voice.
Never had he begged anyone like this before.
For Janet, he was ready to set aside his pride and beg profusely.
Ethan knocked and begged a few more times, but he got no response.He leaned against the door helplessly.His figure cast a
shadow over the living room.
By midnight, Janet still didn’t say a word, nor did she open the door.
Ethan knew better than to leave this time.
The matter would only escalate if he did, so he just lay on the sofa all night.
Time passed by quickly.
Soon, the bright sunlight peeped through the curtains and reflected in the living room.
Ethan hadn’t slept a wink throughout the night.His mind had been teeming with several thoughts.He stood up from the sofa and
stretched.
Afterward, he put on an apron and prepared breakfast.He hesitated for a while, but he mustered the courage to knock on Janet’s
bedroom door again.
"Good morning, Janet.I’ve made breakfast.Do you want to have some?"
A deafening silence was the only response he got.
Ethan paused and glanced at the clock on the wall.
It was already nine o’clock in the morning.
Today was a workday.Janet was very punctual.She never liked to go late to work.No matter how tired she was, she always woke
up early and rushed to work.
Ethan knew she would be late if she didn’t come out of the room now.I didn’t receive any leave application from Janet.This
means she didn’t intend on taking a day off.
“What could be keeping her inside? Does she really plan to ignore me?’’ he pondered.
Worry set in at this moment.His eyes darkened and he took a deep breath.
Afterward, he knocked on the door heavier than before.
He asked loudly, "Janet, why aren’t you up yet? Is there anything wrong?"
Angin lanet didn’t respond to him even after he knocked severally without wasting time, Ethan took a snap gun and pried the lock
open.He then rushed into the room after over the door.Janet was still in bed.Her forehead was covered in sweat.She looked sick.
Ethan dug her out of the blanket and held her in his arms.He brushed her hair off her cheeks.
It was then he saw that her face was pale.
"Janet, do you feel sick?" He looked at her worriedly.
Janet knitted her eyebrows and mumbled something inaudibly.It was as if she was having a nightmare.
Ethan put his hand on her forehead.She was burning up.Her high temperature proved that she was down with fever.