Chapter 65

Vespera nodded. “Yes, that’s right.”

Luke scoffed, his eyes dark with blame. “You got involved with Dominic just to spite me, didn’t you? To get back at me!” He was certain he had seen right through her. He knew she still loved him. She still had feelings for him. Dominic was nothing more than a tool and a means to provoke him. But even if that was her initial intention, Dominic was dangerous. If she stayed by his side long enough, there was no guarantee she wouldn’t actually fall for him. Vespera let out a cold laugh. She didn’t want to argue with Luke.

Instead, she sat up, took the bowl of chicken soup from his hands, and said, “Thank you for visiting me, Mr. Munoz. You can leave now.”

Luke couldn’t help but chuckle. It was the first time since they met that she had addressed him so formally. Instead of leaving, he took a seat at the edge of the bed. “I’m not going anywhere. We’re still legally married. It’s my responsibility to take care of you.”

Vespera fell silent. She seriously wanted to kill him. Since she couldn’t throw him out, and physically forcing him to leave was out of the question, she chose to ignore him entirely. She placed the chicken soup on the bedside table but hesitated. If she left it there, he might try to feed her himself. Given what she knew about him, that was exactly the kind of thing he would do.

Without another word, she picked it up again and started eating.

An hour later, Dominic walked back in. This time, he wasn’t alone. Gerard and Nancy followed closely behind him. Vespera hadn’t realized that Nancy had stayed with her through the night. She had only stepped out to grab breakfast. Of course, Nancy wasn’t there out of concern. It wasn’t guilt, either. She had simply tagged along because she saw Dominic staying and wanted to keep an eye on him.

“Ms. Gildon, I truly apologize for last night. I should have gathered all the facts instead of blindly believing Mr. Green. I was wrong to accuse you. I hope you can forgive me,” Nancy said sincerely.

Two people asking for forgiveness first thing in the morning. Vespera found it both exhausting and a little ridiculous. Vespera knew that Nancy’s apology was entirely sincere. She wasn’t apologizing to her—she was saying it for Dominic’s sake. She wanted her forgiveness, hoping that once she let it go, the matter would be considered settled.

Vespera said with a smile, “There’s no need to talk about forgiveness. Given last night’s situation, it was easy to be misled. If anyone’s to blame, it’s Mr. Green for being so good at acting. You’re just too kindhearted—this isn’t your fault!” Her words gave Nancy an easy way out, smoothing over the awkwardness with well-practiced diplomacy.

Dominic watched with quiet amusement. She really knew how to handle people. However, Luke felt a pang of bitterness. He thought to himself, “She’d rather appease a woman she barely knows than say a kind word to me.”

Nancy let out a small sigh of relief. “Thank you, Ms. Gildon. I feel ashamed.” She hesitated and then glanced carefully at Dominic. “I’ve thought about it. I don’t think I should stay here any longer.”

Dominic didn’t even look at her. He ignored the underlying meaning behind her words, his attention never straying from Vespera. His voice was gentle but firm. “You handled this well. But don’t do anything this dangerous again. No job is worth risking your life for. I’ll take care of the rest—just focus on recovering.”

Vespera nodded. “Alright.” She met his gaze, but for some reason, it made her uneasy. She quickly turned to Gerard instead. “There are still three days left in the schedule. Thank you for your hard work.” “Vespera, don’t say that. This was my fault. I shouldn’t have let you go to the factory alone. If something had happened to you—” Gerard’s voice was filled with guilt. Before he could finish, he felt a chill run down his spine, staring at him, his expression dark. The warning in his eyes was clear. The way he called her name so intimately was already pushing the limit.

Gerard immediately shut his mouth. He had no desire to be the next casualty.

Luke turned his gaze toward Dominic. “My wife is seriously injured and needs to recover. She won’t be able to continue as your secretary. You’ll have to find someone else, Mr.”

Vespera was furious. She thought, “Seriously injured? Who gave him the right to decide for me?” She opened her mouth to argue, but before she could speak, Nancy cut in with a smile. “Well, since her husband insists, let’s not force her. Dominic, I’ll return to Tavian Group and be your secretary instead.”