After Carly received the news about her father, she didn't know what to think. Angel didn't know how to relay it to her when the two sisters got to be alone after supper. They met in Angel’s room, where Angel broke the news.
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Carly grew up never knowing who her father was. Neither her mother nor Angel ever spoke about him. She heard stories about him, and not the good kind. Besides that, she never knew what her father looked like. There were never any pictures of him in their house, and it seems her mother threw all her wedding photos away. All her life, Carly always pictured her father as a faceless figure in her mind.
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In her early childhood, she always admired her friends who grew up with their fathers, and she wondered why she never had one around. One day, when she asked about him to her mother, her mother tried her level best to explain to her that her father was out somewhere in the world and would return soon. Angel told her a few years later that her father would never return. As a child, Carly didn't know what to make of the news. However, she accepted that she'd never know her who father was.
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With the stories she heard of her father being a drunkard and a gambler, she was glad she never knew him and appreciated her mother's decision to cut him out of their lives. That was how she accepted she didn't have a father. Actually, she didn't need one. Her mother and Angel were all the family she needed.
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Now, hearing about her father's return to New York left her paralyzed for a bit. It took a while to gather her thoughts. Angel could only look at her sister patiently. Only she knew what effect it had on Carly.
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When Carly finally settled, Angel couldn't help but ask how she was feeling. She responded she was alright, and that she didn't expect to receive such news. For all she knew, her father might have died long ago, and she wouldn't care less. However, he was alive and here in New York.
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Angel asked whether she would want to meet him, and Carly honestly replied that she didn't know. She needed more time to think through things. Angel told her to take all the time she needed. She gave Carly a heads up about Leo knowing about their father. Carly didn't mind at all. She was going to tell him about it when they have to talk, anyway.
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Angel also thought it was best to let Mr. McDonell know. She felt obligated to do so since he gave the two sisters a roof over their heads. Carly was okay with that, too.
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Before Mr. McDonell went up to his room for the night, Angel found him in his study and asked if they could talk. He allowed her to, and she told him about her father. Mr. McDonell was surprised at the news. For all he knew, her father almost seemed nonexistent. He had heard no news about him. He thanked Angel for letting him know. And if there was anything the two sisters needed, he would be there to help.
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He also asked if Carly knew and how she took the news. Angel couldn't help but express her worry. To her, Carly looked a little bothered, but afterwards, she was back to herself as if it didn't affect her. Angel knew her sister too well and knew deep down that Carly wasn't okay. One thing Carly was good at was being a good pretender. Angel was afraid that the feelings she kept inside might bite back at her someday.
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Mr. McDonell understood what she meant, but he encouraged Angel to give Carly time to think things through. She might pretend not to let you worry, he suggested. Angel agreed to give Carly some time and space. Whenever she was ready to talk, Angel was there to listen.
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Two weeks had flown by, and it worried Angel a little that Carly since then hadn’t talked about their father. Angel didn’t get to ask her if she ever wanted to meet him. She expressed her worries to Leo and Eric one time at work when they were having their tuna sandwiches in the kitchen.
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“Are you sure she hasn’t brought it up to you just yet?” Angel asked, looking at Leo, sitting beside her.
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Leo shook his head. “That first night when you told her the news, we talked,” said Leo. “That was the last time we talked of him.”
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Angel looked down at her tuna. “I can’t help but worry now. I’m scared she’s hiding her true feelings, and who knows what may happen.”
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“That’s why we’re here for her,” said Eric. “Maybe she has decided that she wants nothing to do with him like you have.”
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“Yeah, but I thought she would ask questions about his whereabouts or something. But she said nothing at all. That’s worrying.”
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“Give her time,” said Leo. “And if she doesn’t want to see him, the better, don’t you think?”
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“I guess,” Angel answered sadly. “I just wish I knew what she was thinking, you know? I just hope that she does nothing stupid.”
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No one knew what Carly was thinking, and that worried Leo too. He couldn’t help but feel there was something different about her he couldn’t point a finger at. It’s not that she changed her attitude towards him. She was the same old Carly, but with some different sort of energy. What made things worse was that Leo couldn’t tell whether it was a good or a bad one.
