At that instant, he abruptly released her.
“You’re imagining things.”
Maureen had long known this man had no heart.
Chasing him for over a decade never won his affection–why would now be different?
But his indifference suited her fine. She’d take Jacob and Ethan away guilt–free.
Maureen’s phone buzzed with a video call.
Her son calling–it had to be.
She slipped from Geoffrey’s embrace, wrapped her robe, grabbed the phone, declined the call.
Every movement tracked by Geoffrey’s watchful eyes.
“Robocall.”
Maureen turned back to him. “Weren’t you going to tell me how we met?
I’ll grab wine. We’ll talk properly.”
She resolved to end this quickly.
Then straight abroad.
Maureen hurried upstairs.
She opened the prepped wine, a packet of pills, and a sperm collection kit.
Maureen slipped the drug into the red wine, changed into a revealing silk nightgown, and approached Geoffrey. She poured him a glass.
“Please.”
Geoffrey observed her every move, his slender fingers accepting the glass without drinking. Instead, he spoke deliber- ately.
“You returned to Karaville from the countryside at ten. Our first meeting.”
Maureen’s eyes flickered, surprised he remembered.
She betrayed nothing, sliding the glass toward him again.
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Yer Geoffres pushed the place hack, his tone bracking no argume
“You drink first!”
Staring at the drugged wine, Maureen didn’t hesitate. She lifted the glass and drank.
The liquid burned bitter and pungent down her throat.
She knew suspicion would flare if she refused. Geoffrey had battled in the business world for years–any slip would betray her
Maureen refilled the glass, placing it before him.
“Your turn. Mr. Sutton”
Geoffrey swirled the wine, his knuckles sharp against the crystal. Still, he didn’t drink.
He studied her leisurely. “No rush. Let’s revisit the past first.”
Memories?
How could decades be recounted in moments?
Maureen’s beautiful brows furrowed slightly.
Despite the air conditioning running, fine beads of sweat dotted her forehead.
She dug her nails into her palm to stay alert, amber eyes locked intensely on Geoffrey, breath whispering
“There’ll be plenty of time for reminiscing later. It’s so late now–don’t you want to do something else?”
As she spoke, Maureen’s pale hand lifted the wine glass toward Geoffrey.
She wasn’t sure this would work.
But she couldn’t waste this hard–won chance.
Geoffrey’s icy dark pupils reflected Maureen’s current appearance, inexplicably recalling her secret moments with Gareth four years prior.
He suddenly seized Maureen’s wrist, pulling her close:
“Is this how you seduced Gareth too?”
Maureen froze.
Geoffrey’s words cut like knives: “Did he tire of you?
Is that why you crawled back to me?”
“What do you take me for?”
“Crash!”
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The wine glass shattered on the floor, crimson liquid splattering everywhere.
Geoffrey shoved Maureen away contemptuously, sneering before leaving:
“You’re filthy!”
Maureen’s body burned feverishly now, but her clenched left fist anchored her awareness.
Geoffrey’s words echoed in her mind as she smiled bitterly.
Filthy?
Who could match the great young master Geoffrey’s filth?
He never loved her, yet insisted on marrying her back then…
Just like now, still putting on airs!
288 Vouchers
Shortly after Geoffrey left, the medication took effect. Maureen went to the bathroom and turned the cold water on
full blast.
Standing under the icy stream, she scratched her arms fiercely until they bled, but still couldn’t calm down.
This time… she’d been too reckless…
In the living room, an urgent phone rang incessantly. Maureen couldn’t hear it, drenching herself over and over, trying to regain composure.
Thirty minutes later.
The villa’s front door was forced open from outside.
A stern–faced man in black uniform pushed open the bathroom door, his posture rigid and imposing.
Justin saw Maureen in a thin nightgown, soaked through, curled up in a corner, bright red scratches covering her hands and legs.
He quickly turned off the water, grabbed a bathrobe, and draped it over Maureen, hiding her faintly visible figure.
“Are you okay?”
His voice wasn’t soft, but it sounded faint to Maureen’s ears.
Maureen finally snapped out of it, looking up at him with pale lips: “I’m fine.”
“I’ll take you to the hospital.”
Justin bent to carry her, but she dodged him.
Maureen bit her lip hard: “No.”
“All hospitals in Karaville depend on the Robsons. Sean already knows I’m back. If he finds out I took the drug, he’ll
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Chapter39
definitely tell Geoffrey!”
“If Geoffrey learns the wine was drugged, it’ll be impossible for me to get close to him later…”
She forced out the words, struggling.
Over four years ago, she’d faked her death.
If not for Gareth’s methods, she’d never have fooled Sean!
Now with Gareth gone, if she went to the hospital, those people would report to Sean immediately.
That’s why Maureen chose to handle this alone from the start.
Justin had mostly figured it out after seeing the spilled wine in the living room before entering.