As soon as ire asked the question, she remembered what had happened a few


    days ago.


    She pped her forehead. "God, I''m an idiot! How could I forget something so important?"


    She silently cursed that cheater Felix and his little green-tea girlfriend, Madeline. Their drama had made her miss out on all the juicy details.


    Forgetting her dessert and milkshake, ire turned to Noreen. "You still haven''t told me what really happened between you two that night. Did you cross the line?"


    Otherwise, why would that jerk Seth be avoiding Noreen? It was a clear sign of a guilty conscience.


    Noreen stammered, "No..."


    "But you were drugged, weren''t you? The doctor Castle brought over examined you and said the stuff that lunatic gave you was potent. It was either an IV drip with the antidote or a man. And you definitely didn''t get the drip."


    ire fixed her with an interrogating stare that screamed, *spill it now*.


    Noreen grew even more flustered. "It was just... um..."


    ire, never one for patience, saw her struggling and decided to just say it for her.


    "Um, what? Did you two go all the way, or did he just use his hand?"


    Noreen was speechless. Having a friend this brazen was truly a blessing. "Why are you blushing? Answer me!" ire pressed, growing more impatient. Noreen covered her face. "Both, okay? Both!"


    "So he''s avoiding you," ire concluded. "Don''t tell me it''s because he couldn''t perform?"


    Noreen had no response for that. ire''s train of thought was in a league of its own. "That has to be it!" ire insisted, growing more confident in her theory. "Why else would he be avoiding you? He''s too embarrassed to face you!"


    Noreen decided not to engage. The more she tried to exin, the more tangled it would get.


    Before they could finish their desserts, a group of people barged into the restaurant -five or six burly men.


    Dariel, Noreen''s bodyguard, immediately moved to protect her, blocking their path.


    The man in front, wearing a thick gold chain, sized up Dariel. Realizing he was outmatched, he took a step back and shouted toward Noreen, "Miss Gilmore, our boss wants to see you."


    "If he wants to see me, he cane himself. Why make such a scene?" Noreen wasn''t intimidated by their presence and remained perfectly calm.


    Seeing he couldn''t take her by force, the man pulled out his phone and made a call.


    A short whileter, someone else entered the dessert shop. It was Jaxon, and he looked quite distressed.


    When Dariel blocked his path, he said, "I have something very important to discuss with Miss Gilmore. I won''t harm her."


    Jaxon was an older man, in his sixties at least. Noreen figured he wouldn''t dare try anything, so she signaled for Dariel to let him pass.


    Dariel allowed only Jaxon to approach.


    When Jaxon was a few steps from Noreen, he suddenly bowed deeply, his attitude, utterly sincere. "Miss


    Gilmore, my daughter was in the


    wrong and offended you. But you didn''t suffer any real harm for Harriet''s sake, I''m asking you to please spare my daughter, Sue."


    Noreen was confused. From what Jaxon was saying, it sounded like something had happened to Sue. And he seemed to think she was responsible, which was why he was. here begging her to let Sue go The problem was, she hadn''t done anything to Sue.


    It wasn''t that she was a magnanimous person who didn''t hold a grudge. But at the end of the day, Sue was Mrs. Joyner''s


    vel.n?


    biological sister. And here in


    Harborview City, all things


    considered, she couldn''t just make move against Sue. Contént belongs


    Could Castle have done it? No, that didn''t seem right. Castle cared about Mrs. Joyner more than she did; he would be even more considerate of the Caldwell family''s reputation. He wouldn''t have gone after Sue.