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He also never tried to bring up the topic of her father because it felt wise for him not to. Not when she didn’t bring the matter up after that day. Pushing her to talk about it would only make things worse. And who knows, she might just release whatever she had bottled inside her. No doubt, it would not be pretty.
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For Carly, she went about her days, living a double life that those close to her weren’t aware of. She decided not to let her father’s sudden appearance in New York affect her. She had too much to handle already, and worrying about her father wasn’t on her list of priorities. The thought of letting the news get to her was only going to knock her off balance and lose focus on what she had to do.
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She could tell Angel, Leo, and Eric were worried about her because of her continued silence, but there was nothing she could do about it. It was best not to bring it up. Besides, she had never thought of her father for the longest time, and him showing up in New York shouldn’t be any different, right? As much as she tried to hide the fact that the news, in a way, affected her, the only way to brush it off was not to talk about it. However, she didn’t realize that the more she tried to bottle up those feelings, the more it was going to affect her in the future.
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As for Angel and Leo, since that Saturday afternoon when they spent time together, nothing seemed to have changed. However, they were more comfortable talking about random things whenever the two found themselves together. The tension between them wasn’t as much as it used to be. However, whenever either of them remembered what had happened in the room of Leo’s apartment, they tried their best to avoid each other, which sometimes wasn’t possible by unforeseen forces like work or whenever they so found themselves alone in the same room back home. Otherwise, they were slowly opening up to each other like friends, and it was a surprise to most people in the McDonell household, especially for Eric and Carly.
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One day during working hours, when Leo and Eric were driving down the streets of New York, Eric couldn’t help but bring the topic up.
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“I can’t help but notice that you and Angel are getting along well,” said Eric. He was the one behind the wheel.
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“What do you mean?” Leo asked.
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“You two don’t fight like you used to.” Eric turned to smile at Leo. Leo couldn’t tell if Eric was mocking him or not.
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“We grow up, and we move on. I was tired of those petty fights, anyway.”
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“Ha!” Eric laughed. “Once upon a time, you couldn’t stand her. Well, it made sense back then. She and you met under weird circumstances. Then there was the accident and her mother passing away. So, you couldn’t really blame her. It’s good to see that you two have finally set those differences aside.”
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Leo raised an eyebrow. “You think so?”
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“Yeah. For the sake of everyone back home and at work, the two of you have had to compromise when it was necessary. Going for each other’s throats would not be good for everyone, since they don’t know how your feud actually started.”
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“What do you think would happen if they knew?” Leo asked, with a curious look on his face.
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Eric didn’t answer as he thought about it for a while. “Then that will mean everyone finds out the truth about the accident—about Carly’s past, everything.”
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“That doesn’t sound good.”
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“I know. That’s why it’s best it stays among the four of us.”
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“Aren’t we forgetting someone? Zac knows about Carly, too.”
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“Yeah, but all he knows is that she was once a call girl.” Eric continued to focus on the road when a smile came across his face. "Though he might have a hunch of the reason you dumped Kim, he doesn’t know the whole story.”
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“Wow.” Leo looked in front of him, contemplating. “There are so many lies hiding behind each other that it’s almost confusing.”
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“Yeah, well, if anyone took a whiff of this, we would be in big trouble.”
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Leo could only imagine the chaos that would erupt if the truth ever got out. It wouldn’t be pretty, and everyone would be affected in a way. Before he could continue to think about it any further, Eric made a turn to the place where they were supposed to meet their client. There was no time to worry about that now. It was simply for the best to move on.
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***
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It’s the month of September, the last month of summer before fall came, followed by winter. It also was Leo’s birthday month, with the date falling on the 30th. Mrs. McDonell planned to throw a surprise birthday party. The Barclay sisters were also asked to help to make the day a success. The event was to take place at the house, and Mrs. McDonell was spearheading the whole thing. She had made plans a lot earlier, but now that September had arrived, it was time to take action. Mr. McDonell thought she was going a little too far with the whole grand-birthday thing. He knew his son very well. Leo never liked birthday parties or any celebrations that went a little too overboard. It was a hustle when it also came to his wedding preparations. In the end, they did something nice and small in their backyard. Mrs. McDonell was close to booking a grand venue, but it took a lot of persistence from Leo to change her mind.
