As Yvonne reached the doorway, she instinctively nced back at Bet. His right hand was wrapped in white gauze, and he was listening to Ynda with his head slightly tilted, a gentle expression on his face.


    Yvonne averted her gaze and followed Thomas out.


    Ynda sat beside Bet, gently lifting his bandaged hand, her eyes filled with


    concern.


    "Bet, does it hurt?"


    "I''m fine," Bet replied, pulling his hand back.


    He''d sustained plenty of injuries, big and small, during his years in the military. He wasn''t that delicate.


    "I''m d. Don''t get hurt again. It breaks my heart," Ynda added, her eyes welling up with tears.


    Bet offered a faint smile and gently ruffled her hair.


    Ynda blushed slightly and took his hand again, asking casually, "Is Thomas pursuing Ms. Jones?"


    "I don''t know," Bet answered coolly without looking up.


    "They look quite good together," Ynda remarked, sneaking a nce at Bet.


    He simply used his uninjured hand to pick up a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from the coffee table, casually lighting one as if he hadn''t heard her.


    Ynda kept her gentle smile, but the hand at her side had clenched into a fist.


    She recalled the way Bet had looked at Yvonne while she was ying the piano and felt a growing sense of unease.


    "Ms. Jones is very beautiful. I think I''ve seen her in a popr movie," Ynda continued.


    "Is that so? I wouldn''t know. She''s just a nobody," Bet said, flicking the ash from


    his cigarette, his cold voice drifting out with the smoke.


    Ynda''s heart settled instantly.


    As the heir to the Thompson family, Istra''s wealthiest n, and a high-ranking military officer at such


    a young age, Bet had a brilliant


    future and had seen all sorts


    Women


    of


    How could a wet-behind-the-ears girl like Yvonne possibly catch his interest? Besides, they had been dating for so long, and Ynda knew Bet. He wasn''t like those other yboys; he was disciplined and faithful in his rtionships.


    She''d heard he''d only had one girlfriend before her, making his romantic history even simpler than hers.


    The fact that Bet once had a childhood sweetheart he''d loved deeply was a thorn in Ynda''s side, but the woman had died years ago.


    She was just a dead woman, and Ynda wasn''t foolish enough topete with a memory.


    She was certain she would be Bet''sst woman. They would have children and spend their lives together. With so many years ahead, she would eventually be the most important person in his life.


    After Thomas''s birthday party ended, Yvonne said her goodbyes.


    Thomas offered to have a driver take her home, but she politely declined.


    Yvonne wasn''t an idiot; she could tell Thomas was treating her differently. It had just taken her a while to realize it.


    In her past life, Thomas had been against her at every turn. Now that she was in a younger, more attractive body, he was suddenly all over her.


    She knew Thomas was no good. It was best to stay away from him from now on.


    Yvonne returned to her small rented


    apartment, changed out of her


    gown, removed her makeup, and


    tonk a rxing shower Just as she


    was about to get into bed, her phone rang.


    Yvonne answered while brushing her hair.


    It was Jeffrey''s voice on the other end.


    "Yvonne, it''s Grandpa''s birthday banquet this weekend. Get ready ande with


    Mom and me."


    "I''m busy," Yvonne replied almost instantly.