Chapter 26 fm Traveling Mr. Clemens, Are You Just “Passing By oo?
Chapter 26 I’m Traveling–Mr. Clemens, Are You Just “Passing By” Too?
She frantically replayed their conversation in her head.
He said he came back to sleep, and she said the same-
So what?!
How was she supposed to respond to that?
SO…
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Just moments ago, she had been the fierce, dazzling woman dominating the banquet hall. Now, those foxy eyes of hers shimmered with confusion and hesitation, making her look like a little girl who’d just been stumped by a tough question. That blend of innocence and allure–sweet yet seductive–could make a man ache all the way from his heart to his gut.
Charlie turned his gaze away.
Seeing he wasn’t going to pursue the conversation, Candice lowered her head as well.
And just like that, the awkward topic died in the silence. The elevator reached her floor. She politely said her goodbye: “Good night, Mr. Clemens. Sleep well.”
Charlie merely responded with a soft “Mm.”
Candice stepped out and watched as the elevator doors slowly slid shut.
Just as she was about to let out a breath of relief, a pale, long finger suddenly slipped between the doors, and they opened again
Her nerves, which had just begun to relax, tensed right back up.
“I tried on the suit,” Charlie said calmly.
Ah. That.
Candice smiled. “Did it fit?”
“Not really. Shoulders were too narrow, and the pants were too short.”
”
Candice froze, internally letting out a groan. “Then… maybe I should just pay you back.”
Charlie didn’t respond to that.
Instead, he locked eyes with her–deep, dark, bottomless eyes that made it impossible to tell what he was feeling.
The elevator doors closed again, slowly and silently.
Candice stood there, dazed.
What did that mean?
Was that good? Or bad?
Couldn’t he just give her a straight answer?
This kind of cryptic communication, where she had to guess everything, was exhausting. That was exactly why she had bailed on the small talk earlier–talking to him was mentally draining. It felt like her brain cells were dying off with every sentence.
But then she remembered: he’d saved her life, spoke up for her in front of everyone tonight, and even followed her into the park just to make sure she was okay.
Thinking of all that, she suddenly felt a little guilty.
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Chapter 26 fm Traveling–Kr. Clemens, Are You Just Passing By 06?
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She walked back inside, dropped her bag to the side, and collapsed bonelessly onto the couch. Within minutes, she was sound asleep.
At the police station.
Kyle stared at the nine photos laid out before him–eight grimy–looking men and one woman. Each of the men looked sleazy and rat–like.
He didn’t dare imagine what would happen if his wife really had been violated by these gutter rats.
Worse, he didn’t dare picture how desperate she must have been at the time.
“Your wife stated she was drugged and taken to the hotel room. She says she called you three times. You didn’t answer the first two, and on the third try, it was your mistress, Mia Jones, who picked up. She recorded that call. Let’s play it back.”
The officer pressed play.
Kyle listened again, as if being torn apart all over.
And the way the officer framed it–she called you three times–laid the whole ugly truth bare before him. The blood seemed to drain from his face. He rested his head on his folded arm, eyes clouded with despair.
“Explain. Why didn’t you answer? And why was your mistress the one holding your phone?”
The officer’s tone was official but unmistakably laced with disdain
Kyle took a deep breath and looked up. “I was working late at the office. Mia… she came by and took my phone. Said she wanted to play a game. I was busy and didn’t think much of it.”
“You let your mistress play with something as private as your phone?” The officer was clearly unimpressed.
“You can check the security footage. My office has cameras.”
“Don’t worry. We’ll verify everything.”
In the other two rooms, Mia Jones and Caroline were also being interrogated.
Mia, tear–streaked and sobbing, tried to shove all the blame onto Caroline.
When asked whether Kyle was involved, she flatly denied it, frantically insisting he had nothing to do with it. She even claimed she’d only said what she did on the phone to provoke Candice.
She played the tragic lover to perfection–willing to throw everyone else under the bus, but swearing to protect her beloved Kyle to the bitter end.
