CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY FOUR: GONE

The morning dawned with a hushed stillness, the first rays of sunlight filtering through the curtains and casting long shadows across the room. Jonathan awoke with a heavy heart, his mind foggy with sleep as he struggled to shake off the remnants of his troubled dreams. He turned over in bed, reaching out to where Anna should have been lying beside him, only to find the space empty and cold. Confusion and panic surged through him as he sat up, his heart pounding in his chest as he scanned the room for any sign of Anna. But the room was empty, devoid of any trace of her presence, save for the faint scent of her perfume lingering in the air. Jonathan's breath caught in his throat as he realized that Anna was nowhere to be found, a cold knot of dread forming in the pit of his stomach. With trembling hands, he stumbled out of bed, his mind racing with a thousand frantic thoughts and fears. He called out Anna's name, his voice echoing through the silent house, but there was no answer – on