Chapter 301

Amy took my hand and led me out of the store. “Give me your key fob,” she insisted. “You’re too upset to drive. I’ve never seen anyone turn so pale.”

She was right. So I handed the fob to her and got into the passenger seat.

“I can’t believe it,” I groaned as I put on the seatbelt. “Get us out of here before Chloe sees me cry.”

But it was too late. Chloe came out of the jewelry store with a colorful carry bag that I knew contained the necklace and earrings that she bought with my fiancé’s credit card.

She looked into my face and gave me her smug smile. I nodded at her cooly while gripping the edge of the car seat.

“Want to tell me about it?” Amy asked.

“Chloe used Victor’s platinum card to buy that necklace and earring set,” I said. It sounded worse coming out of my mouth, and I began to cry harder.

“Daisy, are you sure it was Victor’s card?” Amy asked. “One company’s credit card looks like all the others.”

“I saw his name on it, and the account number was his,” I replied. “Why would he buy that …that woman jewelry …unless ….”

“No, don’t go there. He would never cheat on you,” Amy declared. “Victor had enough of being a playboy. He loves you.”

“I know he loves me.” I wiped my eyes. “But maybe he’s bored with me, and Miss Perfect-body is right there, working alongside him every day.”

“Your body is better than hers,” Amy declared. “You still don’t think enough of yourself, Daisy. But there must be a reason she was buying that jewelry with Victor’s card.”

Amy started my Mercedes and put it in gear. “I know! Maybe she stole the card from his desk.”

I shook my head. “His platinum card has no credit limit, so he keeps it at home in a locked drawer unless he plans on using it,” I explained. “He only carries his debit card with him every day.”

“Victor could have been planning on using it today,” Amy suggested. “I know he would never cheat on you, so she had to have stolen it.”

“I don’t know ….” I wiped away a single tear that was rolling down my cheek.

“That’s just it, Daisy,” Amy said. “You don’t know. The only person who can tell you is Victor. You need to tell him what you saw and talk to him.”

I nodded again and blew my nose.

“Where are we going?” Amy asked. “Do you still want to go to lunch to talk?”

“I’m not hungry,” I said. “I’m sorry I’m ruining our day.”

“It’s okay,” Amy assured me. “I totally understand. If this happened to me, I would be losing it. But you really need to talk to Victor. There may be a good explanation.”

“I hope so,” I said.

Amy drove me to Victor’s apartment, and Justin picked her up. Before she left, she hugged me and told me again to talk to Victor.

“You’ll be able to tell if he’s acting all guilty the next time you talk to him,” Amy said. “Guys do stuff to be extra nice after they do something wrong.”

Amy was right. I wanted to call Victor to see if he acted extra nice, but I wasn’t brave enough.

After she left, I wandered through Victor’s apartment. I couldn’t sit still as my mind tried to make sense of what I saw.

After working up the courage, I sat on the bed and checked the locked drawer where he kept his valuables, hoping his platinum card would be there.

It wasn’t, and I started crying again.

What if Chloe was trying to steal him from me? I wasn’t an expert in keeping a man’s interest.

I punched a bed pillow and sobbed. I couldn’t lose him. He was my life. But how could I stay with him if I couldn’t trust him?

Was this pain and heartbreak the price of being in love?

I picked up my phone and almost dialed Victor’s number. But I couldn’t do it. My stomach was in knots.

I had to know if he betrayed me. Yet, another part of me didn’t think I could bear the pain if he was sleeping with Chloe.

Lying on the bed where we joyfully made love so many times, I tried to get my mind and emotions under control.

I needed to speak to Victor and stop obsessing over the incident.

“It’s unfair to assume he is cheating with Chloe,” I told myself. “Victor was willing to give up the leadership position for me when he thought I wasn’t Alex’s daughter.”

I sat up. “I found him guilty without a trial, without a chance to defend himself.”

“There must be a good explanation,” I said confidently. “We will discuss it when he gets home. I’ll make something good for dinner, and we’ll talk about it.”

I was about to stand and go to the kitchen to see what was in the freezer when my phone rang. It was Victor.

Good. I could ask him what he was hungry for. If the ingredients weren’t in the apartment, I would go to the store.

“Hello,” I said and realized I was shaking.

“Hi, sweetheart,” Victor said. “I hope I’m not interrupting your shopping.”

“Not at all,” I said. “I’m at the apartment trying to decide what to make for dinner. What are you hungry for?”

“That’s what I was calling about,” Victor said. “Put on your prettiest dress. I’m taking you to Moonglow tonight for dinner.”

Alarm bells went off in my mind. “We don’t have to go out. I don’t mind cooking for us.”

“No cooking for you tonight,” Victor insisted. “I made a seven o’clock reservation. I want you to enjoy yourself this evening. We can dance as much as you like.”

My eyes filled with tears. He was being super nice and thoughtful. And I sensed he was hiding something along with an edge of excitement.

“Daisy, sweetheart, are you okay?” he asked.

I wiped the back of my hand over my eyes and cleared my throat. “I’m fine.”

A woman spoke to Victor in the background, and my chest grew tight.

“I have to go, honey,” he said. “But I’ll see you at the apartment at six thirty.”

“Okay,” I said, trying to keep my voice from shaking.

“See you then, sweetheart.” And he hung up.

My heart was pounding. Was it a coincidence that he wanted to take me to dinner at the most expensive restaurant in the city?

I lay down on the bed and cried until I fell asleep. It was time to get ready for dinner when I woke up.

After a shower, I put on the only cocktail dress I had at the apartment. But it was nice enough for Moonglow.

By the time Victor walked in the door, I decided to see what else he said and did before asking him flat out if he was having an affair with Chloe.

“You look great, sweetheart,” he said with a smile.

He pulled me close and kissed me, but my imagination produced an image of him kissing Chloe, and I pulled away.

Victor’s eyebrows raised as he studied me. “What’s wrong, Daisy?”

I felt his love for me, but I also felt he was keeping a secret, and he was happy about it.

“Nothing,” I said. “You better get ready to go. They won’t hold a reservation for long.”

Victor entered the bathroom and emerged fifteen minutes later, looking and smelling fantastic. Any woman would want him.

He took my hand, led me to the Lamborghini, and drove us to Moonglow. I tried to make small talk during the drive.

“How was your day?” I asked.

“The same old,” he replied and raised my hand to his lips.

Our table was waiting when we arrived at the restaurant. Victor ordered champagne and oysters for him and an appetizer portion of steak tartare for me.

He was thoughtful and attentive, but he was always good to me like this. Maybe nothing was going on between him and Chloe.

But why was she buying expensive jewelry with his credit card? My mind wouldn’t let it go.

Victor raised his glass of champagne and looked deep into my eyes. “Happy Anniversary, my love,” he said.

“Anniversary?” What was he talking about?

“It’s the anniversary of the day we first met at Gray’s Restaurant,” he said.

I was speechless. He was celebrating the day I threw up on him. It was crazy and romantic.

Or was it just a guilty conscience?

I had to know the truth about him and Chloe. I had to ask him right now.

But he silenced me again by handing me a beautifully wrapped gift.

When I opened it, I started to cry again.