Chapter 56
“Lorey, I heard you were working late tonight, so 1 brought you something to eat. You’ve got to take better care of yourself,” Yvonne said, her voice brimming with
exchement.
Lorey shook his head with a faint smile. “Jost a little low blood sugar, that’s all. Nothing serious. ”
Yvonne hesitated for a moment as if debating whether to say something. “I think I saw Scarlett eadler. Did something happen with Cedric?”
Torey’s expression stayed neutral as he replied, “Looks like a
minor issue. He’s already bandaged up. Let’s head out.
Yvonne nodded and looped her amm through his as they left the hospital. Just as they reached the doors, they ran into Scarlett.
Lorey’s brows furrowed, and Yvonne stiftened slightly, caught off guard by the encounter.
“It seems you’ve moved on,” Scarlett said, her tone even. “That’s good. Now I can stop worrying.”
Her comment bit like a veiled jab, and Yvonne didn’t miss it. She tilted her head, her voice dripping
“Ms. Payne, shouldn’t you be with Cedric? He looked a lot worse off. Maybe he needs someone to watch over him.
with sarcasm.
Scarlett’s brow twitched, but she held her composure. “Ms. Middleton, this is between me and Lorey. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t make assumptions about Cedric,
Lorey stayed silent, his heart sinking further with every word Scarlett spoke in defense of Cedele. Any faint hope he had been holding onto felt like it had slipped away entirely. He forced a bitter smile
“Scarlett, if that’s all, we’ll be leaving. As you can see, I‘
can see, I’m perfectly fine. Thanks for checking in.“:\
Without waiting for a response, Lorey tumed and walked away with Yvonne, leaving Scarlett standing in the dim light of the hospital entrance. Yvonne glanced back, her steps humed to match Lorry’s.
“Lotey, you’re still not feeling great. Don’t push yourself too hard,” Yvonne said, her voice filled with concern.
Her words faded into the night as they disappeared down the sidewalk, leaving Scarlett stating after them, her chest heavy with emotions she couldn’t quite place. Swallowing hard, she turned back to her car
Back at the car, Cedric and Valda hadn’t noticed Scarlett’s earlier encounter.
“Lettie, was that a call from the company?” Cedric asked eagerly.
Scarlett sighed, shaking her head. “No, it was Grace. I’ll take you home first.
Her tone was clipped, leaving no room for further questions. Cedric bit back his annoyance, letting Scarlett drive them back to the villa.
That night, Lorey lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, his mind restless with thoughts of the hospital encounter. The bittemess lingered, making it impossible to reloc As he debated whether to contact someone about the day’s events, his phone buzzed with a message from Grace.
“Lorry, did you see that video from earlier today? What is Scarlett even thinking?”
e quiet room.
She followed the message with a series of voice notes, each one atirade. Lorey played one, the exasperation in Grace’s voice filling the
“I don’t get it. Scarlett’s practically letting Cedric’s family walk all over her, and the board is furious. She’s just digging herself into a deeper hole. I mean, what will it take for her to wake up?
As the voice notes played on, Lorey leaned back, a bitter smile tugging at his
tugging at his lips. Everything Grace said was true.
For three years, he had convinced himself that his efforts weren’t enough that he had failed to win Scarlett’s trust or affection.
But tonight, he saw it clearly. It was never about him. Scarlett had simply chosen someone else, and she would bend over backward for Cedric in a way she never had for him.
Closing his eyes, Lorey tried to push the thoughts away, but sleep eluded lum. Across to
Across town, Scarlett lay in bed staring at the ceiling, her mind replaying the day’s
into the night
All she could think about was the way Lorry had walked away with Youne and how small it had made her feel. The memory of their backs fading in filled her with a bitter taste she couldn’t shake.
