Chapter 11
“I
Lind
Their face
“You don’t
“I really do
Joel eyed her for a
said truthfully, shaking her head.
had left too quickly–she hadn’t even asked their names.
Tully covered. She had no idea who they were.
why was she here saving your sister? Do I look like a fool to you?” Joel asked, his voice cutting.
a replied, her voice
shaky, tears close to falling.
Seeing she wasn’t faking, he stepped back, fists tightening.
‘I’ll find her,‘ he thought. ‘I have to.
“Get the OR’s footage,” he told
his assistant standing nearby.
He needed to know how that girl pulled it off.
“Right away, Doctor Preston,” the assistant
said, nodding.
Joel went back to his office.
Ten minutes later, a soft knock
“Come in,” Joel said.
“Doctor Preston…” The assistant swallowing hard, her face a mix of fear and unease.
Joel’s patience was wearing thin. “Cat got
Joel froze.
“Uh… the hospital’s security system got
hacke” she,
tongue? Go get a transplant. Now give me the footage.”
”
muttered.
3
Dusk fell, city lights starting to glow.
Linda closed her laptop, tucking it into the trunk.
She parked her car in the underground lot of a six–star hotel.
Then she and Adrian slipped through two alleys to their favorite street food stall.
The place was chaotic–noisy, smoky, crammed with people downing beers and trading stories.
It smelied and looked like raw, real life.
They ordered a pile of food and four beers.
Adrian took a gulp, looking at her.
“Thought you were all in to be the Vaughn heir’s perfect wife. Hanging out here? Not worried about your reputation?” he asked.
Linda paused mid–bite, giving him a smile.
Her beauty was stunning, and that smile, those bright eyes, hit like a spark.
Adrian’s heart skipped a beat
Nothing wrong with this spot,” she said.
She liked this place.
People like Jasper, born with everything and earned even more when they grew up, would never step foot here.
Last life, she’d erased herself to fit his idea of the perfect Mrs. Vaughn.
In the end, she failed, crashed and burned.
1/2
Chapter 11
Now she just didn’t believe in love anymore.
“I’m not marrying Jasper,” she said slowly as she finished a taco.
She sounded strangely calm, as if it weren’t about herself.
“Cough!” Adrian choked on his beer, eyes watering as he spilled half the glass.
He was beyond disbelief–his heart was pounding like crazy.
He leaned in, staring. “Linda, what? You’re not marrying Jasper? Did I hear that right?”
“You heard me,” she said, nodding.
“For real? You’re not messing with me?” he pressed.
Adrian couldn’t wrap his head around it.
He’d seen how hooked she was on Jasper.
Her saying she was done was like her saying she could grow wings.
For real,” Linda said, grinning. “So, Adrian, we cool? No cutting ties?”
“Alright.” Charles nodded indulgently.
“Hell yeah,” he said, nodding firmly, nonstop.
He gave her a ear–to–ear smile.
Then, with a playful tone, he teased, “Weren’t you all ‘Jasper or nothing“?”
“Kidding. You bought that?” Linda said, shrugging.
Adrian wanted to call her out–she didn’t seem like kidding at all, but in the end, he let her go.
‘She’s back from the edge, he thought. That was enough to him.
After finishing the food, Linda and Adrian planned to check on Avery at the hospital tomorrow, then parted with a wave.
She headed back to the hotel’s underground lot.
From a distance, she saw a man standing by her car.
2/2
