Chapter 255

They were alumni, and I knew the school was planning a reunion soon.

Maybe it was because everyone they knew was getting together, or maybe it was something else, but Yvonne always found a way to get under my skin.

But I didn't want to dig into it.

"I'm not a little girl anymore; I'm tired of these games. If he can't keep his life together, I don't want him."

Kathy took a sip of her coffee and stayed quiet.

I pulled out my tablet to handle some work with Asher, and when it was about time, I dragged Kathy to the maternity center.

Compared to the last time we met, Isadora looked much healthier. It was clear the maternity center was taking good care of her.

The baby was in a crib nearby, and when Kathy and I leaned over to play with him, he smiled at us.

"He's so cute. Makes me want to get married and have kids," Kathy said without thinking.

Isadora was sipping the bubble tea we had secretly brought her, hiding it from Marshall. She laughed and said, "Then hurry up and get married. Out of all of us, you're the only one who hasn't gone through this yet."

"No way. Men can't be trusted. Even Joanna's husband..."

Kathy was staring at the baby and blurted it out.

By the time I realized something was wrong, it was too late.

Isadora, holding her bubble tea, looked shocked. "What are you talking about?"

Kathy turned around, rubbed her nose, and glanced at me. "Sorry, I forgot for a moment..."

I looked at Isadora and sighed. "Isadora, it's not that we didn't want to tell you. It's just that you're recovering, and I didn't want gossip to upset you."

But Isadora was curious. "Tell me now. Did Joanna's husband cheat?"

"Yes, Caroline saw him with another woman at a hotel yesterday."

"Who was the woman? Do I know her?" Isadora seemed intrigued.

I hesitated. "Maeve, do you know her?"

Isadora slapped her thigh. "Maeve! Everyone knows her. Isn't she the infamous mistress in our circle?"

"But Joanna's husband too? I met him before and he didn't seem like that kind of guy."

Kathy sighed. "Who knows? That's why Caroline and I have given up on love. We don't believe in it anymore."

Realizing this wasn't the best thing to say to Isadora, Kathy quickly added, "Of course, your love with Marshall still gives me a bit of hope."

Isadora waved her hand. "Don't worry about my feelings. Love and marriage are things you only understand after experiencing them yourself."

"When I had my baby, there were a lot of issues at home too. But my husband was good to me, so we got through it."

We chatted about these issues for a while, still unsure whether to tell Joanna.

After all, we weren't that close to her, and telling her might backfire.

But as women, we didn't want her to be kept in the dark.

Leaving the maternity center, Kathy linked her arm with mine. "Let's go pick out a gift for the baby."

"I haven't decided what to get yet. Do you think a onesie is too common?" I was a bit conflicted.

Kathy laughed. "You can't go wrong with a onesie. Just get one."

Coincidentally, as soon as we entered the mall, we saw Yvonne.

Yvonne was shopping with another girl.

Both of them had a student vibe, dressed simply but trying hard to look stylish.

The other girl wore a simple dress and flats, looking slim.

Yvonne, on the other hand, wore a blouse and a pencil skirt with high heels.

She looked completely different from the last time we saw her.

But this mature outfit didn't suit her; she looked like a kid playing dress-up.

Kathy recognized her first and nudged my elbow. "Isn't that Yvonne?"

I glanced over. "Let's just go to the baby store."

But as we tried to leave, Yvonne spotted us.

Her eyes lit up, and she walked straight toward us.

The girl in flats continued shopping, seemingly unaware that Yvonne had left.

"What a coincidence, you two are shopping too?" Yvonne's tone was sarcastic.

Kathy felt uncomfortable but remembered her promise to make Yvonne feel embarrassed. She didn't mention the texts or the appointment and just laughed. "Judging by your outfit, you look more like the older sister."

It was true. Kathy and I were dressed casually, looking young and lively.

Yvonne's face darkened, a flash of malice in her eyes. "Shopping here? This area is for young girls. It doesn't seem suitable for you."

"And it's suitable for you?" Kathy shot back.

Throwing the question back at her left Yvonne speechless.

Yvonne's face turned ugly. She lifted her bag and said, "It's okay. My taste isn't really these brands, but someone gave me a gift card for this store, so I'm here to pick up a bag."

I glanced at the bag she was holding, a new release from a budget brand.

I suddenly realized this wasn't something Royce would do.

He had given me gifts before, and he never skimped.

Royce wasn't short on money and was generous. He wouldn't bother with small gestures to please a woman.

I didn't say anything, just pulled Kathy to leave.

But Yvonne called out behind me, "Ms. Sharp, who's paying for your shopping today?"

I stopped in my tracks.

The girl continued, "At your age, you probably don't know what it's like to be pampered."

Yvonne must have looked into my background, maybe even knew about Brandon.

The funny thing was, Brandon never gave me any gifts.

But hearing this, I didn't feel sad. I just replied, "Yvonne, at my age, it doesn't matter if I'm pampered or not. Being broke is the real tragedy."

I glanced at her bag and smiled.

"You know, the money I spend on accessories could buy a hundred of those bags."

With that, I pulled Kathy away.

Kathy gave me a thumbs up. "Well said. That's how you handle it."

In the end, I picked out a cute outfit for Isadora's baby.

It might be common, but it was a symbol of love and care.

After choosing the gift, I headed back to the office.

Asher was waiting for me in the conference room. When he saw me, he stood up and smiled. "Caroline."

"Why the sudden meeting? There's no rush after winning the bid."

I was still a bit tired from rushing back and plopped down in a chair.

Asher smiled and pulled out a contract. "This is my first project since I got back. I need to prepare!"