Chapter 5 - Shadows of the Past
By midnight, the grand estate was quiet again, though the lingering scent of tension remained thick in the air.
Douglas and Gertrude had been taken to the county police headquarters for formal interrogation after state troopers discovered a stash of the synthetic nerve blocker hidden inside a false-bottomed drawer in Gertrude’s dressing room. Evelyn, Garrett’s elderly mother, had retired to her room in tears, completely humiliated by the exposure of her youngest son's treachery.
Garrett sat on the plush leather sofa in his private library, wearing a dark sweater and trousers. His legs were tired from standing, but his mobility was undeniable.
I walked into the library carrying a tray with two mugs of hot, untainted black coffee. I set the tray on the coffee table and handed him a mug.
"You should rest, Mr. Corbin," I said gently. "Your nerves underwent a tremendous amount of stress tonight."
Garrett looked up at me, taking the mug. For the first time since I had met him, the harsh, stone-cold expression on his face softened into genuine warmth.
"Thank you, Rebecca," he said quietly. "And please, call me Garrett. You saved my life tonight. If you hadn't handled that sample so carefully and faced down Gertrude without flinching, Douglas would have forced that power-of-attorney through."
"I just did what any decent person would do," I replied, sitting in the armchair across from him.
"No," Garrett corrected me, shaking his head. "A lot of people would have taken the thirty-five thousand dollars a month, closed their eyes, and turned a blind eye to avoid getting involved in a dangerous family dispute. You risked your own safety to help me."
He took a sip of his coffee, looking out the large bay window at the dark estate grounds.
" betrayal is a strange thing," Garrett murmured softly. "When it comes from enemies, you expect it. But when it comes from the people you built your life with... it leaves a scar that never quite heals."
I looked down at my own hands, my mind drifting back to San Diego—to Christopher standing in our living room, confessing his affair, and Florence telling me I wasn't enough of a woman to keep my husband.
"Yes," I said quietly. "It makes you question every memory you ever had with them."
Garrett observed me closely. "Your ex-husband... Christopher, right?"
I nodded.
"He was an idiot," Garrett said cleanly, without a hint of hesitation.
I blinked, surprised by his directness.
"He traded a woman of incredible courage, loyalty, and strength for a temporary thrill," Garrett said, his voice dropping into a sincere, resonant tone. "He didn't deserve you, Rebecca. And one day, he will realize what he threw away."
A small, genuine smile touched my lips. "Thank you, Garrett."
Suddenly, my smartphone buzzed loudly on the glass table between us.
I picked it up. The caller ID showed a number I hadn't seen in over a month—a San Diego area code.
It was Christopher.
I stared at the flashing screen, my finger hovering over the decline button.
"Answer it," Garrett suggested quietly, leaning back against the sofa. "Let him hear how strong you sound."
I took a deep breath, swiped the screen, and placed the phone to my ear. "Hello, Christopher."
"Rebecca?" Christopher’s voice came through the speaker, raspy, strained, and filled with an unexpected layer of panic. "Rebecca, thank you for picking up. Please, don't hang up."
May you like
"What do you want, Christopher?" I asked, my tone completely devoid of emotion. "Our divorce papers were finalized two weeks ago. We have nothing left to discuss."
"It’s... it’s about ApexBio Solutions," Christopher stammered, his voice trembling. "And my mother. Rebecca, everything is falling apart."
