Chapter 7
After giving her statement at the police station, Ophelia felt completely wiped out.]
“Want me to drive you home?” Jessica asked.]
Ophelia shook her head. “Thanks, but I need some air. Going to walk a bit.“[]
Jessica had a mountain of paperwork waiting, so she didn’t push. Once in her car, she called Piper“Just left the station with Ophelia. She’s in rough shape.“]
Piper, stuck in a budget meeting, glanced at her phone and quickly replied“I will contact her later.“[]
She ducked out into the hallway and dialed Ophelia.]
“Hey, I’m fine,” Ophelia answered with forced brightness. “Get back to your fancy meeting. We’ll catch up later.“]
“Come to my home for dinner.” Piper declared.]
The spontaneous invitation caught Ophelia off guard. “But you promise not to be on your work the whole time.“]
Piper laughed. “Maybe….”
“Wow, such rare,” Ophelia said, cracking a genuine smile. “Go finish saving the corporate world. I’m okay, really.“[]
Meanwhile,Anastasia’s name dragged into every headline.[]
Her publicist, Jenna, rushed over to discuss damage control. Bastien was there too, and Jenna immediately handled these problems.[]
Bastien wasn’t listening. He was staring at his phone, watching the video of Ophelia on the ground, his jaw clenched so tight.]
“When exactly did this happen?”
She shifted uncomfortably under his glare. “About an hour ago. Those girls are still in custody.“]
Bastien called Ophelia.But she didn’t pick up, he grabbed his jacket and headed for the door without another word.]
Anastasia listened to his tires screech down the driveway. “This is getting out of control.“]
Jenna sighed heavily.
“This is the only way to keep him, trust me. He hasn’t even started divorce proceedings with Ophelia. The longer this goes on, the worse you’ll look when it eventually breaks.How could we clarify it?“[]
As Bastien sped toward the police station, his mind kept replaying the video–Ophelia’s blank expression as coffee dripped down her face, that thousand–yard stare as she sat on the ground.
She hadn’t told him she was back from Sedona.[]
Even after being publicly attacked, she hadn’t called him.]
It hit him that since that moment at the gate, when he’d abandoned her for Anastasia, Ophelia hadn’t reached out once.[]
She’d never gone this long without checking in before.[]
Just like something was slipping away.
Before he reached the station, he spotted her on the opposite sidewalk, rolling a carry on suitcase. He pulled up beside her.]
“Ophelia.”
She turned at his voice, her eyes meeting his through the open window.[]
For a second, she looked at him like she was trying to place a familiar stranger–though it had only been a week, something fundamental had changed. The connection between them felt frayed, worn thin.]
He got off out and grabbed her suitcase, throwing it in the trunk.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were back? I would’ve picked you up.“[]
Ophelia said nothing. She just opened the back door.
Bastien hesitated, then drove the car.
Though the rearview mirror, he studied her. She was staring out the window, profile turned away. She looked completely drained, her normally olive complexion ashen, lips colorless.]
Looking closer, he realized she’d lost weight.]
“Hugry? Let’s have some food.“]
She didn’t even look at him, just murmured “no” and closed her eyes.[]
Bastien took a deep breath. “Are you hurt? Did they-“]
