Chapter 29
Cyrus‘ heart raced as he saw Wilma suddenly standing at the doorway, with Nancy behind her!
Panic took hold, and without a second thought, he pushed Hayley, who was in his arms, away and made a beeline toward Nancy. “Nancy, it’s not what it looks like!”
Caught off guard, Hayley fell to the ground with a painful yelp. “Ouch…”
But Cyrus didn’t glance her way as she clenched her fists, a mix of frustration and defiance in her eyes.
Observing Cyrus‘ disheveled appearance and their recent proximity, Nancy regarded him with a cold look.
“Oh really? Then explain this.”
More anxious, Cyrus tightened his grip on Nancy’s hand. “Nancy, Hayley tripped, and I was merely helping her up. Please, don’t get the wrong idea.”
He knew Nancy well enough to realize that any infidelity would drive her away for good.
After his explanation, Cyrus shot Hayley a warning look. “Right, Hayley?”
Sitting on the floor with teary eyes, Hayley, under the sharp gaze of both Cyrus and Wilma, begrudgingly admitted, “Yes… it was an accident.”
“Nancy, Norton dropped Hayley off at the office this morning saying she twisted her ankle and asked me to take extra care of her,” Cyrus pleaded with puppy–dog eyes. “It was an accident. You know you’re the only one I’ve ever loved.”
Nancy paused, then laughed derisively. “Cyrus, you don’t need to explain so much. As your wife, I trust you.”
Her trust came with sarcasm – trust in his half–hearted commitments and duplicity!
She hadn’t even wanted to come to the office, ready to leave it all behind. Yet, despite the evidence before her Cyrus continued to lie.
After listening to Nancy, Cyrus should have felt relieved, but instead, he felt an inexplicable sense of unease.
He turned to Wilma with a blaming tone, “Mom, even if you wanted to surprise me by bringing Nancy here, look what happened. You see, you’ve caused a misunderstanding.”
Wilma couldn’t help but laugh at Cyrus‘ attempt to shift blame while Caleb’s face turned ashen, clearly understanding the jab was for him.
Caught in a difficult position, he couldn’t defend himself. It wasn’t like he hadn’t tried to communicate. But Cyrus hadn’t answered his calls.
“Nancy, it was honestly an accident. Maybe I should take another shower?” Cyrus suggested, still holding Nancy’s hand. “Don’t let a minor actress ruin your mood.”
A minor actress? At Cyrus‘ dismissive words, Hayley’s face turned deathly pale.
Nancy sharply retorted, “Then go. Ensure you wash thoroughly.”
He talked as if a shower could wash away the scent of betrayal. But Hayley’s perfume had seeped into his skin, a reminder that he couldn’t easily scrub away.
Nancy’s clear gaze suggested she had seen through something. Cyrus felt his heart skipping beats, yet he indulgently nodded, “Alright, I’ll go now.”
–
Heading straight for the bathroom in his office a place that once served as a cozy retreat for the couple during late work nights, tainted by his betrayal.
The bathroom door slammed shut.
Still on the floor, Hayley got up, sensing Wilma’s piercing gaze, realizing things were about to worsen.
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Chapter 29
“Mrs. Gordon, I have a schedule to keep and should be leaving,” Hayley said, attempting to excuse herself.
Wilma gave a knowing smile. “Didn’t Cyrus mention you twisted your ankle? You should rest up and heal before you think about going back to work.”
Hayley’s face blanched as she looked up at Wilma. “You can’t just sideline me like that!”
Wilma snapped, “Considering I’m the CEO of the Gordon Group, you didn’t think Cyrus had the final say, did you?”
Chapter 30
Chapter 30
