Chapter 112: Use Him As His Puppet
The drive to Levi’s penthouse felt endless, each mile a tightening coil of anxiety in Chris’s chest. The familiar landscape blurred past, the city traffic and bright lights offering no distraction from his mind.
He gripped the steering wheel, knuckles white, his mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. Fear gnawed at him, whispering insidious suggestions that Brett had to be wrong, that he was making a fool of him. After all, Brett was a crook who was not to be trusted.
But beneath the doubt, a burning ember of certainty refused to be extinguished. He had to know. He owed it to himself, to Brandon, and most importantly, he owed it to Levi.
He pulled up into the parking lot of the familiar luxury building and went in. He tried to be as invincible as possible, he pulled up his jacket’s collar and quickly walked into the elevator, avoiding the doorman’s inquisitive look.
When he got to the door, he considered opening the door since he knew the code but he thought better of it and rang the doorbell. The chime echoed through the house, and he could hear muffled footsteps approaching.
The door swung open to reveal Sutton , her face etched with lines that had not been there before. She looked tired, her eyes shadowed with a weariness that mirrored his own.
"Chris," she said, her voice flat, devoid of any warmth. "How lovely to see you, did you come to see how the mighty have fallen." *burp*
"Sutton," he replied, his voice equally strained. "I need to talk to you about something important."
She hesitated for a moment, then stepped aside, allowing him to enter. As he passed her, he caught a whiff of alcohol and Sutton’s unwashed body, it was clear that she was not doing well. The living room was dimly lit, the air thick with the stale scent of cigarette smoke and alcohol. Empty wine glasses littered the coffee table, and an open bottle of red wine sat beside them.
Sutton’s disheveled appearance and the state of the room painted a clear picture. She was drunk. Chris had never seen her look as disheveled and out of control as she did.
"What do you want, Chris?" she slurred, her words slightly blurred. She stumbled slightly as she walked towards the sofa and collapsed onto it, gesturing for him to sit in the armchair opposite.