Chapter 208

Vanessa hadn’t paid much attention before—she’d been too terrified. But now, as she studied him, she realized just how gaunt he looked. Far thinner than any man should be.

She understood why now, and unease coiled in her stomach.

If Lucien was capable of something like this, he was already halfway to damnation. Vanessa didn’t know if someone would uncover the truth eventually. She had no idea how long he could last in the industry.

But one thing was certain—she couldn’t rely on him forever.

She had thought she’d found a powerful ally, that clinging to him would secure her victory. Reality, however, had slapped her hard.

No one could be depended on entirely.

Not Dominic.

Not Lucien.

She needed more. More leverage, more security. Only then could she breathe easy.

Still, she wasn’t in a rush. Lucien could still be useful for now. She’d play along, hand over Evelyn, and squeeze every last drop of advantage from him before cutting ties.

Stepping out of the room, she took the elevator down. When she checked her phone, her screen was flooded with missed calls and messages—all from Dominic.

What’s happened? Why is he so frantic?

She powered off her phone and slipped it into her purse without a second thought. Then she strode out of the hotel and hailed a cab.

By the time she reached home, Dominic was already waiting, just as she’d expected.

"Where the hell have you been, Vanessa? Why weren’t you answering your phone?" His voice was sharp, his expression thunderous.

She froze, widening her eyes in feigned alarm. "D-Dominic? You’re back already?"

"Answer me!" His hands clenched at his sides. "Where were you?"

She bit her lip, shrinking back slightly. "I’ll tell you… but you have to promise not to get mad."

"Fine. Talk."

Dominic had come home early, wanting to surprise her. Instead, he’d found an empty apartment—no note, no explanation. No response to his calls.

His worry had spiraled into frustration, then fury.

"I… I went to DR Holdings."

"DR Holdings?" His jaw tightened. "I called them. They said you left hours ago. I told you not to go there! What were you thinking? Do you even care about the baby?"

She hadn’t expected him to check, but she recovered quickly.

"I went to review the new product specs. It’s my formula—I had to make sure everything was perfect. I haven’t worked in so long, I was afraid something might go wrong again." She lowered her gaze, pouting. "I did it for DR Holdings. For us."

She let her voice waver. "But after a while, I started feeling sick. I thought… maybe I’d inhaled too many fumes. So I went to the hospital for a checkup."

Tears welled in her eyes. "Do you really think I don’t care about this baby? It’s inside me. I worry more than anyone!"

Her voice cracked. "And you—you just yell at me? After all your promises? You swore you’d take care of me, love me forever. But it’s all lies! You only care about the baby, not me!"

She spun on her heel. "Fine. I’ll just get rid of it, and we can be done!"

Dominic’s anger evaporated the moment her tears fell. Panic surged as she turned to leave.