Chapter 4
for me to lose my hrad Even if the lourd truths were aberat de mortar a
just as I was almon
my plane down, an idea lid
The misterss | The
Hie aktau was misle by Dester, the sain
always: Warching purchappily rierte annound him, laughing, my beamarbed
meren’t fou þinn, Lihongla I wondd have grane straight for the jugular with Dexter ripping apart our relationship in the possible Atwort, weil bali walk away si mird
Troull be intense, fiery–like alilaze or strong liquor, it was all or nothing. Hon now, I couldn’t do that, June was my soft spot
Alter Inrakfast.
check. “Than’t marry. I’ll guter Mom at the lampital this afternoon, and (Jaya will be there tout
“Okay I mallest alentinedly.
Work was a me
the office, Hodly grald
(“What happened yesterday?”
don’t give
that. Yesterday you said the same ting, meding momt ve happened at home. So tell me when are you stepping down
woman. Ihared læer, boat edelly, Framed‘ boring myself to really loathe kno Hally wax upfront alasan our competition. She was a career “for“-nuulalery or hidden the idea of public ly barsting me if she could.
- She prefered to confront me
head–on, relishing
I slot fer a look of contrapt “Recpolicaming
e moining janised ja a flurry of work,
eleaning lady arrived just before lunch..
Lasked, “Hi, did you clean my office yesterday I seem to have lost something. Did you notice anything?”
The cleaning lady liked at me with a strange expression “Vesterday? No, I didn’t clean yesterday. It was our day off. Don’t you remember. Ms
My mind went blank for a secopal before everyil deaters were working. The
ched. Higlit, Yesterday, the internal cleaning staff had the day off, and only the external
ular ileaper wan’t there yesterday, then who was the one that entered my office? My heart started pounding
ing lady, roda ing my silence,
“My Morrin, what
lylidy
closet is it something foportant? Oh, by the way, one of our
I immediately for murid nii larr words “You lost a
Yes, it’s the new initiain the company issued last werk. Llaven’t even couldn’t band in anywhere lait that strange?”
ace to wear it much, and this morning when I came to work.
inissing Heins. “Ms. Marron, dil you lose sumedang important! You need to vouch for me
I gave lei a pramoging sale as danced at lart nervous expression “D’s not related to you?
0
9:30 AM c
Chapter 1
However, her words gave me an idea. I immediately went back to check the company’s security footage, this time focusing on the exterior cameras.
The view was limited, but I still managed to catch what I was looking for the woman in the cleaning uniform walking out of the building and out of the range of our company’s cameras.
A huge weight lifted off my chest. She wasn’t one of us; she was an outsider.
But this building saw a lot of traffic every day–clients, visitors, and all sorts of people passing in and out.
Trying to pinpoint a suspicious individual from that crowd would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. I thought, “As long as she isn’t one of our employees, that is enough
I went to the administration office and had them change the locks on all the doors, including the filing cabinets and safes. Only I knew the new codes. Once that was done. I finally felt a bit of relief.
I rushed to the hospital to visit Martha, but as I reached the door to her room, I overheard a conversation inside. It was between Dexter and Clara.
“Dexter, I can’t thank you enough. If it weren’t for you, I really wouldn’t know what to do,” Clara said.
“We’re family, no need for thanks, Dexter replied casually.
“But Dexter, have you re
really ended things with that woman?” Clara hesitated, “I don’t want to see you and my sister split up. You two are perfect together, and Juno is still so young-
“It’s over,” Dexter answered firmly. “I made a mistake in a moment of weakness, but the person I love is still your siste
Clara seemed relieved, her tone lightening. That’s good to hear. Don’t tell my sister, though. I won’t say anything either, as long as you two are okay.”
“I won’t.” Dexter promised.
My heart sank. I couldn’t believe it–Clara knew about Dexter’s affair. And worse, she was helping him cover it up from me, her own sister Everything seemed to spin, and I felt dizzy. Just as I lost my balance and began to stumble backward, a pair of strong hands caught me.
“If the patient’s family isn’t feeling well, they should rest instead of causing trouble in the hallway,” a sharp voice said.
His words stung. I was about to turn and argue, but then I saw the name tag on his chest, and I snapped back to reality.
Though he was wearing a hat and mask, I instantly recognized him–Jeremy Norman, Martha’s attending physician. He had dressed the same way yesterday in the office, almost as if he didn’t want to be seen.
I might be bold enough to argue with the CEO over a proposal, but I wasn’t about to cross Martha’s doctor. I forced a smile. “I didn’t sleep well last night.”
Jeremy nodded briefly and gestured for me
me to move aside.
I understood. He was clearly signaling that I was in his way. I stepped aside, giving myself a moment to collect my thoughts.
By the time I entered the room, Dexter and Jeremy were wrapping up their conversation. Martha was lying on the bed, likely just finished with her treatment and medication, still unconscious
Once their convers
versation ended, I escorted Jeremy out. “Thank you, Dr. Norman”
Just before he left, he turned to give me a long, meaningful look. “As a family member of the patient, your health is also important. Make sure you rest when you can. You should probably–get your eyes checked too.”
I froze. His words felt oddly pointed, but I had no proof to back up my suspicions.
When I returned to the room, Dexter was gone. I thought, He must have gone to get some water
A thought sccurred to me, and I quickly made an excuse to step out. I headed toward the water station, but when I arrived, it was completely empty. Dexter wasn’t there. He hadn’t gone to get water at all.
