My CEO's Blackmail Tape - Chapter 34: Chapter 34

For a split second, I actually felt a sick thrill. But deep down, I knew the truth—Daniel Evans would never betray me. After all these years, I knew the kind of man he was. Even if every other guy on the planet cheated, he wouldn't.
"Daniel," I pressed, my voice steady despite the knot in my stomach, "what's really going on with your... issue?"
I'd asked before, but he'd always dodged the question. Seeing how it made him squirm, I'd let it go.
But not this time. I needed answers. Only then could I move on.
His face darkened. He stared at his hands, picking at his nails before finally mumbling, "I'll tell you someday. Just... not now."
It felt like a punch to the gut. I'd gathered every ounce of courage to ask, and he shut me out again. Weren't we supposed to share everything? What was he hiding?
Before I could push further, he bolted—claiming he had to drop off some work documents and would be back soon. The way he practically fled made me feel like some kind of predator.
I'd planned to check out, but my phone was dead, charging on the bedside table. With nothing to do, boredom crept in like an unwelcome guest.
Then the nurse barged in, her expression frostier than a winter morning. She practically threw the thermometer onto my blanket—a far cry from the sweet, concerned act she'd put on when I first arrived.
And then it hit me. She was the one who'd been spying earlier.
My face burned. She'd seen Daniel visit. To her, Nathan Roscente and I were just another scandalous affair. Nothing earns contempt like a cheating wife.
Too ashamed to call her out, I quietly took my temperature. Before I could even hand the thermometer back, she snatched it away, muttering something under her breath before storming off.
But her words clung to me like a bad smell. Had she really hissed, "Sneaking around while married—how shameless"?
She wasn't wrong. I had cheated.
Thank God she didn't know Daniel. If she did, she'd have run straight to him.
Speaking of Daniel—where was he? He'd promised to be quick, but by noon, still no sign. I figured work had him tied up, so I didn't call.
Meanwhile, Nurse Judgmental kept making her rounds, her icy glares making me wish I could vanish into the mattress. Every second in that room was agony. I just wanted Daniel to show up so I could escape this miserable place.
Finally, at two in the afternoon, he arrived—with Ethan Lopez, his annoyingly effeminate coworker, in tow.
Maybe I'd built Ethan up in my head as some kind of monster, because seeing his delicate, almost pretty face threw me off.
"Mrs. Evans, are you even twenty? You look so young!"
His sugary tone caught me off guard. Despite my best efforts to stay stern, I couldn't help but laugh. What woman doesn't love a compliment—especially one pushing thirty?
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Evans. Danny and I got carried away. Don't hold it against me!" He flashed a sheepish grin. "Oh, and did you know? I've got family working at your company!"
How could I stay mad after that? I forced a smile. "It's fine. Water under the bridge. But really? Who's your relative? What department are they in?"