[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":10},["ShallowReactive",2],{"viewer-data-2603220ECDF1-609":3},{"id":4,"number":5,"name":6,"content":7,"isLocked":8,"price":9,"hasRead":8},609,51,"Chapter 51: The Disheveled Collar","\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Violette did not see Blake again until the end of the tour.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">That was a relief to her. She worried that the young, hot-headed man might act on impulse and cause some sort of catastrophe.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She drove straight back to the station, burying herself in the preparations for the midnight broadcast. By the time she finished and finally arrived home, it was nearly 2:00 a.m. Her mental and physical reserves were completely depleted, and she felt drowsy behind the wheel. If she hadn't rolled all the car windows down, letting the chilly night air blast into the cabin, she might have fallen asleep while driving.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The elevator mirror reflected her reflection: her hair was a mess, tangled into knots by the wind. She ran a hand through her hair, unlocked the door, and slipped inside.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">In the entryway, a black suitcase stood against the wall. Beside it sat a pair of men’s dress shoes.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Violette froze for a second. \"Roman?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The house was silent, offering no reply. Assuming he must have gone to bed, she quieted her movements, treading softly.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">A moment later, the sliding glass door to the balcony creaked open.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The night wind surged in, carrying the damp scent of early morning dew. Violette turned around to see her husband. His dress shirt was tucked into his slacks with its usual meticulous precision, though the icy, solemn expression he wore in the darkness seemed to thaw the moment he stepped back into their home. His gaze softened as it landed on her.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Just getting back?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"I was on the graveyard shift today,\" Violette said. \"I thought you weren't flying back until tomorrow. Did you just arrive?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Just now,\" Roman said, selectively answering only the last part of her question.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">In the corner, a Monstera plant swayed in the draft blowing in from the balcony. Even after the door was clicked shut, the plant continued to quiver, its shadow dancing against the wall like something clawing for escape.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Violette walked over, standing on her tiptoes to brush her fingers against his jaw.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"You've got stubble. Why the rush to get back?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">He offered a gentle smile. \"Who was it that said they missed me?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Saying things like that face-to-face felt different than texting; it made her skin flush with heat. Violette couldn't help but wonder if he’d squeezed his schedule because of that single confession. Did it mean their marriage of convenience was evolving? Did she actually carry some weight in Roman's life now?\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Her heart fluttered, as restless as the Monstera’s shadow.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She stood on her toes again, only to catch sight of a red mark near his temple. It was a fresh wound, a thin line starting at his hairline. She hadn't noticed it before because of the way his hair fell, but up close, it looked like a jagged scratch from something sharp. It wasn't deep, but against his pale, cold skin, it looked vicious.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Her gaze dropped. The shirt he usually wore with stiff perfection was wrinkled, his tie was missing, and there were several disheveled creases across his chest. A faint scent of smoke clung to the air, not yet dispersed by the night breeze, tickling her nose.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Violette pulled back, creating a foot of space between them.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She swept her gaze over him from head to toe. \"What happened to you? Don't tell me you got into a fight.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"And who do you think won?\" he asked, half-joking.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Violette didn't think Roman was the type to get into brawls, so she treated it as a joke, knowing exactly how to play along. Besides, Roman always gave her the impression that he was incapable of losing at anything.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"You, of course,\" Violette said.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She tapped her own temple, then turned to find the first-aid kit. \"Seriously, what happened?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She crouched in the corner of the living room, rummaging through the side cabinet. Because of the crouch, her skirt pulled tight against her curves. Roman watched her back with dark, intense eyes for a long moment.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"The plane hit some turbulence,\" he finally said. \"I bumped into the vanity mirror.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"And the clothes?\" Violette asked, still digging. \"They're a mess.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Traveling is exhausting.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The way he said it made it sound like he was fishing for sympathy. Violette looked back at him, skeptical. \"You still smell like cigarettes.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Business meetings rarely happen without them.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Every answer was perfectly logical, yet Violette’s gut told her something was off. He’d gone on business trips before, yet he’d never come home looking this ragged.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She finally found the iodine swabs, twisted one open, and watched as the reddish-brown liquid soaked into the tip. She flicked her wrist, double-checking the saturation, then stepped back to him. With one hand, she gripped his empty collar; with the other, she reached up to dab at the wound.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She went through three swabs before she was satisfied. Throughout the entire process, Roman stayed hunched over, moving in perfect sync with her. At first, she’d had to pull on his collar to get him to lean down, but eventually, he’d just surrendered himself to her care. As she let go, she noticed the collar was still just as wrinkled, looking as if someone had grabbed him and held on with white-knuckled force.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">But that thought only lasted for a fleeting second. After all, in her world—or at least, in her understanding of it—no one would dare lay a hand on him.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">After she finished washing her hands, Roman was still standing in the same spot. His shirt had come untucked at the back, creating an irregular, bunched-up shape at his waist.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Violette glanced at him. \"Aren't you going to shower?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">He didn't move. After a long moment, he held out a hand toward her. \"Care to join me?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Violette’s cheeks turned a bright, burning crimson. Even the skin at her collarbone flared with color. Roman felt a twinge of self-reproach; he didn't know what had gotten into him to make him so forward the second he got home. Just as he was about to brush it off as a joke, he heard her say:\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Okay.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Their bathroom was cavernous, taking up the space of what could have been a separate suite. Inside, there were dual sinks, a shower and sauna room, and, facing the night sky through a floor-to-ceiling window, a circular tub large enough for two.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The vast room felt suddenly claustrophobic with both of them in it. Roman hoisted her onto the marble vanity and kissed her deeply, leaving no room for argument.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The vanity top was ice-cold. He kept one hand braced behind her back, the other reaching out to flip the heater switch. Violette, swept away by the intensity of the kiss, found herself reaching for his buttons with desperate fingers.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">She traced her fingers down his chest, one by one.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">*Click.*\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">The metal buckle at his waist came undone. Violette gasped, her heart hammering against her ribs, and she pushed him back.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Roman had already wedged himself between her legs, looking confused. \"What’s wrong? Not comfortable?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Don't move,\" Violette said, squinting at him. Her face was scorching, but reason still held a grip on her. She told him to turn around.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Roman complied, still puzzled. \"What is actually going on?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"I'm checking,\" Violette said softly. \"Making sure you haven't been acting out while you were away.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">He was perfectly fine. Not a single scratch on him.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Hearing her say that, the rigid tension in his shoulders finally eased. He turned back and reached out, pulling her hand toward the half-unbuckled metal clasp at his waist. \"Not going to check the rest?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"I'm done,\" she said, hopping off the counter.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Her legs felt like jelly, and she nearly stumbled. Roman caught her just in time. \"What are you running for?\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Since she’d been caught, she stopped fighting. She wrapped her arms around his waist, her fingers tracing the line of his spine.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"I heard that some parts of the industrial districts in Southeast Asia can be pretty lawless.\"\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">So, she hadn't been checking him for infidelity at all. She was just worried about the state he'd come home in.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">Roman pulled her into a tight embrace, losing his voice for a moment.\u003C/p>\u003Cp class=\"chapter-paragraph\">\"Roman,\" Violette whispered against him, \"are you the one handling the litigation for me?\"\u003C/p>",false,0,1774272918882]