Chapter 48

Gwen was sharp enough to notice there was something wrong with her best friend. She held Caroline’s hand and said. “Of course that’s fine. You can stay as long as you want. Let’s go then.”

Caroline and Gwen got into the car.

Gwen drove slowly and kept shooting glances at Caroline.

Meanwhile, Caroline stared out the window vacantly. She looked like a broken porcelain doll, Gwen felt her heart ache as she looked at Caroline. “Carol, why did your dad want you home so urgently? What happened?”

Caroline looked over and smiled softly. “They want me to marry Eddy.”

Gwen was stupefied. “Why do they insist on having you marry that douchebag?”

“Because they want the Morrison family’s help in taking the Evans family back to the top. Caroline’s voice was neutral, as if she were talking about someone else’s affairs.

The way she behaved made Gwen even more pained. “You didn’t agree, did you?”

“I did.”

Gwen abruptly braked. “Carol are you nuts?”

Caroline chuckled. “If I hadn’t agreed, was I supposed to watch them drink pesticide?”

Gwen thumped her fist on the steering wheel. “How dare they threaten you with suicide! What the fuck!

What kind of shit is this? I’m really wondering if they’re even your actual parents!”

Caroline stared at the powder blue sky. It was strange. After she’d accepted her fate, she no longer felt upset at all.

“Gwen, don’t be mad. This is my life. Growing up, my family always told me I’d been born to marry Eddy. When I accepted that everyone loved me and doted on me. Those days weren’t too bad.”

Her voice was filled with despair.

Gwen was heartbroken. “But if you marry Eddy, you’ll have to donate your kidney to Layla. Fuck, it’s so awful! It’s bad enough that she taunted you so openly, but now she wants your organs! I can’t stand it!”

Caroline watched Gwen’s enraged antics peacefully. She etched Gwen’s face deeply into her mind.

Then, she let out a soft laugh. “I asked a doctor. Having only one kidney won’t affect my life at all”

Gwen didn’t know the truth about how Layla wanted Caroline dead after she gave her kidney up for the marriage. Caroline didn’t want to tell Gwen that she would die once she got married to Eddy.

If she could, she wanted to hide it from Gwen forever.

Gwen was the only person in this world that she would miss..

Gwen clutched Caroline’s hand tightly. She kept swallowing and wasn’t able to say a word.

The two sat in silence. After a while, Gwen thumped her foot in rage. “Fuck. Why can’t I be filthy rich? If I were, I would be able to take care of you. Then you wouldn’t have to suffer at that asshole’s hands.”

Warmth filled Caroline’s heart. She hugged Gwen with all her might. “Gwen, I still want to be your best friend in our next life!”

Gwen agreed. She said, almost crying. “Yes, we’ll be best friends in our next life as well!”

***

The days Caroline spent at Gwen’s were peaceful and fulfilling.

During this time, it was as if Kirk had disappeared from the face of the earth. He didn’t even call once.

Caroline didn’t mind it at all. Besides, she wouldn’t know what to say if they met, either.

7 The four prominent families of Osbury were all invited to the birthday banquet. Because of Caroline, Sarah and Dan had been invited as well.

Before the banquet started, luxurious cars and splendidly dressed quests appeared outside of the hotel. The place was lit up brightly.

Amidst the throng, a diamond–encrusted Rolls–Royce sped through. It attracted the gaze of everyone present.

“Fuck, who’s that? What a lavish entrancel”

The light from the diamonds was really hard to ignore.

In the car, Brie watched as everyone looked over. She raised her head, her gaze filled with viciousness.

Tonight, she would avenge herself for what happened at the auction. She would stomp that bitch Caroline beneath her feet without mercy!