Zack sat down on a chair. “Sophia’s smarter than I think. I couldn’t have found out about this guy if it were up to me.”
To that, John smiled. “She’s always been smart. I used to think she wasn’t, but now I know I was wrong.”
She used to appear naive and dumb, but that was only because she loved him too much. That inevitably made her lose all personality, but after the divorce, her true character resurfaced.
“You look happy every time you talk about her,” Zack commented.
John chuckled. “You’ll know why when you fall in love.”
“I wonder how frustrated Isabelle would be if she sees you talking about someone else so happily.” Zack sighed. Then, he continued to say, “I looked into her again in case I missed something, but still I couldn’t find any clue that points to her as the culprit. Unbelievable.”
John squinted. “Maybe she is innocent.”
“Maybe,” Zack replied. “Or maybe it’s because of my prejudice. I just don’t think she’s completely innocent.”
John smiled. “Don’t think too much about it. It’ll affect your judgment.”
When he heard that, Zack gave him a look. “Did you never suspect her?”
John paused and stared at Zack. “Of course I did. She's at the top of the list.”
On the other hand, Sophia and Matilda were taking a stroll that afternoon. Even though they were in their neighborhood, there were still bodyguards following them, much to Sophia’s chagrin.
“Don’t mind them,” Matilda cooed. “Safety first, you know.” Then, her phone rang, and Matilda froze. She knew who the caller was without even looking, and she took a deep breath. “That must be Isabelle.” She looked at Sophia. “I haven’t been calling her lately, so she’s starting to call me back.”
Sophia smiled. “Take the call. I want to know what she has to say.”
Not much could be said on the phone. After Isabelle knew that Matilda was getting along with Sophia, she couldn’t denigrate her right in front of Matilda like they used to.
Matilda turned on her speakerphone. “Hello, Isabelle.”
She didn’t change how she addressed Isabelle, much to Sophia’s surprise. Back then, Matilda used to wear her heart on her sleeve and would show her contempt for those she disliked blatantly. So she’s learned.
Isabelle sounded delighted, and she asked if Matilda had time. When Sophia heard that, she patted Matilda and nodded at her.
“I do. What is it?” Matilda answered.
Isabelle asked her out on a shopping session. “The mall’s holding some great events.”
“I see,” Matilda replied. “I thought you’re busy at work. Done with your business already?”
Isabelle sighed. “No, but then my work is endless, so I thought I should back off for a bit. I have my own life, and it’s important that I relax sometimes.” She giggled. “I just met a client, so I want to take a detour and avoid going back in the afternoon.”
Matilda chuckled. “I see.”
Then, Isabelle asked if she could go with her right away, and Matilda looked at Sophia before saying, “Sure. I don’t have much to do for now.” Delighted, Isabelle said she’d meet up with Matilda at the entrance of a mall.
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