Jefferson fixed his gaze on Rita with a serious intensity and said, "What kind of answer are you looking for, huh? I've always seen you as my wife, nothing less. And all I've ever wanted, all I've tried to do, is to keep you safe."
Rita let out a derisive snort, her faith in any revelations from him dwindling to nothing.
Why should she expect anything remarkable from him at this point?
The spark of interest in continuing their conversation fizzled out; she was convinced that uncovering the truth about Jefferson was a journey she'd have to undertake alone.
Noticing Rita withdrawing into silence once more, Jefferson reached out, his hand firmly grasping her shoulder, compelling her to face him again.
"Come on, Rita. Talk to me. What the hell went down? Why did they have you locked up in that police station?"
Rita met his gaze with an icy one of her own and retorted, "You're telling me you have the clout to spring me from jail, but you're clueless about why I was behind bars? I'm not buying it."
Jefferson's patience began to fray at the edges. "What's that supposed to mean? Look, the only reason I knew you were in trouble was that I checked the CCTV footage and saw you heading to Murray City. It piqued my curiosity, so I used my connections, dug into the backend data, and that's how I found out you were detained. That's the whole story. Now it's your turn. Spill it. Did you break the law, or did someone give you a hard time?"
"There's nothing I want to talk about," Rita dismissed flatly.
Jefferson couldn't help but let out a sarcastic chuckle. "So what is it? You don't want to tell me what happened, or you don't want to admit you've been cozying up with someone else?"
Rita's eyes flashed with surprise and anger. "You think I'm cheating on you? Seriously? Why would you even go there?"
"Because Neo mentioned the last thing he saw on the CCTV was you in a tussle with some guy. Who is he? Your new lover?"
"Oh, so now I'm some kind of secret to you, is that it?"
"I don't appreciate being kept in the dark, Rita."
"But it's fine for you to keep secrets from everyone else, right?"
"I swear I haven't kept anything from you."
Rita's smile was cold, devoid of humor. "We'll see about that, Jefferson."
With those final words, Rita stood up and left the bedroom.
She would much prefer the couch to sharing a room with him tonight.
Jefferson was left with no real choice. Even though part of him wanted to plead with Rita to come back to bed, her attitude had soured his mood too.
He lay there in the dark, restless and alone, turning over and over as sleep eluded him.
Jefferson found himself wrestling with thoughts that refused to settle, thoughts of how this woman, Rita, had become so increasingly alien to him.
It was a stark contrast to the Rita he met three years prior, a woman who was audaciously bold. She had the guts to plant a kiss on his lips, him being a total stranger to her at the time.
But now? She had morphed into someone obstinate, her mind seemingly tangled in a web of serious concerns, as if she were grappling with some monumental trouble.
And on the occasions when she found herself being pushed around, she wouldn't even muster the courage to stand up for herself.
It was a complete departure from the Rita he knew.
Jefferson turned these observations over in his mind, again and again, searching for answers where there seemed to be none.
As the night wore on, his thoughts began to blur, and without realizing it, he succumbed to the weight of his exhaustion and drifted off to sleep.
---
On a day when Rita found herself in solitude, she reached out to her friend Esther over the phone.
Esther's voice crackled with surprise on the other end, "Rita, tell me everything! Did that detective come up with anything juicy? I'm dying to know what that hot guy is up to."
Rita let out a weary sigh, her voice tinged with dejection, "No, nothing..." She didn't want to burden her friend with her troubles, so she chose to leave out the whole ordeal with Robert and the prison.
"Hey, do you know any other detectives? Maybe in Murray or Lew City?"
"Okay, Rita, I've got your back, you hear me? Right now, I don't have any names, but the moment I get a lead on someone good, you'll be the first to know," Esther reassured her.
Rita offered her thanks and ended the call.
Later, back at the office, Emma approached her with a gossip-laden whisper, "Rita, you wouldn't believe it. Our new president, he's like... totally lost his cool today! He's looking at everything like it's trash. Shot down every proposal. Now, everyone's too chicken to pitch their ideas."
Rita's eyes involuntarily flicked toward his office, a thought nagging at her, 'Could our fight last night have gotten under his skin that much? But he shouldn't be letting personal stuff mess with work, should he?'
In the past, she would've sent him a text straight away, pointing out his odd behavior and how it hadn't gone unnoticed by the staff.
But now? She was determined to keep her distance, especially since he had given her the cold shoulder since the previous night, utterly ignoring her existence.
"Fine!" Rita muttered through clenched teeth, causing Emma to jump.
"What's up, Rita?"
Rita, however, didn't respond and sank back into her own turbulent thoughts.
'He's like a total stranger now. I need to get to the bottom of this, divorce that liar, and kick him out of my life. And I need to do it fast!'
As expected, Jefferson didn't return home that night. "Good, at least I won't be constantly on edge with him not around," Rita thought with a mix of relief and bitterness.
Then, her phone rang—it was Esther.
"Rita! I've found someone who might just be the detective you're looking for!"
"Really? Hand over their number!" Rita couldn't help but admire how dependable Esther was.
After receiving the contact details, Rita immediately dialed the number for the so-called Detective John.
"Hey, Detective John? I need you to dig up some dirt on a man named Jefferson Ted. And I need it fast. Don't worry about the cost, okay?"
There was a note of astonishment in Detective John's voice, "Jefferson Ted? You serious? The guy's a big deal, not just in Lew City!"
Rita's heart skipped a beat. "A big deal? What do you mean?"