Crises in Love (Zora and Jaylan) novel Chapter 575

Catherine eyed me with a quizzical expression, her words laced with a biting curiosity. "Aaliyah, what group do you belong to anyway?"

Feigning innocence, I shot back, "What do you mean? Aren't we all on the same team?"

Hannah quickly chimed in, "That's not quite right."

Catherine's face fell into a mock despair, "Off-topic again."

I steered us back on course with a playful insistence, "Right, off-topic. Your turn to spill the beans."

Janice glanced at us, her tone suddenly serious, "How do I put this? My connection with Baber was just serendipity."

Catherine wouldn't have it, "Come on, there's got to be more to it than that. Spill the details."

With no way out, Janice sighed and began her tale, "Honestly, at first glance, he wasn't my type. I mean, every girl likes handsome guys, and I am no exception. If it hadn't been for the drama with Janetta, I would never have agreed to marry him."

Catherine's brows knitted in confusion, "What does Janetta have to do with any of this?"

Janice's voice wavered as she recalled the family turmoil, "Well, Janetta ended up with this guy, Irving. It nearly sent my mom into depression. Every day she was either crying, fuming, or throwing a fit." Janetta's eyes brimmed with tears at the memory.

"It became this dark cloud over our family, spoiling the mood for ages. My parents even forbade Janetta from coming home. They didn't mean it, but they can't take back words once they're out there. The whole atmosphere at home was gloomy, and I got caught up in the storm. I didn't dare go against them. It would've broken my mother's heart."

Janice paused to pat Janetta's shoulder in a comforting gesture.

"So how did you and Baber meet?" I prodded with curiosity.

Janice chuckled at the memory, "Meeting him was kind of a story in itself. To everyone else, it was a set-up by a matchmaker, our first date. But the truth is, I met him way before that."