"Are you sure it''s the same person?"


    He didn''t believe it.


    They''d worked with McNeil for years, and as far as he knew, there was only Violet, and a wife McNeil had never introduced to anyone.


    Victoria?


    Was that even possible?


    He doubted it. He''d been half in love with Victoria himself at one point, and she''d never shown the slightest interest.


    As for Marcus, hadn''t Isaac''s story made it clear Victoria wasn''t interested in him either?


    No way would someone like Victoria get involved with McNeil. Besides, McNeil was always the loyal type.


    He''d never changed towards Violet all these years. The only reason he''d had a child with someone else was because Violet couldn''t have children, and his family had pushed them apart. Among their group, that was almost understandable.


    "My eyes aren''t lying to me."


    Isaac sounded absolutely certain. "Who would''ve guessed? McNeil always acts so proper, but he''s got a wild side after all.


    Oh, and didn''t we just see him holding hands with his wife yesterday? So every time he brings Violet along it''s just for show, and actually he''s juggling a whole bunch of women-"


    Curtis couldn''t listen anymore. He didn''t want to dig any deeper, yet the timing felt weird.


    Likest night-he''d tried to reach Victoria but couldn''t get through.


    Then this morning, Ailie showed up to the office reeking of alcohol, clearly hungover, dodging his questions. She''d gone off to find Victoria, whispering secrets and grinning like a mischievous kid-he''d seen the whole thing on the security cam eras.


    Should he be suspicious of Victoria?


    Curtis''s head throbbed. He ended the call with a sharp click.


    Isaac stared at his phone. "He hangs up right when things get interesting-how


    am I supposed to survive not knowing the rest of the story?"


    He called Curtis again. Curtis picked up, irritated. "What now?"


    "Aren''t you curious about McNeil? This is the juiciest gossip we''ve had in ages, and you don''t even want to talk about it?"


    "Not everyone has time to gossip, Isaac. Some of us have apany to run and a hundred people depending on us."


    Curtis hung up again, feeling more agitated than before.


    Isaac grumbled at his phone, "What''s gotten into everyely? They''re all acting like they''ve caught something."


    On Paul''sst day in town, McNeil arrived at the office even earlier than usual.


    He looked tense, fiddling with his cigarette and pressing his lips together in a thin line, clearly in a bad mood.


    Victoria was sitting beside Paul but didn''t so much as say hello to McNeil.


    Curtis found an excuse to drop by, wanting to see what the three of them were up to. Only when he heard Paul exining some technical terms-half of which he didn''t even understand-to Victoria, did he finally rx.


    "Hey, McNeil, let me take you all out for dinner after work. Paul''s a first-time visitor -we should celebrate."


    McNeil turned him down immediately.


    "No need. I''m heading back to the office."


    Paul''s eyes lit up at the mention of dinner. "I''d love to-"


    Curtis nced at Victoria. "What about you, Victoria? Got time?"


    Victoria was still focused on herputer and barely looked up. "Yeah, I''ve got time. Sure."


    Curtis nodded, satisfied. "Settled, then."


    He''d never had a proper conversation with Paul before. Whenever thepany''s trickiest problems came up, Paul was the one he called. Curtis really did want to thank him properly.


    Curtis pulled open the office door and stepped out, but before he''d gone more than a few paces, McNeil spoke up.


    "Actually, I just remembered I''ve got a meeting nearby this afternoon, so I''ll stick around. I''ll join you for lunch."


    Curtis gave him a surprised look, then after a second, replied, "Alright, I''ll wait for you."


    Victoria and Paul finished their session and stood up together.


    That''s when Victoria finally realized Curtis had invited her to lunch.


    She hadn''t expected McNeil toe along. And McNeil never went out to eat without bringing Violet with him. Victoria had no desire to sit at the same table with the two of them.


    She tried to think of an excuse to get out of it, but Curtis had already reserved a table and his car was waiting downstairs. Paul, thrilled to have Victoria there, couldn''t hide his excitement.


    But under the watchful re of his cousin, Paul became uncharacteristically cautious, addressing Victoria as "sis-inw" every time he spoke, just to make sure McNeil heard.


    McNeil wedged himself between Paul and Victoria, leaving no room for conversation between them.


    Curtis''s car waited outside. As they were about to get in, McNeil turned to Paul. "You take the front seat."


    Paul looked reluctant but didn''t dare argue, so he squeezed into the passenger


    seat.


    Curtis frowned at McNeil. "Victoria could take the front. You two guys can sit in the back."


    McNeil''s face was cold, his voice t. "No need. We''ll sit in the back."


    Victoria didn''t argue-she simply followed McNeil into the back of Curtis''s SUV. Curtis drove, ncing at them asionally in the rearview mirror.


    He couldn''t stop thinking about Isaac''s call earlier. Maybe it was just in his head, but ever since Isaac said McNeil left with Victoria, he couldn''t help but look for signs.


    So as he drove, he kept sneaking looks at the two of them.


    But after half an hour on the road, he hadn''t seen anything odd. McNeil and Victoria sat on opposite sides of the back seat, barely acknowledging each other.


    If anything, it was Paul in the front, chattering away nonstop.


    If it weren''t for Isaac''s wild theories, Curtis would have been eager to pick Paul''s brain and chat with him. But with his own suspicions about McNeil and Victoria swirling, he just couldn''t focus.