"I was just washing my hands," Yvonne said.


    "For this long? You''d have to be a centipede to take that much time," Mrs. Moore replied, clearly skeptical.


    "She''s considering a role in a military film and was asking me some questions about life on the base," Bet interjected smoothly.


    The exnation was usible enough that Mrs. Moore didn''t question it further.


    "You can talk about that after dinner. Let''s go back, the food''s getting cold."


    With that, Mrs. Moore turned and walked away.


    Bet and Yvonne exchanged a look, both visibly relieved.


    "This feels like we''re having an affair. How long are you nning to keep this a secret?" Bet asked with a sigh of resignation.


    "Do you think they could ept it?" Yvonne leaned against the railing by the hallway window.


    Bruce and Monica didn''t know she was the real Yvonne; they still thought of her as the young girl their daughter had saved.


    What would they think if they knew she was with Bet? Would they assume she had deliberately gotten close to them, using them to snag a wealthy catch like him?


    "My parents already know I broke up with Ynda because of you. It''s only a matter of time before they find out. We can''t hide our rtionship forever," Bet said.


    Yvonne nodded and sighed. "Let''s just take it one step at a time."


    Sensing her low spirits, Bet reached out and gently ruffled her hair. "Alright, don''t overthink it. I''ll handle everything."


    Yvonne and Bet returned to the dining room one after the other, resuming their charade of being mere acquaintances.


    The dinnersted until well past nine o''clock.


    Bruce, Mr. Moore, and Bet all had some drinks, but no one got drunk this time.


    Yvonne helped Mrs. Moore and Monica clear the dishes in the kitchen. Afterward, Mr. and Mrs. Moore prepared to leave.


    Bet and Yvonne left at the same time.


    Mr. and Mrs. Moore had a caring for them, so they weren''t going the same way.


    Yvonne''s private car had already left, so she had to catch a ride with Bet.


    However, since Bet had been drinking, Yvonne drove while he sat in the passenger seat.


    "Back to Cherry Bay?" Yvonne asked.


    "Yeah," Bet nodded. "It''s the


    holiday, so I gave Helen the day of Bullet is home alone. Let''s go


    and keep himpany ack


    Yvonne didn''t object and started the car.


    The car moved smoothly along the t road. Traffic was light at night, and the glow of the streetlights


    flickered through the windows,


    casting shifting patterns


    fight and


    shadow.


    Bet leaned back in the passenger seat, the top two buttons of his shirt undone, giving him a slightlyzy air.


    He turned his head slightly, his deep eyes half-closed as he watched Yvonne.


    The asional passing light seemed to cast a halo around her, making her feel almost unreal.


    It was as if this moment was nothing more than an ephemeral dream, and when he woke up, he would have lost her all over again.


    "Vonnie," Bet murmured, his lips barely moving.


    "Hmm?" Yvonne responded. She


    kept her hands on the wheel,


    nced at the road ahe


    road ahead and then


    turned to look at hing with a


    questioning gaze.  fo


    "It''s nothing," Bet said with a low chuckle.


    Yvonne gave him a slightly exasperated look before turning her attention back to the road.


    Just then, the phone in her purse, which was on the back seat, started to ring.


    Since she was driving, it was inconvenient for her to get it, so she asked Bet to help.


    With his long arms, Bet easily reached back, grabbed the purse, and retrieved the phone, handing it to her.