Chapter 263

We mostly talked about Ronnie.

Ronnie's been quite the rising star these past few years.

Climbing the ranks in his field wasn't easy, but Ronnie seemed to navigate that world effortlessly.

You could tell from how Joanna's meetups with us became less frequent that Ronnie was hitting some major milestones.

"As I said, this is the trickiest part. If this gets out, Ronnie's reputation will definitely take a hit. We need to come up with a foolproof plan."

Royce finally spoke up, "He's already part of someone else's scheme, and Maeve is likely a bribe. Are you still worried about his future?"

"He couldn't resist temptation and has already wronged Joanna. You shouldn't feel any sympathy for him."

I paused, thinking Royce had a point.

Kathy sighed, "True, but we just feel bad for Joanna. If we can minimize the damage and impact, that would be best."

Royce dropped us off at Sunny Meadows and left, but Joanna saw him and they exchanged a brief greeting.

The three of us women sat down on the couch in the living room and started chatting.

"It's still early... let's go grocery shopping together later."

There's a big mall right outside Sunny Meadows, and the area is well-equipped.

Joanna nodded, "I already ordered takeout on my way here. It'll be delivered soon."

"What did you order? I'm cooking today, and you still ordered takeout?" I teased Joanna.

Like yesterday, I knew I had to be friendly first to get her to open up to me later.

Joanna glanced at me, "Don't worry, I didn't order any main dishes, just some bubble tea."

"I guess you won't be making bubble tea today, right?"

I laughed, "That's true. But if you want, I can learn to make it."

As I said that, I suddenly remembered when I first got married.

Back then, to please Brandon, I learned how to be a good wife and mother, even though I had my own career.

Learning to cook was part of that.

Looking back, it felt like all my efforts were in vain.

Joanna noticed my silence and tried to lighten the mood, "Don't bother learning to make bubble tea. Some things are better left to the professionals."

After that joke, the atmosphere between us became much more relaxed.

Kathy started talking to Joanna, "I heard from Caroline that you wanted me to join you for dinner, so she invited me?"

Joanna laughed, "Is that a problem?"

"You two are always together. Even when we visited Isadora at the hospital, it was you two. I'm a bit jealous."

Kathy laughed, "What's there to be jealous about? When Caroline was in trouble at home, she called me first, and I was the one who helped her out. It's only natural we're close!"

Joanna's eyes flickered, "I wish I had friends like that..."

"What do you mean? Aren't we your good friends?"

I pretended to be stern.

But I had a feeling Joanna had something on her mind. Otherwise, she wouldn't have said that.

Could it be that our conversation today would get Joanna to open up right from the start?

But Joanna smiled, snapping back to reality, "I didn't mean it that way. I just think you two are great, and I wish I had someone who was always with me."

Kathy blinked, "What's wrong? Is Ronnie not treating you well?"

"I heard the best couples are also good friends. You and Ronnie should be pretty close, right?"

I followed Kathy's lead.

We had time now, but we wouldn't be able to talk about this while grocery shopping.

If we didn't get any answers now, we could bring it up during dinner.

Joanna sighed, "Ronnie is a good person, but we're not really friends. And lately, we haven't been talking much."

Hearing this, Kathy and I exchanged a glance.

We weren't sure if we should probe further.

Bringing this up right after meeting might upset Joanna.

Or if we revealed too much, she might get suspicious...

Luckily, the doorbell rang, interrupting our conversation.

It was the takeout Joanna ordered, three bubble teas, each a different flavor.

"You even remembered what I like."

I looked at my bubble tea.

Joanna was known for her attention to detail, something everyone in our circle knew.

So I was glad Kathy and I didn't push the topic further.

Let's keep the warm, happy atmosphere a bit longer.

Joanna didn't notice anything unusual and we drank our bubble tea while watching TV. When it was time, we decided to head out.

I hadn't gone grocery shopping with others in a long time. I had delegated my work for the day, so I felt relaxed.

The three of us wandered through the supermarket, covering almost every section. By the time we finished shopping, we were all starving.

At the checkout, Joanna laughed at our purchases.

"Most people cook first and get hungry when the food's ready. We're already starving; will we be too hungry by the time the food's done?"

Her joke made Kathy and me laugh, "You made me feel guilty... it's our fault for leaving so late!"

We laughed and chatted as we left the supermarket, but as soon as we stepped outside, I saw a familiar figure across the street.

It was Maeve...

This time, Maeve didn't see me.

She was on the phone, walking with a seductive sway.

I thought about who might be on the other end of the call, probably Ronnie, and felt a chill.

Joanna was next to me and followed my gaze, spotting Maeve. She scoffed, "I haven't seen that woman in ages. Is she back in town?"

Kathy was the last to notice. When she saw Maeve, she instinctively looked at me.

I pretended to know nothing, "I have no idea... maybe she is."

Kathy said, "I think I heard someone mention she was back, but I'm not sure. Why is she around here?"

"Could her new lover be living in Sunny Meadows?"

Kathy and I didn't dare to think further.