Glimpsing the grin on Lucian’s face, Roxanne was stunned for a moment. Then, faint shades. of crimson stained her cheeks. She only snapped back to her senses after a while, upon which she guiltily turned back around and continued cooking.
Meanwhile, Lucian watched behind her with his arms crossed. When she had finished cooking, he helped to carry the dishes out and lay the table.
Archie, Benny, and Estella, on the other hand, had long since seated themselves at the dining table in proper order. Dinner was a warm and cozy event.
After dinner, Lucian ordered the children to play in the living room while he went to the study. upstairs with Roxanne. “What’s the good news?”
Sheer mystification deluged Roxanne. I wonder what exactly it is that he’s acting so mysterious. Lucian’s expression turned solemn. “I think I’ve ferreted out the person who tampered with your experiment.”
At his remark, Roxanne’s expression likewise changed slightly, anxiety marring her features. “Who was it?” Lucian stared at her, suddenly hesitant.
In the past, every time we discussed this subject, she had been reluctant to suspect Colby for no other reason than they had worked together for many years. I wonder if she’d be able to accept it if I were to tell her the truth.
For a fleeting second, he even contemplated giving up his initial plan and waiting until there was solid evidence before telling her about it.
“Was it truly Mr. Damaris?” Upon receiving no response from him after some time, Roxanne couldn’t help making a wild guess. Hearing that, Lucian put his thoughts away, his gaze darkening a shade. “You’re that worried about him?”
During this time, we’ve hardly mentioned him. But no sooner had I said there was progress in the investigation than he popped into her mind. That aside, she sounds wholly incredulous.
Exasperated, Roxanne explained, “It’s because you’ve been suspecting him all this while that I hazarded such a guess. So, who else could it be if not him?”
A frown marred Lucian’s face. “That day, only the three of you were at the lab counter.” In other words, he was steering her into directing her suspicions onto Colby.
Immediately, the intimation of that dawned upon Roxanne. When she perceived the only person left other than her and Jack, shock flooded her. “You mean it was Colby?”
How could it be him? We’ve partnered together for so many years. If he hated me, he would’ve made a move ages ago! Even if he were jealous that I got to take the lead in this project, he had plenty of opportunities to sabotage things before this. Why would he pick this time and use such a cruel method?
Verily, Roxanne couldn’t fathom it. At the look on her face, Lucian’s heart inexorably grew heavy. “At present, he’s the prime suspect.”
“Is there proof?” Roxanne furtively clutched at the hem of her shirt, still harboring a shred of hope within her. In response, Lucian shook his head.
Utter relief suffused Roxanne. “If there’s no proof, perhaps you misunderstood. Didn’t you previously claim that it was Mr. Damaris-”
Before she had finished speaking, Lucian interrupted, “There’s no proof now, but I’ve got a way to prove that it was him as long as you’re willing to play along.”
That promptly took Roxanne aback. If someone else were to say that to her, she would only regard it as a baseless accusation. However, the person in front of her was Lucian.
For him to make such a statement meant that he was nearly one-hundred percent certain of Colby’s culpability. “I know you can’t accept it, but I think you’re far more interested in knowing why he did such a thing. I’m also beyond curious about his reason for consigning you to death!” Lucian pinned his eyes on her with a grim look in them.
