Forbidden Passion
Chapter 555 Donovan Fell Overboard and Is missing

The kiss was so hot it practically sizzled all the way home. The second Phoebe stepped inside, Theodore scooped her up like a hero in a rom-com and carried her straight to the bedroom. Ollie, their nosy cat, tried to sneak in but almost got his head squished by the door.

Phoebe was so buzzed from Theodore's kisses that when he tossed her onto the bed, her brain just went poof. Theodore was right behind her, not wasting a second.

Outside the bedroom, Phoebe's bag hit the floor, and her phone slid next to the coffee table.

Ollie, strutting back to the living room, noticed the phone screen light up. At first, it was like, "Whoa, what's that?" but then curiosity got the better of him.

After a bit of sniffing and pawing, Ollie somehow managed to hit a button, and bam, the call connected.

Donovan's freaked-out voice came through, "Phoebe, someone's out to get me. If I don't make it, you gotta avenge me."

A sudden, blood-curdling scream from the phone sent Ollie running for cover, eyeing the phone like it was a ticking time bomb.

Then there was a loud crash, and everything went dead silent. The screen went dark, but the recording light stayed on.

Scared out of his fur, Ollie bolted back to his cat house and curled up, refusing to budge.

In the master bedroom, Theodore held a sleeping Phoebe close, kissing her sweaty hair. Just as he was about to carry her to the bathroom for a cleanup, his phone started buzzing like crazy.

He didn't want to answer, but the thing wouldn't quit. With a sigh, he let go of Phoebe, grabbed his pants, fished out his phone, and threw on a robe before stepping out.

In the hallway, he lit a cigarette and answered the call.

"Mr. Reynolds, something's up with Donovan."

The cigarette dropped from Theodore's lips. He gripped the phone tight, his voice sharp, "What did you say?"

"Donovan had an accident. His car went off a cliff into the sea. The cops are searching, but it doesn't look good," the voice on the other end said. Theodore staggered back until he hit the wall. Panic in his voice, he said, "Where? Send me the address. I'm on my way." "Yes, sir."

After hanging up, Theodore went back to the bedroom. He stood there, looking at the clueless Phoebe, fists clenched.

Tomorrow was the deadline he and Donovan had set, but now Donovan was gone. How was he gonna break this to Phoebe?

With no time to waste, Theodore headed to the walk-in closet, changed clothes in record time, and bolted out of the house.

The snowy night made the roads a nightmare. When Theodore got to the scene, police cars were everywhere, their lights flashing like a bad dream. Theodore got out, and Lawton rushed over with an umbrella to shield him from the snow.

Theodore's face was stone cold. "What's the situation?"

Lawton said, "The coast guard found Donovan's car. It's in pieces, and they haven't found him yet."

Theodore walked to the cliff's edge. Below, the sea was a raging beast, and the police boats looked like toys in a bathtub.

In this weather, finding someone was a long shot, especially since the car blew up before it hit the water. Donovan's chances were slim to none.

"Mr. Reynolds, what's the game plan now?" Lawton asked, eyeing Theodore's grim face. Donovan had been knee-deep in a project for the Reynolds Group, a high-stakes gig that had everyone's attention. It was no secret that Donovan's accident was probably tied to this project.

"Keep searching. We need to find him, dead or alive," Theodore muttered, staring out at the dark, churning sea. The thought of Donovan being gone was too much to handle. The snow kept falling all night.

By dawn, the coast guard had come up empty. They called off the search. The sea was eerily calm, hiding its deadly currents beneath the surface.

The cops, who had been working through the night, wrapped up their evidence collection and got ready to leave.

Craig Morris, the lead officer, walked over to Theodore. "Mr. Reynolds, we've done all we can. Please accept our condolences."

Theodore, who hadn't slept a wink, had eyes red from the sea wind. He grabbed Craig by the collar, his voice icy, "What condolences are you talking about?"

Nearby officers rushed over to pull Theodore away, but Craig waved them off. "The coast guard only found the car wreckage. In this weather, the chances of survival are almost zero." "So you're saying he's dead?" Theodore snapped.

Craig sighed, "I'm very sorry."

Theodore shoved Craig away, trying to keep it together, but his mind was a mess. Donovan was gone, and it was all on him.

Craig added, "We'll take the car wreckage back for a thorough investigation. Whether it was an accident or foul play, we'll let you know once we have answers."

Theodore stood on the cliff, the wind and snow finally easing up as the sun began to rise, casting a faint light over the scene.

It should've been a day full of promise, but Theodore felt like he was sinking into a black hole.

He waved a hand. "Lawton, go back with Craig and make sure we get to the bottom of this. I'll break the news to Phoebe."

Lawton looked at Theodore's desolate figure, pressing his lips together. This whole thing had blindsided them, leaving them scrambling.

Only by clarifying the ins and outs of the accident could they give Phoebe an explanation.

"Yes, sir."

Lawton followed the police, leaving Theodore alone on the cliff, his coat flapping in the sea breeze.

"No, Donovan; don't go, Donovan!"

Phoebe jolted awake, tears streaming down her face. She'd dreamt that Donovan came to say goodbye.

In the dream, Donovan said he was heading to a faraway place. He admitted he'd been a jerk and hurt her, asking for her forgiveness. He also asked her to take care of Evelyn and not to make her mad. Then Donovan walked away, not looking back, no matter how much she called or chased after him. He disappeared into a blinding light.

The grief from the dream clung to Phoebe like a heavy fog. A sob escaped her lips, snapping her fully awake. She threw off the covers, grabbed her nightgown, and rushed out to find her phone. Phoebe found her phone by the coffee table, quickly picked it up, and saw it had died from a low battery. She grabbed the charger from her bag and plugged it in.

After a few minutes, the phone powered up. Phoebe checked the call log and saw that Donovan had called her in the early hours of the morning.