Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
Gerry was gasping for breath, on the verge of losing his temper, when Cliff confronted him angrily and said, “How did Laney get those bruises on her neck?”
Gerry’s anger evaporated instantly. He glanced around, feigning ignorance. “What bruises?”
Cliff tightened his grip. “Let me show you.”
Frightened by Cliff’s fury, Gerry quickly confessed, but kept it brief, knowing that revealing too much might provoke Cliff further.
Even with Gerry’s sparse account, Cliff’s expression grew darker. “You kept something this serious from me? Are you out of your mind, Gerry?”
Caught between fear and defiance, Gerry replied, “How am I out of my mind? I handled the attacker.”
“How exactly did you handle the attacker?”
“I followed the usual procedure and detained the man.” Gerry quickly added, “But before the detention, I made sure he was roughed up a bit. Broke a few bones.”
Cliff’s response was cold, unsatisfied. “It should’ve been his neck.”
“Cliff,” Gerry said, trying to reason, “With your status, can you afford to act recklessly?” He then asked, “How did you even find out about this?”
Cliff was about to respond but was interrupted. “If I hadn’t seen the marks on her neck, would you have kept this from me forever?”
“Why would I tell you?” Gerry retorted. “If you hadn’t pushed her away, would this have happened?”
Cliff clenched his teeth, fighting the urge to lash out at Gerry. He knew his own actions had contributed to the situation, and he regretted not going after Laney himself. Fortunately, the injuries were minor and nothing worse had happened. Otherwise, he couldn’t bear to think about the consequences.
Gerry added, “Laney said the man seemed to be targeting you. Cliff, I’ve been investigating for days and found nothing. Do you want to take over?”
Cliff managed to calm his initial impulses. “Targeting me?”
Cliff visited the detention center, intending to confront the attacker but restrained himself, aware of his volatile temper. Instead, he requested the attacker’s records.
The information showed the attacker was just an ordinary man from outside the city, someone Cliff had never encountered. So, where did this animosity stem from?
Digging deeper, Cliff discovered that the attacker’s wife and daughter had recently died in a tragic accident. This news hit close to home. He quickly sought more details about the accident, only to realize it was connected to the same tunnel collapse from earlier.
Immediately, Cliff thought of Juliet. She had overseen the tunnel project. Could there be a connection between her and this attacker?
With this in mind, Cliff contacted someone at the station. The contact explained, “We questioned him before. After his wife and daughter died, he initially protested but then started acting out irrationally.”
Cliff asked, “What was he protesting?”
“He claimed to have been a worker on the original tunnel construction, which cut corners, leading to the collapse. But it was covered up. Mr. Hopkins, these things happen. Without concrete evidence, we must adhere to protocol.”
The more Cliff thought about it, the more he felt something was off. His mind was in turmoil. “Even if he sought revenge, how could he have known about my cousin?”
The contact chuckled and replied, “Mr. Hopkins, haven’t you taken over the new tunnel project? The Foster family has been heavily promoting it. A little digging would show that your family is the main contractor. You’ve all fought hard for this project. He probably saw you as birds of a feather, so who else would he target? Unable to reach you, he went after the women close to you instead.”
Cliff had arrived just in time. The attacker’s detention was ending today. As the attacker emerged, disheveled and ghost-like, his long hair obscured his eyes but couldn’t hide the deep resentment burning within them.
The attacker sneered, “Cliff, doing evil won’t end well for you. My wife and daughter won’t come back, and I will ensure you’ll never find peace.”
As Cliff regarded the attacker before him, mixed emotions churned within him-a complicated blend of sympathy for the attacker’s circumstances, yet disgust at his choices. Without uttering a word, Cliff turned and strode away.
Once Cliff’s car disappeared from view, the attacker slipped into a shadowy corner, his hands trembling as he fished out his phone. The screen illuminated his face as he scrolled through countless photos documenting Juliet’s daily routines. This new target couldn’t have been more perfect-she wasn’t just the second-largest shareholder in the new project, but also Cliff’s soon-to-be fianc?e. Whispers around town suggested wedding bells weren’t far off. The attacker’s previous attempt had been a costly mistake, harming an irrelevant cousin. This time, he would execute his plan flawlessly.
During his drive back, Cliff’s thoughts drifted to home. He dialed to check on Laney’s pickup, and Philip’s reassuring voice came through the line. “Everything’s taken care of. What time will you be home tonight?”
Glancing at his watch, Cliff noted the early hour. “Need to handle some matters at the office. I’ll be back around seven or eight. Don’t hold dinner for me.”
The recent string of unusual events had prompted Cliff’s insistence on Laney returning home rather than staying at her apartment overnight. Beyond the safety concerns, there were unresolved issues between them. Yet, he knew Laney wasn’t keen on seeing him. He wasn’t one to force his presence where it wasn’t wanted.
Once settled in his office, Cliff pored over the tunnel project documents with meticulous attention. He’d harbored doubts before, and the recent attack had only strengthened his suspicions. Juliet’s stake in this project ran deeper than mere financial gain-that much was clear. Yet, despite his thorough investigation, nothing concrete had surfaced.
Det ermined to uncover the truth, Cliff dispatched someone to examine the previous engineering records, hoping to trace the source of the questionable construction work. The sharp ring of his phone cut through his concentration. Juliet’s name flashed across the screen.
“What sparked this sudden interest in digging through old files?” she asked.
“News travels fast,” Cliff replied cryptically.
