?Chapter 25:


    The incident unfolded so abruptly that neither Katelyn nor Vincent had time to react. Their lips nearly touched.


    Katelyn immediately sat up straight, her pulse quickening. “Sorry, that was unintended.”


    Even though she had been discharged from the hospital, she was still weak.


    Vincent adjusted his posture smoothly. “It’s alright,” he murmured soothingly.


    The driver, flustered, blurted out, “I’m sorry, Mr. Adams.” A bead of cold sweat trickled down his forehead. He was well aware of Vincent’s aversion to physical contact, and anxious thoughts clouded his mind about his uncertain position.


    Vincent remarked coolly, “Focus on your driving.”


    The driver, caught off guard by Vincent’sck of anger, felt a chill fill the air. He was utterly baffled but ceased his worrying under Vincent’s piercing stare.


    Katelyn gazed out the window at the passing scenery, seeking a diversion from her turmoil.


    Vincent remained quiet, the tension palpable, yet somewhat alleviated by the soft strains of the radio.


    Shortly after, they arrived swiftly at Everspring Garden. Katelyn exited the vehicle, and Vincent assisted her with her bag.


    She ran her fingers through her tousled hair while looking at him. “Thank you, Mr. Adams.”


    “You’re wee. See you around, Miss Bailey,” he replied.


    She nodded, her eyes lingering on his departing vehicle. Once it vanished, she lifted her bag and went into the building.


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    After a quick shower, Katelyn entered her bedroom,ptop in hand.


    She felt more settled after two days of rest in the hospital. Going over earlier design ideas, she paused briefly before sketching directly on the screen.


    Deeply engaged in her work, her drawings flowed effortlessly.


    Once fully immersed in her beloved career, she always lost track of time.


    Two dayster, shepleted all her pending design drafts.


    Katelyn massaged her stiff neck and sighed in relief. Atst, she had finished a segment of the design. Rising, she filled a ss with warm water and tended to her newly acquired green nts. Her phone then broke the silence, vibrating on the table. It was Aimee calling.


    Katelyn answered, only to hear Aimee’s expletiveden outburst.


    “What a despicable pair! How could they dare attack you online? I really should’ve confronted that Lise Cooper at the hospital!”


    Aimee was furious, but Katelyn remained serene, leaning back on her sofa.


    “Take it easy, Aimee. Getting mad at those fools isn’t worth it.”


    Aimee, frustrated by Katelyn’s calm demeanor, retorted, “You’re too forgiving, which is why they keep targeting you. Check the inte to see what’s being said. At least you’ll be prepared to handle the public attentionter. Just don’t let their nonsense get to you.”


    “Alright, I’ll look into itter.”


    Katelyn then found the tweet.


    Having processed everything earlier, she had distanced herself from the ordeal. Thus, regardless of Neil’s actions, Katelyn remained unaffected. To her, they were mere strangers, unworthy of her energy.


    The tweet had sparked major online bacsh, along with several other trending topics rted to her and Neil. After reviewing the details, Katelyn understood why Aimee was so upset.


    Neil had announced their divorce and revealed the finalized decree. Subsequently, he dered his engagement to Lise.


    Lise quickly tweeted a hypocritical response mirroring his announcement.


    Lise feigned remorse, offering an apology to Katelyn, then boldly imed that pursuing love was just and vowed to chase her happiness. Intimately, she suggested that if not for Katelyn, she and Neil could have married years ago, asserting that things were now as they should be.


    A faint smile crossed Katelyn’s face. Lise’s tweet had ignited a storm of bacsh, leading to a barrage of insults on Katelyn’s Twitter page, where she was maligned mercilessly.


    While Katelyn browsed through thements, Aimee remained on the line, fretting over her friend’s well-being.


    “Kat, don’t let thesements get to you. The public is simply…”


    “Specting without any real insight,” Katelyn said, not bothered. “Like I said, I’m concentrating on my career right now.”


    Despite her reassurances, Aimee’s concern persisted. She continued the conversation, reiterating her points until Katelyn received another call. When she saw the caller ID, her expression turned grave.


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