Chapter 6

Vespera sat in the treatment room, her wound being tended to by the doctor. The door suddenly burst open, and a tall, imposing man stormed in with such intensity that the doctor flinched. Vespera glanced over her shoulder. "It's fine. He's my boss." At the last moment, she changed "husband" to "boss". Luke's throat tightened as if something were stuck there. He stepped closer and asked the doctor, "How bad is the injury?" "Just a superficial wound. Nothing serious." The doctor, uninterested in their relationship, finished treating Vespera and prescribed some medication. Vespera thanked the doctor and walked out. Luke followed closely behind, insisting on paying for the medical fees and grabbing the medication for her, acting every bit the dutiful husband. Vespera didn't bother to argue. As they left the hospital, she pulled out her phone to call a ride. Luke snatched it from her hand, wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and steered her forcefully toward the parking lot. He opened the passenger door, shoved her inside, then got into the driver's seat himself. The door slammed shut with a loud thud, cutting off all outside noise. The atmosphere inside the car was tense. "You blocked my number and decided to punish me by risking your life?" He turned to look at her, his expression a mix of exhaustion and anger. Vespera stayed silent. She blinked in surprise before looking at his stormy face. Then, she laughed. Her mood was low, but his absurd accusation amused her. Luke had let Vespera down, and now she was supposedly risking her life to punish him? How could someone be so self-absorbed? "You won't have to worry about that. Now give me back my phone," Vespera said, reaching for the device in his hand. Luke dodged her hand. "I admit I lied to you today, but you completely overreacted and made Tina cry. Don't you think you're partly to blame? She's just a spoiled woman who speaks without thinking. Why take it so personally?" Vespera listened to his excuses. He spoke about Tina with such fondness. Couldn't he see how obvious his change of heart was? After a long silence, she finally spoke, her voice tinged with the weariness of someone who was deeply hurt. "I won't bother Tina from now on. I also don't care what you do with her. But please, keep her in check. Don't let her come near me." "I treat her like a sister. It's not what you think," Luke said, his brow furrowed. "Right, a sister," Vespera replied, biting back the urge to confront him with the evidence she had gathered and throw it in his face. "Fine, I overreacted. I misunderstood. Congratulations on gaining a new sister." "Let's just drive," Vespera said, feeling a deep, bone-chilling cold seep into her. She tightened the jacket around her, pulling it closer. As she did, the warm, rich scent of sandalwood from the collar wafted into her nose. Just then, Luke noticed the high-quality, gray men's jacket she was wearing. It was a custom-made piece. "Whose jacket is that?" Vespera turned her head to look out the window. As if to mock his "sister" comment, she said, "It's my new brother's." Luke was speechless. His expression turned icy as he yanked the jacket off her and threw it out the window. Vespera was furious. She wanted to get out of the car to retrieve the jacket. After all, she needed to return it. Seeing her attempt to pick it up, Luke pulled her back into the car. He leaned over and kissed her forcefully, his lips demanding and unyielding. Vespera clenched her teeth, resisting him. Sensing her resistance, he used his hand to pry her mouth open, his tongue tangling with hers in a domineering, relentless kiss. When he finally pulled away, his breath was heavy and warm against her face. "Don't try to provoke me like this. You need to think about other people's lives." Vespera was beyond exasperated. The jacket was left on the ground, unrecovered. She had promised to clean it and return it. What was she supposed to do now? … After the weekend chaos, Vespera came down with the flu and a fever that evening. Luke stayed home the whole time. He made her porridge, fed her, and cared for her in a way that almost made her believe he still loved her. By midnight, her fever hadn't subsided, and she felt weak and miserable. Just then, Luke's phone on the nightstand vibrated. Vespera propped herself up. She and Luke turned to look at the phone. It was 12:35 am. The name flashing on the screen was "Sugar Baby." What an intimate nickname. The phone's vibration pierced the silent night, rattling the nightstand and their nerves.