Chapter 69 Behind the Closed Room

Chapter 69 Behind the Closed Room
A few days later, Grayson showed up at Jade Bay with information about the investigation.

It wasn't easy to get this kind of stuff, so I took my time going through it while he sat beside me waiting. His phone rang halfway through, and when he glanced at the screen, his voice dropped low. "You're here?"

I couldn't hear what was said on the other end, but he answered quickly. "I'll be right there."

He stood up and grabbed his jacket. "I've got something to handle. Look through all this and call me later if you have questions."

I nodded and watched him head for the door, but the question slipped out before I could stop it. "Did he come back?"

Grayson stopped and turned around. "Caspian? No, not yet. This is something else. I really have to go."

He was out the door before I could say anything else.

I went back to reading, but when I reached the last page and saw the date, something clicked. Caspian had been gone for more than a few days now.

I hadn't let myself think about it much, or maybe I'd been too busy to notice. Between everything happening with Dad and the investigation, plus Marcus calling to yell at me every other day and Grayson working late just to help me sort through legal documents, I'd had enough to keep my mind occupied.

But today felt different. The way Grayson had rushed out like that.

I picked up my phone and tried calling Caspian again.

The automated voice was different this time. Not disconnected, just unreachable. "The number you have dialed cannot be reached at this time."

I set the phone down and stared at nothing in particular.

That evening, I found myself driving to Moonrise Terrace without really deciding to go.

The apartment looked the same as always when I let myself in. Clean, expensive, and completely empty. No signs anyone had been back. I walked through each room anyway, just to be sure, then left feeling stupid for coming in the first place.

Meanwhile, at the Vale family's vacation villa tucked into the hills outside the city, Marcus was sprawled on the sofa with a cigarette and his phone while Grayson worked on his laptop nearby.

Footsteps on the stairs made them both look up at once.

Caspian came down fresh from a shower in a black robe, barely acknowledging them as he walked straight to the wine cabinet and poured himself whiskey.

When he turned back toward the sofa, Grayson had already gone back to his laptop, but Marcus was still staring.

Caspian sat down. "What?"

Marcus let out a low curse. "If you keep this up for a few more days, they're going to fall apart."

It's not like someone's appearance changes that much in three weeks, but Caspian looked like he'd dropped weight he didn't have to lose. His skin was darker too, like he'd been somewhere without sunscreen or sleep or both.

Marcus turned to Grayson when it was clear Caspian wasn't going to explain. "Has it been like this the whole time?"

Grayson's eyes flicked to Caspian's face before dropping back to his screen. "It'll get better in a few days."

"Right," Marcus said. "Like you can just smash clay and reshape it, good as new."

Grayson didn't respond to that, and Caspian ignored the whole exchange. "How is she?"

Marcus exhaled smoke and shook his head. "Vera? That girl's something else. Everything's falling apart around her, and she doesn't cry, doesn't break down, doesn't give up. Just keeps doing what needs to be done like it's a normal day. Honestly, I don't think you need to worry about her."

Caspian drank his whiskey and said nothing.

Grayson filled the silence. "Damien went all out this time, probably because he knows you're backing her. My professional opinion? If Richard Quinn can't be saved now, then he can't be saved. Even if we manage to pull him out of this, Damien will just set up another trap later."

"Richard Quinn needs to be saved," Caspian said quietly. "And Quinn Industries needs to survive."

"You know how much work that takes?" Marcus sat forward. "Forget Richard Quinn for a second. Keeping the company afloat means exposing yourself to risk. Is that really what you want? To blow your cover for this?"

Grayson added carefully, "The risk is considerable. We can't afford to waste resources on a losing battle."

"Quinn Industries needs to survive," Caspian repeated, as that settled it. "That's not negotiable."

"Jesus Christ, you're actually insane." Marcus stubbed out his cigarette hard. "She's a woman you've slept with a few times. Someone else's wife, at that. Is it really worth risking everything you've built?"

Grayson's expression tightened with worry, but he stayed quiet.

Caspian finished his whiskey and set the glass down upside down on the table, then leaned back and closed his eyes. "Do what I told you to do."

Over the next day, I began visiting Moonrise Terrace every day. I kept thinking he'd be back, that I'd walk in and find him there, but the apartment stayed empty every single time.

Nothing looked different when I unlocked the door, but something felt different the moment I stepped inside. Like the air had shifted or the temperature had changed or something I couldn't quite name.

I walked fast to the study and pushed the door open. Empty.

Then the bedroom. Also empty.

I tried the bathroom last and stopped in the doorway.

Steam filled the room, and through it I could see him, fresh out of the shower in a black robe, the same body I'd memorized weeks ago.

For a second, I just stood there frozen, then I was moving forward without thinking, arms going around his neck, face pressing into his chest.

His whole body went stiff under my touch before slowly relaxing, his hands coming up to rest on my waist.

"Am I dreaming?" My voice came out muffled against his robe.

His hand moved to the back of my head, fingers sliding into my hair.

I pulled back just enough to look up at him, and that's when I really saw it. He'd lost weight, enough that his face looked sharper, all angles and shadows. "The food must be terrible where you were."

"It was fine."

"Sure it was." I tried to smile, but it felt wrong on my face. "When did you get back? Today?"

"Yeah."

I tilted my head, studying his expression. "Really?"

"Hm?"

Just that sound, half question, half deflection.

I stared at him for a long moment, trying to read something in his face that he wasn't going to give me, then gave up and buried myself in his arms again.

"Ten days," I said against his chest. "You were gone for ten days. I missed you."

I pressed my lips to his throat, just once, then again, feeling his pulse jump under my mouth.

His Adam's apple moved when he swallowed hard, and then his hand came up to touch my face, thumb brushing the corner of my lips, and he said, "Vera..."