apter 15
Chapter 15
When I came to, I found myself lying naked on a large bed.
The bright light above me made my head spin and throb, but the unfamiliar surroundings forced me to push myself up.
1 trembled as I searched under the bed for my clothes, refusing to even consider what might have happened while I was
unconscious.
From the bathroom, I could hear someone taking a shower. I saw my coat hanging across from the bathroom in the wardrobe.
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1 crept toward it, about to grab my clothes when suddenly my phone rang behind me. I froze. That ringtone–specifically set for Dexter. My phone was inside. The call connected almost immediately.
“Sylvia, where are you? Why aren’t you home yet?” Dexter’s voice came through.
Then, a man’s voice chuckled. “Your wife’s here… taking a shower with me.”
Dexter’s voice turned angry. “Who the hell are you? Where is Sylvia? Let her pick up the phone!”
But the man just laughed a couple of times and hung up. I stood there, frozen with fear, the cold spreading through me. I wondered. ‘What should I do?‘
My phone was inside, and I was stuck outside. There was a man in the bathroom. There was no way I could confront him. And with a man alone in a room with me, no matter what happened, I’d never be able to clear my name.
I gritted my teeth, dressed quickly, and quietly slipped out of the room before the man noticed. The hotel corridor was familiar.
Before I passed out, I clearly remembered the carpet pattern and the distinct scent of the place. I thought, ‘So I haven’t left the hotel after all… Thank God!‘
I stumbled forward, desperate to get out. As I rounded a corner, I collided with someone. I hadn’t even seen who it was before she called out, “Sylvia, what the hell? Where did you run off to?”
I looked up to see Holly. Grabbing her hand like a lifeline, I rushed. “Quick, get to your car!”
She was confused but seeing how frantic I was, she didn’t ask questions.
Once in her car, I finally breathed a sigh of relief. “Drive, drive! I need to go to the police!”
“What happened?” Holly asked, keeping her focus on the road.
It took me a while to steady my breathing, but I finally managed to explain everything–how I’d been attacked and my phone had been stolen.
Before I could finish, Holly swore loudly. “Damn, your husband’s mistress really has some nerve. She’s got skills, huh?” I closed my eyes, feeling a chill crawl through me. I couldn’t panic. I couldn’t let this shake me…
At the police station, I showed them the injury on the back of my head and explained how my phone had been stolen.
It was considered a robbery, so the police took it seriously. I spent a long time giving my statement before I was finally allowed to go home.
1/3
Dreame–Read Romance…
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Chapter 15
Just as I reached the lobby, Dexter stormed down the stairs, grabbed my arm, and yelled, “Sylvia, I didn’t expect you to be this kind of woman!
“You checked to see if I was at the company dinner, but behind my back, you were doing this! Tell me who was that man?”
His eyes were wild with anger, and if I hadn’t been prepared for this, I might have been swayed by the look in his eyes. Í might have felt guilty, thought I had done something wrong.
But I thought, ‘It is all just a show, right? Who can’t act?’ I lowered my eyes, covering my face with both hands and letting the tears fall.
When I stayed silent and kept crying, Dexter seemed to think he had me figured out. He started shouting, throwing a tantrum, until Holly couldn’t hold back any longer and poked her head out of the car.
“Hey, what’s your deal? Aren’t you going to ask your wife what happened? Throwing a fit like this–aren’t you supposed to be the man here?” she asked.
Dexter snapped back, “This is a private matter between us. It’s none of your business.”
He turned his cold gaze toward me. “Tell me, why did a man pick up your phone? What were you two doing?”
As more and more neighbors gathered, some even peeking through their windows, I knew it was time. I suddenly screamed and shoved his arm away. “I was robbed! My phone was stolen!
“I just came back from the police station, where I gave my statement. You want to know who picked up my phone? How would I know? It must have been the thief!”
“Dexter, Dexter…” I sobbed, the weight of it all crashing down on me. “I can’t believe when you got that call, your first thought wasn’t to check on me, but to believe the worst. Is that really how you see me?”
I let all the emotions I’d been bottling up spill out. The neighbors were shocked.
“Wait, so she was robbed? Poor thing…”
“I know her. She’s always been so kind. She’s raised her kid by herself for years. It’s been tough for her.”
“Yeah, some men are like that. They can’t stand the slightest hint of trouble. And honestly, I’ve never seen him treat her all that well.”
Their gossip filled the air, and Dexter seemed to finally realize what was happening.
After a long pause, he spoke up, “Honey, please, stop crying… I messed up. I was just too worried about you. When I got that call, I completely lost it. Don’t take it to heart. Let me see your injury.”
I knew I couldn’t go too far with this. I needed to make sure this didn’t spiral out of control, so I wouldn’t ruin my reputation in the neighborhood.
Whether Dexter was the one behind it or not, he was still involved with that woman. I couldn’t afford to let my guard down.
Wiping away my tears, I walked over to Holly’s car. “Thanks for bringing me back. I really appreciate it today.”
Holly gave me a long, thoughtful look, nodded, and drove off without saying a word.
Dexter and I went upstairs. Since he’d wrongly accused me earlier, he was now overly attentive, hovering around me with concern. But I couldn’t bring myself to acknowledge it.
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08:52 Sat, 15 Feb
Chapter 15
Without thinking too much about it, he went to the kitchen to make me dinner. His every action seemed to scream alogy but I couldn’t feel touched by it.
I kept replaying the moment I was knocked out at the hotel. Before I lost consciousness, I clearly heard that womatis wee She was calling my name.
If she was there, then Dexter must have been there too. He had to know I went to the 19th floor of the hotel…
Realizing this made me regret acting so hastily, I had unknowingly tipped him off, and that led to everything that happened afterward.
I thought, ‘To trap me in a room with another man, then turn it all around and accuse me. How cruel!
I closed my eyes, lying in bed, but sleep wouldn’t come. My mind was a tangled mess. I wondered, “What am I supposed to do now? I have already made my move, and it feels like I have nowhere left to go
Just then, Dexter came to wake me. “Sylvia, cat something before you sleep. Don’t go to bed on an empty stomach, or your stomach will start hurting again.”
I opened my eyes. I must have looked terrible, because as soon as I did, Dexter froze, clearly taken aback by my appearation I glanced at the bowl of milk in his hands and made a decision.
I took the bowl and sipped it slowly. The warmth spread through me, giving me some strength. My voice was hoarse, but 1 forced myself to speak. “Dexter, I think the person who robbed me today was specifically targeting me.”
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