Chapter 10
My hand shook, and my phone almost slipped out of my grip. I quickly turned off the screen, forcing myself to act casual as I turned around. “What are you doing here?”
“My mom’s here,” Dexter said, his tone still as warm as ever. “I asked her to stay with Juno at home, but I wasn’t comfortable leaving you alone at the hospital overnight, so 1 caine to keep you company”
I was surprised. She arrives so soon?”
“When she heard about your family’s sit
‘s situation, she couldn’t just stay home. Plus, it’s been a while since she saw Juno. She’s been missing her grandson,” he added, smiling. His gaze landed on my phone. “What were you doing just now?“
“The ward was stifling, so I stepped out for some air. The signal’s awful in the hallway, so I was just scrolling through a forum while waiting for the signal to improve… and then you showed up, I lied, mixing in a bit of truth.
Noticing my tired expression, Dexter pulled me into a gentle hug. “You’ve been working so hard, babe. Once Mom’s out of the hospital, you’ll get the rest you need. Il take care of things at home.
I shut my eyes, the images from just hours ago still fresh in my mind.
“Dexter, when you left the hospital today, were you alone?” I asked, testing the waters.
“Yeah he replied, his face calm.
There wasn’t a hint of hesitation in his eyes. If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I would’ve never suspected him of lying. “Really?”
“Silly, what are you thinking? I was alone. I didn’t bring you with me, did ” He smiled wider, but there was something in his gaze–something I couldn’t quite read–that made me uneasy.
1 nodded and tried to play it off. I’m fine here. You should head home now”
I still hadn’t checked the email from the hotel, and my anxiety was eating me alive.
“I’ll stay a little longer,” he insisted. Tll leave by ten
Reluctantly, I followed him back to the room.
With Dexter there, Martha seemed more at ease. He did everything–fetching water, washing dishes, cleaning up. The only things he couldn’t help with were the more personal tasks, like helping her shower or go to the bathroom. But other than that, he was all in.
Martha’s attitude toward him softened, I lowered my gaze, trying to hide the tear that threatened to fall.
As ten o’clock, I saw
w him
off.
As I watched the car drive out of sight, I quickly pulled out my phone to check the email again.
But as soon as I looked at it, my heart stopped–I wasn’t holding my phone! It was Dexter’s! My phone must’ve been taken by him. My heart raced, pounding in my throat.
Dexter knew my phone’s lock screen password. I thought, “If he unlocks it and sees what I’ve been searching everything will be exposed!
At that moment, I regretted everything. I thought, I shouldn’t have gotten us matching phones. They look so similar, and it’s so easy to mix them up. This wasn’t the first time it had happened.
Before, I thought it was cute, like a symbol of our bond. “Who else keeps using matching phones after all these years and with a kid! But now… I felt
nothing but end.
Limmediately y dialed fiexter’s number, praying he hadn’t seen anything. The phone rang several times before he picked up.
When the call connected, I was about to speak, but then I heard Dexter’s voice faintly on the other end and it sounded as if he were far away. His words were inuffled but clear enough to make my stomach drops
“What do you want me to do? I’ve already told you, I can’t just let her go?
“Enough. Don’t ever show up in my life
again.”
1/2
Chapter 18
w this my decom I don’t regretR
My hear was pounding in
