Chapter 77:The Days Without His Voice

Chapter 77: Chapter 77:The Days Without His Voice

~Reynold’s POV~

I looked up, meeting her warm, maternal eyes. "Thank you so much."

"You really don’t have to thank me, sir," she said gently, shaking her head. "If you were my son, I would worry about you just as much. I wouldn’t let you go through something like this alone."

I looked at her, and a wave of deep gratitude washed over me. She gave me a gentle nod before standing up and quietly leaving the living room, giving me some space to breathe.

I sat alone on the couch for a long while, letting the hours slip by. It wasn’t until it was well into the night, when I was sure Frederick would already be fast asleep, that I finally stood up and dragged my feet back upstairs.

When I pushed open the bedroom door, the room was dark. Frederick was already lying beneath the duvet, fast asleep, his breathing deep and even. I quietly climbed into bed beside him, slipping under the covers on my side of the mattress.

I lay awake in the darkness for a long, restless while, listening to the quiet hum of the night, until exhaustion finally took over and I drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, when I woke up, I instinctively turned toward Frederick’s side of the bed, only to find it empty.

I quickly sat up and climbed out of bed, checking the bathroom first. It was empty. I hurried into the walk-in closet, but he wasn’t there either. My heart began racing as I left the room and hurried downstairs, where I finally spotted him sitting on the sofa, quietly watching the news on the television.

I swallowed the nervous lump in my throat, walked closer, and murmured, "Good morning, Mr. Corvin."

Frederick looked up at me, gave me a cold, dismissive wave of his hand, and didn’t say a single word. He simply turned his attention back to the screen.

I tried not to let it get to me, holding back the fresh sting of tears. As long as he stays... I can take any amount of coldness.

I walked past the living room and headed toward the dining area. The housekeeper greeted me warmly and served me breakfast. I ate as little as I could force myself to swallow. When I finished, I remained there in silence, not knowing what to do or say.

Throughout the entire day, Frederick didn’t utter a single word to me. We existed in the same space like strangers until the day finally came to an end.

The next day was Monday. I assumed Frederick would pack up and return to his own estate, but when I finished getting ready for class and came downstairs for breakfast, the housekeeper informed me that Mr. Corvin had decided to stay at the house for the entire week.

I smiled happily, suddenly finding my appetite returning. I ate my breakfast quickly, grabbed my bag, and left for campus.

The moment I stepped out of my car and walked toward my department, the atmosphere shifted instantly. Every head turned in my direction. Fingers pointed, and cruel whispers followed me across the pavement.

"That’s him—he slept with four men..."

"What a total slut..."

"I heard he sleeps with older rich men just to pay for his car and lifestyle..."

The vicious gossip buzzed around me like angry hornets, but I forced my chin up and refused to let it break me. I walked straight to my lecture hall and sat down by myself. No one wanted to sit near me, and I certainly didn’t want to sit anywhere near Julian.

When the lecture finally ended, I quickly packed my things and tried to slip out. But Julian rushed up the aisle after me.

"Reynold, please! Can we just talk?"

I didn’t even look at him. I quickened my pace toward the exit. He kept following me, calling my name, until I finally spun around, tears burning in my eyes.

"Stop following me, Julian!"

My sharp cry echoed down the hallway, making him freeze in his tracks. I turned my back on him and hurried out toward the parking lot.

As soon as I yanked open my car door, climbed into the driver’s seat, and locked it behind me, the dam broke. I buried my face in my hands and started crying uncontrollably.

A sudden tap on my driver’s side window made me jump. I quickly wiped my eyes and looked up to see Alden, the senior I had spoken to the other day, standing outside. I lowered the window slightly. He looked concerned and gestured for me to step out.

I unlocked the door and got out of the car.

We talked for a few minutes. He told me he had heard about the vicious rumors circulating online and asked how I was holding up.

"I’m fine," I lied weakly, forcing a shaky smile. "Frederick is really helping me sort it all out."

"Just don’t let them get to you," he said kindly, giving my shoulder a comforting pat. "And if you ever need any help, just let me know."

"Okay. Thank you," I whispered.

"You’re welcome," he said with a smile.

After he walked away, I dragged myself back into my car. My hands were shaking so violently against the steering wheel that I stared at them in sheer panic. I knew I was driving home to Frederick, a man who wouldn’t even speak to me, and the thought of getting on the highway while my body trembled like this terrified me.

Somehow, by the sheer grace of God, I managed to focus on the road and drive all the way back to the estate without getting into an accident.

When I got home, nothing had changed. The same icy, suffocating silence from Frederick continued throughout the rest of the night.

Tuesday was even worse. The campus gossip had somehow spread even further, and Julian wouldn’t stop chasing after me, trying to corner me into letting him "explain." By the time I drove home that afternoon, another terrifying realization hit me: I couldn’t keep driving myself.

My hands were too unsteady, and I was becoming too distracted by everything going on around me. If I kept getting behind the wheel in that state, I could end up in a serious accident.

So, on Wednesday morning, I decided not to drive. Instead, I booked a rideshare to take me to campus. Frederick knew nothing about it. At least for now, he didn’t seem to care enough to ask.

I arrived on campus, went straight to my department, and focused on my lectures, trying my best to ignore everything else happening around me.

When my classes ended, I walked out of the lecture hall and headed toward the campus entrance. On the way, I opened the rideshare app to book a ride home, but the estimated wait time kept getting longer.

I stood by the curb, checking my phone every few minutes and wondering how much longer I would have to wait. Just as I was beginning to lose patience, a familiar car pulled up beside me.

The window rolled down...