Seeing that Keaton wouldn''t budge, Shifra wiped her tears and said, "I will definitely apologize to Winona. She''s the victim. I''ll do whatever she wants regarding the


    apology. Just let me talk to her first, okay?"


    Keaton didn''t answer, so Shifra added, "If Winona also demands a public apology, if that''s the only way to resolve this properly, I''ll do it!"


    Keaton let out a long breath and finally nodded.


    Shifra sniffled. "Can we talk about us now?"


    Keaton lit another cigarette and confessed, "The reason I was into you is because you reminded me of someone from my past. You look a lot like an old friend of mine."


    "To put it bluntly, you''re a stand-in. It''s not you that I like."


    "If you can''t ept that, we can break up right now. I won''t force you."


    Shifra stared nkly at Keaton,pletely stunned. She thought he was attracted to her because she was talented and beautiful, because she''d gotten lucky. She never imagined she was just a substitute!


    Keaton''s confession was blunt, but his words were devastating to her.


    The room was quiet for a moment before Keaton spoke again.


    "I''ll give you some time to think it over. Let me know when you''ve decided."


    He stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray and got up to leave.


    As soon as he got back to his car, Janelle called again.


    Ever since the news about Winona broke, Janelle had been bombarding him. Dozens of missed calls, hundreds of texts, and hundreds of WhatsApp messages! Keaton didn''t dare answer her calls or reply to her texts, but he was afraid he''d give his own mother a heart attack, so he called Jessamine. "Jess, can you help me calm Mom down?"


    Jessamine said furiously, "You''re really going to be the death of Mom! If I didn''t have to stay here with her, I''de over there and p you myself!"


    "What is wrong with you? What is going on between you and Winona? And why is that two-faced snake Shifra targeting her?!"


    Keaton said, "It''s a long story. I can''t give you the answer right now."


    Jessamine didn''t press him for details, but her tone was firm. "I''m telling you, if you get together with Winona, you have my blessing. As for that Shifra girl she can hell"


    "You can tell just by looking at her that she''s fake. It''s one thing to ride someone''s coattails, but to go and hurt them like that? She''s got that?, She''s got


    serious character ws


    "Didn''t Winona put off moving just to take care of you?"


    "I heard from Winona before that she was nning to move. It was only after you were seriously injured and moved in next door that she stayed to look after you!" "And what does she get for it? Your girlfriend ims it was because of Zane!"


    "First there was Alicia, now this Shifra pops up. You''re nothing but trouble! What does Winona owe you, huh?!"


    "I don''t care what''s really going on between you two, Winona is the victim here. You''d better fix this, and fast. Don''t make mee over there and smack you!"


    Keaton sighed. "...I know. Just help me calm Mom down. All this anger is bad for her health, and you need to take it easy too, you''re pregnant."


    Jessamine shot back, "If you really want us to calm down, then solve the problem!"


    "Mom has me here, so don''t you worry about her! Just focus on Winona!"


    "And another thing, don''t even think


    abouting home until this is


    resolved. Dad''s already on the


    warpath. He''s ready


    to tear tear you a


    new one the second you walk


    through the door!"


    Angry as she was, he was still her little brother. Jessamine could p him around herself, but she couldn''t bear to see him get a real beating from their father.


    After all, when Richard got involved, things tended to get ugly.