“I have deeper roots in the Foster family territory than anyone,” Juliet replied, not bothering with pretense. “My connections run wide and deep-nothing escapes my notice. You could have come to me directly, Cliff. I know everything. There’s no need to work around me.”
“I wouldn’t want to trouble you with trivial matters,” he responded, his voice cool.
“You still haven’t explained why you’re investigating the collapse now.”
“Does my investigation pose a threat to your interests?” Cliff asked bluntly.
A short laugh escaped her. “Interesting way to frame it. Are you suggesting you don’t want your slice of this venture?”
“I have no interest in questionable ventures,” Cliff stated firmly, causing a momentary silence on her end.
The quiet was broken by muffled voices in the background-someone apparently doing repairs and seeking Juliet’s input.
Juliet snapped at them to leave. Just as Cliff was about to end the call, Juliet’s piercing scream shattered the tension.
There was a clatter as the phone dropped, followed by distant, chaotic sounds. “Cliff, help me!”
When Cliff arrived at Juliet’s side, the immediate danger had passed.
Juliet flung herself into his arms, trembling. “I thought he was going to kill me!” she cried, clinging to him desperately with each shuddering breath.
Cliff remained stoic as he firmly disentangled himself from her grasp, his eyes fixed on the troublemaker. It was the attacker from this morning, freshly out of custody and already stirring up trouble. Raw fury contorted the attacker’s features as he lunged forward, screaming at Juliet, “You witch! You killed my wife and child!” Despite her obvious fear, Juliet’s response dripped with venom. “How dare you blame me? Accidents happen every year. Perhaps it was simply fate-maybe your wife and child deserved their end!” Her cruel words ignited something primal in the attacker. With unexpected strength, he broke free from the security guards’ grip and charged toward Juliet, fist raised.
Juliet scrambled behind Cliff with a shriek.
Though Cliff moved with practiced speed, the attacker’s military training and burning hatred fueled an explosive burst of strength. Before the guards could fully subdue him, his fist connected solidly with Cliff’s face.
“I’m so sorry! Are you hurt?” Juliet reached for Cliff anxiously. Cliff shrugged her hand away with barely concealed irritation. “You’re alive. That’s what matters,” he said coldly.
Stung by his dismissal, Juliet withdrew and busied herself contacting the PR team to contain the situation.
Once that was handled, Juliet insisted on tending to his injury.
But Cliff hadn’t come just to play the hero. He fixed her with a penetrating stare. “What’s the connection between the tunnel collapse and the Foster family? Be clear with me, or I’ll shut this project down immediately.”
Something dark flickered behind Juliet’s carefully composed expression. “It’s… it’s complicated. This will take some time to explain properly.”
Back at home, the evening had crept past eight.
Philip had tried reaching Cliff three times without success. He turned to Laney with a reassuring smile. “He must be caught up with work. Come on, let’s eat-no sense in going hungry.”
Laney nodded, carefully maintaining a neutral expression so Philip and Madison wouldn’t notice her concern.
Philip continued thoughtfully, “Cliff mentioned there’s been some trouble in the area lately. He thinks you should stay home, and he’s arranged a driver to take you to and from the theater. Would that work for you?”
“I’m fine with it.” Laney forced a smile. She tried to push down the rising tide of emotions, but questions kept bubbling up. Why was Cliff perpetually busy? Had he only sought her out earlier to convince her to return home for meals? Was this really all there was to address between them?
After dinner, having given up hope of seeing Cliff tonight, Laney started toward her room.
The sudden sound of the front door opening stopped her in her tracks. Philip exclaimed joyfully, “Cliff is back.”
Laney turned instinctively, only to freeze at the sight before her. Cliff wasn’t alone. Juliet was leaning against him..
Laney had suspected that Cliff would return with Juliet, but witnessing it herself was far more excruciating than she had anticipated.
Cliff’s eyes skipped over Philip and fixed on Laney.
Laney’s instinct was to look away, but she couldn’t ignore the vivid bruise at the corner of his mouth. Despite the pain in her heart, she felt concerned for him. How had someone so strong ended up injured? Philip inquired about the bruise, and Juliet explained, “There was a disturbance at my office today. Cliff was struck while defending me, but fortunately, he’s not seriously hurt. Don’t worry, Mr. Hopkins.”
A cold realization washed over Laney. Cliff had been injured while protecting Juliet. He must care deeply for her. Their bond had deepened out of her view. Philip invited Juliet inside.
Madison descended the stairs and wrapped an arm around Laney. Noticing Laney’s tear-streaked face, she expressed concern, “What’s wrong, dear? Have you been crying?”
As Cliff headed toward the living room, he glanced back at Laney. Laney stiffened, averted her gaze, and shook her head.
“No. I’m just tired and need some rest.”
“So soon?” Madison asked.
“Yes, the dance was draining, and I’m feeling unwell.”
“Shall I accompany you upstairs?”
Laney declined politely and retreated to her room.
Madison entered the living room and casually remarked, “Laney has been looking thinner lately. Is the stress from the theater overwhelming? She doesn’t seem herself and is often distracted.”
Cliff asked softly, “Is something wrong with her health?”
“It’s just fatigue from dancing-“
“I’ll go check on her,” Cliff responded.
Madison quickly intervened, gesturing subtly toward Juliet.
“Stay with Juliet. I’ll look after Laney. Don’t worry.”
Knowing Juliet was staying over for the night, Cliff’s parents sensibly went to bed early.
Unable to sleep, Cliff sat watching TV.
Juliet nestled against him.