Chapter 60

Everyone froze in shock. Their gazes instinctively darted toward the door. There, leaning weakly against the doorframe, stood a woman—soaked to the bone, her face deathly pale, with scratches and bruises marring her forehead and cheeks. Despite her disheveled state, her beauty was still undeniable. It was Vespera.

The realization spread like wildfire through the room. Gasps filled the air as everyone recognized her—the very woman whose grace had captivated them all from the moment she arrived. Dominic jumped to his feet, crossing the room in a flash. He reached out to steady her, his eyes lighting up with a mix of relief and astonishment. “Vespera… you’re alive.” A wave of joy surged through him, urging him to pull her into his arms.

Vespera managed a faint, wry smile. “I got lucky. Death wasn’t ready to take me yet.”

She had grown up by the sea, living with her grandmother before starting elementary school. As an accomplished swimmer, she knew how to read the currents and handle crashing waves with confidence. By some miracle, it was her leg that took the brunt of the impact when she hit the rocks—not her head.

Blake’s face was drained of color. No… No way. How could she have survived? How could she have the strength to make it back to the factory? But of course. Vespera hadn’t made the journey on her own. The deep gash in her leg burned with every step, each one sending painful jolts through her body. She was unfamiliar with the island and had no idea how to find her way back. Luckily, a kind-hearted young woman on an electric scooter had passed by and given her a ride. Vespera knew Dominic must be at the factory. No matter what, she had to return to expose Derek and Blake’s wrongdoings.

“You’re injured. Let me take you to the hospital first,” Dominic said, his sharp gaze immediately locking onto the blood-soaked towel wrapped around her leg, the once-white fabric now stained a deep crimson.

“Handle business first. I’ll manage,” Vespera said, her gaze fixed on Blake. Her face was pale, and her lips lacked color, but her eyes burned with fire.

Dominic knew there was no changing her mind. She may have appeared fragile, but she was anything but. Even with a broken leg, she would’ve dragged herself back here to confront those who wronged her.

“Take it easy,” he murmured, wrapping an arm around her shoulders to support her as he pulled her closer. But after just a few steps, he noticed her gritting her teeth, her forehead glistening with sweat as pain gripped her body. Without a second thought, he scooped her up into his arms and carefully placed her in his seat, disregarding the eyes watching them.

The entire room fell into stunned silence. How could they still deny there was any romance between them? That gesture had been far too instinctive to be anything but what it was. Nancy’s eyes were bloodshot, her heart twisting in agony as though a thousand arrows had pierced it.

For Vespera, being carried brought an unexpected relief from the pain. Having barely escaped death, she was too exhausted to focus on anything beyond the present moment. On the table, Nancy’s phone remained connected to the call. Vespera glanced down and caught a glimpse of the caller ID. In that instant, everything clicked.

A cold, mocking smile touched her lips. “Mr. Green, how bold of you. The least you could have done was make sure I was actually dead before running your mouth.”

“Ms. Gildon, I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Blake feigned confusion, playing the victim.

At the time, it was just the two of them in the room—no witnesses, no evidence. Her words could only be considered as one-sided testimony. Without hesitation, Blake turned his attention to Nancy, seizing the opportunity to manipulate her emotions.

“Ms. Acosta, don’t you see? Ms. Gildon is not just here to humiliate me—she’s here to embarrass you. She wants to make a fool out of you in front of Mr. Reid. She’s playing mind games—her manipulation runs deep.”

Vespera’s jaw clenched in disbelief. This bastard certainly had no shame. She had thought Nancy wouldn’t be foolish enough to fall for such a blatant lie. But to her shock, Nancy turned to her, her eyes blazing with hatred.

“Vespera, you’re framing Mr. Green! You staged this entire spectacle and dragged everyone here in the middle of the night—all just to shamelessly throw yourself at a man!”

Vespera’s eyes widened in pure astonishment. A flurry of thoughts rushed through her mind. Was Nancy in on this? No—given her position, there was no reason for her to be part of such a scheme. That could only mean one thing—Blake had made his move first, twisting the truth to serve his own agenda.