I nodded, my face a mask of calm. "You're right. The baby's innocent." Noticing I was not reacting, Alice hesitated before saying, "Ms. Scott, I dream of giving my child a future in a hfilled with love, where his parents adore each other." She circled around the topic, avoiding the main point. Watching her struggle, I gave a small, knowing smile and cut to the chase, "Ms. Cruz, just say what you need to say." She looked a bit pale but met my gaze and got to the heart of it, "You and Idris are done. There' sno strings attached—no money issues or kid problems. So, can I ask you to stay out of his life from now on? Idris deserves a fresh start, and honestly, so do you. It's tfor you to find a new chapter for yourself." She talked in circles, but all she was really asking was forto steer clear of Idris. It must have been tough, tiptoeing around it like that.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtI nodded, my lips pressed together in a thin line, and reassured her, "Don't worry, I won't be part of his life anymore." She let out a relieved sigh at my words and thanked me.
I watched her for a moment, then asked, "Do you love him?" She was taken aback, a flicker of surprise crossing her face before she asked, "What?" I did not back down. "Do you love Idris?" She bit her lip, avoiding the question, and instead repeated, "I'm pregnant with his child. I have to marry him now." I pressed on, "If the baby wasn't his, would you still choose to marry him?" I watched her frown deepen. "About that night on New Year's Eve, was it really Idris who was with you?" Her face turned stormy, and she fixedwith an icy stare. "Yvette, what are you getting at?" I never saw her icy glare coming, but then again, it was not a total shock. We were from different worlds, and playing fake nice was never my thing. It was only a matter of tbefore everything cout into the open.
locked eyes with her and said, That New Year's Eve night, there's a ot that doesn't add up, a lot of outside factors. What I'm saying is both you and Idris got caught in the crossfire. I don't know all the details. o gotta ask, are you absolutely ure it was Idris who bumped into 'ou?" ¡wShe flushed with anger.
I was not out to get a rise out of her. I pressed my lips together and said, "Look, I'm sorry, Ms. Cruz. I never wanted to upset you. We're not enemies However, you shouldn't.et mess with me. I'm bringing this ca.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmhave done those shady things up now because I want you to be able to move on and live your life without looking over your shoulder. And just so we're clear, you don't have to worry aboutand Idris. That ship has sailed." Her frown deepened, her face a storm cloud. Her voice cout rough. "Spell it out for me." She looked like she was ready to feign ignorance, so I let out a sigh and faced her, "You wrote that front-page shocker about the heiress who offended someone and chopped up the body, didn't you?" Her face went ghostly white, and her mouth opened, probably to deny everything.
I did not let her get a word in, "Before Idris even cto, Madam Young was already in the loop about Mr. Kobe's gruesend at the border. You were the one who spilled the beans, right?" She clamped her lips shut, glaring at m. Her hands white-knuckled the food box, "Isn't all of that the truth?" I gave her a small, knowing smile, "Is that so? If it's all true, why didn't you give Madam Young the full story about how Mr. Kobe really died? Did you actually seedo it? Or are you saying I was the one who rigged him with explosives?" "Yvette, even if you didn't do it, you can't seriously tellyou have nothing to do with Idris's dad's death, can you?" She locked eyes with me, and we were in a full-blown face-off for the first time.
I could not argue with that.
I nodded, meeting her gaze head-on.
"Yeah, you're right. However, if you've got the real scoop, why didn't you spill it to Madam Young? Posting articles under a fake ID-what was your endgame2lneť? Hoping the Lake City crowd Would cafter me? Trying to get rid ofso you could have Idris all to yourself?"