Chapter 352 Caught In The
Act
Renee lay on the bed, watching William peel an apple for her. His phone buzzed, and when she glanced at the screen, she saw it was Denton calling.
William gave it a quick look before turning back to the apple, his hands steady. He didn’t pick up.
“Aren’t you going to answer that?” Renee asked, confused.
“No rush. It’s nothing important.”
She nodded, brushing off the thought. It didn’t seem worth worrying about.
Once he finished peeling, William handed her the apple. He then grabbed his phone and stepped outside.
Renee’s gaze lingered on him for a moment, her brow furrowing as she watched him disappear outside the door.
Renee grabbed her phone, found Barr’s number, and hit dial. “Barr, do you know where I went the night before last?”
Barr sounded puzzled for a moment before answering, “Weren’t you at home the whole time? After you fell asleep, I left.’
Renee’s voice was tight as she explained, “I got a call from Ryland late that night and went out. I think I went to a bar, but I can’t remember the name. Can you figure out where I went and what happened? I need to know as soon as possible.”
Barr’s tone shifted instantly. If Renee couldn’t even recall what happened, something serious must’ve gone down. This was on him.
“I’ll look into it right away!” He was about to end the call, but then hesitated. His concern bubbled up. “Ms. Carter, are you okay? Were you hurt?”
“No,” she replied, her voice steady, but something about it didn’t sound convincing.
Renee held back the truth about passing out and losing any memory of that night, not wanting to add more worry to Barr’s plate.
But as soon as she hung up, Barr called Ryder. He knew he couldn’t hide the fact that he had dropped the ball on this one.
It wasn’t long before Ryder’s call came through. Renee wasn’t surprised-Barr was always thorough like that.
“What’s going on?” Ryder’s voice was blunt as soon as she picked up.
Renee didn’t hesitate. In front of Ryder, there was no reason to keep anything back. She told him everything, from the strange night to the pieces of her memory that had gone missing.
Renee could hear the shift in Ryder’s tone, the darkening of his mood. When he spoke again, his voice was colder than usual. “Are you sure you weren’t hurt?”
Renee replied, her voice steady, “Yes, I’m sure. I just passed out. I think I might’ve been drugged. As for what happened after that… I still can’t piece it together.”
Ryder hesitated, and then started, “Your body-” but seemed to catch himself, realizing it wasn’t the right thing to say.
Renee quickly understood. “No, I’ve checked. There’s no sign of assault.”
Ryder let out a quiet sigh. “I’ll have someone help Barr get to the bottom of this, as soon
as possible.”
“Okay.”
The line fell quiet, and for a moment, the tension hung between them, thick and
awkward.
Ryder broke the silence, his tone lighter now. “How have you been lately?”
“I’m fine. How about you?” Renee replied, her voice soft and obedient. Then, something crossed her mind, and she asked, “The weather’s been getting colder. Has your old ailment been acting up again? You should make time to visit the masseur for a massage.”
Ryder had always struggled with headaches whenever the weather turned cold, often keeping him up all night. Only after a few sessions of nice massage would he feel any
relief.
Just as Renee finished asking, William walked in, returning from his phone call. The moment he entered, he caught the soft tone in her voice and the concern in her words. It stirred an uncomfortable feeling in him, one he couldn’t quite place.
“It’s fine. I’m feeling much better now,” Ryder reassured her.
Renee glanced up, meeting William’s gaze. His eyes were fixed on her, studying her, and the air between them thickened with tension.
Renee couldn’t shake the feeling that she’d been caught in the act even though she didn’t do anything wrong.
