Chapter 32
Vespera hurriedly tried to make sense of their conversation. Dominic had said he had come back to sleep, and so had she. But there was nothing more to add, and no natural way to continue. The radiant woman who had dominated the scene back at the banquet hall now looked up at him with her mesmerizing almond eyes, utterly defeated as she struggled to respond. She exuded a delicate charm that was pure yet alluring. It was something that could make any man’s heart itch with desire.
He looked away. She dropped her gaze when she realized he had nothing more to say. Their conversation ended abruptly. Soon, the elevator arrived at her door. She stepped out and turned to see the elevator doors closing. Before she could relax, a pair of smooth and slender fingers slipped between the elevator doors. The elevator doors opened once again, and her brief moment of relief vanished.
“Goodnight, Mr. Reid. Sweet dreams,” she said politely.
“I tried on the suit,” he said calmly.
“Did it fit you well?” she asked with a smile. It surprised her that he brought this up.
“Not ready. Too tight in the shoulders, and the pants were too short.”
“Well then, I guess I should reimburse you for it,” she said, slightly taken aback. She let out a long sigh in her heart.
He didn’t respond. He simply stared at her with his unreadable pair of eyes, deep and vast like the ocean. The elevator door slowly closed again. She remained frozen, her mind still stuck on their conversation. His meaning was unclear, and she had no idea if he agreed. It wouldn’t kill him to give her a straight answer. His way of communicating kept her guessing, and it drained her. This was why she avoided small talk with him and left in a hurry. Conversations with him felt like a mental workout, and she was certain he could kill all her brain cells in minutes.
Still, she realized it was wrong to resent him. Not only had he saved her, but he also helped prove her innocence despite his status. He even came and checked on her in the garden. Thinking poorly of him made her seem ungrateful.
As soon as she entered her house, she tossed her purse aside and collapsed onto the couch. The moment she closed her eyes, she fell asleep.
At the police station, Loke stared at the nine pictures laid out before him: eight men and one woman. The men looked like disgusting sewer rats. The thought of what could have happened to Vespera made his stomach churn. Worse was imagining how terrified she must have been at that moment.
“Your wife informed us that she was injected with a sedative yesterday. While she was held captive inside the hotel room, she called you three times. You didn’t answer the first…”
“When you finally picked up the third time, your mistress was the one who answered. Your wife recorded the call. We’ll play it for you now,” the officer said and pressed play. Leke had already heard it once. Now, he had to endure it again. The entire truth lay before him; each detail was a fresh stab to the gut. He dropped his head into his arms, and his…
“Now, tell us why didn’t you answer your wife’s calls? And why was your phone in your mistress’ possession?” The officer’s tone remained professional with a trace of derision. Luke calmed down and lifted his head.
“I was working late in my office last night. Tina came in and took my phone. She said she wanted to play a game, and I let her since I was busy with work.”
“Isn’t your phone a private possession? You were fine with your mistress playing with it?” The officer’s tone made it clear they remained unconvinced.
“You can check the security cameras in my office.”
“Don’t worry. We’ll definitely get to the bottom of this,”
In two other interrogation rooms, Tina and Felicia were also being questioned. Tina sniffled and sobbed as she shifted all the blame onto Felicia. When asked if Luke was involved, she denied it vigorously. She insisted he knew nothing and claimed everything she said during the third call was only to provoke Vespera. Tina seemed to be the kind of person who wouldn’t care if anyone else died, but the man she loved had to be safe.