Page 129 of Capuleto
“I’ve always liked the role of the lover,” he winked at me. “I won’t keep you any longer. Good night, and I hope your wife recovers.”
“Thanks.”
As soon as the cop left, I kept looking at the image, turning it over in my fingers. Why couldn’t I see Nikita in it? Was my brain really so messed up that it wanted to exonerate her from this?
My coffee had already gone cold, and I didn’t like it cold unless it was iced and in the middle of summer. I drank it in one gulp; I needed a caffeine kick to clear my foggy mind.
The idea of my wife reselling Mentium at the back of the company, exposing herself like that... It didn’t add up; it wasn’t her style. If she had wanted to do something like that, she would have used her men; why get her hands dirty?
Her image, along with the thought of the baby she was carrying, sent a shiver down my spine. How different things could have been between us.
“Have I kept you waiting too long?”
The melodious voice pulled me from my thoughts. It hadn’t even been two minutes since Segarra had left. Irene leaned in and planted two voluptuous kisses on my cheeks.
“No, don’t worry,” I murmured, trying to blindly stuff the picture back into the folder.
“What a poorly taken photo, with how beautiful Nikita is, and that angle doesn’t do her any favors. It doesn’t even look like her. Who’s that with her? The delivery guy?” she asked.
“Something like that.” I finished putting it away without giving it much attention.
“How is she? Because you look like...”
“Medicated.” Instead of sitting in the chair opposite me like Segarra had, she took the seat next to me. Her perfectly manicured hand caressed mine.
“She’s a strong woman; she’ll recover. You look exhausted; I’m sure you haven’t rested at all.”
“Not much, honestly.”
“You know you can count on me for anything. When I called you earlier, I got the feeling you needed to talk.”
It was true; I needed to verbalize what was happening to me with someone. However, caution prevented me from bringing Irene up to speed on everything. I simply pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed.
“Nikita is pregnant,” I let slip.
Her face covered in astonishment, she couldn’t hide it for a few moments before trying to convey a happiness that was nowhere to be found.
“Wow, so soon? I didn’t see your wife as a mother so quickly; I thought it would take longer.”
“We didn’t intend for it to happen. She takes the pill; the nurse said it might have failed. I found out today.”
“So, she hadn’t told you?”
“I don’t even know if she knows.”
“Maybe she does; some women forget to take the pill on purpose to tie down their husbands. I’m not saying yours did.” Was that possible? Was it some kind of safeguard in case I found out about her betrayal? “Anyway, congratulations, your father will surely be pleased; he always wanted a grandchild to continue the lineage.”
I was about to respond when screams were heard, people running in panic, and the security guard who had just entered the cafeteria quickly left.
My heart skipped a beat. I jumped up from my chair like a spring when I heard shouts saying someone had been shot.
“Don’t move from here,” I told Irene.
“You can’t leave me alone!”
“It’s better if you go home; I’m going to see what’s happening,” I said, reaching for my gun.
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