I Got Revenge When They Drew The Same Room Key Chapter 04

I Got Revenge When They Drew The Same Room Key Chapter 04

I was standing at the elevator when the lounge door cracked open behind me.

Chloe’s voice drifted through.

“Julian, do you think Hazel hates me now?”

“I only did it to help her.”

Julian’s voice dropped.

“Don’t cry.”

“She’s just used to throwing tantrums.”

I almost laughed.

He used to say no one would ever look down on me.

But now…

He was the one doing it.

The elevator opened on the penthouse floor. The suite wasn’t anything like I expected.

Just a single lamp, low and warm.

Nathaniel sat by the floor-to-ceiling windows in a black shirt, a half-smoked cigarette burning between his fingers.

He glanced up when I walked in, unhurried.

His gaze dropped to the keycard in my hand first, then to my face, lingering on the red around my eyes.

A slow smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.

“If you’re just going to marry for leverage anyway…”

“Hazel, why not try the Reeds?”

He stubbed out the cigarette, slow and deliberate, and held my gaze.

“Whatever the Crofts can offer you, I’ll double it.”

“And whatever Julian won’t give you, I will.”

My phone rang before I could answer.

It was Julian.

I could hear running water on his side of the call. And underneath it, Chloe laughing, soft and low.

“Come downstairs.”

He said it like it was a command.

“Chloe’s stomach is acting up. Her medicine’s in your bag.”

I froze.

That afternoon, Chloe had complained her clutch was too small and asked me to carry her medicine for her.

I’d teased her about being so high-maintenance.

Now I understood. She knew how to weaponize her own pain against me.

I kept my voice steady. “Just call room service.”

Julian’s voice went cold.

“She doesn’t trust whatever they have at the front desk.”

“Hazel, don’t be heartless.”

In the background, Chloe’s voice, barely a whisper.

“Julian, forget it.”

“Hazel probably doesn’t want to see me right now. I’ll just tough it out.”

His voice softened instantly.

“Don’t do that to yourself.”

Then, to me, ice cold:

“Five minutes. Bring it to my room.”

When I got to their suite, the door was left slightly ajar.

Chloe sat on the edge of the bed in a bathrobe, her hair still dripping wet, a flush across her cheeks that had nothing to do with the shower.

I held the pill bottle out and turned to leave.

Julian walked over to Chloe and handed her a glass of water.

“Here, drink this.”

He did it with muscle memory. The kind of intimacy built from taking care of someone a thousand times.

I stood in the doorway like an intruder.

Julian’s voice caught me before I could leave.

“Wait.”

He grabbed something off the nightstand, casual, like an afterthought.

“Run down to the lobby shop and grab a box of these.”

It took me a second to process.

Then I read the label.

Condoms.

My blood ran cold.

Chloe buried her face in her hands, her voice dropping to almost nothing.

“Julian, you can’t ask Hazel to buy those…”

Julian didn’t even flinch.

“She’s my fiancée.”

“She knows what I use.”

He looked at me.

“Same brand as always. Don’t get the wrong one.”

Bile rose in my throat.

“Julian, do you hear yourself right now?”

His brow furrowed in annoyance.

“Hazel, don’t start.”

“It’s just a backup.”

“If something were actually going on, why would I send you to buy them? Think about it.”

Chloe nodded quickly.

“Hazel, don’t get the wrong idea.”

“Julian’s just worried someone will notice the complimentary box is missing tomorrow and get the wrong idea.”

“If we put a new one back, it proves nothing happened.”

Proof of innocence. Always the same excuse.

Sharing a room was proof of innocence.

Making his fiancée buy condoms was just more ‘proof’.

I didn’t move. Julian’s face hardened.

“Hazel, drop the attitude.”

“Chloe’s embarrassed enough as it is.”

Chloe’s tears spilled over.

“Forget it, Julian.”

“Hazel probably thinks the worst of me.”

Julian shot me a lethal glare.

“Apologize.”

My nails dug slowly into my palms.

“You’re telling me to apologize to her?”

“Yes.”

His tone was absolute ice.

“She’s your friend. She only agreed to this stupid game to help you out.”

“And this is how you repay her? Yeah, you should apologize.”

I looked at Chloe.

Her head was bowed, tears dripping one by one onto her robe.

But her lips twitched, just barely.

She was smirking.

Something inside me finally snapped.

“Okay.”

Julian exhaled, looking satisfied. He thought that settled it.

But I just turned and walked out the door.

“I’ll go get them.”

I stepped into the elevator.

I caught my reflection in the mirrored doors. Pale. Hollow. Dead inside.

I didn’t go to the lobby shop.

I hit the button for the penthouse.

Nathaniel was right where I’d left him.

He looked at my empty hands and raised an eyebrow.

I sank onto the sofa across from him, entirely spent.

“Nathaniel.”

“About the Reeds offering double… is that still on the table?”

He looked at me.

“It does.”

I looked up, barely above a whisper.

“Then how soon can we get to the courthouse?”