Chapter 4

After dinner, I lay down on the living room couch to rest.

The next thing I knew, my phone was ringing.

It was Vivian.

I answered immediately.

"Honey…" Vivian sounded exhausted, though there was still a hint of playful affection in her voice. "The merger hit a snag. I'm going to be stuck here for a few more days. I can't come home tonight."

My heart softened at the sound of her voice.

To everyone else, Vivian was the capable CEO who could silence an entire boardroom with a single look. Yet to me, she was the woman who loved curling up beside me after a long day of work.

"It's okay," I said. "I'll stay with my parents until you get back. Just focus on work and take care of yourself, alright? Don't overdo it."

We talked for another 30 minutes before I reluctantly hung up.

When I looked up, the room was already dark. The sun had set.

I got up and flipped the light switch.

The ceiling light flickered twice, then gave out with a pop. Everything went dark.

Great. Looks like there was a problem with the wiring.

I sighed and called the property management hotline.

"Unit 1002, Building 12. The power's out in my living room."

The customer service representative apologized right away.

"We're sorry, Mr. Reed. Our technician, Lily Page, is off today, but she can come by tomorrow at 8:00 pm. Does that work for you?"

"Sure."

I hung up, switched on my phone's flashlight, and went up to the bedroom to throw some clothes into an overnight bag.

The technician wouldn't come until tomorrow night. I wasn't about to spend the night in the dark, so I decided to head to my parents' place instead.

Before leaving, I called Jack to explain what happened and let him know he'd need to start a few days later.

Once that was settled, I walked to the front door.

My hand paused on the deadbolt.

I suddenly thought of Frank.

He'd handed over the keys and access card far too easily.

Something about it didn't sit right.

Was I overthinking it?

I frowned and glanced at the security camera in the corner of the living room.

After a moment, I let the thought go, locked the door, and left.

I ended up staying with my parents for a week.

That morning, Vivian texted me to say she was finally coming home.

I immediately called Jack.

"Could you pick Vivian up from the airport and grab some fresh groceries on the way back?"

"Sure, Mr. Reed."

That afternoon, I was talking with my business partner about our studio's new collection when my phone rang.

It was Jack.

"Mr. Reed…" Jack's voice was calm, but I could hear the anger in his voice. "You should come home."

My stomach dropped.

"What happened?"

Before Jack could answer, another voice burst through the phone.

It belonged to Frank.

"Hey, Jack! Put the damn groceries down and get the hell out! Who said you could come in?

"Quit standing there! Get the AC running. Mike's taking the car out for a spin later."