Ch. 1751..1760

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1751

The computer on the desk attracted Gabriella’s gaze. She had tried to unlock his computer before, but as expected, his password was too secure to be hacked.

Gabriella used to be the heiress of a rich family. If she ever wanted something, others would bestow it to her right away. Not even a two-factor authentication system could faze her. If she wanted to hack it, there would definitely be a group of highly skilled hackers rushing to unlock it for her.

Yet, times had changed. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She slammed her right fist on Jory’s desk so forcefully that the computer trembled as well.

Gabriella walked toward the water dispenser, poured herself a cup of warm water, and sat on the couch leisurely, waiting for Jory to return. Since he did not lock the door, it meant that he would certainly return.

“An office building?” Nancy looked at Jory, puzzled. “Didn’t you say that you’re bringing me to your office? Why are we at a random building?”

Jory pressed a button on the lift. “Yeah, my office’s here.”

“I thought that your office would be at Alpire Group…” Nancy teased, “I’d assume that the son of Alpire Group’s chairman would at least be the general manager.”

Jory placed his arms on his waist. “You’re overthinking it. Do you think that the old man would willingly pass the position to me after I fell out with him? My family practices a merit-based system, not a hereditary one.”

Deep in thought, Nancy nodded. “Yeah, that sounds about right. The position of chairman or general manager must be reserved for talented and capable people.”

Jory nodded subconsciously but soon discovered the implicit message hidden in her words. He even foolishly agreed to what she said. Pinching her cheek gently, he said, “Are you saying that I’m neither talented nor capable?”

As he was pinching her cheek, Nancy said playfully, “That’s what you said. I didn’t say anything…”

The sensation of Nancy’s face against his hand felt good. He snorted coldly, “Forget it. I’m in a good mood today, so I won’t make a fuss about it.”

Nancy clutched her face. “Why isn’t your relationship with your family good?”

“Our relationship isn’t good?” Jory raised his eyebrows. “What makes you think so?”

“Isn’t it so obvious? It’s almost as if it’s written all over your face?” As Nancy spoke, she pointed at her own face.

The lift stopped on the thirteenth floor and they walked out. Jory rolled his eyes. “I’m relying on my own capabilities to support myself. I’m not like other rich heirs who can only inherit their father’s business and leech off them!”

He was indirectly hinting at Larry. After he gathered information about Larry, he subconsciously labeled him as such a person. To be honest, he could not figure out why Joan would rather be with a leech like him than an educated and intelligent man like Dustin.

Thinking that he was mocking her, Nancy asked, “Are you saying that I’m not capable of anything and am only relying on my father to enjoy the rest of my life?”

Jory did not expect her to think that way. “Huh? That’s not what I meant. Even if you didn’t rely on your family, you can still earn a living by working as a Taekwondo coach.”

Nancy did not expect him to react so quickly. She was deliberately putting him in a tight spot, but he could react so swiftly. His words were very tactful too. If Caspian were in his shoes, he would definitely stutter, “T-That’s not what I mean. Don’t misunderstand!”

What’s going on? Why am I comparing these two men who have nothing to do with each other? Am I subconsciously pitting Caspian and Jory against each other?

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1752

Deep in thought, Nancy continued to follow behind Jory. Suddenly, he stopped without any warning, causing her to run into his back, almost falling.

“Why did you stop? Have we reached?”

From behind, Jory’s body appeared to be very stiff. Even without seeing his face, one could feel the change in the surrounding aura. The lightness and joy that were just present had transformed into a tense atmosphere.

“Because my mood just worsened.”

Jory only quietly replied to her with one line. However, Nancy did not understand what he was talking about. Just moments ago, he was still joking around with her in the elevator. He had also said that he was in a good mood, so why was there suddenly such a change?

Nancy then noticed that he kept blocking her view. Is there something in front? She stepped aside, subconsciously looking at Jory’s expression. He looked calm, but there was an additional layer of hatred in his gaze, and the frown on his forehead was deeper than usual.

Following his gaze, her eyes landed on an enchanting, beautiful woman sitting on the sofa. She raised the glass in her hand as she gave both of them a smile. With her legs crossed, her red platform heels really emphasized her fairness and charm.

Her long, wavy hair also fell in front of her chest. At first glance, she seemed to have an exotic kind of beauty.

“Jory… T-This is…” Stunned, Nancy could only speak slowly.

The woman in front of her seemed to have some special magnetic force. Anyone would be lured to her, like a moth to a flame.

