Two days after leaving the hospital, Vera was back at work, despite Stan's request for her to wait two more weeks. She couldn't hold back her urgency any longer. Her investigation, her quest for revenge, had to begin.
"Are we still going to Gojota?" she asked, as they both dressed for work.
Stan, standing before the vanity mirror, adjusting his tie, didn't respond right away. He stared at his reflection for a long moment, before finally answering.
"It's not necessary anymore."
Vera raised an eyebrow, her doubt deepening. "But he's your trusted doctor. Wouldn't it be better if he checked on me himself?"
Stan stepped away from the mirror and walked toward her. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close. Vera's breath caught in her throat, but she forced herself to stay composed.
"Do you feel any discomfort?" he asked, his voice soft, his touch tender. But the warmth in his tone didn't reach her heart anymore.
Vera shook her head. "Not at all." But she could see it in his eyes, he wasn't convinced.
"You don't have to hide it, babe," he murmured, as if he could read the pain in her. He knew what she had done, knew she had taken the pills to end the pregnancy. But he didn't want to talk about it anymore. He didn't want to press her, not when the hurt had been done. He had buried his sadness too, pretending it wasn't there.
"If you feel anything, we can see a doctor," he added, his words gentle.
"Your doctor?" Vera asked, her gaze fixed on him, trying to read his face for any sign of a lie. "The one at Gojota?"
"The doctors here are just as good," he said, planting a kiss on her lips, as if that would end the conversation.
"Let's go. You don't want to be late for work," he said, changing the subject quickly.
Vera felt a bitter smile threaten to break free, but she swallowed it down, offering only a faint, forced smile. She had known it all along, the trip to Gojota was a lie. It was never about her health. It was just another attempt to make her believe he cared.
"Okay," she said quietly, pulling away from his embrace. She picked up her bag from the nightstand, and together, they left the house.
FIVE DAYS LATER,
Vera sat alone in a private room at an exclusive restaurant. Her eyes kept flicking to the wall clock, counting the seconds. She had ordered a drink earlier, but it sat untouched on the table, she wasn't in the mood for anything. The news she was waiting for had stolen her appetite and filled her with uneasy anticipation.
The door finally opened, and a young man walked in. Vera's eyes brightened as she stood up quickly to greet him.
"Mr. Williams," she said, her voice warm, and walked over with a smile to offer her hand for a handshake.
"Sorry I'm late. I got caught in traffic," he apologized as he shook her hand.
Williams walked over to an empty chair and sat down, placing his briefcase on the table. He opened it and pulled out a flash drive.
"The surveillance in the kitchen and around it, just as you requested," he said, extending the drive to her.
Williams was a professional hacker, hired by Vera and paid well to hack into Stan's home surveillance, as well as her office, to extract the data from the day that had changed everything. Vera didn't need the footage from her office, since she hadn't left that day, but she had asked for it anyway to clear any lingering doubts.
To her surprise, Williams had been quick to act and had even called her the previous day to arrange this meeting.
With a focused expression, Vera took the flash drive from him, muttering, "Thank you."
"No files were deleted from the surveillance around the time you mentioned," Williams continued. "The content is complete."
"And my office?" Vera asked, her curiosity piqued.
His expression shifted slightly, a hint of concern. "A part of the surveillance was lost. I'm working on recovering it," he said, sounding genuinely apologetic.
A deep frown creased Vera's face. "Someone tampered with it?" she asked, her voice filled with curiosity.
"That's the only explanation," Williams confirmed.
"But don't worry, I'll recover it soon," he added, trying to reassure her.
Vera's brows knitted together as she processed his words. Why would someone delete the file? Was she about to uncover something her company had been hiding? The thought made her uneasy, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she was on the verge of discovering something crucial.
"All right, Mr. Williams. I'll wait for your message," she said, standing up and reaching for her handbag. But then, her eyes brightened, and she smiled.
"My bad. Please, order something," she added, suddenly remembering her manners.
"Thank you, Miss Wills, but I'm in a hurry. Perhaps some other time," he replied, standing up.
"I'll be on my way now. Once I get it, I'll notify you," he said, heading for the door.
Vera watched him leave, the moment feeling strangely empty. As soon as the door closed behind him, she turned her attention to the flash drive in her hand. Inside it was the truth she so desperately sought. With swift hands, she tucked it safely into her bag and left the private room.
Back at her office, she shut the door and locked it, her heart racing. She placed the drive on her desk and sat down, the weight of anticipation pressing down on her chest. She powered on her computer, slotted the drive into the USB port, and stared at the screen as it came to life.
Her heart began to pound in her chest, faster with each passing second. Her palms were sweaty, the tension in her fingers making her struggle to stay calm.
She clenched and unclenched her fists, trying to control the growing unease. Her throat felt tight as she swallowed again and again, the sound of her heartbeat ringing in her ears.
She was on the edge, desperate to find the truth, but suddenly the reality of what she was about to uncover made her feel more unsettled than ever.
The drive in her hand contained everything she needed, but the uncertainty, the fear of what it might reveal, left her feeling like she was about to plunge into something much darker than she could handle.
She stared at the screen, her eyes fixed on the blinking icons that seemed to beckon her to take the next step. Was she ready for the truth? The answer echoed in her mind—Yes.
But even with the determination, doubt lingered. She summoned every ounce of strength she had, then clicked the 'open' icon.
Her heart raced as the video began to play. And there he was, the man she had once trusted, descending the stairs in his usual tailored suit, his presence as commanding as ever.
He dropped his briefcase onto the sofa and sat down, his fingers immediately typing away on his phone. It was so normal, so routine.
He tucked the phone back into his jacket, stood up, and glanced at the wall clock, then his wristwatch, as though checking the time. A simple, casual motion. But to her, it was like a clock ticking in her head, counting down to something she feared.
Then, her breath caught in her throat as she watched him walk toward the dining room, heading straight for the kitchen. The tension in her chest tightened.
Was this the moment? The moment she would finally see the man she loved do something unspeakable?
Another clip automatically began, and her gaze fixed on the screen. There he was again, entering the kitchen, heading straight for the refrigerator. He opened it, grabbed a bottle of water, and unscrewed the cap. He drank it quickly, then tossed the empty bottle into the trash.
Vera's eyes didn't leave the screen as she noticed the food packs on the counter. She watched him pause, his eyes drifting to the food before him. Her breath hitched as she realized this was it, the moment she had dreaded.
Her hand trembled as she gripped the mouse. This was the moment to see it all. The moment to witness the man she had loved with all her heart, the man who swore to protect her, add the pills to her food. Pills that had nearly killed her, pills that threatened to destroy everything, including their child, their future.
Was this the truth she had been seeking? The truth about the man who claimed to love her?
She paused the clip, her chest tightening. Did she want to see this? She asked herself. Was she ready to face the truth now? She couldn't tell.
For a long moment, she sat frozen, her thoughts muddled. Then, with shaky resolve, she summoned the courage to hit the 'play' icon again.