Chapter 4

Early the next morning, Jayda was already up, frying eggs in the kitchen.

"Honey, it's Saturday. You should stay home and catch up on sleep. I'm heading out for yoga in a bit."

She walked out holding a plate with a bright smile on her face.

I washed my face and changed my clothes.

"The Halewyn project wrapped up, but there are still a few handover files on my work computer. I'll swing by the office for half a day, sign off on them, and come right back."

Jayda walked over to adjust my shirt collar, then tiptoed to plant a gentle kiss on my lips.

"Come back early. I'll make chicken pot pie for lunch."

I drove out of the complex. The early winter morning breeze felt crisp and cool against my face.

After driving for about 20 minutes, I pulled into the company's underground garage and reached into the side pocket of my briefcase.

It was completely empty.

I had tossed the set of spare keys for the company office on top of the entryway drawer last night.

Without those keys, I couldn't get into the archives at all.

I tapped the steering wheel with a sigh. With no other choice, I had to turn the car around and head back.

It was a Saturday morning, and traffic was light, making the round trip just over half an hour.

At 9:20 am, I parked back in my assigned spot in the complex garage.

Jayda's parking space was empty. It seemed she had already left for her yoga studio.

I grabbed my briefcase, walked out of the elevator, and quietly unlocked the front door.

I didn't want to make much noise. I just wanted to grab the keys and leave.

The security door swung open silently.

The entryway was spotless, and the air carried the lingering smell of fresh bread from breakfast alongside the faint scent of incense.

I walked straight to the drawer and picked up the set of keys. The metal clicked together with an extremely faint chime.

In the dead quiet of that morning, a muffled, short gasp suddenly seeped out from the gap under the tightly closed master bedroom door.

The sound was soft, yet carried a slick, rhythmic cadence.

It felt like someone had pressed a pause button on my entire body. Every drop of blood froze solid in an instant.

I didn't move. I stopped breathing altogether.

A few seconds later, that familiar voice drifted out intermittently through the crack of the solid wood door.

"Easy… Are you crazy? What if Cedric suddenly comes back…"

It was Jayda's voice.

It was a hundred times more alluring than the sweet tone she'd used during the video call last night or her gentleness in the kitchen minutes ago.

Immediately after, I heard an all-too-familiar male voice. "So what if he comes back? Does he even have the balls to say a word?"

It was actually him?