Chapter 182 Chapter 182
Caroline, noticing Tania's glaring looks and sulky pout, sighed discreetly. She picked up her cell phone from under the table and typed quickly.
Beep.
Tania looked at her cell phone. It was a message from “Baby” (Caroline) on WhatsApp.
Baby: \[Tania, I swear I didn't want to hide this from you. It's complicated. I'll explain everything, every detail, when we get back to the dorm, okay? Please?\]
Tania looked up from her phone and gave Caroline a deadly stare. Then she typed furiously:
Tania: \[Hmph! 😤\]
Caroline smiled nervously and typed again:
Baby: \[I swear! I'll tell you everything you want to know. Tania, my dear, the most beautiful and benevolent goddess in this universe, don't be mad at me. Anger causes wrinkles and affects your radiant beauty! (Crying kitten emoji) (Heart emoji)\]
Tania read the message full of blatant flattery. Although she was still indignant, the corners of her lips curved upward.
She felt a little better. Caroline seemed sincere. And Tania wasn't unreasonable; if “baby” hid it, she must have had a very serious (or very crazy) reason.
Everyone had their secrets.
Tania: \[Very well. You got off easy. I'll be demanding an explanation with interest! But... wait. Are you two REALLY married?\]
Caroline replied at lightning speed:
Carol: \[Mm.\]
Tania: \[Like... officially? City hall? Certificate? Husband and wife before the law?\]
Carol: \[Mm.\]
Tania: \[... You said you would only consider marriage after you turned 28! You lied to me! 😱\]
Caroline blushed violently when she read the reply.
She bit her lip, embarrassed, glancing furtively at Nicholas, who was elegantly cutting his steak beside her.
Hmm, she had said that. And she had meant it at the time!
Before she broke up with Edward, the ex-jerk had brought up the subject of marriage, and she had vehemently refused. If she were still with him, she would be single. Her plan was to focus on her career and only think about wedding rings once she was established.
But life... life had a strange sense of humor.
Things had changed so quickly. Even she hadn't expected to be a “Mrs.” at twenty.
She hesitated before typing:
Carol: \[I have my reasons. Life is full of surprises... I'll tell you everything later.\]
Tania: \[Okay, okay. But changing the subject... What about Sara? She looks like she's been hit over the head with a hammer. Look how distracted she is. Could it be... she's fallen in love with that little playboy?\]
After reading the message, Caroline put her phone away and turned to look at her sister.
Since Victor left, Sara seemed to have wilted like a flower without water.
She was completely silent, her gaze lost in nothingness. Sara was usually lively around her family, always had stories to tell.
But today, she barely touched her food. Her fork played with the mashed potatoes, but she didn't eat.
Caroline narrowed her eyes, concerned.
Yeah... it looks like Cupid hit the mark, but forgot to tell her.
Sara didn't look like someone who had just rejected an unwanted boy. On the contrary, she looked like someone who had just been rejected.
She was clearly suffering for love.
Caroline had a million questions on the tip of her tongue, but she knew this was neither the time nor the place.
She needed to find a time to talk to her sister alone. To Caroline, it was obvious that there was something much deeper between Sara and Victor.
Sara couldn't really hate him.
Caroline knew her sister. If Sara really hated him, she would never have allowed him to orbit around her for three long years.
The Ford sisters were very similar in that regard: if they didn't like someone, they were cold and nipped it in the bud. They didn't encourage them or give them hope. Sara's tolerance was proof that Victor meant something to her.
“What are you thinking about?”
A deep, magnetic voice whispered in her ear, pulling her out of her reverie. A juicy piece of meat was gently placed in her bowl.
Caroline blinked and turned her face, meeting Nicholas's tender gaze.
“Why are you eating so little today?” he asked, frowning slightly. “Don't you like the dishes? I can order something else.”
Caroline smiled at him, trying to hide her concern for Sara. “No, the food is delicious.”
“Then eat more.” Nicholas put more vegetables and meat on her plate, acting like a devoted feeder. “You eat like a bird. You're already too thin, it's hard to get you to gain weight.”
Caroline muttered, pouting, “Hey, I'm an actress now, remember? I have to take care of my image and my physical shape. The camera adds five pounds.”
In fact, compared to other female celebrities who lived on water and lettuce, Caroline ate very well. She wasn't neurotic about calories, but she tried to maintain a balance.
She thought her grumbling was too low to be heard.
But the moment the words left her mouth, the man next to her let out a hoarse chuckle.
“You're already as thin as a bamboo stick. How much more do you want to lose?” Nicholas looked her up and down with a critical but appreciative gleam in his eye. “Even if you want to stay in shape, women need to have curves. I don't want to hug a skeleton.”
He just wanted her to eat more to stay healthy.
But to the sensitive ears of a woman (and actress), it sounded like he was criticizing her body.
“I'm not a bamboo stick!” Caroline protested indignantly. “I only look thin when I'm dressed, but I have meat where it matters!”
She straightened her posture in her chair.
“I'm 5'6” and 121 pounds. My BMI is perfect! I'm not a stick!" she insisted.
She remembered how her dance instructor had praised her for her proportions and natural curves. Wanting to prove her point, she unconsciously puffed out her chest, straightening her posture to show that she did have curves.
As a young woman in the prime of her beauty, Caroline was indeed blessed. She was like a ripe peach: firm, fragrant, and seductive.
Nicholas stopped with his fork midway.
At first, he was surprised by her defensive reaction. But then his eyes involuntarily drifted down to the area she was “showing off” to prove her point.
His gaze darkened.
Suddenly, the memory of that night flashed through his mind like lightning.
He remembered the touch. He had felt those curves with his own hands. The softness, the weight, the warmth...
The feeling was incredibly good.