Several minutes later, Cheryl gingerly sent a message to Caroline. "Don't get upset if we tell you about it, okay?" "Just tell me already. We've known each other for so long. Do you think I'd get mad at you for something trivial like this? I asked you to tell me about it, so I won't be mad at you for it."Gwen, Cheryl, and Sonia were relieved to hear Caroline say that, and they finally gained enough courage to voice out what they thought. They started a video call to tell her what they thought. "Kirk might've lied to you about his identity, but he never lied to you about anything else," Gwen said. "So, you're saying that I shouldn't dwell on the fact that he lied to me?" "Yeah, that sums it up," said Gwen "What do you think, Cheryl?" Caroline asked.It was Cheryl's turn to speak. "Well, I'll be frank with you. I think Kirk's a good guy. You might never get to meet another man who treats you as well as he does. If I were you, I would let go of this tiny mistake of his." Ch

Alas, no one could turn back time. After a minute of hesitation, Corinne gritted her teeth and answered the call. Her phone felt heavy and dangerous in her hand, as if it were a ticking bomb. Her hands trembled as she said, "Ms. Evans."Corinne was completely taken aback by the way Caroline sounded. There wasn't the slightest hint of fury in Caroline's voice. In fact, she even sounded happy. "I heard that you got involved in embezzlement." "Let me explain!" Corinne exclaimed. It didn't matter whether Caroline sounded calm or mad at her anymore. All Corinne wanted to do at the moment was explain and defend herself. "There's no need to explain yourself," Caroline said. "I know you must have had your reasons for doing this. I believe in you. You're my friend, after all." Her voice was sincere. "I trust that you'll spend the money on the company. Am I right?" Corinne was rendered speechless. She hadn't expected Caroline to say something like that. Even an elderly person with

Once the door closed, one of the senior executives asked, "Mr. Gavin, what's going on? Why does Ms. Everson want to see you?" "I have no clue either," said Gavin. "Don't fret, though. Just continue with your work. There shouldn't be much of a problem."Despite his words of reassurance, the senior executives didn't think that things were that simple. All of them wore concerned expressions. Eventually, Gavin said, "Don't be so worried. I believe in Ms. Evans. I'm sure Ms. Everson has it in her since Ms. Evans handed the position over to her. "We didn't spend much time with Ms. Everson, so we don't know much about her. We shouldn't judge her based on a single incident like this." He added, "The problem won't solve itself even if you stay here in my office. Why don't you follow me to see Ms. Everson and see what she wants to do?" In the end, the senior executives followed Gavin's suggestion and headed to Evans Group together. …Caroline was having breakfast upstairs when she

That had to be a reason for her hallucinations! No one could convince Caroline that she yearned for Kirk's touch. No way! Caroline felt like slapping herself over and over again as she tried to convince herself that she wasn't so desperate. But then, a tiny voice in her head asked, "Are you sure?" Just then, she heard Kirk yell from the garden below."Carrie, the grapes are on their way," Kirk hollered. "Do you plant them together?" Caroline slowly pried open a hole in the curtains to look down at Kirk, who, to her relief, still had his shirt on. She sighed in relief and answered, "No thanks!" "Okay," Kirk replied. "I'll do it alone then." Hearing him say that made Caroline pity him. She bit her lip and said, "Never mind. I'll help you with it since I have time to spare." Kirk tossed her a smile, one that made him appear all the more enticing as he stood in the sun.Caroline couldn't take it anymore. She turned away from him and rushed downstairs. But when she stopped

Gavin hung up, and Caroline pocketed her phone. She was in no hurry to return to the living room, though. It was simply because she couldn't be anywhere near Kirk for now. Just as she was hesitating to head back to the living room, a sharp noise pierced through the air. Before she could even respond, multiple gunshots sounded in the air. Frightened, she darted back into the house. Kirk, who was in the living room, tossed his laptop aside and rushed to Caroline's aid when he heard the noise. When he saw her, he immediately wrapped his arms around her."Are you hurt?" he asked, his voice laced with concern. Caroline shook her head silently. Soon, the sound of gunshots faded, but the two of them stood still with their arms still around each other. When their surroundings became quiet again and there was no longer a single gunshot to be heard, they heard Nightshade teasing them. Only then did Kirk and Caroline realize that the two of them were in such close proximity.