Suddenly, there was pressure on her wrist as Jory held her back just in time. Dazed, Nancy looked back. However, Jory was still looking at the woman, his gaze full of vigilance and precaution.

The pressure on her wrist tightened as Jory pulled her back to stand behind him. Clearly, he did not want her to see that woman.

“I’ve been waiting for you for a long time,” said the woman. Instead of standing up, she simply turned her head to look at them. It looked as if she were the owner of the place and had control over everything.

Controlling his emotions, Jory lowered his voice and asked, “What are you doing here? Who let you in?”

“Your door wasn’t locked, so I thought I’d come in to wait for you. I was wondering why your attitude toward me today was different from usual. Looks like it’s because you brought a little girl back here.” Although there was a trace of happiness behind Gabriella’s gaze, a mix of other malicious emotions was present too.

Nancy remained rooted in shock. What does she mean by his attitude was different from usual? How does he usually act? Does Jory always change his attitude toward others according to different circumstances?

“Get out. Before I kick you out myself, leave.”

“Oh? Why does this little lady look so familiar?” Ignoring his words, Gabriella stood up and walked straight toward Nancy.

Jory raised the hand that was grabbing onto Nancy’s wrist, shielding her protectively behind him.

Gabriella pretended to blame him as she said, “Why’s she so important that you need to protect her this way? Why didn’t you tell me that you have someone so important to you…”

She then shifted her gaze to Nancy and stared at her for a long time. Gabriella asked, “You look kind of familiar. Do you remember me?”

Both Nancy and Jory were surprised by her words. Subsequently, Nancy emerged from behind Jory and stood confidently in front of Gabriella. It took her a long time to recall whatever information she knew about this person.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1753

“It’s you? Gabriella… Gabriella Ward?”

Jory glanced over at Nancy with a slightly surprised look. How did she know her? However, he soon composed himself, making it seem as though nothing had happened.

“Nancy Barrymore… If I’m not wrong, that’s your name. You’re the daughter of Barrymore Group’s chairman.” Gabriella then stretched out a hand toward Nancy, wanting to give her a handshake.

Before Nancy could even reach her hand out, Jory had slapped away Gabriella’s outstretched one. If one were close enough, they would be able to see the red marks left behind on Gabriella’s pale hand.

Instantly, both parties’ eyes had a fiery look to them. From Jory’s aura, one could clearly tell that he disliked Gabriella a lot.

“Is this how you greet your collaborating partner?” Gabriella asked as she kept on a smile. Compared to the Gabriella of the past, she was now a little calmer. If the same situation had happened before, she would have been tearing her hair out by then.

“Shut up!” shouted Jory. Never would anyone have expected that Jory would be the one that was stressed out instead. Looks like he doesn’t want Nancy to find out that he’d cooperated with me before.

Gabriella looked the man up and down. Besides not revealing his name, he had also suggested a collaboration but refused to tell her about its purpose and details. While he knew everything about her, she knew nothing about him.

However, at that moment, she was no longer totally ignorant. At least she knew then that the mysterious S cared about Nancy very much.

Once a person had something he cared about, he was no longer invulnerable. This was no different for S, who had kept himself hidden. Nancy is his weakness!

You’re too good at hiding secrets. It makes others want to do whatever they can to unearth them.

Nancy quickly realized that the two people staring at each other had some unspeakable secret. But didn’t Landon chase Gabriella out of the house? Even if Ward Group and Alpire Group were going to have a collaboration soon, Ward Group would never send Gabriella over to talk to Jory about it. What exactly is going on? Wait, no. She just said, “your collaborating partner.” Was it really some secret collaboration?

Nancy had only previously heard of some rumors about Larry and Gabriella. However, she had always considered him to be a role model amongst men. As a result, she did not believe the rumors.

Yet, at that moment, she trusted Jory even more. No matter what secret he had, when faced with Gabriella right then, she had to trust him.

Consequently, Nancy, who had been silent the whole time, suddenly interrupted the confrontation. One moment, Gabriella was thinking about how a brat like Nancy would react. The next moment, she wanted to catch the ignorant brat and push her to her death.

“Have you not been able to go home recently, Ms. Ward? Or rather, has Mr. Ward come to pick you?”

Although her voice sounded sweet, it carried a dangerous undertone. If one was not careful, they might fall into her trap without realizing it.

That brat actually dared to rub salt into my wounds? Does she have something against me? Or is she purposely siding with Jory to piss me off? