Chapter 290

He was wearing a black trench coat, his tall figure exuding an air of maturity and confidence. Every gesture and movement radiated the charm and presence of a seasoned man. Even his profile had shed its former boyishness, becoming more handsome. For a moment, I felt like I was seeing the old him again. All the memories of my teenage crush came flooding back.

"Caroline, what's up? Why do you look like you're about to cry?" Kathy's voice snapped me back to reality. I glanced over and saw Royce outside on the phone. I sighed, feeling a pang in my chest. "How can you be so affected after just a short time apart?"

I suddenly choked up. "It's not that, Kathy. I was just thinking, if only there hadn't been so many misunderstandings back then."

If only Royce hadn't left without a word. If only we had stayed together... I wouldn't have met Brandon, wouldn't have gone through so much crap, and wouldn't have dragged so many people into this mess!

"Sometimes I get sentimental, thinking that if I hadn't fallen into Brandon's trap, none of this would have happened."

I sniffled. "Even though I know it's silly to think that way."

"No, Caroline, it's not silly at all." Kathy sighed, gripping my hand tightly. "You think that way because you're too kind. You don't want your friends to get hurt. But to be blunt, with the complicated environment and dynamics of the Jordan family, even if Brandon hadn't found you, it could have been someone else!"

Kathy's words brought me back to my senses. Yeah, even if it wasn't me, someone else would have been dragged into the Jordan family's mess. Given Brandon's methods at the time, he would likely have found another wealthy person like me!

Kathy hugged me tightly and said, "Caroline, don't think like that. Consider it a journey of growth. If God gave you this test, it means He believes you can get through it. Think about it, if it were someone else, they might not have survived! You're destined to struggle through and help others. Caroline, we'll have our sweet moments after the hardships."

Kathy's words, as tough as she could be, really hit home. I nodded, wiped my tears, and said, "We need to get ready for the party. I need to meet a few business partners."

After everything with Alfonso and Ronnie, I was even more disillusioned with men. I even considered only doing business with women. Except for Asher.

"How about I invest in you starting a design company and a new brand? Once I become an investor, I don't plan on running around anymore."

I really was feeling a bit tired! Now I just wanted to stay home, be with Kelly, and be a mom to my four kids. Speaking of which, since the kids came back, I hadn't really spent much time alone with them.

Kathy rolled her eyes at me. "You really are impulsive. Let's get through this party first."

I was grateful that all my friends had their own careers. Joanna too. At least when facing emotional setbacks and betrayals, we could still hold our heads high!

Just as we thought, Isadora almost lost it when she found out about Alfonso and Maeve.

"You guys told me about Joanna, and I still haven't recovered! Now there's Alfonso too!" Isadora gritted her teeth.

We only told her about Joanna after confirming the facts. I quickly said, "Don't get too upset. You just had a baby, you can't afford to get angry."

"I can't help it... Think about it, if Celestia were still alive, my child would have an aunt," Isadora said, tears streaming down her face.

Losing a loved one is a hurdle no one can easily overcome. We had planned to let Isadora rest, at least until after the baby's one-month celebration. But soon after, Isadora suddenly said, "No, I have to help you with this. Is there anything I can do? Investigate or something..."

She was anxious, speaking faster than usual. I quickly said, "Not for now. We have a lot of leads, but we're stuck."

Isadora's husband had a special job, and we didn't want to drag her into this. "Just focus on the baby's one-month celebration. We've all prepared gifts and are looking forward to it."

Kathy and I quickly changed the subject. But since we had already told her, Isadora sat on the bed, eyes downcast, lost in thought. Kathy and I exchanged glances, feeling that telling her might have been a mistake.

Given Isadora's current state, she had too much to deal with. And now, bringing up Alfonso would surely stir up more emotions...

But Kathy and I had thought it through. Since Isadora would soon return to normal life, she would inevitably run into Alfonso in this city. We couldn't keep her in a bubble, shielding her from everything.

When Marshall came back and saw us all there, he was surprised. We looked at him and teased, "You two have such a great relationship, visiting Isadora every day."

Isadora, distracted, looked up at Marshall and smiled, "The baby just fell asleep. I'm chatting with my friends. Why are you home so early?"

Marshall nodded at us, "Thank you for visiting Isadora." Then he leaned in and whispered something to Isadora. She playfully pushed him away, smiling.

Marshall laughed, "We'll arrange it that way then." They looked so happy together.

As Kathy and I left the hospital, we talked about it. We were both entering new stages in our lives, though not by choice.

I had gone through a tumultuous divorce with Brandon, leaving many scars. Now, resolving the issues with the kids gave me peace, allowing me to move on.

As for Kathy, after seeing what we went through, she didn't want to get married. She was thriving in her career.

Joanna was still in the dark, but Ronnie had already cheated. Even though we agreed not to tell Joanna yet, we knew it couldn't stay hidden forever. And Royce was pressuring me to make a decision.

The happiest among us was probably Isadora. Especially after visiting her today.

"Sometimes I think, if only I hadn't married Brandon back then."