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On a Saturday morning, Angel and Carly were to go out and meet decorators needed for the party. Mrs. McDonell and Diana also had the same task, but they were to check on one-half of New York, while the Barclay sisters did the other. They couldn’t go to all the stores, so they decided to split, come together afterwards and compare which decorator had the best ideas for the party.
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The two sisters had set out early in the morning, with Bill driving them to where they had to go. It almost felt like a girls’ day out for them. Before their mother died, the sisters used to hang out a lot on weekends. They would go shopping, watch a movie, and have lunch. Since then, they’ve never hung out. Now that Carly and Leo were in a relationship, they took the weekend off just for the two of them to be alone. Now, the two sisters had a chance to be together just like the old days.
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While Bill drove the Barclays sisters downtown, the two were singing to an old pop song on the radio. They really had a good time that when Bill arrived at their destination, they couldn’t help but groan.
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“I was just having fun,” Carly complained as she took her purse, ready to get out of the car.
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“I know,” said Angel. “But we’ve work to do.”
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Bill smiled at the two sisters seated at the back of the car. He looked at them through the rear-view mirror. “You have fun, you two,” he said.
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The two sisters expressed their thanks and got out of the car. While the two sisters approached the building complex, Bill drove out of the car park. He had other errands to run and would pick the two sisters up afterwards.
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When they entered the shopping complex, they made their way to the escalator. A few stores in the mall provided decorating services. They agreed to check each of them.
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“So, have you thought of what to give Leo for his birthday?” asked Angel, as she and Carly rode the elevator.
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“No, I haven’t,” said Carly, turning to look at Angel.
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“Well, since we’re here, this is the perfect time to do so.”
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“What do you think I should get him?”
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Angel shrugged. “I don’t know. You should know better. Aren’t you his girlfriend?”
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Carly pouted her lower lip. “Well, this is going to be hard,” she said.
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“It shouldn’t,” said Angel as she laughed at her sister. “As long as it comes from the heart, it’s not a big deal.”
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“Easy for you to say.” They had reached the landing and walked down the wide hall. “You brought Duncan that fancy watch for his birthday when the two of you were dating.”
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“Oh, yeah, I did,” said Angel, remembering a memory of a distant past. “But that was a long time ago, and I had to save to buy that watch. You don’t have a job.”
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“Yeah, this is going to be tough.” Carly turned her head towards a men’s clothing store and looked at what was on display. “Finding a birthday gift is hard.”
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“You know, a gift isn’t all that you can give.”
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Carly turned to look at her sister. “What else can I give?” she asked.
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“Your time, your attention.”
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Carly stopped walking, shocked by her sister’s answer. Angel also stopped walking to smile at her.
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“But that day is going to be busy,” said Carly. “How the hell am I going to give him my time?”
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“Go on a picnic or something,” Angel answered.
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“I can’t do that. I’ll have to be at the house helping arrange the place. Isn’t Eric supposed to keep Leo away from the house?”
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“You can always switch. But you should find a reasonable explanation to take up that role. While the two of you are away from the house, you can go somewhere where it’s just the two of you and spend some quality time together.”
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“No, thanks.” Carly vigorously shook her head. “I don’t want to be the one to give Mrs. McDonell an explanation that I can’t even fathom to tell her. What do you think I have to say? ‘Oh, hey, I am Leo’s girlfriend, and I should be the one getting him distracted by having some quality time with him?’ You know I can’t do that.”
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Angel laughed wholeheartedly. “Don’t work yourself up. I bet Leo will continue to love you even without a present. Like I said, it’s not the material of a gift that matters; it’s your intention to show that you care.”
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Carly didn’t seem to get it as she folded her arms and furrowed her eyebrows. She turned around and walked on ahead. Angel couldn’t help but shake her head at her sister as she watched her go. She had a smile on her face, and all this reminded her of the times when Carly wouldn’t understand her homework and walk out of the room sulking. It’s like she hasn’t changed at all, Angel thought to herself. She soon followed her.
