“Sherilyn,” Caroline’s voice was cheerful, even though her face was hidden behind sunglasses and a mask. “Who knew you could dance like that? You could totally be a dance instructor on TV. I’m so proud of you.”
Sherilyn casually threw in a “Thanks” as they talked.
Suddenly, a sleek navy Maybach pulled up in front of them.
“Francis is here to pick me up,” Caroline mentioned, inviting Sherilyn, “Where are you headed? Come on, we’ll give you a lift.”
“No, it’s okay,” Sherilyn declined with a wave. “Gilbert’s coming for me in a bit.”
“Oh,” Caroline replied with a meaningful smile. “Then I won’t keep you from your date. We’ll head off first.”
At the bottom of the steps, Francis had already exited the car, holding the door open for Caroline.
She got in, clearly in good spirits. She hadn’t been staying at the Johnson residence lately, but Francis had been making daily calls and visits, always ready to pick her up and take her out for meals. It was obvious he still cared about her.
“Where to today?” Caroline asked, intertwining her fingers with Francis’ and resting her head on his shoulder.
“Whatever you like,” Francis replied, his usual response. “I’m happy as long as you are.”
“Then I’ll decide,” Caroline declared, suddenly pausing as her hand brushed against something. It felt like… a silver earring. A women’s earring, to be precise. At least, that was the style among the Johnsons. This car was Francis’ personal choice for picking her up, usually opting for a Rolls-Royce on other occasions. Whose could it be?
Caroline’s heart ached as she
recalled a hairpin Francis had treasured, previously thought to belong to Sherilyn. Now, she suspected it belonged to someone else James’ mother. Francis had lied again, claiming he wouldn’t be involved with James’ mom. Then where did this earring come from?
Her recent pleasant days with Francis suddenly seemed like a joke. As he opened the car door for her, calling her name, she forced a smile, taking his hand to step out. Learning from past experiences, she chose not to make a scene. Francis wouldn’t admit anything anyway. She had to discreetly find out who this woman was…
Soon after, Gilbert arrived.
“Sherilyn,” he greeted, coming over to take her hand.
Sherilyn watched him intently, making him uneasy. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Guess who I saw today?” Sherilyn’s eyes narrowed.
“Who?” Gilbert was clueless.
Sherilyn smirked, “Drop your act.”
“What?” Gilbert slapped his forehead. “You were there as a dance instructor… Let me guess – you saw Caroline?”
Sherilyn’s smile was enigmatic, leaving her thoughts unspoken.
“I really didn’t know!” Gilbert looked genuinely distressed. “Nexus Media Group was created by my brother for Caroline. Now that he’s awake, he’s taking care of her matters. You have to believe me…”
Sherilyn didn’t say whether she believed him or not, her attention diverted by a call from a hidden number. She answered cautiously, “Hello?” “Sherilyn!” The voice was frantic – Rebecca White.