Where the Heat receded
XVII 處暑 [1] / [7]
One evening, when they were busy cooking dinner, Violet called him. When he answered the phone in the room, she was frying vegetables.
“I’m ready to testify.”
It was Violet. She spoke as soon as he answered.
“Oh, hey. I’ll connect you to my coworker, you can report to her.”
“No, if it’s not you, I won’t say anything,”
Violet said firmly.
“What?”
“You promised to help me until this case is closed.”
“I did―”
“And you’re the one who I relied on from the beginning.”
“Listen. I will help you to report to my coworker and I can offer advice―”
“Should I tell your wife what happened between us when she was gone?”
“What?”
“Do you want Cynthia to know about our affair?”
Violet told him, as if sniggering at him.
“What are you talking about?”
“Oh, did you already forget?It's so vivid in my head, as if it happened just yesterday.”
“Shut up, Violet,”
he ground his teeth. It disgusted him to be threatened by that, by her.
“If it’s alright for her to know about it, fine. I’ll tell her every detail of the moments between us, even how your breath was―”
“Shut your fucking mouth,”
he clenched his teeth to reduce the sound of his voice. After awhile, her voice got kinder.
“I don’t want you forever. As we agreed before, only for this case. You promised me that. And I don’t want to show the video to anybody. That’s why I sent that only to you.”
“Fine, FINE. When do you want to visit my office?”
“Now. I want to testify now.”
“Not now,”
he said coldly.
“It has to be now.”
'Bitch,' he covered the receiver, and swore in a low, angry voice.
“Good, fine. I will see you with my wife. Come to the office at―”
“No, if there’s another except you, I won’t tell you anything. Do you want me to speak about my shame in front of random people?”
“She is not a random person, she is part of my team!”
