Forbidden Passion
Chapter 222 Poor Victim Act

In the pouring rain, Phoebe stood hesitantly outside the Imperial Apartment building. She had wandered the streets aimlessly, only to find herself back here, as if by fate. In a way, it seemed like destiny, always drawing her back to the place her heart couldn't escape.

Phoebe lingered at the door, uncertain. 'What would she see if she went in? Would they be in each other's arms again, or worse, something more intimate?' Pheobe thought.

As she wavered, the sound of the elevator doors opening startled her. She turned to see Mrs. Reynolds emerge.

"Phoebe, what are you doing standing out here soaking wet? Just got back? I thought you were waiting here just for me," Mrs. Reynolds joked.

"Mom, what brings you here?"

"Don't even get me started. I was out shopping nearby, and when I stepped out, it started to pour. John was supposed to pick me up, but there was an accident up ahead and traffic was a nightmare. Thought I'd come here to wait out the rain."

Mrs. Reynolds, noticing the gloom on Phoebe's face, urged, "Hurry up and open the door. I'm freezing!"

The air-conditioned hallway chilled the bones. Mrs. Reynolds was drenched, and Phoebe couldn't delay any longer. She pressed her finger on the biometric lock.

As the door swung open, Mrs. Reynolds stepped in first.

The living room was brightly lit, every corner visible. From the entrance, Mrs. Reynolds immediately noticed Vanessa, tying an apron around Theodore by the doorway to the dining room.

Their closeness could easily mislead anyone into thinking they were the loving married couple.

Mrs. Reynolds let out a deliberate cough.

Vanessa, having heard the door, expected it to be Phoebe. Her plan was to repeat the scene, showcasing to Phoebe just how affectionate she and Theodore were. She intentionally chose an angle that might be misinterpreted while tying the apron, only to realize it wasn't Phoebe but Mrs. Reynolds who entered.

She quickly stepped back, turning uneasily to Mrs. Reynolds, "Auntie, what brings you here?"

"This is my son and daughter-in-law's matrimonial home, why can't I come?" Mrs. Reynolds retorted, her anger turning to a snide laugh. "But why is Miss Fitzroy here?" Frozen, Phoebe stared at them.

Theodore was wearing her ordinary apron, checkered in white and yellow, adorned with a plump and endearing cartoon chicken.

The sight of him in that apron was disarming-stripping him of his usual aloofness and bestowing him with a gentle aura.

'Nobody can change him, except it isn't her.' Phoebe thought.

Vanessa was wearing a hauntingly familiar outfit-that was her dress. Theodore, without even asking, had casually lent it to Vanessa. It felt like a punch to Phoebe's gut.

She was changing into her slippers when Theodore mentioned, "Vanessa's had a rough time at home, no place to crash. I told her to stay here for a few days."

Mrs. Reynolds' voice dripped with sarcasm. "Theodore, since when do we start bringing strays into our home without even checking with Phoebe?"

It wasn't specifically Vanessa she had an issue with-she simply believed that married men should keep a respectful distance from exes. Let alone Vanessa was no simple ex-girlfriend.

Whitewashed with shock, Vanessa clenched her fists at her sides, her voice frail. "I-I'm sorry, Miss Ziegler. I shouldn't have come. My past with Theodore... it's suspect at best. I'll leave right away." 'Hah, poor victim act.'

In the time it took Phoebe to slip on her house shoes, Vanessa had played her hand, casting Phoebe as the villain. Internally, Phoebe scoffed.