Chapter 269

"After all the trouble to meet up with a good friend and ending up with nothing, I can't help but find it laughable."

I nodded. "Yeah, I feel the same, but let's not dwell on it."

"The most important thing now is to contact everyone we can and figure out what to do about this."

Our biggest worry was whether Joanna had contracted the disease, but knowing she hadn't been intimate with Ronnie recently gave us some relief.

However, this also indirectly confirmed that Ronnie had indeed been seduced by Maeve.

Kathy added, "You know what's the weirdest part about this whole thing?"

"If we follow her timeline, the time Ronnie stopped being intimate with her coincides exactly with when you and Brandon had that huge fallout."

I took a deep breath. "You think there's a connection?"

"I don't know why, but I feel like this isn't just a simple case of cheating. Ronnie is smart and ambitious; it's unlikely he'd let a woman derail his progress."

When Joanna and Ronnie first got together, we all thought he was a good guy, but now no one dares to say that anymore.

"Actually, Royce had a similar thought. When he first heard about this, he suggested that Maeve might be a bribe from someone to Ronnie."

I shared Royce's theory with Kathy.

Kathy's eyes widened. "I have to admit, Royce is thorough! I hadn't even considered that angle, but now that you mention it, it makes sense..."

"Regardless, we need to find a way to check if Joanna is infected. Then we can talk to her and see if she wants a divorce."

This situation was giving us a headache, especially since Joanna is very perceptive and intolerant of deceit.

For now, we could only take it one step at a time.

As I was about to take Kathy home, my phone buzzed with a new message.

It was from Maeve!

Staring at the screen, I froze. Kathy seemed to sense something. "Who messaged you?"

I showed her the screen.

Kathy's eyes widened. "You actually exchanged contact info with her? This is real?"

"Why would I lie? When he told me, he seemed so serious. I think Brandon is hiding something. He's got nothing to lose now, so we need to be cautious."

I glanced at Maeve's message.

[Caroline. We've had each other's contact for a few days now, why haven't you messaged me?]

[What do you think about what I mentioned before?]

Kathy, peering over my shoulder, nudged me. "Reply to her, quickly! If we can't get anything from Brandon, Maeve is our next best bet."

I sighed. "Why do you seem more excited about this than I am?"

"I can't help it. Joanna is my friend too, and we're all in the same circle! Plus, this whole thing is so mysterious, it's got me curious."

With Kathy's encouragement, I sent a few messages back to Maeve.

Surprisingly, Maeve was evasive in her responses. She didn't seem willing to discuss much over WhatsApp.

Sensing this, I asked, [If you don't want to share more information, why contact me?]

Maeve quickly replied, [If you're available, let's meet in person to talk.]

She added that she would only meet me alone, and if I brought anyone else, she wouldn't share any useful information.

Seeing this, I clenched my teeth. Kathy saw it too. "She's really cautious... Looks like you have to meet her."

I felt the same. But I wasn't sure how to face Maeve. Knowing she was infected made me uneasy. I couldn't shake the feeling that being near her would make me sick too, even though I knew it was irrational.

"What should I do? I want to go with you," Kathy pouted. "It's not just because I'm nosy and curious, but I feel uneasy about you meeting Maeve alone."

I knew she was thinking about what happened with Yvonne, worried I'd be at a disadvantage. I said, "It's okay. Maeve reached out to me, so she must want something. Even though I don't know what leverage I have, she needs something from me, so it's fine."

If Maeve wanted to target me, she wouldn't need to worry about what I might do. "Don't forget, when we caught her with Ronnie, Maeve was clearly scared."

Kathy speculated, "Do you think the person who assigned Maeve this task told her to keep a low profile with Ronnie?"

This led us to wonder if Maeve's return was to complete this task.

After parting with Kathy, I went to the café Maeve suggested. Maeve chose a place called Café Serenity, which was elegantly decorated. I realized I hadn't taken the time to enjoy a quiet cup of coffee in a long time. Especially after finding my child, my days were consumed by work and home...

Lost in thought, I saw someone waving at me from a corner. I looked up and saw Maeve sitting there. She wore a red dress, the deep burgundy enhancing her allure. If you only looked at her appearance, she was indeed a woman who could attract men. Even women might take a second glance. But knowing about her illness and her actions... I didn't know how to face her.

I walked over and sat across from Maeve. "Why did you want to meet today?"

Maeve smiled. "You meet me in a café and don't even order a coffee? Straight to the point?"

"Otherwise, I wouldn't have come."

My bluntness caught Maeve off guard. But knowing our conversation might take a while, I opened the menu and ordered a latte. "I haven't been to a café in a long time."

While waiting for the coffee, I said this to Maeve.