Fading Echoes

Once

Third Person

Two months had passed, and the couple remained civil, not interfering in each other's personal decisions. Their parents were adamant about keeping them together, knowing that separating would jeopardize their companies and reputations.

However, their families respected the couple's decision regarding their arrangement. They maintained a civil front, yet they were far from the typical married couple you might encounter.

They adhered to their families' wishes: to act like a happily married couple in public while concealing the reality of their situation behind closed doors.

Currently, Greggy was having dinner alone, having returned home early from the office, when Irene arrived. Hearing the clinking of cutlery, she peeked into the dining room and found him eating by himself.

"Oh, hi... Did you have dinner already?" Greggy casually asked his wife. Irene smiled and nodded, "Yes, I already did," before heading to the kitchen to grab a cold glass of water from the fridge.

Greggy nodded in response and continued eating. Irene pursed her lips and returned to the dining area. "By the way, I'll be joining the board of directors this Friday at the Economic Conference in California," she informed him.

Having just finished his meal, Greggy wiped his mouth with a napkin and stood up, nodding at his wife. "I see... I'll be in Davao tomorrow," he replied.

"Oh, what for?" Irene asked, curiosity piqued.

Greggy took a final sip of water and glanced at her. "I'll visit a site there, and I have a meeting with Engineer Gonzales," he replied nonchalantly. "I'm going upstairs now," he added, leaving the dining area.

The next day, Irene woke up early to prepare breakfast. She couldn't fall back asleep, so she decided to get up. To her surprise, Greggy was already awake.

She found him sipping coffee and enjoying some bread at the table, completely absorbed in reading reports on his iPad. "Good morning, you're up early," Irene greeted him as she headed to the kitchen for her own coffee.

"Hi, good morning. I have an early departure today," he replied without looking up from his screen.

"Oh, right! Today is your trip to Davao. How long will you be there?" Irene asked, stirring her coffee as she leaned against the bar area, watching her husband.

"Three days. How about you?" Greggy asked in return. Irene took a sip of her coffee. "A week? I guess. It may be cut short," she answered. Greggy nodded and stood up. "I'll prepare now," he said as he headed upstairs.

Moments later, Manang Yeda emerged from the kitchen. "Oh, anong gusto mong agahan? Maaga nagising si Gorio eh" she offered. But Irene declined, saying she could handle breakfast today.

"Teka, hindi mo ba ihahatid asawa mo sa airport?" Manang Yeda asked. Irene's eyes widened in surprise; she had completely forgotten. The media would surely be looking for her, and their families would be asking why she wasn't there.

"Ang sabi sa akin ay papasok pa siya sa opisina hanggang alas diez" Manang Yeda added, glancing at the wall clock—it was only 7:00 AM.

Irene set down the frozen goods and wiped her hands on a clean cloth. "Manang, I'm going upstairs to get dressed. I'll accompany him," she said before excusing herself. Manang Yeda shook her head with a smile. "Hay, mag-asawang 'to talaga..." she whispered.

Irene first went to Greggy's room before heading to the master bedroom. She took a deep breath before knocking three times on the door. But there was no response.

"Greg? Greggy?" she called again, but no one answered.

What happened to him? she wondered. She turned the knob and discovered it was unlocked. It slipped her mind that Greggy didn't usually lock his door. Peeking inside, she found no trace of her husband.