?<strong>Chapter 144:</strong>


    Katherine held the ss close to her lips, hesitating before nodding. Joelle’s eyes widened in surprise. “Really? How could you keep something like this from me?” She shook Katherine’s shoulders. “Do you even consider me a good friend anymore? Or have you found someone else to confide in?”


    “Ah!” Katherine let out a helpless sigh. “I was young and naive back then.”


    “Wait, you were actually with Bobby behind my back?” Joelle pressed, gripping Katherine’s shoulders.


    Katherine nodded, her usualposure slipping into an uncharacteristic embarrassment. Joelle was ready to listen. “When we were in high school, Bobby was in the ss next to ours, remember?”


    “I do.”


    “One day after school, he confessed his feelings to me. I said yes without giving it much thought. Then he wanted to kiss me. The ssroom had surveince cameras, and our driver was waiting outside, so he took me to the small garden. Just as we were about to kiss, I looked up and saw your brother’s eyes watching us.” Joelle was stunned. “My brother?”


    “Yes, Shawn. He was in his third year at the time, right? He had an extra ss after ours. Maybe he was just looking out the window out of boredom and happened to see us. I panicked, pushed Bobby away, and ran off. We broke up over the phone that very night.”


    Katherine nced at Joelle, her sincerity evident. “Do you think that could even be called love? It’s just embarrassing, a foolish mistake from when I was young and clueless, letting my hormones get the better of me.” Since that day, Katherine had avoided Shawn as much as possible, even distancing herself from Joelle.


    Joelle couldn’t hold back herughter and gently tucked a stray strand of Katherine’s hair behind her ear. “So, how did you end up together again?”


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    “It’s all because of Shawn.” Katherine rolled her eyes, then pulled out her phone to show Joelle a series of messages from Shawn. “Now I know how much your brother actually cares about me.”


    “Do you really think it’s right for you to be with Bobby?”


    “Haven’t you thought it through?”


    “Katherine, I don’t want to see you get hurt.”


    “Bobby isn’t the right one for you.”


    If the name Shawn hadn’t been at the top of the chat, Joelle wouldn’t have believed her brother could be so insistent.


    “But I asked him, and he said he didn’t have any feelings for you.”


    Katherine sighed. “Men understand each other better than we do. I even asked Frankie about it, and he said that guys who keep bothering others under the guise of caring are just hopeless. Could you please talk to your brother and tell him not to waste his time on me?”


    Joelle teetered between tears andughter. “You’re the hopeless one! My brother is amazing. Why don’t you like him?”


    Katherine shrugged, an amused smile ying on her lips. “I just can’t picture myself liking him. Can you even imagine me as your sister-inw?”


    They both shuddered at the thought and shook their heads in unison. “That would be so weird!”


    After their conversation, they each retreated to their rooms to rest. Joelle couldn’t shake Katherine’s words from her mind. The workce was an unforgiving battleground, especially for women. Joelle knew she had to leverage every connection she had. The thought of being cut off from society after giving birth haunted her. Even more so, she dreaded the idea of sacrificing her job and her sense of self-worth—just because she had a child.


    The next day, after work, Joelle waited at the hospital where Rafael worked. When he saw her, he smiled warmly. “You’re looking much better these days.”


    “Yes. I should thank you for the medicine you got for me at the hospital.”


    Rafael nodded, falling into step beside her. “Joelle, what can I do for you?”


    It was the first time Joelle had ever asked anyone for help, and the words stuck in her throat. She hesitated before speaking. “Rafael, did you help me get the job?”


    Rafael was momentarily stunned but quickly recovered. “Yes. I see you’ve found out.”


    Joelle nodded. “I’m here to ask you for another favor.”


    “Go ahead.”


    “I n to work until I’m eight months pregnant, but I hope my current position can be held for me until after my maternity leave.”


    Before Rafael could respond, Joelle rushed to exin, “I know it’s unfair to others, but I love this job. It’s the closest I’ll ever get to a violin career. Rafael, you know my hand isn’t what it used to be.”


    Rafael stopped walking and turned to look at her, a sigh escaping his lips. “Why are you always so formal with me?”


    “Joelle, even if you wanted your position saved after quitting, I’d help you. Of course, I’ll do it for a maternity leave. But have you thought about what happens when Adrian finds out you’re pregnant and still working at eight months?”


    Joelle lowered her eyes, her voice soft. “I need your help with that, too.”


    Rafael thought for a moment. “You’re starting to show. I’ll ask your boss to say you’ve been sent to another city for training for a year. Would that work?”


    “Sure!” Joelle said gratefully. She only needed one year to adjust. “Thank you so much, Rafael.”


    “Think nothing of it,” Rafael replied, his gaze meeting hers. “If you really want to thank me, how about treating me to dinner?”


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