Scars Of A Broken Bond

At Bettie's question, Lance realized Sabrina hadn't kept her word. But he was ready for this. He had someone download the surveillance footage and save it on his phone right after returning that day.

Lance promptly shared the surveillance footage with Bettie, stating, "She means nothing to me. I had turned her down." After seeing the footage, Bettie smirked and remarked, "Mr. Carter, you've got tons of pursuers overseas."

"But you're the one I'm into. Will you give me a chance?" Lance rested an arm on the back of Bettie's seat, leaning in closer to her with a subtle scent that was both bold and masculine surrounding her.

Lance adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses. His expression was soft, with a slight smile and his lips slightly upturned, giving him the air of a ruffian in scholars' gowns.

Bettie was stunned, captivated by his charm.

"Miss Ramirez? Lance urged.

Lance's handsome face drew nearer, and Bettie could feel his breath. Finally, Bettie snapped out of it, leaned back, and clutched at her chest. "You gave me a fright... Alright. Let's hit those food stalls."

With that, she pushed Lance away and got up. She darted away swiftly, glancing around in a flurry as if she were fleeing from a wolf.

With a grin still playing on his lips, Lance stood up and followed Bettie closely.

At the back of the room, a woman with a mask kept her gaze fixed on the two of them. After they left, she waited quietly for about thirty seconds before standing up to follow them.

Lance quickly caught up with Bettie and mentioned, "My car is parked in the underground garage, and the elevator is that way."

He couldn't resist asking, "What made you laugh earlier?

"Well, nothing. It's a pity. I simply thought you were cuckolded," Bettie responded with a hint of amusement.

"I've never been with anyone else. If I was cuckolded, it's your doing."

Hearing Lance's lighthearted tone, Bettie kept her expression neutral. "So, you're saying you want to be cheated on? I could go to a bar and cheat on you now."

"The guys at the bar are no match for me. They're seeing too many people at once. You're the only one for me..." Suddenly, Bettie's mind drifted back to the summer after their final exams in high school. That was the first time she and Lance had been intimate. They were both so inexperienced that it took them forever to get it right, and she nearly threw him out of the bed at one point.

Bettie shook her head vigorously, trying to shake those memories off. Her cheeks flushing and her ears turning pink, Bettie declared, "I don't like men with bad skills."

"Oh? So, you're an expert now? It seems like you've been with someone skilled in bed?"

"Yes." Bettie nodded. "They're more gifted than you and outperform you in bed."This belongs to NôvelDrama.Org: ©.

Lance was left speechless momentarily. He seized Bettie's arm and pinned her against the wall, leaning close to whisper in a hushed tone, "You haven't known how I perform now. I've changed and learned a lot. Want to give it a shot?"

Lance's breath was warm against Bettie's ear. His words held a more meaningful message, making Bettie's face turned crimson.

Pouting, Bettie countered, "You big liar! You just mentioned you've never been with anyone else. How do you manage to learn a lot? By pleasuring yourself while gazing at your reflection in the mirror?"

"No," Lance replied.

Bettie raised her eyebrows.

"I pleasure myself using your photos."

"Lance Carter! I'm going to kill you!" Bettie's face flushed with anger. She pushed him away and landed two punches on his chest.

Lance, grinning, dashed off, with Bettie chasing after him.

To onlookers, it seemed like playful flirting and chasing.

Reaching the elevator, Lance caught his breath and embraced Bettie, who was still trying to hit him. "Okay, okay, to make it fair, you can look at my photos too and..."

"Enough!"All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

"If you don't have any of my photos, III take some for you when I get back..."

"Lance! Shut up!" Bettie stomped her feet.

As the elevator doors slid open, they stepped inside one after the other and headed down to the underground parking lot. Around the corner, the woman in a mask had witnessed their interaction. She clenched her fists and her gaze dropped, a flash of malice crossing her eyes.

Had Sabrina been there, she would have recognized the masked woman as Alice.

Alice had come looking for Lance, following him to Centenia two days after he arrived.

Keilani had gotten Lance's address from his secretary and passed it on to Alice.

Initially, Alice believed Lance was in Centenia on business, but she soon sensed something was amiss.

Lance had plenty of free time on his hands. He took the opportunity to inquire about the best local restaurants, food stalls, and tourist spots in Centenia. His trip wasn't for work. He was here to explore.

It wasn't until today that Alice pieced everything together. She realized Lance wasn't interested in Sabrina, but in Sabrina's friend, Bettie. Lance had traveled to Centenia not for work, but for Bettie. The reason he had looked up Centenia's dining and sightseeing spots beforehand was that he planned to take Bettie cut today.

Alice felt a pang of jealousy.

Since Lance returned to the Wilson family, he had always been seen as gentle, mature, steady, and composed. No matter the situation, he remained unflappable, giving off the impression he had everything figured out and was always ready.

But Lance wasn't naturally gentle. It was all an act for business. When he wanted to reject someone's advances, he turned colder than anyone else.

It wasn't until today that Alice saw a new side of Lance. He could be quirky, tender, and playful. He could laugh freely, be assertive, and indulge in fun, acting like a kid....

Alice bitterly realized this could be the real him. In Philade, Lance wasn't truly himself. It was only with Bettie that he showed his genuine side.

Alice felt disheartened. It seemed her chances of winning his heart were getting slimmer.

"So, why got the idea of me getting cuckolded? Who led you to get the wrong idea?" On their stroll to the food stalls, Lance threw out this question like it was nothing.

'Keilani."

"Her? What exactly did she say?"

Lance's confused look told Bettie all she needed to know. So, he was clueless about Keilani's child. Bettie lifted her eyebrows and let out a sigh. "Looks like Keilani's been keeping secrets pretty well."

"Don't leave me hanging."

"Haven't you heard? Keilani's got a child."

Lance paused before looking at Bettie. "Is that so?"

"Pay attention to the road."

'Right."

"I only knew about it recently. I'm quite familiar with that child. She's full of energy and charm, but sadly..."

"Could you make it simpler?"

"No way!" Bettie snorted. "Can you guess who the father of that child is?"

Lance paused, racking his mind. He sensed something amiss about Keilani's sudden decision to return to Mathias and wondered if this was related. Could it be that the child's father was from Mathias?

Lance's mind came up with a list of recent visitors to Philade not too long ago. Among the list, only one man was charming enough to make Keilani take a liking to him, given she was not easily impressed.

"Could it be Tyrone?" Lance voiced his guess.

"Exactly. You got it."

Lance was speechless. He recalled his first encounter with Tyrone, noting a sense of familiarity not because Tyrone bore a remarkable resemblance to Blayze.

Reflecting on it now, Lance understood why Tyrone seemed familiar. Before the new year, Keilani had been traveling around the world. Upon her return, she mentioned meeting a dashing man on her flight to Linbourne. The flight was long. She even sneakily took photos of the man while he slept.

But the thought of Keilani having a child with Tyrone puzzled Lance. What on earth happened?