The Plane Tickets He Hoarded The Wife He Hid novel Chapter 42

42 Chapter 42 Rotting Festering Shells

Blanche’s POV 1

The following day, once my shift wrapped up at noon, I made my way to a restaurant nearby.

I’d grown accustomed to solitude; doing things alone had become second nature. The moment I stepped inside, a server approached me.

“Just yourself today, Miss?”

I gave a quick nod. “Could I get something by the window?”

The words had barely left my lips when I glanced toward the window seating–and froze. There was Dean Fisher, rising from a window-

side table.

Someone else occupied that same table. Even seeing just his silhouette, I knew immediately–it was Demetrius.

Whatever conversation they’d been having, Fisher departed without so much as a trace of warmth on his expression.

I stayed back, avoiding Fisher’s notice. Only after he’d exited completely did I gesture toward Demetrius’s table. “That one, please.”

Without hesitation, I strode directly to where Demetrius sat.

Taking the seat across from him, I could see Demetrius appeared deeply preoccupied. Guilt twisted in my chest as I asked softly,

“Something troubling you?”

He looks completely elsewhere, I noted silently.

Demetrius jolted back to the present, finally registering my presence across from him. His face brightened. “Well, look who’s here. What

brings you by?”

Watching Demetrius’s smile only deepened my inner turmoil. I dropped my gaze, mumbling, “Spotted you through the window, so I

wandered over.”

Demetrius pushed the menu my direction. “Order anything you want–this one’s my treat.”

I accepted the menu but made no move to browse it. Instead, I studied Demetrius, wrestling with my words before finally asking,

“What’s your next move?”

Demetrius picked up on my continued concern for his situation.

He gave a casual shrug, feigning nonchalance. “Nothing major planned. Think of it as an unexpected break.”

I kept my eyes fixed on Demetrius, emotions swirling in my expression.

Noticing my state, Demetrius offered a gentle smile. “Seriously, Blanche, don’t stress over this.”

My heart clenched. If this truly meant nothing to him, why would he meet with Mr. Jake again? I wondered.

I understood Demetrius was shielding me from the truth to spare my worry. Even now, he was prioritizing my feelings above his own.

My eyes began to sting as I looked at him, my voice heavy with remorse. “I’m sorry.” This mess started because of me. I knew I’d caused

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Demetrius nothing but trouble.

Demetrius appeared puzzled and let out a small laugh, “What’s the apology for?”

I met his gaze, my eyes watery and red–rimmed. “I’m poison. You need to stay clear of me going forward.”

I realized that if Demetrius hadn’t gotten tangled up with me again, none of this chaos would have touched him.

He’d invested years of grueling effort to reach his position, and now, because of a few words from Zain, his entire world had collapsed.

I understood better than most how brutal medical training could be, yet under Zain’s influence, I felt utterly helpless.

Demetrius’s brow creased, clearly irritated with my words.

But I didn’t care about his anger. I placed a bank card on the table surface. “No PIN required. I’m sorry for everything. Once I leave here,

let’s not cross paths again.”

I had no clue how far Zain might push things, but I suspected keeping distance between Demetrius and me might offer some protection.

After leaving the card behind, I bolted from the restaurant like I was escaping danger.

Demetrius remained stunned. By the time he thought to pursue me, I had already vanished.

I rushed into a different restaurant, my pulse racing–terrified Demetrius might follow, terrified he’d reject the card. This was the only

gesture I could manage.

Suddenly, a surprised voice called out, “Blanche?”

I spun around to find Drew in an expensive suit, watching me with a thin smile. But that smile carried the edge of a concealed weapon,

cutting and cold.

I stared him down, breathless, but remained silent.

Drew approached with a serious expression. “Blanche, grabbed lunch yet? If not, want to share a meal?”

I scoffed at his transparent act. “Drop the pleasant act. We’re not friends.”

Drew’s voice rose, dripping with sarcasm. “Already trying to distance yourself from Zain, Blanche?”

During my attempts to reach Zain, I’d sweet–talked Drew countless times.

But now, facing the man before me, all I could see was his complete artificiality–fake to his very core.

I fixed him with an icy stare. “That’s right.”

I didn’t bother with denials. I simply accepted the label Drew had thrown at me, no beating around the bush.

Drew looked momentarily stunned. He actually thought I seemed different now–no longer buzzing around like some persistent pest.

But watching me act so confident and defiant really irritated him. It made him feel like Zain deserved someone better.

So he sneered, “Still carrying a torch for Demetrius? Haven’t learned your lesson yet?”

Drew reached for his phone, preparing to make a call. But I glared at him, my voice cutting. “Drew, enough. You have issues with me,

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fine. Why drag innocent people into this?”

The typically mild–mannered me had transformed into a cornered cat showing its claws; I looked ready to tear someone apart.

Drew had never witnessed this side of me before. For a brief moment, he found it almost intriguing. He chuckled and asked, “Blanche, really that protective of him?”

I gave a bitter laugh. “Spare me your garbage. Demetrius and I are just fellow students.”

Drew acted as though he hadn’t heard a word, just grinning. “Blanche, you’re still Zain’s wife. I wouldn’t dare touch you so carelessly.”

“Drew, you’re all such frauds. Polished and virtuous on the surface, but underneath all that shine, you’re just rotting, festering shells.”

My eyes blazed with fury–I was finished with kissing up to Drew like before.

Drew studied me, momentarily unsettled by that fierce, almost feral gleam in my eyes. The submissive girl who used to beam at them all had truly disappeared.

Just as he prepared to respond, Joanna appeared from nowhere. “Drew?”

Drew turned and spotted Joanna. His face immediately lit up. “Hey there, Joanna.”

With Joanna, Drew became an entirely different person.

Everyone in Zain’s circle, not just Drew but Nicholas and the rest, showed Joanna tremendous deference.

Except me. Despite being Zain’s wife, everyone around him treated me like I was invisible.

They gave Joanna the same level of respect they showed Zain himself.

The reason wasn’t hard to grasp. The person Zain truly valued had always been Joanna.

If this had happened previously, I would have felt pretty wounded. But now? I was surprisingly unaffected.

Joanna spotted me as well. She looked somewhat surprised and asked Drew, “What’s happening here?”

Drew simply shrugged. “Nothing important, Joanna.”

Joanna didn’t push for details. She turned to me and asked, “Ms. Callum, care to join us for lunch?”

I looked at Joanna’s smile and felt nothing but revulsion. “Cut the performance. I don’t want your phony sympathy, and I have zero

interest in spending time with manipulative people like you.”

Drew bristled at my tone. “That’s no way to address Joanna.”

Joanna positioned herself in front of Drew and said, “Drew, let it go. Zain is coming. Don’t create drama.”

Hearing this, Drew finally stepped back.

I found the entire situation absurd, but I kept quiet. I simply turned and headed for the exit.

As I hurried from the restaurant, I misjudged a step and nearly tumbled down the stair edge.

But just then, someone caught my arm and steadied me. “Whoa, you okay?”

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