Phoebe had been ensnared in unconsciousness for two long days. When she finally awoke, a gnawing hunger clawed at her insides. She gingerly picked up the spoon and took a few tentative sips of the chicken soup before her. Suddenly, a warmth blossomed on her cheek, causing her to freeze in place. Theodore’s hand was there, gently caressing her face. His slender fingers treated her as if she were a fragile piece of porcelain, exerting only the lightest touch.In a state of astonishment, Phoebe turned her gaze to him, forgetting to swallow the mouthful of soup she had taken. His eyes held a tender emotion that left her dumbfounded. Theodore’s thumb lightly traced the outline of her bruised cheek, a face he would never dare harm, no matter the intensity of his anger. Now, it bore the marks of violence. “Does it hurt?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.Phoebe suspected that if she admitted to the pain, he would feel it more acutely than she did. So, she shook her head, replying, “It doesn’t hurt now.”

Theodore’s gaze swept over her face, his lips parting to say something, when a knock at the door interrupted him. His hand tensed, then relaxed. “Come in!” he called out.Lawton pushed open the door but remained in the doorway. “Mrs. Reynolds, you’re awake?” he greeted Phoebe.”Yes,” Phoebe replied softly, not wanting to alarm anyone with her current appearance.

Theodore noticed her discomfort. Rising from his seat, he took note of the rash on her neck. “You should eat first. I’ll be back,” he said, before leaving the room.Phoebe nodded in response. Theodore cast her a lingering glance before turning on his heel and exiting the room. Lawton followed him, and together, they ascended to the rooftop. Theodore lit a cigarette, exhaling a puff of smoke into the crisp autumn wind. “How’s the investigation going?” he asked.”After Tompson’s incident, his assistant realized something was amiss and fled. No one else at Tompson’s company knew he was meeting Mrs. Reynolds that day,” Lawton reported.

Theodore took another drag of his cigarette, his voice slightly hoarse from the nicotine. “What about the hotel? Was there a mole?””Yes, Tompson has a history. They chose that hotel for the meeting because they had a mole there. In the past, when he harmed other girls, nothing happened to him. Someone always covered for him. They thought it would be the same this time, and if something went wrong, there would be witnesses to testify that Mrs. Reynolds was there voluntarily,” Lawton explained.

Theodore’s face darkened. “It seems to be a group effort.””It appears so, and they’ve been successful in recent years. They’ve become more audacious, thinking that Mrs. Reynolds could be appeased with a few roles, just like the other actresses they’ve taken advantage of. So, they’ve become even more brazen,” Lawton added.A malicious smile played on Theodore’s lips, a bloodthirsty gleam in his eyes. “Then I’ll show them what happens when they mess with the wrong person,” he vowed. He was no stranger to the underhanded tactics that lurked beneath the surface of this seemingly peaceful era. As long as they didn’t cross his path, he could turn a blind eye. But now that Phoebe had been victimized, he couldn’t stand idly by.”Lawton, gather their criminal records and hand them over to the police. And as for those involved in framing Phoebe, I will personally deal with them,” Theodore ordered. Lawton nodded in understanding. “All right.”Theodore released another puff of smoke, his handsome face momentarily obscured. The bloodthirsty gleam in his eyes was more pronounced, a chilling sight to behold. Following Theodore’s instructions, Lawton immediately reached out to the previous victims. Some of the artists were relatively unknown, but as soon as Lawton contacted them, they agreed to come forward and accuse Tompson.

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