Chapter 6

As Claire was thinking about it, Caleb returned with the first-aid kit and gently changed her dressing.

Once he had rewrapped the wound, he stood off to the side and began unbuttoning his shirt.

“It’s getting late. We should get some rest.”

Claire looked over just as Caleb undid the last button of his shirt.

Sensing her gaze, he smiled and walked toward her, taking her hand and pressing it against his lower abdomen.

“What?” he teased. “Stunned?”

The words were thick with suggestion.

But Claire only glanced at him once before frowning.

“Didn’t you have a pretty good body before? Have you been slacking off these past few months?”

Caleb’s face darkened instantly.

“Before?”

Claire nodded.

“On Gideon’s birthday, I remember feeling eight-pack abs. Your waist was in good shape too. Did taking care of Serena these past few months make you slack off?”

Back when Caleb had been pursuing her, Claire had casually mentioned that she liked men with abs. From then on, he had started working out diligently.

After getting a taste of the results that night, she had even thought it was impressive that a man would put in that much effort to attract her.

But looking at him now, he no longer had the same physique from that night.

How disappointing. An undisciplined man really was useless in every way.

Caleb’s eyes grew darker.

Just as he was about to say something, there came a knock at the door.

“Caleb, are you asleep?”

Serena’s voice sounded from outside.

Caleb ignored it and continued staring at Claire with that unreadable look.

Claire found him inexplicable, but she also had no desire to let anything actually happen between them.

A man like Caleb was already tainted, and she had no intention of touching him.

She found him filthy.

“Serena, do you need something?” Claire called out.

She shifted slightly, got down from the sofa, and opened the door smoothly.

Outside, Serena was wearing a loose white nightgown. Her long hair fell over her shoulders, and she lifted her face slightly, looking pitiful and delicate.

When she saw that it was Claire who had opened the door, she stepped back in panic.

“Claire, I’m sorry. I…”

“What are you apologizing for, Serena? You can’t sleep, right? Caleb just took off his clothes. He’ll come out once he puts them back on.”

Claire said it simply and clearly, then turned and went back into the room.

When Serena heard that, jealousy appeared on her pretty face.

Inside, Caleb put his clothes back on and said, “Serena just moved in. It’s normal for her not to be used to it. I’ll go check on her and come back in a little while.”

Without waiting for Claire to answer, he strode out.

The door closed.

Claire leaned against the bed, took out her phone, and opened an app.

After a brief loading screen, Caleb and Serena appeared on the display.

Caleb coaxed Serena into bed, covered her with the blanket, and was about to leave when she grabbed him.

“You’ve always stayed with me before. Don’t go, okay? I’m scared.”

Caleb hesitated for a while, but he still sat down by the bed and let her lean against him until she quietly fell asleep.

The footage was high definition.

The sound was crystal clear.

Claire curved her lips. After replying to a few messages, she switched back to the app and changed the settings to automatically save the live footage.

More importantly, there had to be a timestamp.

One year ago, after she and Caleb got married, he had brought home a kitten to cheer her up.

The kitten was adorable but mischievous, so at night, it was kept in that guest room.

To watch the kitten, Claire had bought a high-definition night-vision camera.

Later, the kitten fell ill and died. She had meant to remove the camera several times, but kept forgetting.

She had not expected it to come in handy today.

Claire did not know how deeply Gideon cared about Serena.

She could not be sure that the child alone would make Gideon give Serena up.

Nor could she be certain that Gideon would turn against his own younger brother for Serena’s sake.

So she had to do everything she could to preserve evidence of Caleb and Serena’s affair.

Every extra piece of evidence gave her more leverage.

When the time came, even if Gideon refused to help, she could still rely on herself to ruin Caleb and Serena completely.

After finishing all this, Claire locked the master bedroom door and slept peacefully.

The next morning, after getting up, she opened the door and saw Caleb coming out of the guest room.

The shirt that had originally been neatly pressed was now slightly rumpled.

Their eyes met.

Guilt surfaced in Caleb’s eyes.

“Claire, I…”

He was about to explain, but Claire acted as if nothing had happened. She went downstairs by herself and sat at the dining table to eat the nutritious breakfast Mrs. Walsh had prepared.

“Claire, are you angry?”

Caleb returned to the room to change his clothes, then came downstairs and sat beside her.

“Last night was an accident. From now on, I’ll stay with you.”

Claire gave a perfunctory hum.

She swallowed the last bite of bread, finished her milk, then got up and picked up her bag to leave.

“Where are you going?”

After being ignored for so long, Caleb was clearly displeased.

He stopped Claire, his tone heavier than before.

“I know you feel uncomfortable because Serena moved into our home. If you feel wronged, tell me. I’ll coax you.”

Claire stopped and looked at him.

“Caleb, I’m not a child. I don’t need anyone to coax me.

“I’m going to the hospital. Move.”

Caleb’s gaze fell on her right hand.

“Are you going for a follow-up? I’ll drive you.”

His attitude was firm. After saying that, he had the butler bring the car around.

Claire did not say much.

She was indeed going to the hospital, but it was to treat Gideon together with Professor Langley.

For now, no one else could know about this.

Since Caleb had misunderstood, she might as well let him. It saved her the trouble of finding another excuse later.

On the way to the hospital, Caleb kept talking, whether she responded or not.

It was all promises and concern.

Claire grew irritated listening to him.

How had she never noticed before that Caleb’s sweet words could be this fake and disgusting?

She turned her head aside, intending to close her eyes and rest.

Then Caleb said, “The hit-and-run driver has been identified.”

Claire opened her eyes and frowned slightly.

“Really?”

She was not naive enough to believe Caleb would be willing to hand over his precious Serena.

She wanted to hear what lie he planned to tell.

Sure enough, just as the car slowly stopped at a red light, Caleb turned to look at her seriously.

“A drunk driver turned himself in. He’s already been detained.”

He continued, “Claire, don’t worry. Whitmore Group’s legal team has already taken over. Once this is over, I’ll go with you to visit your grandma’s grave. That way, she can rest in peace.”

Listening to him, Claire felt a sharp ache in her chest.

Two years ago, when she and Caleb had just started dating, he had been hit by a car and fractured a bone while protecting her.

At the time, Caleb had pretended to be a penniless poor boy.

Her grandma had brought him home to recuperate and treated him like a grandson, taking care of him for half a year.

In the end, he had not been left with even the slightest lingering injury.

Under those circumstances, even a dog would have remembered that kindness.

Caleb was worse than an animal.

“That’s wonderful.”

Claire’s eyes lifted slightly, her smile full of quiet mockery.

“After investigating for so long, there’s finally a result. You must have worked so hard.”

She gave him a brief glance.

“I mentioned it the night before last, and today the hit-and-run driver turned himself in. What a coincidence.”

Meeting her half-smiling gaze, Caleb coughed softly.

“It is quite a coincidence.”

He was about to say more when his phone rang.

Claire watched as Caleb answered the call.

Within seconds, his calm expression changed drastically.

“What do you mean they changed their mind at the last minute? Whitmore Group has been following this project for a year, and we were about to sign the contract. How could they suddenly want to replace us?”