The CEO's Regret: Darling, Don’t Leave Me novel Chapter 201

Chapter

Devon’t Add Up–2

“We’ll proceed with the corresponding legal protocol.”

There it is, the closure. The procedure, the standard. But for me… it’s not enough.

“I don’t want protocol”

I look straight at him.

“I want answers.”

The silence falls again, but more tense.

“We’re going to continue investigating,” he finally says. “But with what we have… The case is clear.”

I shake my head.

“No.”

It isn’t, but I know I’m not going to get anything more out of this. Not now… I stand up.

“If you find anything else…”

“We’ll let you know.”

I nod, turn around, and leave, but I don’t feel any better. On the contrary, that emptiness… that feeling…

is still there. Stronger, something doesn’t add up. And I know it.

I’m on my way to the exit and when I get there, then I see him.

Alexander.

The man is coming in, but he stops when he sees me. I do the same.

The moment… It’s uncomfortable, very uncomfortable, and quiet.

We looked at each other for a second, two, three. And I hesitated whether to say hello.

I thought about last night, Clara… about what she said, what she implied, what she didn’t say.

Everything is there, between us, but no one mentions it. Not here, not now.

I take a step, he does too. We stand face to face, very close.

“Ethan.”

His tone is serious.

Controlled.

“Alexander.”

I answered the same way, without nuance, without warmth. Without anything. Just the bare minimum.

There’s a second when neither of us moves, but we do. Because it’s necessary, because the situation

demands it.

But I’m frot convinced, I can see it. And yet… I try to make sense of it.

“Maybe he had already seen me…”

I mean…

“Maybe he followed me.”

My shoulders barely shrug.

“Maybe he saw something of value in me. A bag, a jewel. Something.”

“And he waited for the moment.”

I breathe.

“I don’t know…”

I look down.

“Let justice take care of it.”

I don’t want to carry that, I don’t want to judge. I don’t want to stay in that place.

I look up. And I notice something.

Ethan is looking at me… more than usual. More fixed, more… deep.

I barely frown.

“Is something wrong?”

He shakes his head.

“No…”

He pauses.

“I’m just thinking, what a coincidence that Alexander showed up… right?”

The air changes, subtle. But it changes.

I blink.

“Yes…”

I nod slo

“I’ve b

My

had the best days…”

A

It’s not.”

“We stand there, two men, two versions. Two interpretations of the same situation.

And something… doesn’t quité add up.

But neither of us says it, not out loud. Not here.

“I’m going in,” he finally says.

I nod.

“Of course.”

We take a step to pass each other, but before he can… he stops.

“Ethan.”

I look at him.

“Take care of her.”

That phrase… I don’t like it. Not because of what it says, because of how it sounds, because of what it

implies.

But I did not react.

“Always.”

I answer without hesitation.

He nods and enters.

I go out and the air hits me again. But this time… It doesn’t help.

I get in the car, but before I start the engine… I stay there. I look toward where I saw him walking and disappearing into the distance.

I stay there thinking, feeling, analyzing. And the only thing i’m sure of is this… This isn’t over

r ୮ Not for me, because there’s something… that doesn’t add up. And until I understand it… I won’t be at peace. Even if the investigator wants to take everything for granted based on just one confession.

Comments