Nicole understood Lulu and Patricia’s worries, but she wasn''t too concerned. She knew about


    Lawrence''s past deeds and felt in control.


    At first, she respected Lawrence because she thought she owed him for saving her life. But after


    discovering it was all maniption, she stopped worrying about that debt.


    Knowing Lawrence was after the Fire Crest and Water Crest, and probably had already acted, Nicole


    chose to wait and see what would happen. She knew soon it would be clear who the winner or loser


    would be.


    After leaving Nicole''s office, Lulu turned to Patricia.


    "Patricia, you''re staying to protect Nicole. What about Er, aren''t you going back there?" Lulu asked.


    "My primary duty is here, and everything at BayCorp has stabilized; they don''t need me there


    anymore," Patricia replied, her priority clearly being Nicole''s safety at the moment.


    "And what about you and Er? What''s going on with you two?" Lulu probed further.


    "Us?" Patricia bit her lip slightly, "There''s nothing going on between US." "Oh," Lulu responded, then


    added, "I won''t keep you any longer, I''ll get back to work."


    As Lulu entered her office, Patricia was puzzled by Lulu''s recent behavior, wondering, ''Why is Lulu


    asking me all these odd questions? What''s so interesting about me and Erto her?''


    Lulu liked to gossip, but this was different.


    Patricia felt uneasy, thinking, ''Is something up with Er?''


    Er seemed fine, not worried about anything.


    Patricia decided to see Er after work to check if her worries had any basis or to find out anything new


    from him.


    As the workday ended, Nicole, Patricia, and Lulu left the office together. Patricia watched Nicole being


    picked up by Jared, feeling a sense of relief as they departed. She then hailed a taxi.


    "Where are you headed?" Lulu asked casually.


    Patricia nced at Lulu and eventually replied, "Heading home." She decided it was best not to


    mention her n to visit Er.


    After Patricia left, Spencer arrived to pick up Lulu, and she too departed, leaving thepany''s


    entrance now quiet and the lively scene subdued. The ck car that had been parked nearby also


    slowly drove away.


    Arriving at BayCorp, Patricia found Er just stepping out.


    "Why are you here?" Er was visibly surprised to see her.


    "I have something to ask you," Patricia got straight to the point. "Have you been keeping something


    from metely?"


    Er felt a jolt of panic. ''How did Patricia find out?'' He thought he had been discreet, with only his


    assistant involved in the covert tasks he had arranged.


    "Is there really something?" Patricia''s voice rose slightly when Er remained silent.


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    After a moment''s hesitation, Er tried to maintain a calm faqade. "No, what could I possibly be


    hiding?"


    The uncertainty in his voice didn''t escape Patricia, and the subtle evasion did nothing to ease her


    growing suspicion. Her instincts told her that something was amiss, prompting her resolve to get to the


    bottom of it.