After three rounds of drinks, even I felt slightly lightheaded.
Carter stumbled out of the room, leaving an uncomfortable silence in his wake. Moments later, Scarlett received a message. She abruptly stood up, her cheeks and earlobes turning crimson.
When she noticed my questioning gaze, she quickly composed herself, forcing a calm tone.
“Honey, I was injured during the last mission, and the doctor advised me not to drink. I’ll head to the infirmary for a bit. You stay here and enjoy yourself with the others.”
With hurried steps, she left the room. A soft vibration came from my pocket—her message.
[Come to Room 302. There’s a surprise.]
The tone was cold, unlike Scarlett's usual warmth. Was it Carter’s provocation?
I lowered my gaze and ignored it, quietly pulling out my phone and accessing the intranet’s surveillance feed instead. The scene unfolding on the screen was nothing short of debauchery.
Carter, now dressed in a sheer, water-soaked shirt, leaned against Scarlett with predatory confidence. His toned muscles glistened under the light, exuding an allure Scarlett couldn’t seem to resist. Her flushed face and dreamy gaze betrayed her eagerness as she lay on the bed, waiting.
Carter grinned, satisfied, as he leaned in closer. But today, Scarlett seemed more impatient than usual, urging Carter to hurry up. She had no time for foreplay or idle talk—she was focused only on satisfying her desires so she could return home to play the role of a “loving wife.”
But then Scarlett’s eyes caught something on her phone—a message Carter had sent without her knowledge.
Her blood ran cold. The haze of passion dissipated in an instant. Scarlett shot up from the bed, her voice sharp and laced with fury. “You’d better hope my husband didn’t see this, or I’ll make sure you regret it!”
She stormed out of the room, ignoring Carter’s desperate pleas to stay. Her heels clattered loudly against the stairs as she rushed down, nearly twisting her ankle in her frantic pace.
But the fear of what awaited her if I had seen that message far outweighed the pain. Terrifying thoughts raced through her mind. “Did Henry see the message? Did he go to Room 302?” The consequences were too awful to imagine.
When Scarlett finally pushed open the restaurant door and saw me sitting calmly at the table, she exhaled a long breath of relief.
She threw herself into my arms, gasping for air. “Honey… you didn’t see the message I sent, right?”
I smiled, shaking my head. “My phone died earlier. What message? Was it important?”
Relief flooded her features. Her voice turned syrupy sweet, like honey dripping from a comb. “It’s nothing. Just having you by my side is all that matters.”
The other team members chuckled and began to tease her.
“Scarlett, the tigress, has turned into a kitten!”
“Henry, you have no idea. Scarlett is the strongest, scariest woman on the team. But today, she’s all soft and sweet!”
“Tsk, tsk. Henry, you should come around more often. Maybe Scarlett will stop scolding us so much!”
The room erupted in laughter.
***
Moments later, Carter entered, his face composed, though the flicker of bitterness in his eyes was unmistakable. “Yes, with Henry here, Scarlett seems so… different,” he said, his smile just wide enough to mask his spite.
He raised his glass in a toast. “To Henry—take good care of Scarlett. There are quite a few folks in the General Agents Department with their eye on her.”
I played along, feigning interest. “Oh? Is that so? Who in particular?”
Carter raised an eyebrow, his grin turning smug. “Well, there’s someone on this very team who admires her.”
Scarlett’s face darkened instantly, her smile faltering as panic flickered in her eyes. She forced a laugh, her tone overly light. “Don’t be ridiculous, Carter. Honey, he’s just joking.”
Carter leaned back in his chair, his expression defiant. “Of course, Henry, it’s just casual talk. Don’t read too much into it.”
But his tone betrayed his intentions—he wanted me to doubt her. Scarlett, clearly rattled, quickly tugged on my arm, her voice trembling slightly. “Let’s go home, Henry.”
I nodded, rising to my feet. The air between us felt heavy with unspoken truths as we left the restaurant together.
