Page 51 of The Revenge

Tori

At JKU, Syn’s bedroom is… plain. Sure, there’s some color on the walls, but the only thing that really made Syn’s bedroom stand out was the giant terrarium. Even with the few personal items there were scattered around the room, like his laptop and tablet on the desk, or his toiletries and cologne in the bathroom, it never felt personal.

I’m not sure what I was expecting from his bedroom at home, but this isn’t it.

There’s more of a feminine touch here, though I’m sure that comes from his mother’s influence with the interior designer. It feels more like a hotel suite. There’s a contemporary feel to the room, but even without a closer inspection, I’m confident that not a single piece of the white beech furniture is mass produced.

Even the tiny room that I consider my home feels more lived in than this place. There’s nothing that gives me any clues or insight into Syn, and even though I shouldn’t care, I can’t stop myself from wondering if the guy who couldn’t possibly want for anything really has nothing.

And just as I start to feel a hint of pity for Syn, he opens his mouth.

“Is this your idea of making yourself comfortable?” he asks.

“What time is dinner?”

“Guests will be arriving within the hour. We’ll have another hour before we should make an appearance.” Syn cocks his head. “If you’re tired, feel free to take a nap.”

A nap would be nice, but no matter how tired I am, I don’t think I’ll be able to fall asleep easily tonight, never mind now, for a nap to be worth it.

“Where are my bags?” I ask. “I’ll take a bath and get ready for dinner.”

“I’ve asked for your things to be brought to the room. They’ll be here shortly. The bathroom is fully stocked.”

I don’t really feel the need to shower just to get ready for dinner. I just want some time alone. The door to the ensuite bathroom is ajar, so I don’t have to go guessing what’s behind each door, and instead, walk straight to the bathroom. The first thing I do is close the door and lock it.

Syn’s bathroom has double sinks, a walk-in shower, and a freestanding bathtub with the faucet in the middle that looks big enough for two adults to fit in comfortably. There’s also space for an armchair.

Before I do anything else, I set the water running to fill the bathtub, using the bubble bath from the small side table next to the tub. Then I sit down in the armchair, taking a deep breath as I close my eyes.

“One night. One more night, and we’ll have convinced Preston my brother didn’t kill his best friend. One more night, and I might even have some information that could lead to Cole being released. One more night, and I can finally walk away knowing that I did absolutely everything that I could,” I remind myself.

I pull my phone out of my hoodie pocket. There are already several messages from Penny. I left her this morning after promising I was going to be okay, and that she could focus on going home without worrying about me. By the time I’d gotten into Royal’s car, I’d messaged her to let her know what I thought the plans were, but I haven’t sent anything since.

While I wait for the bathtub to fill, I quickly update her on the latest developments.

Penny:I know that I’ve said this a million times, but you can still come and stay with me. The diamond could be the size of the moon, and it still wouldn’t be big enough.

Tori:I told you, I’m fine.

Penny:OMFG! You’ve got some revenge planned!

I stare at the phone screen, irritated because that thought had never crossed my mind.

By the time my skin is suitably shriveled an hour later, I’ve got several scenarios plotted out in my brain. I get out of the bath and wrap a towel around my body. After unlocking the door, I stroll back out into Syn’s bedroom. Syn, still seated on the couch, looks up from his phone.

“Where are my things?” I ask him.

Syn stands up, sliding his phone into his pocket as he walks over to me. He doesn’t stop, instead, walking straight past me to a set of double doors that he pushes open. On the other side is a dressing room.

I walk in, looking for my bags.

“There will be more dresses delivered tomorrow for the event, but everything here is yours.” He points to everything on our right.

From floor to ceiling, there are rails full of all kinds of clothing and shelves filled with shoes. There isn’t a single thing I recognize as my own.

“Where aremythings?” I ask again.

“What’s missing?” Syn walks over to some drawers and pulls one open. Inside are several bra and panty sets. “Underwear is here, and your hair and make-up products are there on the vanity. We both know your things have seen better days.” He grimaces.

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