Chapter 4 The Motive and Plan
938 Words
Shortly after Theodoric left, a maid brought in a set of casual clothes, placing them in Faye's room.
"Thank you." Faye smiled and expressed her gratitude, ignoring the maid's knowing look.
She took the clothes and walked into the bathroom, beginning to change while sorting through the events of the past few days in her mind.
It was exactly one week ago that she had become Eric's tutor.
Her real purpose for being here was to uncover the truth behind her grandfather Benson Magdalene's death.
She could never forget that summer during her sophomore year of college, three years ago.
Back then, Faye had arrived at Benson's manor with great anticipation, eager to reunite with her beloved grandfather and her boyfriend of five years.
But that day, the manor was eerily quiet.
As she stepped through the gate, she saw the butler and maids who served Benson were lying dead in the hall, their faces twisted in terror.
And Benson himself was found in the study, drenched in blood.
The shock was too much for her to bear, and she fainted on the spot. When she woke up, she was in a hospital with her worried parents by her side.
After that, her parents forbade her from ever returning to Benson's manor, no matter how much she pleaded.
They even considered selling the manor, but Faye refused to let that happen.
Benson had once been the commander of a special forces unit. A man like him wouldn't be taken down so easily. Both Faye and her parents knew this deep down.
While her parents wanted to avoid getting caught up in whatever dark conspiracy was behind Benson's death, Faye felt differently.
She had been trained by Benson himself, learning all the skills of a spy from him. He wasn't just her grandfather. He was her mentor.
As both his granddaughter and his student, she felt a deep responsibility to uncover the truth behind his death.
And the prime suspect in this unsolved case was none other than Benson's student and the man Faye had loved for five years.
Theodoric had hidden his last name while living at Benson's manor, but after the tragedy, he disappeared without a trace.
It wasn't until six months ago that Faye saw him again on television, where he was being introduced as the new CEO of the Colin Group.
Once Theodoric reappeared in the public eye, Faye began using her own methods to investigate him.
He was the eldest son of the Colin family, the most promising heir to the Colin Group, and the dream man of countless women.
Social media was flooded with praise for him, painting a picture of a perfect, unattainable figure. Nowhere in his public records was there any mention of his connection to Benson.
And the Theodoric who appeared in the media seemed cold and ruthless, a far cry from the bright, daring boy she had once dated in school.
Could this really be him?
Faye stared at her computer screen, her eyes scanning through the detailed profile she had compiled on Theodoric Colin.
If this man was truly her Theodoric, why hadn't he reached out to her? Did he know about the mystery surrounding Benson's death?
And if this wasn't the same Theodoric, how could he have the same face and the same name?
"Theodoric..." she whispered his name, the word slipping from her lips almost unconsciously.
Her eyes drifted to the mirror above the sink, where the marks on her neck and collarbone were still visible, left by Theodoric during their passionate encounter the previous night.
There was no doubt about it. He was her Theodoric. Or rather, he was the Theodoric she once knew.
He remembered their shared history and the way they fit together so naturally.
And yet, the deal he had just proposed implied that he considered their five years together meaningless.
Faye let out a deep sigh and began getting dressed. She looked at herself in the mirror, taking in her reflection. Her brown, wavy hair inherited from her mother, her light gray eyes from her father and grandfather, her curvy figure, and the muscles that, while not overt, were strong and defined.
She pushed aside the disappointment welling up inside her and gently patted her cheeks.
If this was the stance Theodoric wanted to take, then she wouldn't hold back either.
Faye recalled Eric's flushed face when he had just rushed into the room.
Eric had the same blonde hair and blue eyes as Theodoric, but at just barely an adult, he was still noticeably more naive and inexperienced compared to his older brother, who was already a master in the business world.
His temper only added to his youthful immaturity. From the moment Faye arrived, he had tried to undermine her at every turn. If not for her own sharp wit and skills, she might have been driven away by this hot-headed, stubborn young man within days.
Initially, Faye had seen Eric as nothing more than a pawn in her larger plan. But after last night's wild encounter with Theodoric and Eric walking in on them this morning, she knew she needed to rethink her strategy.
Faye wasn't naive when it came to matters of love and desire. She had seen the raw, unhidden longing in Eric's eyes when he looked at her this morning, right after she had been startled awake.
A sly smile played on her lips as she gazed into the mirror, her fingers lightly tracing the marks Theodoric had left on her neck.
'Young boys are always more impulsive, aren't they, Theodoric?' she thought to herself.
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