Chapter 9
The email from his assistant had two attachments.
One file was labeled “Chloe,” the other had my name on it.
Without hesitation, Maverick downloaded and opened my file first.
But when he clicked it open, his hands started shaking uncontrollably.
“Paisley, it must have hurt so much.”
His voice was so hoarse it was barely audible.
The file contained all the recovered message records.
On screen were my arms and legs without a single patch of unmarked skin.
Derek’s beatings and burns overlapped across every surface.
Looking at the photos, I felt like my body was aching all over again.
“I sent you these pictures, but you replied saying I was overdoing the act.”
Maverick took a deep breath and scrolled down to see the message I mentioned.
He spoke in disbelief: “How could that be? I never saw any of this.”
He double–checked his phone messages–that text definitely wasn’t there.
I was somewhat surprised. “I also sent copies of these pictures to Chloe later.”
Maverick seemed to have his suspicions too.
After confirming Bella was still sleeping peacefully, he got up and walked outside the room.
Seeing Bella really hadn’t been disturbed, I followed him out.
He quickly scrolled through Chloe’s file and soon found her replies to me.
“Paisley, I showed Maverick–he told me not to spoil you.”
“Don’t worry, Paisley. I’ll help talk to Derek. Just stay home and relax.”
The message content was familiar to me.
But Maverick tapped on the reply date, and I jumped with shock.
“That’s the day! That’s the day Derek dragged me into the basement!”
“Derek was furious that time–he even tied Bella up in the basement and beat her.”
Maverick put down his phone and took several deep breaths before continuing to scroll.
But what came next was still beyond our expectations.
I looked at Maverick as he practically ground out the words through clenched teeth.
कन
Chapter 9
“Chloe. You really played your cards well.”
Though I’d suspected it, I still couldn’t accept it.
“Chloe and Derek had been working together from so early on.”
I felt deeply betrayed.
“She and I were still best friends back then.”
Just then Chloe walked over with a bottle of water, police officers following behind her.
“Maverick, you’ve been busy all this time–you must be thirsty. Have some water.”
Chloe held out a water bottle, her eyes looking like she’d been crying.
Maverick didn’t move, just stared at her coldly and demanded.
“You deleted the distress messages Paisley sent me?”
Chloe’s expression froze. She pulled back her hand and nodded.
“You were looking at contracts right next to me, and your phone happened to be unlocked.”
Maverick was about to speak again, but Chloe interrupted him, her voice breaking with tears.
“We were supposed to get married the day after tomorrow.”
Maverick still looked coldly stern as he pressed her: “You knew she would die.”
His fists were clenched tight, his eyes full of bloodshot veins.
I’d never seen Maverick like this.
He was always calm and composed–now he was losing control.
Chloe shook her head with a bitter smile.
“I just wanted Paisley to never be able to come between us again.”
But I could see jealousy in her eyes.
“Chloe was jealous of me? Why? Maverick clearly didn’t like me.”
I watched Chloe leave with the police, looking back at Maverick in confusion.
“Maverick, why exactly did you end up with Chloe?”
I murmured aloud.
But Maverick just looked down at the red cord on his left wrist and wept.
“Paisley, Paisley.”
He whispered my name softly, even in a dream.
All night long, Maverick gripped his left wrist.
Never letting go.
12-14
Chapter 10