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They found themselves in the first event decoration store. They were given a catalog of what they offered, and when asked about their themes, they were shown over the laptop and there were small mini displays of the themes they had in the store. The two sisters carried some more catalogs showing the themes and got the company’s contact details if anything came up.
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They visited two more decorators, and by the time they were leaving the third store, it was close to noon. They were on their way to visit the fourth store when Carly excused herself to use the ladies’ room. Angel told her she would find her in the store as it was close by, and Carly already saw where it was.
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Carly went on ahead to the ladies’ room. Almost all four cubicles were occupied, except for one at the far end of the room. She went into the empty cubicle, closing the door. When she finished reliving herself, she flushed the toilet. Just when she was about to leave the cubicle, her phone in the bag vibrated. She wondered who was calling her.
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While she was pulling out her phone from her bag, the other women in the other cubicles started coming out almost at the same time. They all started talking as they seemed to be friends. When Carly checked her phone, she found it was André calling her. Now she panicked as she wondered why he was calling.
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With the women laughing by the sink, Carly got oblivious to what was around her as she looked down at André's name on her phone. Should she ignore his call? If she did, he would continue to call her until she answered. She already noticed the possessive side of him when she didn't answer his call once. Apparently, she was having a test that day only to look into her bag after it was over that he had called her six times. This time around, she was with Angel, and she would find it suspicious that her sister wasn't picking up her phone to answer the call.
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Carly slid the answer button without thinking and put the phone in her ear. The women by the sinks were making their way out of the bathroom. At least Carly thought she could have some privacy.
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"Hey, André," said Carly, as she opened the door of the stall and walked out.
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"Hey," André greeted her. "I was worried that you would not answer my call there."
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"I was just using the restroom." Carly approached the sink, placing her purse on the black marble counter.
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"Oh? Where are you?"
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"I'm at the mall with a friend." Carly held the phone to her ear by pushing up her shoulder to keep it in place while she opened the tap to wash her hands.
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"I see you're busy. I was hoping we could talk."
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"Talk about what?" Carly raised an eyebrow, curious about what he had to say. The roll of paper towels was planted on the wall beside her, and she planned to go for them to dry her hands.
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"I wanted you to come see me in Mexico."
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Before Carly’s hand could reach the paper towels, her elbow hit into her purse, knocking it to the floor. What André said had got her distracted.
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"Shoot," she said as she bent down to pick up the purse.
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"What is it? Don't you like the idea?" André asked.
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While Carly bent down to get her purse, the door to the bathroom flew open as another woman in black heels came rushing in and entered the first stall. Carly got back upright after picking her purse.
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"Sorry, my purse fell," she said. "You were saying something about Mexico?"
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“Yeah, I would really like it if you came to Mexico,” said André. “It would be so much fun, just the two of us. You can come to stay at my estate.”
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This is not happening right now, Carly said to herself as she shut her eyes tight. What has she gotten herself into? Should she really go to Mexico to be with André? No doubt, Red Lion would force her to go no matter what. And if she rejected the offer right now, André might become suspicious of her. The worst part of all this is, how is she going to go to Mexico without her sister or any of the McDonells finding out?
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“That sounds like a lovely idea,” said Carly. If she took the time to hesitate, it would worry André.
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“I was thinking you come over two weeks from now. Would that sound good?”
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When Carly did her math, she realized it would be on the week they were supposed to be celebrating Leo’s birthday. How could all this be happening right now?
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“Um, why can’t I come a lot earlier?” Carly asked.
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“I won’t be in Mexico. That’s why I thought of you coming two weeks from now. I am assured to be in Mexico by then.”
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Oh, this is bad, Carly thought to herself. She had to think of something quick.
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“I better check my schedule then,” she said. “There might be tests coming up on that week.”
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“Why do you even worry about such things when you have me around?” André asked. “I promise to take good care of you. You don’t have to worry about school or anything.”
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Carly chuckled. “Tell that to my uncle. He’s the kind who values education, and I wouldn’t want to disappoint him.”