The female officers interrogating her were so disgusted they nearly spit on her.
Meanwhile, Caroline sat pale and flushed in turns, humiliated beyond belief.
She answered everything truthfully, down to the last detail.
She’d never been so ashamed in her life.
She regretted everything–believing the Jones family’s daughter was decent, thinking Mia would be a good match. Who would’ve guessed the girl was more vicious than a ghost?
And now Mia had pinned everything on her. There was no way she’d let her marry into the Jackson family now!
While the three suspects were being questioned, the Jackson and Jones families‘ lawyers had already arrived, trying to arrange
bail.
But Sophia was ready.
She stayed at the station, supplied more evidence of the crimes, and conveyed the victim’s stance: no mercy.
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Chapter 26 I’m Traveling–44 Clemens, Are You Just Passing By 50?
That b*tch Mia wasn’t going anywhere.
As for Kyle… he wasn’t walking out before 8 a.m. the next day, no matter what.
2 a.m.
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Sophia left the police station and drove straight to Candice’s apartment.
Candice had woken up after a few hours of sleep. She’d taken off her red dress, wiped off her makeup, and was now packing a
suitcase.
“I brought midnight snacks. Come eat.”
The two of them sat on the balcony, eating grilled skewers and sipping beer.
Candice ran her fingers over her glass, gazing at the stars above. “Some people say you should feel happy after getting revenge. I guess I should be happy.”
Then she downed the rest of her beer in one go and exhaled deeply. “Damn, that felt good.”
Sophia looked at her–her beautiful, bare face–and felt a pang in her heart.
This marriage had peeled off her skin, nearly killed her. She’d barely crawled out of it, thinking she could at least leave with some dignity. But even that tiny wish, Kyle hadn’t granted her.
He’d forced her to go mad. To burn everything down.
“Candice… do you think you’ll ever believe in love again?”
She asked Candice, but really, she was asking herself. She wasn’t sure anymore.
Maybe no matter how kind, how good, how beautiful a girl was, she’d still end up betrayed and broken.
Candice cradled her beer glass and looked out at the still, silent world. “I can’t judge all dogs just because I got bitten by one.”
“But… if a dog comes near me again, I’ll run. Far.”
Sophia nodded with understanding.
In the end… she wouldn’t believe in love again either.
They drank until the bottles were empty. Then, tipsy and wrapped in blankets, they chatted about everything–funny memories, sad ones, the past, the present, the uncertain future–laughing and crying until Candice finally drifted off in Sophia’s arms.
Early morning.
Candice, dressed in a trench coat and pushing her suitcase, came into the living room.
Sophia hugged her. “Go enjoy your trip. Leave the rest to me. When you get back, you’ll have your divorce certificate in hand, and that chapter will be over.”
“Mm.”
Candice nodded.
She was still determined to take her trip. It might be selfish to dump everything on Sophia, but she needed to escape- anywhere, as far as possible.
Her flight was at 8 a.m.
Sophia planned to drive her, but suddenly received a call from the police–Kyle’s cleared of suspicion and would be released in
half an hour!
“Candice, something came up. You go on your own. Safe travels.” She didn’t tell Candice what was happening. Instead, she
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Chapter 26 I’m Traveling Mr. Clemens, Are You Just Passing By Go?
patted her head and rushed off with her bag.
Damn Kyle.
Even if she had to sit on him and hug his legs, she’d delay him unt 8 a.m. sharp.
Candice wheeled her suitcase out of the apartment.
While waiting for a taxi at the entrance, an unfamiliar number popped up on her phone.
Her gut told her not to answer.
Just then, a silver–roofed Maybach rolled out of the complex and stopped right in front of her.
The driver’s window rolled down.
Jim smiled kindly. “Miss Hale, where are you off to?”
Candice looked up, momentarily surprised, but answered honestly, “To the airport.”
“Perfect. So are we. Hop in–it’s on the way.”
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Ch
