Chapter 113
“Zina,” Wade said gently. “Tve been thinking. There are some things I still want to talk to you about.”
Wade paused briefly, then let out a weary sigh. “Zina, I still feel something’s off, so I wanted to talk to you.
“Andy summoned me to Springvale. I can’t just up and leave. But if you can, you’d better leave in the next couple of days.”
“What did you find?” Zina asked, blinking. For the first time in front of Wade, a look of genuine curiosity appeared on her face.
Wade paused, scratching his head sheepishly. “You think I don’t know you by now? I can read your little tells, Zina. Don’t worry. I have no special feelings for Andy. But he saved me once, and I owe him a life debt.”
At this, Wade sighed, his eyes brimming with helpless resignation as his voice grew heavier with emotion. I just hope you’ll follow your path. Don’t let me hold you back.
“Okay,” Zina murmured, the word heavy in her throat.
Her earlier suspicions left a bitter taste in her heart. Zina pursed her lips, trying to change the subject.
But before she could say a word, Wade clasped his hands behind his back and shuffled out, his age weary body moving slowly.
At the doorway, Wade paused. He said, “Zina, I don’t want to hold you back. I’ll handle things with Andy.”
Wade shuffled away with unsteady steps, his figure slowly fading from Zina’s view.
Zina pressed her lips together, not uttering another word. Her mind was a tangled mess, directionless.
Long after Wade had left, Zina remained lost in her heavy silence, unable to pull herself free.
A few minutes later, Zina’s phone buzzed with a message from Chris. Seeing his name, the tension in her gaze instantly melted away.
It was already evening when Zina received another message from Chris. Stealthily, she made her way outside.
As the elevator doors opened, Zina noticed, in their reflective surface, a pair of unsettlingly bright eyes behind her.
“Is someone watching me?‘ she wondered, her nerves instantly on edge.
Another notification pinged on her phone. Without a moment’s hesitation, Zina pressed the down button for the elevator and grabbed her phone to reply to Chris.
The moment Zina stepped out of the hotel, her gaze immediately landed on Chris, who was already waiting for her.
Upon spotting her, Chris’s eyes lit up and he hurried over.
“Boss,” he exclaimed, “I was so worried something might have happened to you that I just came ahead myself. The others are still on the way, but they’ll arrive by tomorrow.”
Chris gave a guileless grin as the night dew clung to his clothes.
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Chapter 113
A flicker of tenderness crossed Zina’s eyes before she gave him a solemn nod.
Zina said, “I’ll get you a place to crash for the night. Tomorrow morning, we’ll check out Springvale.”
Chris was about to protest, but Zina’s tone left no room for debate,
In the end, he could only heave a sigh and give in.
The first light of dawn crept in as Zina jolted awake, alert as always.
Reaching for her phone, she checked the time–only 6 a.m.
After a quick freshen–up, Zina headed straight to Chris’s door. She knocked several times, but was met with silence.
Zina’s brow furrowed sharply. Swiping her spare key card, she opened the door–only to find the room completely empty. not a soul in sight..
Countless thoughts flashed through Zina’s mind as she strode straight to the bed.
The sheets were still warm–Chris had only just left.
Pursing her lips, Zina rushed out–only to bump straight into someone as she rounded the corner by the door.
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