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“Well, there’s no running away from that, then. Let me know by the end of the week how busy your schedule will be. And make sure you come up with some very good excuse for your uncle when you tell him you have to leave.”
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The toilet flushed behind Carly, and the door to the stall flew open. The woman walked out and approached the sink.
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“Yeah, okay,” said Carly. “But I better come up with a good one.”
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“I can help you come up with one. Just let me know if things get tough.”
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Carly chuckled. “Yeah, sure. Thanks, André. I’ll talk to you soon if anything comes up.”
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“Alright, have a nice day.” André soon cut the line.
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Carly placed her phone down on the counter and took a deep breath. This was bad. Real bad. What was André thinking of inviting her over to Mexico? And she was supposed to be celebrating Leo’s birthday. There’s no hiding it, even from Red Lion. He might have been listening in on the conversation from the time it started. Damn! What is she going to do? And what sort of excuse was she going to tell Angel? Worse off, Leo? He would be disappointed if she weren’t there for his birthday. Just when she thought looking for a gift for him wasn’t any worse, this happens.
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The woman by the sink stood a few feet away from Carly. She had just finished washing her hands and grabbed some paper towels to dry her hands. Carly was looking at herself in the mirror, telling herself to get herself together. Angel shouldn’t notice that there was trouble going on, for it was easy for her to tell. Carly took her bag and packed her phone inside.
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Just when she was about to head for the door, she looked at the woman by the sink. The woman was also looking at her as she took her powder puff from her bag to fix her makeup. The two women’s eyes grew huge with surprise. And they both spoke at the same time.
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“Miranda?”
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“Carly?”
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Meanwhile, Angel stood at the front desk of the store, talking to the receptionist. The receptionist informed Angel that the decorator would come out shortly to attend to her. Angel stood there for a while before she heard someone calling out her name from behind.
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“Angel, is that you?”
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Angel turned around, and she saw Kim coming into the store, carrying a pink shopping bag. She wore a tight black dress and a red throwover. She also wore stunning black heels. Angel had to admit that Kim looked really pretty.
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“Hey, Kim,” said Angel. “What a surprise seeing you here.”
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“Oh, I usually do my shopping here with Trina. She’s around somewhere; I left her eyeing some shoes that she found on display. What are you doing here?”
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“I came here looking for a decorator. I hear there are many decorators here, so I came to look around.”
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“Wait, it’s for Leo’s birthday, isn’t it?”
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Angel gave a nod. It’s no surprise that Kim guessed right. She was Leo’s ex.
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“That’s odd,” said Kim as she raised an eyebrow. “Leo doesn’t like big celebrations. For the past few years, we have only had nice, simple dinners, or we go on some outings somewhere. Why the change of heart?”
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“It’s Mrs. McDonell who thought of throwing him a surprise birthday party. He won’t be comfortable with it, but I bet he won’t be able to turn away people who showed up for his party.”
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Kim gave a slight nod of her head. “That’s true. Hey, now that we’re here, why don’t I help?”
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It was Angel’s turn this time around to raise her eyebrows. “Are you sure?” she asked. “I came here with my sister, so I’m fine as it is. It’s not that I’m saying having you around is a bad idea; I’m just not sure if doing this for Leo is right for you, in a way.”
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Kim smiled at Angel. “I get what you mean. However, I seriously hold no grudges towards Leo. I would really like to help, and I know some good decorators we could check out as well.” Kim looked behind her and saw Trina, who was looking around for Kim. “Trina, hey, over here! Look who is here.”
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Trina spotted Kim right away and entered the store. Angel couldn’t help but feel all of this was spinning out of control. Four was too much of a crowd. With Kim here, Angel feared it would make Carly uncomfortable.
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“Hi, Angel,” said Trina, putting up a smile. Just like Kim, Trina was also holding a pink shopping bag. “Long time, no see.”
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“Yeah, it’s been a while,” said Angel. She couldn’t help but feel Trina was sending off weird vibes.
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“Leo’s birthday is coming up, and apparently, it’s going to be a surprise party,” said Kim. “So Angel is here with her sister, looking for a decorator.”
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“I thought Leo hated big parties,” said Trina, looking surprised.
