Chapter 21
Sweet Subterfuge
âYouâre eating takeout every day?â
Kevanâs reproachful tone was evident, intensifying the inexplicable guilt Larissa felt.
âI only ordered takeout because I injured my shoulder and canât cook,â she explained.
âYou injured your shoulder?â Kevan narrowed his eyes, his gaze sweeping between her shoulders, as if he was trying to see through her coat to her injuries beneath.
âMy right side. I have a mild fracture.â Larissa tapped the spot of her injury lightly. âItâs not that big of a deal. A few more daysâ rest and Iâll be as good as new.â
âHow did you injure yourself?â Dylan asked.
Larissa lied instinctively, âI accidentally hit a wall.â
Dylan did not believe her. âDid you really hit it yourself? Are you sure it has nothing to do with your ex-
husband and his family?â
His questions frightened and startled her. If it hadnât been for the suspicion in his eyes, Larissa wouldâve thought that he already knew the truth behind her injuries.
âTell me the truth,â Dylan said. âIf it was really caused by them, this injury can serve as proof of your ex-
husbandâs acts of domestic violence toward you. You could use this to demand more compensation from him.â
Even if Andrew was Travisâ biological brother, this injury of hers really had nothing to do with Travis.
âOf course, I would like to have more compensation from him, but unfortunately, this injury really was caused by myself,â Larissa said regretfully.
âAlright.â Dylan did not press any further. Instead, he rerouted the conversation to the topic of takeout.
âEating takeout for every meal doesnât seem like a sustainable solution. Kevan and I hired a cook to make us dinner every night. Why donât you join us?â
Larissa was tempted.
The food sheâd been getting from restaurants outside was greasy. Furthermore, they were almost never guaranteed to be hygienic. Home-cooked meals were always superior in comparison.
And yet, the thought of eating together with the two men⦠Larissa was afraid that she would be so stressed that she wouldnât be able to swallow her food. Worse still, she might even choke to death.
âItâs fine,â she declined Dylanâs offer politely. âMy injury will heal in a few days. I wonât keep on ordering takeout after that.â
Dylan looked at Kevan. The latter had his hands in his pockets, his expression nonchalant.
âSuit yourself,â Kevan said.
Because of Kevanâs extreme germaphobia, the cook prepared dinner every day at Dylanâs place and left before the pair returned home.
Kevan and Dylan sat on opposite sides of the dining table, facing one another.
Dylan picked up his cutlery and asked as he ate, âDo you really believe that Larissaâs injuries were self-
inflicted?â
Kevan lowered his gaze, his voice low and cold. âWhether I believe it or not is not important.â
âWhatâs important then?â Dylan asked curiously.
âThe truth,â Kevan said, gripping his utensils tightly.
For Kevan, finding out the truth was simple. It was but a phone call away.
âWhat is it?â Dylan stood beside him, waiting with a cup of tea in his hands.
Kevan tossed his phone after dimming his screen in the direction of the coffee table.
âNot her ex-husband.â
âHuh?â His answer was beyond Dylanâs expectations.
Kevan paused for a while, a dangerous air radiating from him. âIt was her ex-
husbandâs brother.â
âWhat?â Dylan was even more surprised. âBecause of her ex-husband?â
âItâs unrelated to her ex-husband.â
âSo, what are you going to do about it?â
Kevan leaned against the couch lazily, his long legs crossed.
âNothing,â he replied. A sneer tugged at the corner of his lips. âAll of this happened as a consequence of her foolish choices back then. She deserves to suffer.â