Chapter 52 Who else Could it be that Night?
Regina was fully focused on her work, her afternoon passing in a flurry of activity. But once she relaxed, she couldn't help but unconsciously recall that evening's events. She returned home with a heavy heart, Douglas still absent.
Regina dragged her weary body into the bathroom to soak in the tub. Suddenly, memories of that wild evening flooded back, and a thought began to creep through her mind like a vine.
Was it really Philip, the passionate and fierce man from that night?
After hearing about Philip and Claudia from Mars, Regina found it even harder to believe that Philip could treat her that way. The kind of searing passion that seemed to consume her whole being was something she couldn't imagine him capable of.
As Regina soaked in the hot water, feeling warmth all over her body, for some reason, a sudden chill ran through her heart.
She recalled the events of that night over and over again. But she had been unwell, and after a drink from one of Philip's friends, she had felt dizzy and disoriented.
Regina abruptly stood up from the bathtub, quickly washing herself before rushing back to the bedroom to call the front desk of the Seasons Hotel. A gentle voice greeted her, "Hello, how can I assist you?"
Regina clenched her fist, trying to steady her thoughts, and asked, "Can you check the surveillance footage from two months and five days ago?"
There was a pause, and the person on the other end inquired, "May I ask what happened?"
Regina explained, "I stayed in Room 1601, but I seem to have lost something important, and I wanted to review the footage."
"I'm sorry," the person replied, and Regina knew her chances of finding anything were slim. The voice continued, "Our hotel only keeps surveillance footage for two months, so the records from two months and five days ago would have been cleared. Are you sure you lost something important at our hotel? Why did you take over two months to provide feedback?"
She was right. Why had it taken her so long to remember? In fact, she had started to have doubts before, but she had been convinced that the man that night was Philip.
Seeing Regina's silence, the receptionist added, "I'm afraid we can't retrieve the footage from that day. You could consider contacting the police to see if they can help you recover your lost item."
"Alright, I got it. Thank you," Regina said before hanging up. Should she really involve the police? It all seemed so absurd. The best course of action would be to confront Philip. But how could she ask him about it, more than two months after they had broken up? Regina set down her phone and lay in bed, feeling a bit sleepless.
The next morning, Regina woke up feeling exhausted. After breakfast, she prepared to go to the company, but just as she was about to leave, she received a call from Jason Green. "Ms. Valrose, could you do me a favor?"
"Sure, what is it?"
"Could you help me get something from Mr. Semona's study?"
Regina agreed and headed towards Douglas's study.
Jason instructed, "It should be in the drawer of his desk, the project proposal for the first quarter of next year, needed for the meeting this morning."
"Okay, I got it."
Regina opened the drawer and found the project proposal, but something else caught her eye.
Underneath the proposal was a familiar item, a red hairband. Regina looked stunned as she picked up the red hairband. 'Why is my hairband here?' 'How did it end up in Douglas's drawer?' she thought.
Regina stood there, lost in thought. She considered various possibilities. Perhaps she had accidentally left it there, or Douglas had found it and put it in the drawer. Or maybe he had prepared it for her, knowing its significance. After all, he often liked to prepare surprises and gifts for her.
But why hadn't he given it to her? Was it really hers, or was it something else? Regina shook her head, clearing her mind, and put the hairband back where she found it. She quickly left with the documents for the meeting.
She went straight to Douglas's office and placed the documents on his desk. Douglas frowned but then regained his composure. He glanced up to find her standing across from him, staring, showing no sign of leaving. Perhaps she had something to ask?
Douglas read her mind. She seemed to want to say something but held back, so he asked, "Is there something else?"
Regina looked at Jason, who was standing nearby, and shook her head, saying, "Nothing."
With that, she turned and left the office, her confusion evident in her posture. Once she was out of his sight, Douglas turned to Jason, his expression no longer gentle or calm.
Jason knew he had made a mistake. He immediately reflected on everything that had happened that day. Soon, he realized the problem. "Mr. Semona, was it wrong for me to ask Ms. Valrose to bring the documents from home today?"
"Who told you to do that?"
"I'm sorry, Mr. Semona!"
Jason had indeed decided on his own. When Douglas asked him to go back for the documents this morning, Jason thought Regina could help. He wasn't trying to be lazy, he just believed that Regina was a trustworthy person, someone Douglas trusted. In addition, the meeting was urgent, and he thought it would take longer for him to go back and forth than for Regina to bring the documents directly. But now Douglas seemed very dissatisfied with his actions.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Semona. I promise I won't make such a mistake again!" Jason knew Douglas's way of doing things, so he didn't dare to say more. He was prepared to be punished. Douglas loosened his tie in frustration.
It wasn't actually wrong for Jason to do so.
The mistake was his own. He shouldn't have put the red hairband in the drawer.