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“Well, there’s a first time for everything. I was thinking we could help them out. What do you think?"
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Angel looked at Trina, and she noticed a look showing just how uncomfortable she was for a second before putting up a smile.
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"I think I'll pass," said Trina. "Remember, I was supposed to meet with someone soon."
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"While you're waiting, we can help. Where is your sister, anyway?" Kim asked, looking at Angel.
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"She's in the bathroom," Angel answered. "She'll be out shortly."
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The receptionist at the desk informed Angel that the decorator was ready to see her now. She gestured to the small lobby to wait.
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"This is going to be exciting," said Kim, looking all bubbly. "I never threw Leo anything big before, and this will be a first."
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Kim went to sit first on the plush caramel chairs in the lobby area. Angel and Trina looked at her with worried looks on their faces. The two briefly looked at each other for a minute before Trina followed Kim.
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Angel couldn't help but look on, wondering why all of this was happening today, of all days. Would Mrs. McDonell approve of this? Angel bet she would. But she had a bad feeling about this because there was also Carly.
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Angel joined Kim and Trina as the decorator attended to them. Before getting things underway, Kim wanted to introduce herself and the others and take the lead of the situation. But Angel was a little smarter and faster. As soon as the decorator came with her laptop and catalogs, Angel was quick to do the introductions and get down to the issue at hand right away. The last thing she needed was for Kim to take control when she wasn’t assigned to the task.
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Angel could already feel Kim’s eyes on her, pricking her skin like needles. No doubt she wasn’t happy with what Angel had done. Angel was doing a good job not to let that distract her by focusing on the decorator, who was kind enough to pay her attention solely to Angel. Kim folded her arms, trying her best not to show how annoyed she was. Trina, who sat next to her, bent over by the small coffee table in the middle to grab herself a catalog. She brought this upon herself, so it’s best she deals with it, Trina thought to herself.
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***
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Red Lion looked down at his phone and couldn’t help but grunt in annoyance. He had found six missed calls from Matilda. They had an argument this morning, and he wasn’t in the mood to talk to her. He left the place in a bad mood, and he thought he would come by the warehouse to cool off for a bit. Seeing that she had tried to call him made him annoyed even more.
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A knock came at the door. Grateful for a distraction, he told the person to come in. It was Hugo, and he had his laptop with him.
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“Tell me you have some good news,” said Red Lion, leaning forward in his chair.
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“André called Carly, and I think you would be interested in what the conversation was about,” said Hugo, who came to place the laptop on the table in front of Red Lion.
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“If it’s enough to keep me entertained, then let’s hear it.”
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Hugo went on ahead to press the play button on the laptop, and the two of them listened to the recording.
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***
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“Carly?”
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“Miranda?”
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The two women couldn’t believe that they were looking at each other at this very moment.
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“What are you doing here?” Carly asked, breaking the silence.
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“Shopping, of course,” Miranda answered. “What are you doing here?”
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“Just around and about with my sister, looking for something.”
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Silence fell upon them. It was weird for them both. It’s weird for Miranda, for she was the one who revealed Carly’s secret to her sister, and now she is dead jealous that Carly stayed close to Leo in the same house. For Carly, seeing Miranda reminded her of her past back at the club. Even though she would like to admit it was behind her, she got involved with Red Lion, which was even worse than what she used to do.
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“So, how is the club these days?” Carly asked.
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Miranda raised an eyebrow. “It’s okay,” she said.
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Carly folded her arms. “Did you call my sister that day when Leo came to the club looking for me?”
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Miranda grinned. “Wow, I thought you were just trying to catch up. It seems not.”
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“Just answer the question.”
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“Is that why you were so upset that you didn’t answer my calls back then?”
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“Did you call her or not?”
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“What if I didn’t?”
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“I know ever since I started working at the club and got to attend to more important clients, you’ve never liked me.”
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"Please,” said Miranda, rolling her eyes. “I wouldn’t care less about what happens to you.”
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“So it was you.” Carly didn’t look surprised. “You had more to gain than anyone else who worked there. And you knew who my sister was. No doubt you had her phone number saved to use it whenever you felt like it.”
