But to Yvonne, Thomas was like a brother. Her feelings for him had long been solidified in that category, and that was never going to change.
She had accepted his invitation today intending to make things clear, but Thomas didn't give her the chance.
She greeted his friends politely and gracefully, joining them for a game of tennis and then a round of golf.
Initially, their praise for Yvonne was mostly out of respect for Thomas.
But she was a skilled golfer and an excellent tennis player. She was beautiful, confident, and radiant, practically glowing with energy.
Before long, their compliments became noticeably more sincere.
"Ms. Jones is the most charming woman I've ever met. No wonder Mr. Taylor is so smitten," a well-known producer in the industry teased with a smile.
"Yvonne is truly exceptional. I'll have to keep trying my best to win her over," Thomas replied with a warm, open smile.
Yvonne remained silent, pretending not to hear.
In this situation, flatly rejecting Thomas would be a slap in his face, a truly tactless move.
After golf and tennis, someone suggested a bit of target practice.
So Thomas led them to the shooting range.
As the group approached, they were surprised to run into Oscar and Yolanda.
The Thompson family's private estate wasn't a place just anyone could enter. But as Bennett's girlfriend, Yolanda had access.
Oscar was accompanying her, and the two were laughing and talking together. It was clear that Oscar was quite good at keeping Ms. Walker happy.
"Yolanda, Mr. Rogers, I didn't expect to see you two here," Thomas said, slightly surprised.
"I brought Yvonne here to meet some friends," Thomas answered noncommittally, neither confirming nor denying.
Since they had run into each other and were all heading to the shooting range, they walked together.
Oscar stayed close to Yolanda's side, like a loyal knight.
Yvonne felt a sense of disorientation, as if the memories of Oscar and Flora's once-deep affection were all just a figment of her imagination.
At the range, Yvonne picked a station at random. As she stood there putting on her protective eyewear, Oscar suddenly walked up and took the spot next to her.
He picked up a pistol from the counter and, while fiddling with it, said with a cold smirk, "I have to hand it to you, Ms. Jones. I'm impressed you managed to escape that media storm so completely."
"It was nothing but petty, dirty tricks. I never gave them a second thought," Yvonne retorted, turning to face him. She wore goggles, but the eyes behind them were sharp and beautiful.

Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Sorry for Your Loss, It's Me, I'm the Loss
Hi ... Could you please publish another novel .. The mocked missed hidden crowns.. thank you 🙏🏻...
Oh wow, definitely hooked on this. Great story. Thank you....
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