Luke quickly removed his jacket and draped it over Tina's exposed body. Tina cried out in anguish. "Vespera Gildon, get out of here!" Luke roared, his rage obscuring the fact that Vespera had gone deathly pale. Osbert, finally recovering from his shock, rushed to her side. "Are you alright?" Vespera clenched her jaw, her eyes red-rimmed. "Luke, you disgust me." She pushed Osbert away, refusing assistance despite her obvious distress. Luke's chest tightened. The look in Vespera's eyes earlier suggested a permanent rift. Panic seized him. Osbert hesitated, then said, "Mr. Munoz, I believe she's seriously hurt her back." Luke's expression darkened. He hadn't been gentle when he'd shoved Vespera. The image of her wincing seared his memory. Ignoring Tina's sobs, he ran after Vespera.
Leaning weakly against the elevator, Vespera whispered into her phone, "Becca, I need to leave early. I... I can't bear to see him anymore." The effort to control her emotions caused her to tremble. She couldn't return to the project department looking so disheveled. She swallowed the pain, left the company, and drove directly to her new apartment.
Rebecca sensed Vespera's despair. She grabbed her bag and keys. "Where are you?" Vespera gave her the address. "Got it. I'm on my way." Rebecca was not only Vespera's divorce lawyer but also her childhood best friend, understanding her well. Vespera might appear soft and gentle, but beneath the surface she was proud and resolute. Since discovering Luke's affair, she had endured the divorce with chilling composure, never breaking down before Rebecca. Luke's actions, however, had clearly shattered her. "Okay, I'll wait for you." Vespera hung up and leaned against the elevator wall, her long hair obscuring her face. She felt like she was drowning in a suffocating abyss.
A deep, smooth voice broke the silence: "Finished yet?" Vespera opened her eyes and saw broad shoulders draped in black, a pale neck—a stark contrast exuding refined aloofness. Their eyes met, his glacial and devoid of warmth. She recognized him. "It's you," she murmured, falling into a silent stare with Dominic.
Dominic was frustrated by the lost woman before him. Vespera had followed him like a shadow, standing silently in the elevator's far corner. He leaned in, his six-foot-three-inch height towering over her. Instinctively, she raised a hand to block him. "What are you—" Before she could finish, his hand gently moved her aside, then activated the fingerprint scanner with ease. Vespera was speechless. It dawned on her: the elevator hadn't moved because she hadn't pressed a button; she had blocked the scanner. The elevator ascended. As "5" lit up, she pressed her floor, noticing his—46, the top floor. She shifted uncomfortably.
Dominic's phone vibrated. He answered, "What's up? Measurements? Ms. Gildon's inquiring?" Vespera stiffened, mortified. Taking a deep breath, she asked, "Is this a bad time?" Dominic remained calm. The elevator doors opened. Vespera quickly exited.
When Rebecca arrived, Vespera lay face down, still and seemingly composed. Rebecca knelt, asking gently, "What happened?" Vespera refocused, the elevator encounter having unexpectedly cleared her mind. She calmly recounted the events at the company. Rebecca, however, was enraged. "You're still working at Eclipse Group, and he brought that woman into the office? In broad daylight! And he dared to push you? They're practically taunting you! Are you sure divorce is enough?"
Vespera attempted to turn, but pain stopped her. "You know why I'm doing this. I'm not afraid of Luke. I want him to understand I ended things. Why hesitate to leave a man so vile? I'll discard him like trash." Rebecca's eyes softened. She ruffled Vespera's hair. "You sound so tough, but look at you." Vespera smirked. "I lost my cool. Half a month. Even if they stripped naked in front of me, I wouldn't blink." "Worried about your eyes?" "Worst case, I'd throw up." "Still bad for your stomach." Rebecca stayed, then went to buy pain relief.
Luke searched everywhere for Vespera, calling her friends and even her parents. He called Rebecca repeatedly; she first claimed ignorance, then ignored him. Finally, Vespera said, "Answer him. He probably knows you left this afternoon."
"Panicking, is he?" Rebecca scoffed, stepping onto the balcony. "Luke, isn't it great Vespera's disappeared? No one to get in your way while you're with that tramp! A dream come true!" Luke knew immediately they were together. His voice was hoarse. "Let me talk to her." "I don't know where she is. Maybe she jumped in the ocean. Want to fish her out?" She hung up.
Luke's expression froze. The phone rang. Vespera answered, her voice calm. "Stop bothering Becca. I'll go back." Silence. His breathing grew heavier. Then, cautious and pleading, he asked, "Where are you? I'll come get you. How's your waist?" Vespera sneered. "Your concern is nauseating."