Page 37 of Vintage

She sighed, giving me a look of faux sympathy before standing up.

"I have nothing else to say. Amir is with me, and it's not like I’ve tied him down to keep him there." She shrugged, crossing her arms over her breasts and inspecting her nails.

What a piece of work! This Bitch!

"Then you wouldn't mind if I dropped by your place to have a quick chat with Amir?" I raised an eyebrow, feeling a sense of satisfaction.

She froze, her gaze darting across my face, and even though she maintained a calm demeanor, I could see the fear and anxiety lurking beneath. It was fascinating how she had been so close to mocking me just moments ago, and now her eyes reflected sheer terror.

"No. No... You can't do that. I’ll inform him that you want to see him, but that’s all I can offer." She hurriedly grabbed her bag and stormed out, while I leaned back, watching her from the café window as she rushed to her car, muttering under her breath.

I couldn't decipher the words on her lips, but her actions spoke volumes.

She clearly didn’t want me to visit, and since only Ro knew about my and Darius's visit to him that night at her estate, she had no idea I had already crossed into her territory.

My gaze shifted to my phone, and after taking a deep breath, I called Reese. She was with Darius, both of them acting as Ro, and my guardians, shielding us and our marriage from falling apart.

But I can't shake the feeling that my marriage isn't the only thing facing challenges.

"Hey, did you come across anything?" I inquired, tapping my fingers on the table while observing the faint heat rising from my coffee.

There was a moment of silence. I had high hopes, but deep down, I shared the same uncertainties I had sent her way.

"You were right," she murmured, and I could hear Darius in the background, likely causing chaos in her personal lab at home.

"And... what about Ro? Did you manage to see him at all? How's he holding up?" I bit my lip, swallowing hard as tears threatened to spill from my eyes.

I despised him just as fiercely as I loved him despite forgiving him. Our relationship had become a tangled mess, yet it remained a part of me, symbolized by the wedding band on my finger and etched into my very being.

I do care for him.

I do love him.

"We didn’t. Darius tried to track him down, but we got lost in the house. It was more confusing for Darius than for me, considering it was my first time there... Just talk to him; I think you’ll connect with him better than I can."

I heard her footsteps and the hushed arguments before Darius’ gruff voice reached my ears, making me wince in irritation.

"Amery," he growled, and I could picture him glaring at my friend while she muttered curses at him for meddling with her equipment. I imagined he was captivated by the compound microscope, while she had some samples laid out that she was focused on.

My amusement faded when Darius began sharing his thoughts on visiting that place.

"Remember the basement in that house? With the way it was constructed, you can't just make it disappear."

I listened as he continued with his observations.

"The second floor had three rooms, and there were stairs leading to the attic. Strangely enough, the basement is completely gone. The attic isn't there anymore, and instead of three rooms, there are only two. One has been turned into a painting studio, while the other is the master bedroom, which I couldn't access. It had an iris recognition lock, and I heard noises, but when I tried to communicate, all I got was the sound of heavy footsteps echoing back." He clenched his jaw, clearly frustrated that his efforts seemed futile. I knew he had uncovered more than he realized.

"Was Ro there?" I felt as if I were observing myself from a distance. The tremors coursing through me felt foreign, almost like I was experiencing an out-of-body moment.

He muttered but managed to respond. "No, or maybe yes. I can't say for sure; I didn't have much time to explore. The kitchen was the only area we could access, and I gathered what I could. I haven't seen the little evidence we acquired yet, but I plan to when you arrive later today."

I sensed he had discovered something significant.

"I'll be there in about an hour, but first, I need to swing by my house to check on the cleaners and designers I hired today. It was a mess, and I can't stand leaving it like that just because my husband is away." I sighed deeply, feeling a tight knot of pain in my chest that I instinctively rubbed, as if it were a physical injury.

"I get it, but before you hang up, tell me anything you remember about the house from the day you were on the second floor with Amir." It was a strange request, yet I found myself compelled to comply.

Memories flooded my mind, each moment replaying like scenes from a film frame by frame, revealing details that now seemed oddly out of place.

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