Chapter 25: Unspoken Tensions
Terrence’s thoughts were a whirlwind as he paced in the room.
“She hasn’t been back for several days?” he thought, the concern in his chest growing tighter with each passing second. A few days ago, Kyra had told him that Valerie was still at Foliage Villa—but now she had vanished.
Could it be…
Terrence’s heart quickened as he walked over to the wardrobe. His fingers brushed over the hangers as he scanned the clothes inside, a sense of dread washing over him.
The sight of her clothes, neatly hung in place, brought him a small, fleeting sense of relief. She hasn’t left Houston, at least not for long.
However, a nagging doubt remained in his mind. He had to be sure.
Terrence turned back and approached the wardrobe once again. He hadn’t checked the right side—the side where Valerie‘s things were usually placed. With a deep breath, he reached for the door. But as his hand touched the handle, his phone rang.
It was Esteban, and his voice came through, tight with urgency.
“Terrence, Margaret’s condition is deteriorating rapidly. We need to expedite the kidney transplant process. We still haven’t found a suitable donor.”
Terrence pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration, a heavy sigh escaping his lips.
“I’ll contact the hospital director and have him find a suitable kidney source right away.”
Before Esteban could respond further, Terrence ended the call and turned his attention back to the wardrobe. He couldn’t focus on anything else. But duty called, and he had to leave the room. With a final glance at the wardrobe, he stepped out, dialing the number for the hospital director as he walked.
Meanwhile, in the hospital room, Esteban hung up the phone with a heavy heart. He looked at Margaret, who was lying weakly in the bed, her face pale as she struggled to keep her composure.
“I’m sorry, Margaret,” Esteban muttered. “Terrence hung up before I could ask him to come over.”
Margaret, her eyes glistening with a mixture of pain and bitterness, weakly shook her head.
“It’s alright. Terry is busy. I understand.”
Esteban’s eyes softened, though his gaze was filled with sympathy. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more beneath the surface of Margaret’s words.
“You… are truly understanding,” he said, but his voice faltered.
Margaret smiled faintly, but it wasn’t a smile of kindness—it was cold, filled with a dangerous resolve.
“That bitch Valerie must have pestered Terry…” she thought to herself, her grip on the bed sheets tightening. “I will kick her out of his life sooner or later.”
The dark glint in her eyes didn’t go unnoticed by Esteban, though he said nothing. He had seen enough over the years to understand that Margaret’s feelings toward Valerie weren’t just about illness or distance—they were laced with envy and possessiveness.
Back at the Scarlet Hotel, it was nearly eight in the evening. Valerie had spent the last few hours in her hotel suite, her mind swirling with the decisions she had made and the choices she still had to face.
Her phone buzzed, a message from Ricky confirming their meeting. As she stepped out of her room, she straightened her back and prepared herself for the next step in her complicated life. She couldn’t afford to be distracted by anything or anyone, not now.
The lobby was quiet as she walked past the reception and out the front doors. There, standing at the entrance of the hotel, was Ricky.
He was dressed impeccably, his posture relaxed but commanding. His presence alone was enough to catch the attention of anyone nearby. He had a way about him, a smoothness to his movements, that was almost unsettling, yet undeniably magnetic.
Valerie took a deep breath before stepping forward, her heels clicking against the stone floors.
“Valerie,” Ricky greeted with a cool smile. “I’m glad you could make it. Ready to get started?”
She nodded.
“Let’s do this,” she replied, keeping her tone even. She had already made up her mind. This was a business arrangement, nothing more. Terrence wasn’t here, and she couldn’t afford to wait around for him forever.
As they entered the hotel together, neither of them noticed the figure in the distance watching them closely.
