Chapter 157 Speculating Possibilities
Lena barely remembered how she’d fled in panic, too afraid even to push open the door to the private room.
Later, a single phone call had ended her relationship with Thomas.
When she’d told him she was breaking up with him, he’d asked coldly, “You won’t
regret this?
“No, I won’t,” she’d replied.
And just like that, it had truly ended.
In all the years since then, their paths had never crossed. Just as he’d said, she’d been nothing more than a way to pass his boring hours.
Once she was gone, he could simply find someone else to fill the time.
She’d never expected that she and Thomas would run into each other twice in such awkward circumstances years later.
After leaving that small motel, she couldn’t even be bothered to say goodbye. She crossed the street, got into her own car, and drove away.
After all, it was better for both of them to never meet again.
“What’s wrong? You’ve been zoning out a lot the past couple of days.” Chloe’s voice pulled Lena out of her thoughts.
“Ah!” Lena blinked, snapping herself to attention.
No matter how hard she tried to keep her mind off Thomas, her thoughts kept drifting to him. Her first love was impossible to forget.
But she had to. No matter how difficult it was.
“Nothing,” Lena said, forcing a casual tone. “I was just thinking about when Ethan might find out what the man who went to the motel with Sonya is really up to.”
That matter had clearly been one of her major concerns over the past two days.
Chloe had already heard the story from Lena, and her instincts told her there was something deeply suspicious between Sonya and that man.
“It can’t be anything good,” Chloe thought.
She had a strong feeling that Sonya was hiding more than just how she’d been pretending to be Curtis‘ savior. There might be hidden truths about the fire five years ago,
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After all, Sonya had been the last person to have contact with Bernard–the first victim of the fire and also the man who’d supposedly inadvertently caused the fire.
Chloe had checked the location of the fire. It was an area rarely traveled. If Sonya had witnessed Bernard burning to death, it was highly likely that she would know who’d been smoking and carelessly discarded the cigarette butt on the dry grass.
So why hadn’t Sonya spoken up at the time?
She’d even claimed to have seen Bernard smoking, effectively shifting the blame onto him when everyone assumed he was responsible for starting the fire.
Most people who refused to help someone would feel at least a twinge of guilt… Unless she was trying to cover for the real culprit. Or perhaps she was the one who’d been smoking all along.
Chloe shivered and suddenly blurted out, “Do you think Sonya smokes?”
“Huh?” Lena blinked, surprised. “Why are you asking that all of a sudden?”
“I have a feeling that when it comes to the fire at the border back then, she might have done more than just refuse to help,” Chloe said.
Lena’s expression darkened. “We need to look into that. But I’ve never actually seen Sonya
smoke.”
Chloe pressed her lips together. She hadn’t seen it either, but that didn’t mean Sonya had never smoked. It seemed they really needed to follow this lead and investigate thoroughly.
“Oh, right! Are you free tonight?” Lena asked.
“I think so,” Chloe replied.
“What do you mean? You didn’t have plans, did you?”
“Not exactly. I just told Brian I’d be home for dinner. I can call him in a bit and let him know,”
Chloe said.
Lena clicked her tongue. “Anyone who didn’t know better would think you and Brian were married. That sounds exactly like married life.”
Chloe froze for a moment, then realized Lena had a point. It did feel just like that.
She bought groceries and cooked dinner as soon as she got home from work. Even though his scalded hand hadn’t fully healed, Brian insisted on helping her in the kitchen, acting as her
sous chef.
After dinner, he would tidy up the dishes and load the dishwasher. They would spend the evenings watching TV shows, catching up on the news, or even reading together.
Chapter 157 Speculating Possibiles
Brian was widely read, and discussing the ideas and dilemmas from books with him always made for engaging conversations.
When they had work, they would sit side by side in the study, which now had an extra desk and
chair.
She had to admit that living with Brian was surprisingly comfortable.
“But speaking of that, do you and Brian… you know?” Lena asked with a teasing glance at
Chloe.
Chloe rolled her eyes. “No, we don’t. Can’t your mind ever just stay pure?”
“I just feel like you’re missing out!” Lena insisted. “You’ve got such a gorgeous guy right there, and you’re just looking without ever making a move.”
Chloe was momentarily speechless. Was “missing out” really the right phrase here?
“But since you enjoy watching, I’ll take you out tonight,” Lena continued, patting Chloe’s shoulder. “I’ll broaden your horizons and give you a taste of something a little more exotic.”
Later that night, Chloe arrived at the Corvessia Grand Theater with Lena and watched a group of strikingly handsome foreign men dance passionately on stage.
She glanced at Lena’s excited face. “This is the eye–opener you brought me to?”
“Exactly!” Lena said with a nod. “This is a famous male dance troupe from Eldoria. Their performances are incredible, and the staging is brilliant. The water curtain makes it look like rain, and all the muscular dancers move with such passion. How evocative is that?”
Lena couldn’t help but feel a surge of relief. It was a perfect distraction from that scoundrel,
Thomas.
Chloe watched the foreign dancers, bare–chested and clad in tight black leather pants that accentuated every curve of their bodies. Their rhythmic movements were utterly infectious.
Water fell like rain on their hair, faces, and bodies before finally splashing onto the stage floor and erupting into dazzling sprays at their feet.
It was enough to make any woman’s heart flutter.
The atmosphere in the venue was electric. Lena was screaming, unabashedly showing her excitement and admiration.
Chloe, by contrast, remained much calmer. She found the performance on stage enjoyable to watch, but it didn’t stir her heart.
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The only thing that could make her pulse quicken now was Brian. His face suddenly popped
into her mind.
At that moment, her phone rang. It was him.
Chloe answered, holding the phone to her ear. “Hello, Brian. What’s up?”
“What’s going on over there? It’s really noisy,” Brian said.
Before Chloe could respond, Lena leaned in and shouted right into her ear, “Chloe, look at that handsome guy! Oh my God, those muscles are insane! I think they’re about to have a lucky audience draw, and the winners get to go up and interact with the guys!”
Chloe quickly gestured for Lena to be quiet. But just then, she heard Brian ask, “Where are you?
“I’m out watching a performance with Lena. It won’t be over until around 10:00 pm. I’ll come home by myself when it’s done,” Chloe replied.
“I’m coming to pick you up!” Brian said.
‘But-”
Brian had already hung up.
“Who was that? Brian?” Lena asked.
“Yeah,” Chloe confirmed. “He’s coming to pick me up when it’s over.”
“How sweet!” Lena grinned, raising an eyebrow, though her attention quickly snapped back to
the men on stage.
The energy in the venue soared, building to a fever pitch. Yet, all of a sudden, the power went
out
