Chapter 16

Vespera curled up on the couch after dinner. She stared at her chat with Raymond, typing and deleting several times before giving up. Vespera couldn't understand Dominic's intentions. He had given her the suit size, yet now he didn't want it anymore. It felt like he was just messing with her. She couldn't figure out what Dominic was thinking, nor did she want to. Aside from this unfinished business with the suit, their lives would never cross paths again. The sound of footsteps approached from outside the living room. Vespera quickly exited the chat screen and put her feet down. The moment Luke stepped inside, he fired off his question. "Where did all your clothes, shoes, bags, and jewelry go?" Vespera's heart skipped a beat. It seemed like he had noticed. Something was off with him today. Luke never came home for dinner without a reason, and now he was even checking the closet. "I sent my clothes and shoes to the dry cleaner, and my bags and jewelry are getting serviced," she said smoothly, keeping her expression calm and indifferent, even though a storm was raging inside her. "All of them?" "Yeah, why not? I had some free time, so I decided to clean up a little. Half the stuff in my closet, I don't even remember if I wore them or not, so I just sent everything in for a refresh. "As for my bags and jewelry, the diamonds were getting a little dull, and the leather edges were starting to wear. Since I had time, I took care of them all at once. Her explanation made sense, and there was no real reason for her to lie about it. Luke still felt something was off, but after hearing her reasoning, he let it slide. It was true that she had been home a lot lately, and every time he came back, she was tidying up the house. "You don't have to rush. It's not like you'll be gone in a few days. Just do little by little." "I'm going on a trip soon. I'll be leaving in a few days, and I wanted to make sure everything was in order before I go," she replied. There was nothing suspicious about her words, yet Luke felt an inexplicable discomfort rising in his chest. His gaze landed on a navy blue shopping bag sitting on the couch. He reached down to pick it up. "Is this for me—" "No." Vespera instinctively cut him off, leaning forward to block him from grabbing it. Neither of them finished their sentences, but both went still at the same time. Luke's expression turned frigid. Vespera quickly recovered and added, "I bought it for my dad." He visibly deflated. "For your dad? You didn't think to buy your husband something too?" She shot back, "Do you need another suit?" She scoffed internally. The suits left behind in Tina's bedroom were probably more than what he had at home. Luke was at a loss for words. Vespera didn't spare him another glance. She grabbed the suit from the couch, slipped into her slippers, and hurried out of the living room, heading upstairs. She locked herself in her study. Moments later, she heard the sound of a car engine starting and pulling away. Only then did she let out a breath of relief. … The next day was Sunday, and the weather was perfect. She went back to the high school where she and Luke had once studied. There were no classes today, but a few students in uniforms still wandered the campus. She strolled through the campus at a leisurely pace, letting nostalgia wash over her. The classrooms they had once shared, the tree-lined paths they had walked side by side, the track they had raced across together… Finally, she arrived at the bamboo grove by the artificial lake. In a hidden corner, she dug up the small box they had buried together years ago. It had been the night before their SATs. One night after evening study, Luke had insisted on dragging her here. The campus had been pitch dark, and they had only their phone flashlights to guide them. They had written on slips of paper, balancing them on their knees, before sealing them inside the box. "20 years from now, we'll come back and open it together," he had said. The light in his eyes had shone brighter than the stars that night. Vespera let out a quiet laugh, a mix of amusement and relief. She reached into the box, took her time capsule, and left the rest behind. She thought to herself, "Goodbye, Luke." … At that very moment, Luke was in the project manager's office. The blinds were drawn, and the door was shut. The employees in the project department exchanged glances, their eyes filled with silent disdain. Luke flipped through the project proposal Tina had submitted, his brows furrowed in frustration. However, Tina seemed completely unfazed by his frustration. Leaning against his shoulder, she trailed her fingers along his chest in a blatant attempt at seduction. She wasn't as beautiful as Vespera, but what she lacked in looks, she made up for in boldness. She was wild, uninhibited, and relentless in pursuit. She had no shame in seduction, and few men could resist such persistence. After all, for men, the heart and the body could exist separately. "Luke, why don't we have a little fun right here—" "Cut it out." Luke wasn't in the mood. He shoved her hand away and slammed the proposal onto the desk. "You spent seven or eight nights working on this, and this is what you came up with?" He always knew she wasn't as competent as Vespera, but he hadn't expected her to be this clueless. The proposal was complete nonsense—ridiculous. Rubbing his temple in frustration, Luke couldn't help but miss the days when Vespera had been in charge of the project department. With her at the helm, he had been unstoppable. Tina pouted at his harsh words, clearly displeased. Just then, his phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID before getting up and walking to the window. "Talk." "Ms. Gildon went out again today. She visited a high school and wandered around for quite a while. After that, she went to a place called Lanton Residences. It's a luxury community with tight security—only residents can enter." The voice on the other end reported every detail. The more Luke listened, the more unsettled he felt. He thought, "A high school? A luxury community? What the hell was she up to?" Luke's gaze darkened in an instant. "You said non-residents can't enter? What if someone inside knows her?" "If a resident informs security in advance, they can definitely get in." "Send me the address of the community. Keep watching her." "Got it." Luke ended the call with growing irritation. His so-called lover had messed up the project proposal, and his wife was acting strange. Turning around, he found Tina had followed him without him noticing. She wrapped her arms around his waist, clinging to him tightly. "Hmph, why do you care about her? You don't love her anymore." Suppressing the disgust rising in his chest, Luke pried her off like an octopus stuck to him. He firmly gripped her shoulders, his expression serious. "Redo the proposal. Take it seriously. If you don't understand something, ask the project team leads." With that, he left the office, his expression cold. Tina was so enraged that she trashed her entire office. The mere thought of "asking for guidance" was an insult. Those lowly employees outside—she didn't believe they even deserved to be consulted. But then, a realization struck her. The project team leads had all once worked under Vespera. If Luke was telling her to seek guidance, that meant he wanted her to learn from Vespera's people. The thought made her blood boil. Without hesitation, she picked up the phone and called all three team leads into her office. The moment they stepped inside, she unleashed her fury, tearing into them with a string of insults. Lillian Cornell, the lead of Team One, couldn't hold back and said something—but before she could finish, Tina slapped her across her face. The other two leads were also furious but didn't dare to say a word. This wasn't the behavior of a socialite—she was a madwoman. … Vespera placed the time capsule on a shelf in her new home. There was no need to throw it away or burn it. After all, Luke wasn't the only thing written inside. Her life had never revolved around just him. Her phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, she raised an eyebrow. It was Luke's call. She wondered if he had somehow sensed that their marriage was on its deathbed and was now showing signs of a last-minute revival. She didn't answer, but she didn't hang up either. After a while, the ringing stopped, and a message came through. Rolling her eyes, she tapped on it. It wasn't from Luke. It was Raymond, finally replying. It seemed Dominic had issued new orders at last.