Crises in Love (Zora and Jaylan)

"Give it a rest. You're only a few years older than me and already sounding like the world's ending. I must've been blind to get mixed up with that bastard Jaylan. Compared to you, I've got nothing. If I were you I'd be content."

I said it with casual ease, counting off on my fingers, "You don't have to slave away at the shop every day, and your kid's growing up smart. Noah's career is smooth sailing, and he's got everyone's respect. What more could you ask for?"

Geneva chuckled dryly, not saying a word, her gaze drifting over the distant coastline. It took her a while to speak up, "You know what they say, only your own feet know whether the shoes fit."

"You feel they don't?" I blurted out, then added, "Don't set the bar so high. At least Noah hasn't been caught fooling around, and that's something to be grateful for." I felt a pang in my heart as I said that. The scene from yesterday flashed before my eyes that Noah was getting out of Renata's car in a hurry, that image lingering persistently.

It seems like men have a natural knack for infidelity.

Geneva opened her mouth to say something but then stopped short.

She just gave a smile in the end.

A thought struck me, sensing that Geneva had more to say but lacked the courage.

I seized the moment to press her, "You look like you've got something on your mind. It's just us sisters here today, spit it out and relieve your heart and tongue of the weight. Otherwise, it's just too suffocating." I picked up a fig and handed it to her, "Here, have a bite."

Then I popped a piece of cookie into my mouth, "You know all about my mess. I'm not ashamed. Look at the state of my life, with a husband who's a regular Casanova and a child who's vanished without a trace. How much worse could it get for you?"

I spoke with a rapid frankness.

She sighed deeply and said in a low voice, "Actually, I don't really have much to say, just that something about Noah has seemed off these past two years. If you asked me to pinpoint it, I couldn't, maybe I'm just being paranoid."

She was finally opening up.

A wave of excitement washed over me, prying open her lips was no easy feat. Geneva wasn't someone who opened up easily.

I felt both happy and guilty, but I had to do it.

I immediately responded to her sentiment, "I don't see it that way at all. I believe women's intuition is incredibly accurate."

After saying that, I quickly clarified, "I don't mean anything by it. It's just honestly how I feel. Maybe you can call it a lesson learned from experience. Geneva, trust me, just tell me and I'll help you analyze it. It's just us today, and you know I'm not one for gossip. Actually, I'm just feeling down today. My kid's gone, and Jaylan still covets my money. He even tried to use a lead on my child to deceive me yesterday. Can you believe that? Is he even human?"

I intentionally dangled my own embarrassing bait, coaxing her to find the courage to speak. I knew it wasn't the most honorable approach, but without getting to the truth, Ronan couldn't take the next step to help her. Otherwise, I'd still be failing her. I couldn't just watch Geneva get blindsided and torn apart.

As for Noah's situation, trouble was inevitable. He had broken the cardinal rules.

He had fallen into a trap and was ensnared by fatal temptation.

One day, he would pay the price for his actions.

What's more, it was still unclear whether he had been infected with the virus. If he had, and he passed it on to Geneva, the loss would be immeasurable.

Thinking of these reasons, I felt justified and met Geneva's gaze head-on.

"You don't trust me?" I asked.

Geneva hurriedly waved her hand, "What are you talking about? Of course, I trust you. I've got my flaws too, always thinking too highly of myself, not many people catch my eye. To be honest, at first, I didn't pay you much attention. If it hadn't been for my friendship with Catherine, we wouldn't have become friends. Truth be told, you're more sensitive and decisive than Catherine, someone who can make decisions without wobbling. That's something I really admire about you."

Hearing Geneva say this, I slapped the table, "You got that right, and I feel the same about you."