Chapter 80
I called Dexter first, then went home to change.
I quickly filled Martha in on the plan. After listening, she turned her face away and stayed silent for a long time.
I knew she was worried about me. For Juno’s sake, I had to keep dealing with a man like him and do things I didn’t believe in.
I hugged her and gently patted her back. “Mom, I believe everything will work out. We’ll face these challenges one by one. While Juno is still young, and while I’m still young, too, we’ll make it through”
She nodded frantically, holding me tight without saying a word.
Before I left. I put on heavy makeup. There was no choice–my eyes were still swollen from crying, and I needed to hide that.
When I reached the hotel entrance, I saw Dexter. The moment he spotted me, his eyes lit up with admiration. It made my skin crawl.
“You… you should’ve dressed like this a long time ago, he said, almost too fondly.
I couldn’t look at him. The thought of even looking at him again made me feel nauseous. I nodded quickly. “Let’s go.” Inside the private room, Ezekiel was already there, accompanied by his secretary and Holly.
When Holly saw me, she raised an eyebrow slightly. The next second, her gaze flicked to Dexter behind me, and her face changed. She shot me a sharp look.
I didn’t want this, either. I felt just as trapped. There was no way to explain it now, so I just sat down awkwardly. Soon, the clients and Wilbur Macdonald arrived.
It was obvious that this was a huge project–one that involved a three–party collaboration, set to begin next spring.
As for business dinners, Holly knew how to handle them far better than I did. She quickly warmed up to everyone, exuding an effortless charm. Every smile, every glance, seemed to draw people in. Compared to her, I felt almost invisible.
Wilbur, one of the senior executives at Dexter’s company, had real power,
When he saw Dexter and me raising our glasses to him, his expression turned complicated. He looked us both over before speaking, “Couples don’t hold grudges overnight. You argue in the morning, but make up by night.
“As long as you two are fine, that’s all that matters. Dexter… he’s a good man. He’s hardworking. And sometimes a little friction is normal. You two should be more patient with each other.”
I knew exactly what he was implying. But I couldn’t bring myself to smile.
Dexter, on the other hand, couldn’t stop grinning. He nodded enthusiastically. “Mr. Macdonald is right. Sylvia and I will keep
that in mind.”
After a few more rounds of drinks, I went to the bathroom. I spat forcefully, splashing cold water on my face as if trying to wash away the disgust or maybe just to calm myself down.
When I looked up again, I saw two dark circles under my eyes staring back at me in the mirror.
“Ugly.” Holly’s voice came from somewhere behind me, and I noticed she was leaning casually against the wall. “I didn’t
14:46 Mon, 17 Feb M
Chapter 80
expect this from you, Sylvia. You’ve really let me down”
I lowered my gaze and didn’t respond, just concentrating on washing my hands with cold water.
Holly wasn’t finished. “Are you out of your mind? That man betrayed you, even tried to kill you, and you’re still helping him? You should’ve at least stabbed him twice. That would’ve been the polite thing to do”
I remained silent, and she grew more frustrated. “Sylvia, speak! Where’s that courage of yours? Did you feed it to the dogs? If I knew you were going to be like this, I wouldn’t have helped you” She pushed me roughly on the shoulder.
That was it. I couldn’t hold it in anymore. Tears started pouring out. With the alcohol making everything feel more intense, my emotions spiraled out of control.
I held back my tears, my throat aching from the effort. Finally, I couldn’t keep it in any longer. “What else can I do? My son needs him to save his life.
“If it were just me, I wouldn’t help him, even if it meant dying! But this is about Juno. I’m a mother! How can I give up the chance to save him just for my own pride or resentment?”
Holly was frozen, shocked into silence.
Tears streaming down my face, I explained everything from the beginning, voice cracking as I spoke.
“Do you think I want this?
