CHAPTER 16: CHAPTER 16: HE’S STILL ACTING

Vera’s heart twisted violently.

The ringing inside stopped, but her phone was still dialing, clearly Ian Kane had put it on silent.

Vera hung up and dialed his number again. There was no more ringing in the box, and Ian Kane still didn’t pick up her call.

As she was about to dial his number again, the door to the box opened from the inside, and Nina had her phone pressed to her ear, making a call.

"I don’t have time tomorrow afternoon... Uh, okay then, bye-bye."

Vera was taken aback. Was the ringing phone just now hers?

In the next second, the familiar peach-flavored women’s perfume mixed with the scent of tobacco and alcohol on a man, drilled straight into her mind.

"Ms. Sheridan, is that you!"

The girl’s eyes sparkled, her lips swollen, appearing as if she had just been dearly loved by a man. As she spoke, she pulled her LV shawl over to cover the fresh kiss marks on her chest.

Every tiny gesture was explaining the phrase "trying to cover up something" to Vera.

Vera calmly said, "I came over to say hello to you and also to take care of something, may I come in?"

Nina blinked her eyelids, clearly looking guilty, "Sure, sure! Come in!"

As Vera stepped into the box, her cold gaze swept across the luxurious box.

No sign of any men.

Only the frosted glass door of the restroom vaguely reflected a tall and indistinct silhouette.

She had forgotten, this box has its own restroom.

"Did I interrupt you and your boyfriend?" She looked at Nina.

Her peripheral vision caught sight of a men’s wristwatch on the coffee table.

A Patek Philippe limited edition, Ian Kane has the same model, he was wearing it today too.

Nina shook her head, using a pillow to cover up the clearly violently torn silver paper box on the crimson sofa.

"You didn’t interrupt." As she spoke, her gaze held a clear hint of glee and provocation.

Vera noticed the words "Okamoto 001" on the box.

Nina seemed to be telling her with actions, that the man in the restroom was her husband Ian Kane.

Also, the usual trick an affair partner uses to rise in rank.

Vera glanced at the restroom and asked with a lifted voice, "Is it still inconvenient to introduce your boyfriend to me? I heard he’s in my husband’s circle."

Before she could finish her words, the sound of running water "splash splash" came from inside.

The muscles on Vera’s forehead twitched, but she maintained a composed smile.

Nina glanced timidly towards the restroom, then at her, her fingers twirling the scarf, looking as though she dared not make introductions, "Ms. Sheridan, maybe next time."

How could Vera not see, she was hinting at her again.

She restrained the urge to rush into the restroom and catch someone in the act.

That was not Vera’s style.

She sat down, put her bag on the coffee table, covering the watch, and also took out a receipt from her bag, handing it to Nina, "This is your receipt for the money you repaid."

The day before yesterday, Nina transferred 800,000 to her.

Nina looked down on her, overseeing as she slowly accepted it from her hand, the corners of her lips turned up, "Ms. Sheridan, do we really need to be so clear about this? You are my mentor, do you think I’d cheat you?"

Vera scrutinized the breathtaking, sexy, top-to-toe branded girl, who was like a marvel in front of her.

Her mind was filled with an image of the small girl wearing a second-hand ballet outfit, with patched-up pointe shoes, dancing a pirouette on the hot and hard concrete ground, working hard yet simple.

"Mentor..." The word slid down her throat, her jaw muscles twitched, and she sneered sarcastically.

Silently, Vera picked up the watch, stood up, and walked towards the door.

Nina looked at her limping steps, smirked, "Ms. Sheridan, watch your step in the dark passageway here, be careful not to trip."

It sounded like a tone of "caring" for someone with a disability.

Vera ignored her.

Her slender figure quickly disappeared at the door of the box, Nina smirked proudly, closing the door, tore off the shawl, and walked towards the restroom.

A flashback of the once-celebrated Vera filled her mind.

Back then, every street and alley was adorned with her posters and endorsement ads.

Now, those would be Nina Sullivan’s.

Vera left the box in hurried steps, clutching the cold mechanical watch in her pocket tightly. The phone in her bag kept ringing, she didn’t answer.

Two male voices came from around the corner of the corridor: "Where on earth did she go? Limping as she is, if she trips again, Kane will go mad!"

"Quick, let’s find her!"

Jonah Langdon and Ethan Hart saw her, rushing towards her, "Sister-in-law, where have you been?"

Vera appeared calm, "I went to say hello to my student, what’s wrong?"

Jonah Langdon, "Kane just saw the client downstairs and is at the parking lot waiting for us to take you down to meet him."

After seeing the client off, he’s waiting for her in the parking lot...

Vera laughed coldly inside.

Is Ian Kane still pretending?

Coming out of Nina’s box, hiding in the underground parking lot, saying he was seeing a client, perfectly covering up his affair.

Nodding to Jonah Langdon and Ethan Hart, she said with a faint tone, "No need to trouble you to take me, I’ll go down by myself."

Ethan Hart, "How could we let you!"

Vera didn’t indulge in pleasantries with them.

The elevator arrived at B1, as soon as the door opened, Ian Kane’s handsome face came into Vera’s view.

The man stepped forward, wanting to hold her hand, Vera instinctively withdrew her hand.

Her gaze was fixed on his left wrist.

Sure enough, the watch was gone.

"Mrs. Kane, I just called you back, why didn’t you answer? My phone was on silent." Ian Kane frowned, noticing her strange behavior, explained gently.

Vera didn’t respond, walking past him out of the elevator.

Ian Kane’s face darkened.

In the car, Vera still didn’t say a word, Ian Kane leaned closer, his voice gentle, "Are you angry with me? Where did you go just now?"

The man carried a strong tobacco smell, no other scent was detectable.

Looking out of the car window, Vera’s mind suddenly conjured the image of the Okamoto on the sofa, her throat clogged, "I went to Nina’s box."

"Did she give you trouble again?" Ian Kane’s tone cooled a bit, tugging off his tie, "Besides, what did you look for her for?"

Vera was momentarily stunned, thinking to herself, he truly has good acting skills.

"I went to say hello and provide a receipt, bumped into her and her mysterious boyfriend..." her tone indifferent, as she finished her sentence, she turned her head, scrutinizing his every move under the dome light.

The man raised an eyebrow, "Is he really from our circle? Who?"

Flawless.

Vera, "I don’t know, he was hiding in the restroom, as if unable to face people."

Ian Kane’s lips curved slightly, "Those guys, they’re at the age to discuss marriage, their families are keeping a close watch, how could they flirt outside. You know, not every rich kid has the ability like your husband, to marry the one he loves."

His implication was, Nina’s boyfriend was hiding from her for a reason.

Though he said so, in Vera’s view, he was deflecting suspicion from himself.

Did it have to be like in her mother’s time, where she catches him cheating in bed, for him to admit?

She glanced at his left wrist, with a faint smile, "Mr. Kane, where’s your watch?"