Chapter 4 Caught In The Act

• Having said that, Cassius abruptly let go of Samantha's hand. His hawk-like eyes, cold and detached, watched as she desolately slumped to the ground, not a shred of sympathy flickering in his gaze.
• “Women. They always think they're so smart when they're, in fact, incredibly foolish.” With this harsh, cold remark, Cassius turned on his heel and strode away.
• “What the hell? That guy is such a b*stard! He's out of his mind. Arghh! What a jerk!”
• Samantha clenched her fists tightly, shouting in frustration.
• Splish, splash.
• She scooped up a handful of water from a running faucet and splashed it onto her own face. As she looked at her somewhat disheveled reflection in the mirror, she couldn't help but curse under her breath.
• “That guy's a total lunatic. He knows nothing about being a gentleman! What kind of a man is that? He's despicable. He thinks he's all that, strutting around like he's special. He'd better hope I never see him again, or he'll regret it!”
• The woman stared at her reflection with gritted teeth. The resentment that had been building up inside her eased slightly with each tirade.
• “Today's an absolute disaster.”
• Flicking her glossy black hair, Samantha stepped out of the bathroom, her sketchpad slung over her shoulder. As soon as she stepped out, she caught a glimpse of a familiar figure swiftly passing by her field of vision.
• “Maverick? That guy looked just like him.” She stood still, stunned for a moment. Then, as if guided by some unseen force, she followed the familiar figure she had just spotted.
• He's supposed to be on a business trip in Azania. How could he be here? More importantly, the man she had just seen was even holding a bouquet of fiery red roses.
• Samantha followed him all the way from a distance. The view of his back, the shape of his head, and even his walking posture—the more she looked, the more she was convinced this man was her boyfriend, Maverick.
• “Who is he planning to see with those roses?”
• A flicker of doubt quickly passed through Samantha's clear eyes. Her innate feminine intuition kicked into high gear, swiftly shifting into analysis mode. In a split second, she had already considered dozens of possibilities for Maverick's presence there.
• At the corridor's bend, she watched as the man, joyously holding a bouquet of roses, entered a room with a delighted expression. The sight of his happiness deeply wounded her.
• “What could possibly make him so happy?” she asked herself, having never seen Maverick smile so merrily before.
• Who could the person in the room be? This question was like a rope, tightly coiled around her neck, making it impossible for her to stay calm.
• Samantha's eyes were firmly planted on the room that Maverick had entered. She treaded on the plush red carpet, moving step by step toward the door.
• Her right hand hovered in mid-air, hesitating for a moment. Knock, knock, knock.
• Samantha stood at the doorway, taking deep breaths while reminding herself to stay calm. Maybe it's not another woman in there. Maybe he came back early and planned a surprise for me.
• Her mind was spinning rapidly, a myriad of scenes uncontrollably pressing in like a tidal wave, squeezing into her thoughts.
• Click.
• The moment the door was pulled open, Samantha was once again hit with an unprecedented shock. It was as if a muffled thunderbolt had struck her head, leaving her mind blank for a moment. It was as if a flurry of snowflakes had descended, filling her entire mind with white specks.
• “Alicia?”
• Samantha glanced at a disheveled-looking Alicia Quimby, her sister, standing at the door with her clothes in disarray. The room was still heavy with the lingering scent of a secret rendezvous that had not yet fully dissipated. Even if she wanted to deceive herself, she d*mn well knew what had just transpired in the room.
• “Samantha, what... What are you doing here?” Maverick asked, clearly uncomfortable and evasive from being caught in the act.
• “Shouldn't I be the one asking you that? What are you two doing in the same room?” As Samantha gazed at the vibrant lipstick mark on Maverick's face, her eyes burned with a pain so intense it was unbearable.
• To her, the vivid red lipstick mark was the living embodiment of an insult.
• “When did you two get together?” Samantha glared at the couple standing before her with a burning resentment. She was so filled with rage that she wanted to bite them to death.
• “Samantha, let me explain...” Maverick was about to clarify things, but Alicia swiftly cut him off.
• “Since you've already caught us, there's no point in hiding it anymore. Maverick and I have been together for the past six months.”
• Alicia's bold declaration struck Samantha directly in the heart. To think they had been together for such a long time, and she had been obliviously unaware all along.
• I'm such an idiot.
• “Heh. Seducing another woman's man without a hint of shame, I see. You really have no dignity, Alicia,” Samantha remarked as her eyes gleamed frostily. Then, her chilling gaze fell on the man behind Alicia.