Vespera curled up on the couch after dinner, staring at her chat with Raymond. She typed and deleted several messages before giving up. She couldn't understand Dominic's intentions. He'd given her the suit size, then changed his mind. It felt like he was toying with her. She didn't want to decipher his thoughts; their lives would likely never intersect again beyond this unresolved matter.

Footsteps approached from outside the living room. Vespera quickly closed the chat and put her feet down. As Luke entered, he immediately asked, "Where are all your clothes, shoes, bags, and jewelry?" Her heart skipped a beat. He'd noticed. Something felt off about him today. Luke never came home for dinner without a reason; now he was inspecting her closet.

"I sent my clothes and shoes to the dry cleaner, and my bags and jewelry are being serviced," she replied smoothly, maintaining a calm expression despite the inner turmoil.

"All of them?" he asked.

"Yes," she said. "I had some free time, so I decided to clean up. Half the stuff in my closet, I don't even remember wearing, so I sent it all for a refresh. As for my bags and jewelry, the diamonds were dull, and the leather was worn. Since I had time, I took care of everything at once."

Her explanation was plausible, yet Luke still sensed something amiss. He knew she'd been home often lately, tidying the house each time he returned. "You don't have to rush," he said. "Just do it little by little."

"I'm going on a trip in a few days," she replied, "and I wanted everything in order."

Her words seemed innocent, but an inexplicable unease grew in Luke's chest. His gaze fell on a navy blue shopping bag on the couch. He reached for it. "Is this for me—"

"No," Vespera interrupted, leaning forward to block him. Both fell silent. Luke's expression turned cold. Vespera quickly recovered, adding, "It's for my dad."

He visibly deflated. "For your dad? You didn't think to buy your husband anything?"

"Do you need another suit?" she retorted, scoffing internally. The suits left in Tina's bedroom likely outnumbered his own.

Luke was speechless. Vespera ignored him, grabbed the bag, slipped on her slippers, and hurried upstairs, locking herself in her study. She heard his car drive away before exhaling in relief.

The next day, the weather was perfect. Vespera returned to their high school. A few students lingered on the otherwise empty campus. She strolled leisurely, lost in nostalgia: their shared classrooms, the paths they'd walked together, the track where they'd raced. She reached the bamboo grove by the artificial lake. In a hidden corner, she unearthed the small box they'd buried before their SATs. Luke had insisted on bringing her there one dark night, using their phone flashlights. They'd written on slips of paper and sealed them in the box. "Twenty years from now, we'll come back and open it together," he'd said, his eyes brighter than the stars.

Vespera chuckled softly, a mix of amusement and relief. She retrieved her time capsule, leaving the rest behind. "Goodbye, Luke," she whispered.

Meanwhile, Luke sat in the project manager's office, blinds drawn, door closed. His project department employees exchanged knowing glances. He reviewed Tina's project proposal, his brow furrowed in frustration. Tina, unfazed, leaned against him, running her fingers along his chest. She lacked Vespera's beauty but possessed boldness, uninhibited and relentless in her pursuit. Few men resisted her persistence. After all, for men, the heart and body often existed separately.

"Luke, why don't we have a little fun right here—"

"Cut it out," he snapped, pushing her away and slamming the proposal on the desk. "Seven or eight nights' work, and this is what you produce?" He'd always known she wasn't as competent as Vespera, but this was beyond expectation. The proposal was ridiculous. He missed Vespera's leadership.

Tina pouted. His phone rang. He answered, his gaze darkening as he listened.

"Ms. Gildon went out again today. She visited a high school and then Lanton Residences, a luxury community with tight security—only residents can enter."

A high school? A luxury community? What was she doing? "Non-residents can't enter? What if someone inside knows her?"

"If a resident informs security, they can get in."

"Send me the address. Keep watching her."

Luke ended the call, increasingly irritated. His "lover" had botched the proposal, and his wife was acting strangely. Tina had followed him. She clung to his waist. "Hmph, why do you care about her? You don't love her anymore."

Suppressing his disgust, Luke peeled her off. "Redo the proposal. Take it seriously. If you don't understand something, ask the project team leads."

He left, leaving Tina enraged. She considered the team leads, all former employees of Vespera. Luke wanted her to learn from Vespera's people. She called the leads into her office and unleashed her fury, insulting them. Lillian Cornell, Team One lead, tried to speak, but Tina slapped her. The other leads remained silent, realizing they were dealing with a madwoman.

Vespera placed the time capsule on a shelf in her new home. There was no need to destroy it; her life hadn't revolved solely around Luke. Her phone rang. It was Luke. She wondered if he sensed their marriage's demise and was attempting a last-minute revival. She didn't answer, but didn't hang up either. The ringing stopped. A message arrived. It wasn't Luke. It was Raymond, finally replying. Dominic had issued new orders.