Forbidden Passion

Chapter 509 Vanessa Stirred the Pot with Phoebe

Phoebe was down for the count, barely able to get a word out. One morning, right after the meeting, Brandon summoned her to his office. Phoebe knocked and walked in.

"Take a seat," Brandon said, giving her a quick once-over. Once she was settled, he got straight to it. "I heard Theodore's been MIA for a few days, and you've been running the show with the VP?" Phoebe coughed a bit, her voice all raspy. "Yeah."

Brandon's face scrunched up. "You look like crap. Have you seen a doctor?"

"I just grabbed some meds, no biggie," Phoebe shrugged.

"You kids never learn. You wait till you're half-dead before seeing a doc," Brandon grumbled, then switched gears. "So, Theodore's been with a teacher at the hospital?"

Phoebe's lips tightened. "It's Vanessa's mom."

"Unbelievable!" Brandon snapped. "He's ditching work to babysit someone else's mom, and you're just letting it slide?"

Phoebe just stared at the floor, not saying a word.

Brandon, seeing her all meek and quiet, got even more ticked off. "Phoebe, you're his wife. Grow a backbone. If you keep acting like a doormat, of course, he's gonna walk all over you." After getting chewed out by Brandon, Phoebe left his office feeling like she'd been hit by a truck.

That night, Phoebe was burning up with a fever. She was sprawled out on the couch, half-conscious, when the doorbell rang. She didn't budge.

Then came the banging on the door, so loud it cut through her fever haze, even with a pillow over her head.

Phoebe dragged herself off the couch, using it for support, and shuffled to the door.

When she opened it, there stood Vanessa and Ruby. Phoebe frowned, her voice barely a whisper, "You sure you got the right place?"

to shut the door, Vanessa jammed her cane in the gap and waltzed in with a grin. "Nope, Theodore sent me to grab

air hit Phoebe, making her

come himself?"

stomped right onto the living room carpet. She spotted the cat tree in the corner, where Ollie was hissing at

sarcastically, "Anyone would think it was his mom who was

flinch. She just smiled and said, "Who knows, maybe soon my mom will be

clenched in

about to hack up a lung. Instinctively, she reached out to help. Phoebe jerked away,

her hand hanging in the

thing and sneered, "Ruby, why are you pretending to be all nice? She doesn't give

tightened, and she hissed at Vanessa,

She bit her lip, itching to push Phoebe's buttons

giving Theodore a heads-up. If he found out she was stirring the pot, all the effort Sophia had put in for her could

smug look, Vanessa said, "Ms. Ziegler, since you're under

bedroom, Phoebe stepped in front of her, her eyes icy. "Vanessa, that's mine and Theodore's room. Even if you're dying to take

gritted her teeth, shooting daggers at Vanessa before turning and coughing her way to

Theodore hadn't sent them for the clothes. Vanessa had eavesdropped on Theodore

under her thumb, and

Phoebe and Theodore had raised

Vanessa knew she had some time. She suddenly lifted her cane

too stunned to even scream as she watched

thought, 'Is Vanessa out of

sensed the danger and sprang away just in time, dodging the crutch. It crouched on