CHAPTER 22

When I felt a chill in my chest, I realized I might be underdressed. However, Damon seemed unbothered and wanted to continue. I put a hand on Damon's chest, my gaze icy, and said, "Are you testing me again?" My words hit him like a bucket of cold water, putting out the desire in his eyes. He stared at me for a few seconds before laying back down again, the whole process cold and quick, as if everything that just happened was an illusion. I silently turned my back to Damon and fell asleep, but my heart was filled with a deep sense of loss. There was a time when I had thought about seducing Damon, even imagined having a child with him and living a simple and happy life. But now, all I wanted was for him to divorce me so we could each live our own lives. Because I went to bed late, I didn't wake up until noon. It was only then that I noticed several messages on my phone. One was from Lisa, saying they had to return due to some urgent matter. Another was from Clara, asking if I wanted to take a gig at a concert. And then there was a message from an unknown number, which shocked me. It was a photo of me pulling Joshua away from the parking lot last night. From the angle of the photo, we looked like a couple, but Joshua looked battered and pitiful. I racked my brain for a minute, considering all possibilities. Was I caught by the paparazzi? Or did those three fat guys have accomplices who took the photo? Despite my father and husband's prominent positions, I have always kept a low profile. Especially after marrying Damon, even Luna and her friends couldn't get me to go out, so how could I attract the attention of the paparazzi? Unable to come up with a reasonable explanation, I decided to call the unknown number, but the call was hung up as soon as it went through. So I texted back: Who is this? Can you tell me your name?

If that photo got out, even if my relationship with Joshua was normal, it would be misunderstood. I just wanted to live a low-key life without becoming a hot topic. The reply came quickly. It was Jones. I was almost scared silly. Was he also at the parking lot last night? And he took a photo of Joshua and me! He had suspected something between Joshua and me at the hospital before. Now, no matter how I explained, it would be useless. I quickly texted back: The person in the photo is indeed me, but you must've misunderstood. How about I take you out for a meal and explain everything? Then Jones went silent as if the number was nonexistent. Unable to hold back, I dialed his number again. This time, he picked up. "Send me the time and place for the meal." His response surprised me a bit. "Alright." I hung up the phone and, after some consideration, chose to meet at the Hotel. Since the misunderstanding happened there, it seemed appropriate to explain it there as well. Jones replied simply, "Ok." With a heavy heart, I spent the rest of the day until seven in the evening. I changed my clothes and went to the Hotel, picked the most high-end private room, and ordered lots of dishes. I didn't believe that after eating so much, he wouldn't be convinced by me. "Ms. Brooks, here is the surveillance video you asked for." The hotel manager appeared before me again, respectfully handing over a USB stick with the CCTV footage from the parking lot last night. "Alright, thank you." I took it and gave a small nod. After a while, Jones finally showed up. He wore a brown shirt and looked elegant. He sat across from me and said directly, "You can explain now." "Let's chat while we eat," I tried to keep my composure, flashing a casual smile. "What's your relationship with Joshua?" Jones asked directly, not playing along with my pace. I calmly replied, "We're just friends, we met by chance. I even know his girlfriend!"

Jones looked surprised, "He has a girlfriend?" I nodded but thought to myself. But he'll be single soon, and you and Damon will be chasing after his girlfriend. Seeing the gentleman in front of me and thinking about Damon's good looks, I couldn't imagine the two outstanding men who could attract attention wherever they went, eventually becoming enemies over a woman. "Look at this!" Seeing Jones deep in thought, I quickly connected my phone to the USB drive and showed him the surveillance video. I confidently stated, "From this angle, you can see all my interactions with Joshua in the parking lot, as well as what I said. We are innocent!" Whether we would remain innocent in the future, that was a different story. The angle of the photo Jones took probably didn't capture the scene where I confronted those fat guys. It looked more like he took the photo after Joshua and I had walked some distance. Jones took my phone and started watching the video intently. I craned my neck slightly, watching for changes in his expression. When he saw me slap one of the fat guys, his eyebrows twitched, a hint of amusement in his eyes. After finishing the video, he handed my phone back, "You're quite tough." "I can't just let people walk all over me, right? After all, I am Damon's wife, and my father is a man of status." I laughed awkwardly and put away my phone. "Does Damon know about Joshua?" Jones asked again. His question was filled with concern, as if he was worried his good friend was being deceived. I knew that Damon and Jones had grown up together and were the closest among their friends. But because I wasn't familiar with their relationship, I didn't know why they were so close. Now I understand, Jones had put a lot of effort into Damon's marriage. However, these two best friends would eventually become enemies because of a woman, which made me sigh.. I shook my head, "He doesn't know Joshua, because Joshua isn't an important friend to me." Jones took a sip of water but didn't respond. I wasn't sure if he really believed me or was just pretending to. Either way, he didn't say anything else to me after that. Out of all the dishes, he only tasted two before leaving "What a waste." I looked at the exquisite food, called the waiter over to pack it up, and then left the restaurant carrying several bags of food. On my drive home, an address suddenly popped into my head. It was the cherry had written down as her home address in her papers. They were local folks of the city. Even though it's still technically in the city, the level of prosperity is much lower and the housing prices are comparatively lower. In comparison to Joshua's place, Ariel's place is a bit more uptown. Joshua's place is just in some small town in the sticks. Today, my in-laws headed back to their house outside of the city, so Damon can finally go free and will try to get as close to Ariel as he can. Finding Ariel's info would be a piece of cake for him; he must've already known her home address. Even though Ariel hasn't been working these past couple of days and the school term hasn't started yet, she'll probably head home for a few days to rest. In a flash, I wheeled around, making a beeline for Ariel's place.