Andrea left immediately after finishing speaking, causing an uproar in the boardroom. The members glanced at each other in confusion, with even Mr. Hick's face turning pale at the thought of Valentine Anderson possibly being alive.
Andrea, oblivious to the gravity of the situation she had left behind in the boardroom, made her way home as the day began to transition into evening. The sky was painted with the warm hues of dusk when she pulled into the driveway.
"Mommy!" Pete exclaimed, his young face lighting up at the sight of her car. He had been playing in the garden, but upon seeing her, he dashed towards her with all the boundless energy of a child. Andrea lifted him into a warm embrace.
"Did you like the toys I got you?" she asked him softly.
Pete nodded enthusiastically. "I do, I love them all," he replied with a smile that reached his eyes.
Andrea's heart felt a gentle tug of joy as she set Pete down. Together, they walked hand in hand towards the house, a picture of maternal contentment. Once inside, Andrea ushered Pete into his room and carefully placed a new suit in his wardrobe.
"Mom, what is that?" Pete's curiosity had piqued as he gazed up at her with wide, inquisitive eyes.
"That's what you're going to wear tomorrow because your father and I are getting married," Andrea explained, sealing the moment with a kiss on Pete's cheek.
Pete's eyes sparkled with the thought of his parents together; he had often seen other kids being picked up by both parents at school, and he longed for that same experience. "Mom, does that mean you both will take me to school together?" he asked hopefully.
"Absolutely. We'll be there to take you to school and pick you up when the day is over," Andrea promised, her smile unwavering.
Pete's thoughts then turned to siblings. "Mom, will you have more kids? I want to have little sisters to play with," he said. Playing the protector appealed to him; he yearned to be a hero like the other kids who defended their siblings from bullies at school.
"You wouldn't want a little brother?" Andrea teased, her laughter filling the room.
Before Pete could reply, Andrea's phone began to ring. Excusing herself, she checked the caller ID and saw that it was Tony. With a sudden change in her demeanor, she answered the call.
"Hello, Tony," she said, her voice steady despite the nerves she felt.
"Andrea, we've found a body in the river. You need to come and identify it," Tony's voice was somber, reflecting the seriousness of the call.
A chill ran through Andrea; the color drained from her face as she considered the grim possibility that the body could be Valentine's. "I'll be there," she managed to say before ending the call.
Pete, observant as children often are, sensed the change in his mother. "Mom, is anything the matter?" he asked, his young face mirroring concern.
Andrea quickly composed herself, masking her worry with a reassuring smile. "You don't have to worry, your mom is a superwoman. There's no problem she can't handle," she declared, hoping to instill confidence and security in her son.
Pete's faith in his mother was unwavering. He smiled back at her, echoing her words with youthful admiration, "My mom is a superwoman."
After settling Pete, Andrea got into her car and drove toward the riverside, her heart heavy with dread. The pallor of her skin was a testament to the fear gripping her at the thought that the body recovered from the river might be that of Valentine.
Upon arrival at the river, she remained in her car for a moment, her nerves frayed. With great effort, she finally stepped out and each footfall felt like a leaden weight as she made her way to the temporary camp set up by the search team.
Tony noticed her approach but didn't move toward her. He understood the turmoil churning within Andrea and chose to wait for her to come closer.
His heart went out to Andrea; her life seemed a series of tragic chapter. Her father had left her and her mother when she was just five years old, and she had lost her mother at the age of ten. Despite the odds, she had strived to make something of herself, only to be divorced by her husband for being fat because of pregnancy. After a brief reunion with her father, he passed away, and now, five years later, she faced the potential loss of Valentine, her husband and the father of her child.
Tony sighed with a mix of sorrow and compassion.
When Andrea neared, her palms were slick with sweat and her face was the picture of anxiety. "Where is the corpse?" she inquired, her voice tinged with fear.
"Come with me," Tony responded immediately, leading her toward the ambulance parked discreetly to one side.
Andrea's steps were hesitant as she followed, her mind undoubtedly racing with the worst possibilities.
Inside the ambulance, when the body bag was unzipped, Andrea's tension visibly eased. The corpse bore no resemblance to Valentine Anderson. She let out a sigh of relief and instructed Tony, "Increase the search efforts. Also, send this body to the morgue and release the news that another victim has been found, so their family can claim them."
Tony gave a nod of acknowledgement. Despite the bomb's damage and the bloating from the river, this body was more identifiable than those charred bodies from the bomb site.
Andrea made to leave, but Tony stopped her, wanting to offer some solace. "Andrea, what if Valentine is... what if he doesn't show up at the church for your wedding tomorrow?"
He didn't want the media or the public to tarnish Andrea's reputation, fearing it could undo her life's work.
"He's alive. He'll be there tomorrow," Andrea said with stubborn conviction.
"But why direct us to search the river?" Tony probed, unable to reconcile her actions with her belief that Valentine would be at the wedding.
"I just... I have to be sure," Andrea murmured, her gaze falling to the ground as she admitted to the nagging doubt within her.
Without waiting for more questions, Andrea turned on her heel, walked briskly to her car, and drove away, her mood as turbulent as the river itself.
Watching her departure, Tony made a decision of using a body double to stand in for Valentine at the wedding, it might save Andrea from public humiliation.
He took out his phone and dialed a number, determined to take action.