Chapter 107 Trust Over Doubt
Dorian stepped into the bedroom.
The room was dimly lit. The lamp on the nightstand cast a soft glow across the duvet. The curtains were drawn. The air smelled faintly of lavender.
But the room was empty.
The bed was unmade. A towel was draped over the back of the chair. A glass of water sat on the nightstand.
Veyra was not there.
Dorian stood in the middle of the room, his hands at his sides. His jaw tightened.
He had expected her to be waiting. Sitting on the bed. Or standing by the window. Ready to answer his question.
Instead, he was alone.
He heard a sound. Water running. The soft hum of the bathroom fan.
She was in the shower.
He walked to the window. He stood with his back to the bathroom door, staring out at the dark garden. The moon was still hidden behind clouds.
He waited.
The water stopped. The fan hummed for a few more moments. Then silence a d then the bathroom door opened.
Veyra stepped out.
Her hair was damp. She wore a loose robe. Her face was clean of makeup. Her skin was flushed from the steam.
She smiled when she saw him.
"Dorian! I was hoping you’d still be here." She walked toward him. "I have good news. I found a business partner."
She was excited. Happy. She looked like she had just received a gift.
Dorian’s chest tightened. He forced his voice to stay even.
"I know."
Her smile flickered. "How do you know?"
He reached into his jacket pocket. He pulled out his phone. He opened the photograph.
"Wesley sent me this."
Veyra took the phone. She stared at the image.
Her face went pale. Then red. Then pale again.
Her fingers tightened around the phone. Her knuckles were white.
"Why would he do this?" she asked. Her voice was sharp. "Why would he send you a picture of me with Xavier?"
Dorian watched her face. The anger. The frustration. The disbelief.
"To create a misunderstanding," he said.
Veyra’s eyes flashed. "He crossed a line. That’s the second time tonight."
"The second time?"
"He came to my private dining room. He asked about Xavier. He was too curious. Too interested."
Dorian’s jaw tightened. "Wesley has always been too curious."
"He said my relationship with Xavier was ’unusual.’" Veyra’s voice rose. "He made it sound like something was going on. And now this." She held up the phone. "Sending you a photograph? Trying to make you jealous?"
Dorian did not respond.
Veyra stared at the screen. Her eyes narrowed. Her mind was clearly racing.
Then she looked at him. Her voice was flat.
"Does Wesley Wynn have a crush on you?"
Dorian blinked.
"What?"
"The way he’s acting. The curiosity. The interest in my relationships. The photo." She paused. "It’s like he’s trying to keep you away from me. Or make you think I’m not available."
Dorian stared at her.
"Does he have feelings for you?" Veyra asked again. "Is that why he’s stirring up trouble?"
Dorian shook his head slowly.
"No."
"Are you sure?"
"I’m sure."
Veyra crossed her arms. Her robe tightened around her shoulders.
"He was too interested in me and Xavier. He followed us. He took a photograph. He sent it to you." Her voice was cold. "That’s not normal behavior, Dorian. That’s possessive."
Dorian held up his hand.
"Wesley and I have been friends for years," he said. "He’s not interested in me. He’s interested in controlling situations. In knowing everything. In being the most powerful person in the room."
Veyra’s brow furrowed.
"You think he did this to feel powerful?"
"I think he did this because he likes to create chaos. He likes to watch people react." Dorian paused. "And he thinks you’re interesting."
Veyra laughed. A short, bitter sound.
"Interesting. That’s what he called me. In the private room. He said I was ’interesting.’"
Dorian said nothing.
Veyra shook her head. "He can’t handle it when things aren’t in his control. When people don’t react the way he expects. So he stirs things up. Creates drama."
Dorian nodded slowly. "That’s Wesley."
Veyra handed the phone back to him.
"I’m not going to let him get in my head," she said. "I had a good night. I found a partner. I made a deal. I don’t care what he thinks or what he does."
Dorian took the phone. He tucked it back into his pocket.
"I’ll talk to him," he said. "He crossed a line."
"You don’t have to."
"I know. But I will."
Veyra looked at him. Her expression softened.
"Why?"
"Because he was wrong. The photograph was a violation. The insinuation was inappropriate."
Veyra studied his face. "You really don’t think anything is going on with Xavier?"
Dorian’s jaw tightened.
"I think you found a partner. I think you made a deal. I think you’re building something." He paused. "That’s what I think."
Veyra smiled. It was a small smile. But it was real.
"Thank you," she said.
"For what?"
"For trusting me."
Dorian looked at her.
"Wesley will apologize," he said. "In person. I’ll make sure of it."