She took a moment to steady her emotions, and then spoke in a light, casual tone. “There’s no need. It’s close to the studio, and there’s a dessert shop I like on the way. I might as well stop by for some cake. Besides, after being rejected just now, sharing a car ride with you would be… a bit uncomfortable.”
Dexter stood frozen, at a loss for words.
He had never been good at expressing himself, especially around women.
Comforting someone in such a delicate moment was even harder. Every reassuring phrase that came to mind seemed to lodge itself in his throat, refusing to come out.
After what felt like an eternity of silence, he finally managed to say, his voice low but sincere, “Thank you. You deserve someone better.”
Hearing Dexter’s words, Doreen felt a lump rise in her throat, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.
She tried to hold them back, forced a faint wave at Dexter, and said, “I’ll be off then. Goodbye.”
With that, she turned quickly and hurried away.
The moment she turned, the dam broke. Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. She struggled to stifle her sobs, walking briskly to a corner where she was certain Dexter couldn’t see her. Finally, safe from his gaze, she allowed herself to cry freely.
After what felt like an eternity, her phone chimed with a message.
Pulling it out, her eyes landed on a text froma contact labeled “Five Million.” Her hands trembled involuntarily as she opened the message.
It was brief but commanding, urging her to continue with her assigned tasks.
A surge of anger welled up within her. Without hesitation, she dialed the number, determined to confront the sender.
The call connected for a fleeting moment but was abruptly cut off.
Almost immediately, another message arrived, as though the sender had anticipated her reaction. “From the moment you agreed, there’s no turning back. I decide when this deal ends.”
Doreen stared at the screen, her despair swallowing her whole.
Doreen’s confession barely registered on Dexter’s radar-a fleeting moment, quickly overshadowed by his work.
Without delay, he shifted his focus back to business and contacted Sanford to update him on Stella‘s intention of investigating Lindsay.
On the other end of the line, Sanford paused, his voice laced with deliberation. “Tell Stella what she needs to know, but keep the rest under wraps for now. We can’t afford to let her piece everything together just yet.”
Dexter agreed without hesitation, and the call ended.
Sanford leaned back in his chair, his brows furrowed in deep contemplation.
For the first time, cracks appeared in the confidence he had in his meticulously crafted plan.
He couldn’t ignore the nagging realization that many events had veered far off course, straying from his original intentions. The tangled web he’d spun was becoming increasingly difficult to manage, slipping further out of his control.
With a frustrated sigh, he rubbed his temples, a wave of melancholy washing over him.