My Secret Husband Is My Cold Boss novel Chapter 86

"Did he say anything else besides telling you to go over for dinner?"

Sampson had left the house early Saturday morning with his luggage in tow.

Since she didn't have to work overtime, Wendy met up with Jade for dinner at a local pub.

A good burger and fries required beer.

Jade waved a hand and confidently ordered two pitchers from the waitress.

"Hold on."

Wendy shook her head. "I'm going to Sampson's parents' house for dinner tomorrow. I shouldn't drink."

Jade tried to coax her. "Not even one glass?"

Still haunted by last week's drunken incident, Wendy firmly shook her head.

Jade didn't push the issue.

"Fair enough."

"Keep a clear head so you can check up on him tonight."

"Check up on him? You mean Sampson?" Wendy asked.

Jade gave her a baffled look. "Who else?"

"You're married. He's out of town on business. Isn't it totally normal to check in?"

"Did you forget the kind of impression he left on you when you first saw him?"

It had been at an annual conference when Sampson was giving a keynote speech. Wendy certainly hadn't forgotten.

Jade nodded emphatically. "Exactly."

"Aren't you worried some other female doctor might pull the exact same move you did?"

Wendy couldn't help but laugh. "You really need to work on your phrasing."

Jade let out a cheeky laugh.

It was a cozy local spot.

The ventilation wasn't the best, and as the kitchen heated up, a layer of condensation formed over the windows.

The colorful neon streetlights outside blurred into abstract shapes.

Wendy wasn't used to eating heavy meals at night, and after a few bites, she felt full.

She put her fork down.

Just then, a grandmother and granddaughter walked past the window outside.

There was a patch of ice on the pavement by the door, and the young girl was carefully holding the older woman's arm to keep her steady.

"What are you looking at?"

Noticing Wendy spacing out, Jade waved a hand in front of her face.

"Nothing."

Wendy pulled her gaze back. "It's almost the anniversary of my grandmother's passing."

Her grandmother's memorial was right before the holidays.

The busiest, most festive time of the year.

Jade remembered. "Hey, I'm back in the states this year. I'll go with you to leave floral tributes."

Wendy's phone buzz suddenly interrupted them.

It was a video call.

From Sampson.

The rhythmic, chiming ringtone startled Wendy.

Her heart started hammering in time with the tone.

But she didn't answer.

"Why aren't you answering?" Jade leaned over to get a look.

Then she let out a loud gasp. "Whoa, is Dr. Sanders checking up on you?"

Wendy replied, "He probably hit the wrong button."

Whenever they needed to communicate, they just texted. They barely even did voice calls.

Let alone video calls.

Jade gave Wendy a look that said 'I wasn't born yesterday.' "Please, explain to me how someone accidentally dials a video call."

While they were talking, the call automatically disconnected.

In their chat, Sampson quickly sent a text: [Are you still at work?]

[I'm off.]

Wendy replied: [I missed your call.]

Another video call immediately popped up.

As the ringtone sounded again, Jade shot Wendy a told-you-so glance and teased, "I guess he hit the wrong button again, huh?"

Maybe it was an emergency.

"Send me your location tracking when you get in your Uber."

The call ended.

Jade immediately shrieked, "Holy shit!"

"This man knows exactly what he's doing!"

Jade grabbed Wendy's hands, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. "When you see your mother-in-law tomorrow, you absolutely have to ask if they want to adopt me, okay?"

Wendy laughed.

After dinner, the two of them went their separate ways.

Jade had been drinking, so she called a designated driver.

Wendy called an Uber.

Once she was in the car, she shared her trip status with Sampson.

He replied instantly: [Got it.]

The apartment complex felt slightly more lively on a weekend.

The security guard at the gate recognized Wendy and greeted her as he opened it. "Is Dr. Sanders working late again tonight?"

It was a luxury complex with very few residents, so the guards knew almost everyone.

If the two of them came home together, they usually drove straight into the underground garage.

Wendy nodded. "Yeah."

She took the elevator up, unlocked the door, and walked inside.

The lights in the living room were already on.

High-end buildings like this didn't have security risks.

Wendy sent Sampson a text: [I'm home.]

[Did you leave the living room lights on?]

Sampson: [Yeah.]

[Make sure to lock the door before you go to sleep. Sweet dreams.]

Wendy: [Sweet dreams.]

Planning to leave around nine the next morning, Wendy set an alarm for eight before going to bed.

Maybe it was because she had grown used to having another person in the house, but she tossed and turned all night.

She had just finally drifted off when a jarring phone ring woke her up—