Chapter 43
“What?” she stammered, blinking rapidly as if trying to feign innocence. “I–I gave you the card!”
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I stood abruptly, the chair screeching against the floor as I towered over her. “Do you take me for a fool?” I demanded, each word clipped, my tone laced with barely–contained rage.
Her lips parted, but no sound came out. She reached up instinctively to clutch the neckline of her dress, her confidence evaporating.
I didn’t give her the chance to answer. In a flash, I grabbed her by the neck–not enough to hurt her, but enough to remind her of the warning I’d issued earlier. Her eyes widened in panic, and she let out a strangled gasp.
“What did I tell you would happen,” I said through gritted teeth,
you tried to play me?”
Her hands flailed, clawing at my wrist, but I didn’t budge. Instead, leaned in closer, my voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “Where. Is. The. Card?”
“I–It’s in my bag!” she choked out, her voice trembling with fear. I swear!”
I released her, stepping back as she coughed and scrambled to collect herself. Despite my anger, there was a grim satisfaction in watching her squirm, her usual arrogance replaced by genuine terror.
Without waiting for her to hand it over, I grabbed her bag from the chair beside her and tipped its contents onto the table. A cluttered mess of makeup, perfume, and designer trinkets spilled out, but my focus was immediately drawn to a small, sleek box.
I picked it up, flipping it open to reveal another SD card nestled inside. My jaw clenched as I glared at Vanessa. “You thought this would be funny?” I snapped, holding the card up to her face.
She shook her head frantically, her lips trembling. “I–I just forgot it was in there! I swear, Dominic!”
Ignoring her excuses, I inserted the card into the drive and accessed the files. This time, the directory populated with folders and videos. I scrolled through, quickly confirming the contents. There it was–data from Raina’s phone, including the video
evidence she needed.
Relief washed over me momentarily, but it did nothing to cool my anger. I turned to Vanessa, glaring at her with disdain.
“You’re pathetic,” I said, my voice low but venomous. “You thought you could manipulate me into forgetting who you are. But let me remind you–I see through every lie, every act, every fake tear.”
Her mouth opened as if to respond, but no words came. She looked smaller now, her usual bravado completely stripped away.
I stepped closer, leaning down so that our faces were inches apart. Let this be the last time you try to toy with me, Vanessa. Next time, there won’t be warnings.”
Without another glance, I pocketed the SD card and turned on my heel. As I reached the door, I paused, looking back over my
shoulder.
“Oh, and by the way,” I said with a smirk, “I’m a happily married man. My wife just gave birth to a beautiful baby boy.”
The shock on her face was priceless, though it did little to improve my mood. I didn’t wait to see her reaction play out. Instead, I walked out of the restaurant, leaving her stunned and speechless, the cool night air hitting my face as I left her and her schemes
behind.
When I got home, I handed the SD card to Raina, dropping it into her outstretched palm.
“Never make me do that again,” I said, my tone sharp.
She looked at me, probably ready to ask how it went, but before she could speak, her phone buzzed. At the same time, my own phone vibrated in my pocket.
She glanced at her screen, muttering under her breath, “Speak of the devil.”
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Crore 43
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I owned and polled out my plione, my heart skipping a beat when I saw the name on the screen. It was my doctor friend.
Stepping away from the commotion, I answered the call
“Pominic,” the doctor’s voice was calm but urgent. “Liam’s awake”
The relief that coursed through me was indescribable. My knees nearly buckled as I leaned against the wall, my chest heaving
“He’s awake?” I repeated, needing to hear it again
“Yes,” the doctor confirmed. “We’ll need to run a few tests, but he’s stable for now.”
Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, but I quickly blinked them away. “Thank you,” I said, my voice thick with emotion.
Hanging up, I turned to Raina, who was watching me with a mix of curiosity and concern.
“Liam’s awake,” said simply, my voice soft but filled with overwhelming gratitude.
Her eyes widened, and for the first time in a long while, I saw pure unfiltered relief on her face..
Without another word, we both moved toward the door, our unspoken understanding guiding us. Liam needed us, and nothing else mattered.