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“Does it matter now? Apparently, you’re closer to Leo now more than ever. I know you stay in the same house as him.”
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“You almost got my sister killed that day. If you didn’t call her, she wouldn’t have been in that accident.”
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“You want to blame me for that?” Miranda laughed. “No, Carly. You should blame yourself. You took everything from me!”
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“What do you mean I took everything from you?” Carly looked confused. “I was doing my job.”
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“Yeah, but there's no denying the special privileges you got when you started working there. I thought getting rid of you would change everything. But no. You might have left the club, but somehow, you found yourself living in a lavish house and living close to Leo. So, you see, you’ve got the best of both worlds, and I end up with trash.”
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“Living with the McDonells is nothing compared to the damage you caused. I almost lost my sister.”
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“Was your sister’s life all you were ever worried about, or was it her trust in you?”
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Miranda hit the nail right on the head. Carly felt she was about to explode. She had had enough. She felt like walking up to Miranda and giving her a slap. But she knew Miranda would fight back. With the fights that used to go on at the club among the call girls, Miranda always taught the girls a thing or two. Carly knew she was at a disadvantage, and fighting in the bathrooms wasn’t ideal.
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“I’ve had enough of this,” said Carly, as she got her purse and headed out.
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“Why? I speak the truth, right? Face me, Carly. I know you want to hit me,” Miranda taunted. “Do it.”
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Carly stopped at the door and turned to look at Miranda. “It isn’t worth it. I hope we don’t see each other ever again, Miranda.”
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“Well, I’m not done. You and I have a lot to talk about. How is Leo, by the way? I hope he’s treating you well. Come to think of it, isn’t the reason he called off his wedding because of you?” Miranda laughed like a maniac. “Gosh, why didn’t that come to me sooner? It all makes sense now. The day he came to the club was the day he was supposed to be married to some model. What’s her name again? Whatever. But it makes sense now.”
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Carly looked at Miranda, her head still boiling. What Miranda said wasn’t a lie, and that scared Carly. She had to stand her ground and not look shaken. This is bad, she thought to herself. What if, out of spite, Miranda reveals the truth to the entire world, especially Kim?
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“I’m guessing no one knows about your little affair, do they?” Miranda asked as she smiled. “I guess not. Who would allow their son to be with a whore like you?”
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“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Carly said.
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“Oh, I know what I’m talking about, Carly,” said Miranda. She ceased laughing. “You and I are the same. No mother would accept us marrying their sons because of what we do.”
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“I changed. I’m not like that anymore.”
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“Really?” Miranda clapped her hands. “I should congratulate you, then. Though it doesn’t seem that way with the way you were talking on the phone earlier. I don’t think you were talking to Leo, weren’t you?”
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“Whoever I talk to is none of your business.” Carly folded her arms.
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“True. But I could tell that you seemed intimate over the phone. And you’re making plans to go to Mexico? What’s all that about, Carly? Are you cheating on Leo already? A nice getaway from here will be nice, won’t it?”
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“Like I said, who I talk to is none of your business. And the trip to Mexico concerns other things.”
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“If you say so. It would be a shame if you were really cheating on Leo after he left that model for you. I’ll be honest; I hope it’s true. That way, he can see the whore that you really are.”
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Carly clenched her fists and was just about to take a step towards Miranda when the door behind her flew open. Three women who seemed to be in the early mid-30s walked in. That was almost like an off-switch for Carly as she stopped herself from advancing towards Miranda. This was her cue to leave.
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Miranda was ready for Carly, but when the door flew open and the women walked in, it ruined the tempo of the situation. She noticed Carly’s body grow soft from being too rigid, and her hands unclenched themselves almost automatically. The three women entered the stalls, laughing and talking to each other.
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“I really hope we don’t see each other again, Miranda,” said Carly. “Have a nice life.”
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Carly turned around, opened the door, and walked out. Miranda wanted to follow her, grab Carly by the hair, and pull back into the room, but she found herself stuck. Her body couldn’t move like she wanted it to. It was too late to follow Carly now. She could’ve entered the store just to avoid her, and Miranda had no time to guess which one. It was over for now.
