Vespera maneuvered her wheelchair independently and headed to the study. Dominic was momentarily surprised but then let out a quiet chuckle. He didn’t intervene.

Vespera completed all the tasks he had given her in his study, and it was already 10:00 pm. Probably due to having eaten too much dinner, she had been battling drowsiness. By the time she wrapped up, she was so tired that she could hardly keep her eyes open.

“Mr. Reid, I’m heading back now,” she announced, steering her wheelchair toward the exit.

As she kept yawning, the wheelchair drifted and collided with the tea table. Her knee struck the table, and the sharp pain immediately banished her sleepiness.

Dominic sprang to his feet. Observing her grimace in pain, he asked, “Did you aggravate the wound?” He crouched down and, without seeking her consent, lifted her skirt to inspect the injury. If it had reopened, he would have to call a doctor.

Vespera paused briefly to gather herself. “I tugged it slightly, but it shouldn’t have torn,” she remarked.

After Dominic inspected and verified that there was no bleeding, his gaze involuntarily traveled from her injury to her slender, delicate, and shapely legs. A subtle scent drifted into his nose. He swallowed hard, and his hand tingled with an inexplicable itch. Without hesitation, he gently pulled her skirt back down and said in his usual tone, “I’ll take you home.” Vespera wanted to say it wasn’t necessary, but she was already being ushered outside. The two of them stayed silent the entire way.

Dominic took her home and promptly turned back without a moment’s hesitation. Vespera watched him walk away briskly, feeling a bit perplexed. It seemed that if he lingered even a second longer, she might not have let him leave.

While she was pondering this, her phone rang. Dominic was waiting by the elevator. As she checked her phone, the elevator arrived with a ding, indicating two residents from different floors were about to meet. They could have shared the same elevator on their return, or perhaps a resident coming up would encounter another who lived on a higher floor and was heading up as well—just like now.

The elevator doors opened to reveal Luke, visibly drunk with a flushed face, standing in front of Dominic, who wore a stoic expression. Their eyes locked, both startled by the encounter. Dominic’s expression was icy and severe.

How did Luke have the access code to this floor? Had Vespera given it to him?

“You!”

Luke was drunk and had a foggy mind. He felt a surge of rage upon seeing the elevator halt on the 13th floor, recalling that Vespera resided there. He stumbled out of the elevator and grabbed Dominic by the collar. “What are you doing at my wife’s place? Why are you here?”

The mere thought of Vespera with another man stoked his anger like a wild, blazing fire.

Vespera heard the disturbance outside. In her confusion, she thought she recognized Luke’s voice. Could it really be him?

She maneuvered her wheelchair to check out the situation. As she emerged, she witnessed Dominic shoving Luke to the ground. Dominic waved dismissively, and upon noticing her, he shot her a frigid glance.

“Why bother with all the charades if you let him into your home?” he remarked.