"What kind of reaction did you want from him? Jealousy? Envy? Aplete meltdown?" Noreenughed.


    "He had no reaction at all. He was perfectly calm."


    ire made a disappointed sound. "How boring."


    She had been hoping to see that jerk Seth full of regret for losing a treasure like Noreen, maybe even going crazy over her...


    But this was it?


    Heartless, faithless bastard! He could go to hell!


    ire didn''t want to talk about the jerk anymore and switched the topic to Healy.


    Of course, Sophia had been the source of that information as well.


    "Let me be clear, I am not on Team Healy!" ire stated firmly. "What''s that saying?"


    ""''Someone who is with you through thick and thin, not just when you''re sessful.""


    "He used to be so snide about you. Now that you''re sessful, he''s crawling back? What''s that about?"


    "Having a nice mom doesn''t count for anything! When things are good, everything is good, and they''ll promise you the world. But what if one day you fall? Will they still choose you?"


    "Obviously not! That''s how high society works. Everything is transactional. The moment you lose your value, they won''t give you a second nce!"


    "It''spletely rotten!"


    Noreen listened to her long rant and asked with a smile, "You seem to know a lot about it."


    ire faltered for a second. "Well, I''ve just watched a lot of cheesy soap operas." "I haven''t thought about it that deeply, but I''m really not interested in Healy."


    On the other end of the line, ire rolled her eyes dramatically. "You''re so detached from romance right now you could join a convent. Who could you possibly be interested in?"


    Speaking of which, ire couldn''t help but curse again. "That son of a bitch Dn! You were finally starting to waver, and then he just retreated into his shell. Is he a turtle or something?"


    So disappointing! And after all the times she had tried to persuade Noreen to give him a chance.


    "I guess it just means I haven''t met the right person yet," Noreen said, taking it in stride.


    As she always said, a rtionship wasn''t a necessity.


    If fate brought someone along, she would seize the opportunity. If not, she would let things happen naturally.


    "I''m rooting for Director Novak now! I hope he steps up his game!"


    Seeing her getting carried away,


    Noreen cut her off. "It''s gettingte,


    You should get some rest


    go


    eck on the little one. She''s


    been having nightmares."


    ire agreed.


    Just as Noreen was about to hang up, she heard a man''s voice from ire''s end.


    "Could you pass me a towel?"


    Noreen''s hand froze over the end-call button.


    "A man? Did I just hear a man''s voice?"


    ire cursed under her breath. "Oh, that''s just the... uh... people next door. The walls in this hotel are thin. I''m hanging up now before their filth corrupts you."


    Without waiting for a reply, she abruptly ended the call.


    Noreen narrowed her eyes.


    Hanging up that quickly was a clear sign of guilt.


    Knowing ire, if it really had been the neighbors putting on a show, she would have given Noreen alive mmentary. She would never have hung up content


    Noreen suddenly felt like her best friend had been stolen from her.


    Once she was done with her work, she would have to go y detective and find out who the mystery man was.


    When Noreen returned to the room, Katy was still asleep. Shey down beside her.


    Her mind was a jumble of thoughts, but a few things stood out with sharp rity.


    *"He hasn''t been feeling well these past few days. If you can, please visit him more often from now on."*


    "My father... I''m leaving him in your care."


    In the dead of night, Noreen shot up in bed.


    *


    This was the second time Seth had entrusted Wade to her.


    The first time was on the eve of his engagement to Bianca.


    The second time was tonight.


    What on earth did he mean by all this?