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One woman exited the stall and walked over to the sink. She noticed Miranda standing there and had asked her if she was okay. Miranda came back to her senses, and she now felt she was in control of her body again. She looked at the woman washing her hands by the sink, and she smiled at her, saying that she was alright.
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Miranda made her way out of the bathroom, and when she got into the hall of the complex, she looked to her right and then to her left, hoping to catch a glimpse of Carly. But she was nowhere in sight. She groaned in frustration. There was still so much she wanted to say to Carly. For now, she felt she needed to do a bit of digging into Carly and the person she was talking to over the phone. It might just be the key she was looking for to rain hell on Carly’s love life with Leo.
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***
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Feeling relieved that she finally got out of the ladies’ room, Carly quickly rushed for the store Angel said she would be in. When she entered the store, she found the reception desk in front of her, and on one side of the room was a lobby. She saw Angel seated next to a woman Carly guessed was the decorator. What she didn’t expect to see was Kim and someone else beside her seated on the couch, looking at Angel and the decorator talking.
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Carly stood frozen in her tracks. What is Kim doing here? She asked herself. There was someone seated next to her. Carly felt her heartbeat quicken as she looked on. Should she turn around and leave? After meeting Miranda, all she wanted to do was try to relax while her sister did all the talking. Now she will be face to face with Leo’s ex, who doesn’t know about the affair. What Miranda said back in the bathroom played in her mind. What if Miranda finds her in here, and when she notices Kim is here too, she decides to reveal her secret?
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Angel looked away from the woman, wondering what was taking her sister so long. When she turned towards the door, she noticed Carly standing by the reception, like a statue. She already knew what made her sister like this. Angel quickly excused herself, and the decorator didn’t mind at all. She stood up from her seat and went to the reception. She could already hear Kim behind her ask the decorator some questions.
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“Hey, are you okay?” Angel asked in a low tone.
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Carly looked at Angel, bringing herself back from her thoughts. “What is she doing here?” she asked. “Did Mrs. McDonell tell her to help with finding a decorator?”
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“No, she so happened to find me here by coincidence,” Angel answered. “She already guessed that we are here because of Leo’s birthday party.”
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Carly rolled her eyes. “Of course she does. This is just horrible.”
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“If you want, you can walk around the mall until she leaves. I can come up with an excuse that you were out looking around for something and needed to leave.”
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Carly thought about it. If she did walk out of the store, the chances of meeting Miranda were pretty high. She didn’t want to go through the same scenario they had in the bathroom. It was too early for a round two. And arguing in an open place would only attract attention. This was hard. Here she was, with nowhere to go, wondering which snake pit was better to sit in: in the store with Kim, who had no idea Carly was Leo’s lover, or out there, where Miranda was just waiting to strike at her again.
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“I’ll stay here,” said Carly.
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Angel raised an eyebrow, surprised at her decision. “Are you sure?” Angel asked. “You don’t have to pretend, Carly.”
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“No, I’ll stay. I know I can manage.” It was better in here than out there, Carly thought to herself.
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“Okay, if you say so.”
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Angel put up a small smile for Carly and led the way to where the decorator, Kim, and Trina sat. Carly took a deep breath before following her sister. Angel introduced the decorator to Carly as she went back to her seat. Afterward, Carly greeted Kim.
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“Hey Kim, how are you?” Carly asked as she took a seat opposite Kim and Trina.
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“I’m fine, Carly. How are you?” greeted Kim with a smile on her face.
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“I’m good, thanks.” She turned to Trina.
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“Oh, this is my best friend, Trina,” said Kim. “I don’t think you two have met.”
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“Nice to meet you, Trina,” said Carly.
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“Nice to meet you too,” said Trina.
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Angel looked at Kim and Carly, her eyes more focused on her sister. It was strange how Carly looked casual after looking worked up a few minutes ago. It was like she was an actress playing out a sensitive role and not revealing her true emotions. She watched Carly as she picked one catalog on the table and studied them. Angel thought she shouldn’t worry about her sister after all. But she couldn’t help but keep her guard up in case anything happened.
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“Okay, now where were we?” Angel asked as she turned her attention to the decorator beside her.
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