Vivienne's fingers, long and slender, grazed the hem of his pajama top, causing the loose button to give way and revealing the solid chest beneath.
Vivienne shifted, resting her head on his shoulder, "I never had any intention of going."
She gave a muffled groan as his hands began to roam over her, "Tomorrow, we've got other, more important matters to attend to."
Percival arched an eyebrow, "Oh? Like what?"
With a light chuckle, Vivienne's long legs swung over, positioning her atop him. Her eyes, seductive as she smiled, the crimson at the corners enough to make Percival's Adam's apple bob twice in quick succession.
Noticing his movement, Vivienne's smile grew, "Mr. Wolf, you still owe me for this month's dues."
As her words trailed off, Percival's lips captured the remaining whispers. Beneath the inky expanse of the duvet, the contours rose and fell.
The boundless fervor of spring spread throughout the master bedroom, while outside, even the moon shyly hid behind the clouds.
But.
For some, joy abounds; for others, woes mount.
Some revel in the tumult of passion, while others are roused from sleep by their superiors, scolded for hours in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows.
The superintendent unleashed all the morning fury he couldn't vent on Vivienne upon Kipling, sparing no courtesy, "You really think you're something, don't you, Kipling Abernasy! Stirring up trouble, offering your unwelcome help everywhere! That harassment case involving the female student has been dead for years, and yet here you are, digging it up!"
Seeing the online comments made his blood boil, "Her parents making a scene is one thing, but what's with you, causing a ruckus?! With all your selfless dedication, why don't you address the sky-high meal costs at north side? Complaint letters are piling up here, and at this critical moment, you choose to slack off and play dumb?! And you're running around over Zinnia's case?! Can't sit still in your director's chair, eh? Hoping to ride this wave to fame and promotion?"
The department had seen an influx of young blood these past few years.
Niko, having picked up such rhetoric from who knows where, lambasted Kipling with elaborate insults.
Kipling, accustomed to throwing his weight around elsewhere, didn't dare retort, only nodding and scrambling for an explanation, "No, boss. With a face like mine, even if I tried to make a splash, I'd get nowhere. I just felt pity for Zinnia and her daughter, wanted to lend a hand. After all, that kid's troubles started with Julian's..."
"With Julian? Do you have any evidence that her suicide attempt was because of Julian?!"
Niko raised his voice even louder at the mention of this, "With your talents, Kipling, maybe I should ask the Public Security Bureau to take you in! But they wouldn't want you either. Someone who bases their investigations on guesswork could cause countless miscarriages of justice. The workload for our colleagues at the prosecutor's office would skyrocket!"
His tone was sarcastic and biting.
Kipling, listening, couldn't hide his impatience, "Superintendent, isn't the truth of the matter obvious? Besides, if Kaitlyn wants to sue, let her. It's a losing battle from the start. In the end, it might even cast a favorable light on our department."
"Cast a favorable light?" Niko was nearly amused to death by Kipling's audacity. He paced the study several times, his gaze catching the online uproar. He stopped and sneered, "Alright, you say you want to do the department a favor, huh? Well, let me tell you, if you win this lawsuit, all's well. But if you lose, you can kiss your director position goodbye! Our department's got plenty of folks eyeing that seat!"
With that, he slammed the phone down.
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