Chapter 63
Though she were floating. The sights and sounds around her blurred, fading into a distant, great potential.
“What’s wrong?” Dominic leaned in, gently tapping Vespera’s face. Suddenly, her head dropped abruptly onto the table. Reacting instantly, Dominic’s hand shot out to catch her, his palm meeting the desk. He carefully cradled her face, realizing she had lost consciousness. Vespera had been running on empty for far too long. After the intense encounter with Blake, she had pushed herself to the breaking point. With the tension finally ceasing, her body gave in, exhausted.
As her eyes fluttered shut, she felt herself fall into a pair of steady arms. The scent of sandalwood wrapped around her, offering an unexpected comfort that made her heart ache. She longed to stay there, to drop her guard completely, and return to the safety of being a vulnerable little girl once more. But just as quickly, a familiar, unsettling voice whispered in her ear, “Vespera, my baby…”
Luke? No, it couldn’t be. It had to be an illusion—just a horrible, haunting figment of her imagination.
The clock struck 3:00 am. At Selona’s most prestigious private hospital, the patient room was nothing short of a five-star hotel suite. Vespera lay asleep on the bed, an IV drip attached to her hand. Just a few steps away, Dominic and Luke sat on a light beige couch. Behind Dominic, Nancy rested in a single armchair, drifting between deep thought and vacant stares. Unable to endure the suffocating atmosphere, Gerard found an excuse to step out.
The night had been nothing short of a spectacle. News had already spread—after Vespera collapsed, Dominic had carried her out. Nancy chased after them, only to run into Luke, who had just arrived in a rush. The moment Luke saw Vespera in Dominic’s arms, he stormed over, intent on taking her from him.
It had been a scene ripped straight from a melodrama. Luke was the first to break the silence. “Vespera only took the job to spite me. I’ve already arranged for her resignation,” he said coldly. Dominic remained composed, his tone distant yet polite. “Her personal grievances aren’t my concern. If she wishes to resign, she can do so herself.” His unspoken message was clear—Luke had no right to decide for her. With that, he simply folded his arms and closed his eyes. Leaning back on the couch, he pretended to nap. Luke was livid. His glare burned into Dominic, hostility rolling off him in waves. But what enraged him most was the moment he had wrenched Vespera from Dominic’s arms—only to find her clutching his shirt, unwilling to let go. In that instant, a fierce urgency overtook him—he had to take her back to Halewick, to lock her away where Dominic could never reach her. Normally, he wouldn’t waste his energy on just anyone—but this was Dominic. And he would do whatever it took to keep her away from him.
Vespera woke at 7:00 am. Golden morning light spilled through the window beside her bed, bright and sacred, washing away the remnants of the night. She turned her head. “Vespera, you’re awake!”
Her eyes widened as she watched Luke get up from the couch and rush toward her. Maybe this world was better off being destroyed after all. Unaware of her dark thoughts, Luke hurried to her bedside and leaned in, pressing a hand to her forehead. Still groggy from sleep, Vespera’s body felt sluggish. She wanted to move away, but her reaction was a second too slow. His touch made her skin crawl. It was the same hand that had touched Tina. The thought alone made her stomach churn—it felt more revolting than dirt. “Why are you here? I already sent the divorce papers,” Vespera said coldly, shoving his hand away.