Chapter 262

Sure enough, it didn't take long for Royce to laugh. "Caroline, I thought you were all ice-cold. Now that I know you care about me too, I'm really happy."

"I don't, stop making stuff up." I felt a bit shy and denied it awkwardly.

Royce completely ignored my denial. "If I say you do, then you do. If I say it's you, then it's you."

"Then why'd you even ask me?"

Sitting at my vanity, I glanced at myself in the mirror.

Just one look and I was stunned.

Was this blushing, love-struck person really me?

I had been thinking earlier today that I was a divorced woman with four kids.

And yet, just talking to Royce on the phone had me acting all bashful...

"From now on, can you reply to my messages and answer my calls?"

"Aren't I answering now?"

I felt a bit helpless.

But deep down, there was a sweet feeling.

"Royce."

"Yeah?"

He responded immediately when I called his name.

"Actually, I wasn't just being difficult with you. I really intended to end things."

"I know. But I didn't want to."

He understood my feelings completely.

I took a deep breath. "So you understand all my concerns, right?"

"I do... I've already cut ties with Yvonne. If you don't believe me, you can check my phone anytime."

"Also, Yvonne had applied for an internship at my company, and I rejected her."

Hearing this, I suddenly felt a bit guilty.

"That wasn't necessary..."

"For you, it was."

Royce's determination and seriousness about this matter moved me.

I knew he had really listened to me and was genuinely considering my feelings.

"Alright then. Since you've already turned her away, it wouldn't be right to let her intern now anyway."

Royce laughed. "That's favoritism."

Hearing him say it so bluntly made me even more embarrassed.

But then I thought, sometimes doing things that might seem like personal vendettas to others for the sake of someone you love isn't so bad.

After all, it was Yvonne who started this.

Thinking this, I felt much more at ease. "We'll see how you do from now on."

"By saying that, you're agreeing to let me keep pursuing you, right?"

"You figure it out."

I was about to hang up, but then I remembered my plans with Brett. "By the way..."

"In a few days, I'm planning to take the kids on a picnic or maybe rent out a hotel to chat with friends. Do you want to come?"

Royce sounded a bit excited at my invitation. "Can I really join?"

"Of course."

"Have you thought about what my role will be? Future stepdad?"

Hearing this, my face, which had just cooled down, heated up again...

"That's too far ahead. You're not even official yet."

With that, I hung up the phone.

My heart was still racing, all because of Royce.

Sometimes I wondered if love was a burden for me. After all, I'd been through so much and didn't want to get hurt again.

But Royce's sincerity made me hesitate.

I could feel something special in my heart.

I wondered if he might be different from Brandon.

Thinking this, I smiled.

That night, I slept well. But the next morning, when the doorbell rang and I saw Royce standing there, I was wide-eyed.

"What are you doing here?"

"I know you're meeting Joanna today, so I came to pick you up."

Royce looked around the house. "Where's Mrs. Sharp? I brought her a gift."

I suddenly felt flustered.

I hadn't told my mom about making up with Royce yet...

Kelly probably still remembered me crying to her that night, saying I didn't know if I had the right to pursue happiness.

Feeling embarrassed, I said, "My mom's probably still asleep..."

But just as I finished speaking, I heard a voice behind me. "We have a guest this early?"

Kelly walked over and saw Royce at the door. She looked at me with wide eyes. "Didn't you say you two..."

I felt very awkward. "He's here to pick me up. I have to go out for a bit..."

"I'll explain everything when I get back, Mom. Please watch the kids for me today."

Maybe because I was flustered, I spoke quickly, but Kelly seemed to understand my emotions. "Alright, alright, you go."

I knew in Kelly's eyes, I must have looked like a lovestruck teenager...

The kind who gets over things as soon as her boyfriend sweet-talks her...

But that was pretty much the situation now.

After getting ready, I left with Royce.

Once in his car, I realized he hadn't brought a driver and had come to pick me up himself.

"Ms. Sharp, today I'm your personal driver."

Royce even joked.

I couldn't help but laugh. "Since you're so free, let's go pick up Kathy."

"You're meeting Joanna, and Kathy's coming too?"

I nodded. "When I talked to Joanna yesterday, she said she hadn't had a meal with Kathy in a while, so we decided to meet up..."

"And Kathy's free today."

Thinking of Kathy, I remembered something. "By the way, Yvonne actually pissed Kathy off too."

Royce kept his eyes on the road, his expression unchanged. "What happened?"

I told him about Yvonne's stunt with the appointment.

"But I'm not telling you this to tattle, just so you know why Kathy might be in a bad mood when she sees you."

Royce said he understood.

On the way to pick up Kathy, I felt a bit nervous. After all, I had just told her about these things yesterday, and now Royce and I had made up. Kathy would probably be surprised...

Sure enough, when Kathy got in the car, she looked at me and then at Royce, her face full of curiosity.

I felt a bit helpless and said to her, "I'll explain everything later."

"Alright..." Kathy dragged out the word. "If you don't tell me everything, I'll make a fuss."

Royce stayed silent the whole way, just listening to Kathy and me chat in the car.