Chapter 232 Caught in the Act

Chapter 232 Caught in the Act

Thomas woke to a splitting headache. He pressed his temples and forced his eyes open.

His vision slowly came into focus. An unfamiliar ceiling overhead. A strange perfume smell hanging in the air.

This wasn't his place. It was a hotel.

He shot upright. The blanket slid off him and crumpled on the floor.

A soft gasp came from beside him.

Thomas turned his head.

Rose lay next to him, half-covered by the sheet. Bare skin everywhere. Her collarbone and neck were covered in angry red marks.

His mind went blank.

Last night came back in fragments.

He remembered drinking in the private room. Ethan kept refilling his glass.

Everything after that was gone.

"Thomas, you're awake?" Rose sat up, rubbing her eyes. She pulled the sheet higher over her chest, her cheeks flushed with what looked like shyness.

Thomas threw off the covers and got out of bed.

He looked down at himself. His shirt hung open, wrinkled, all the buttons undone. Belt loose, but his pants were still on.

He turned to stare at Rose on the bed. His voice came out low and controlled. "What are you doing here?"

Rose bit her lower lip. Her eyes instantly welled up with tears. "Thomas, you were so drunk last night. Ethan asked me to bring you to the room to rest. But as soon as we got in, you pulled me onto the bed. You wore me out."

Thomas's brow furrowed hard.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to piece together last night.

Impossible.

He knew himself too well.

No matter how drunk he got, he could never feel any desire for Rose.

Besides, aside from the hangover headache, his body showed no signs of what should have happened after 'that'.

The realization brought relief.

"Put your clothes on and get out." Thomas pointed at the door. His tone was flat.

Rose froze.

She'd expected him to feel guilty when he saw the marks on her body. Even if he didn't take responsibility, he should at least feel bad.

But he was just telling her to get lost?

"Thomas, how can you do this?" Tears spilled down Rose's cheeks. She pointed at the red marks on her neck. "You slept with me, and now you're going to pretend it never happened? How am I supposed to face anyone after this?"

Thomas walked over and grabbed Rose's wrist, yanking her off the bed.

"Ow! You're hurting me!"

"You pinched those marks into your own skin, and you're trying to pin them on me?" Thomas looked down at her. "I know whether I touched you or not. Is this how Ethan taught you to set people up?"

Rose's face went pale. Her eyes darted away, but she kept up the act. "I didn't! You were the one who wouldn't let go of me last night. You even called out Matilda's name!"

At that name, Thomas's grip tightened hard. "Shut your mouth. Don't you dare mention her!"

Rose let out a shriek.

Just then, a soft click came from the door.

The door hadn't been locked.

Someone pushed it open from outside.

Thomas and Rose both turned.

Matilda stood in the doorway.

She wore a simple trench coat and held her phone in one hand, the screen still lit.

She walked in and took in the scene.

Thomas stood by the bed, clothes disheveled, gripping Rose's wrist.

Rose barely covered, body marked with suggestive red welts, tears still clinging to her lashes.

The air went dead silent.

Thomas's heart lurched. Blood rushed to his head.

He immediately released Rose's wrist and strode toward the door.

"Matilda, let me explain!"

Matilda stood still.

She looked at Thomas's panicked face, then past him to Rose on the bed.

Two nights ago, he'd shown up at her place, clinging to her, refusing to let go. Saying he liked her. Begging for a chance.

This morning, he was in a hotel room with another woman.

Matilda didn't even have the energy to be angry. She just found it laughable.

"Sorry to interrupt."

Her tone was even as she turned to leave.

"Matilda!"

Thomas rushed out and grabbed her arm.

"It's not what it looks like!" His words came out desperate. "I was drunk last night. Ethan dumped me here. I didn't touch her! I don't even know how she got in!"

Matilda stopped walking.

She looked down at the hand gripping her arm.

"Thomas, whether you touched her or not—what does that have to do with me?"

Thomas went rigid.

Matilda raised her head and met his eyes.

There was no anger in them. No jealousy. Not even a ripple. Just calm, like she was looking at a stranger.

"You texted me last night to come here. Said there was something I'd want to know—the truth about Daniel's leg injury." Matilda held up her phone, showing the message on screen. "Looks like you just wanted me to watch a show."

Thomas stared hard at the words on the screen.

When had he ever sent that?

He whipped around to look at Rose standing in the doorway.

Rose clutched the sheet around herself. When Thomas's sharp gaze landed on her, she flinched.

But she quickly straightened up and called out toward Matilda.

"I'm so sorry, Matilda." Rose's voice sounded apologetic, but there was smugness underneath. "Thomas had too much to drink last night and wouldn't let go of me. We just got carried away. Please don't blame him."

A vein bulged at Thomas's temple.

"Shut up!"

His shout made Rose jump.

Thomas turned back to Matilda, his grip tightening.

"Matilda, believe me. She took my phone. I didn't send that message. I swear I didn't do anything!"

Matilda watched him scramble to prove his innocence. It struck her as absurd.

She reached up and peeled his fingers off her arm, one by one.

"Thomas, you don't need to explain anything to me."

Matilda smoothed the wrinkles his grip had left in her sleeve.

"Who you sleep with, who you're with—that's your business. We ended a long time ago."

"It didn't end!" Thomas's voice cracked. His eyes were bloodshot.

"It did." Matilda cut him off.

She took a step back, putting distance between them.

"Matilda!"

Thomas moved to follow, but a sharp pain twisted through his stomach. He doubled over. Cold sweat soaked through his shirt.

The elevator doors opened.

Matilda stepped inside and turned around.

The doors slid shut, cutting off Thomas's view.

The hallway went quiet.

Thomas straightened slowly, one hand braced against the wall. His face was ashen.

He turned and walked back to the room, one step at a time.

Rose watched him approach, radiating menace, and shrank back toward the corner of the bed.

"Thomas—"

Thomas stopped at the edge of the bed, looking down at her.

"You sent that message from my phone?"

Rose swallowed. She didn't dare speak.

"Ethan told you to do this?"

Thomas's voice was eerily calm, which made Rose's skin crawl.

"Thomas, listen to me. Ethan was only thinking of you. Matilda isn't good enough for you. She'll only cause you trouble! I'm the one who really cares about you!" Rose rushed to defend herself.

Thomas let out a cold laugh.

"You care about me?"

He stepped forward and wrapped his hand around Rose's throat, slamming her down onto the bed.

"Thomas, let go—" Rose clawed at his hand, her face turning red.

The veins stood out on the back of Thomas's hand as he tightened his grip.

"What makes you think you have the right to set me up?"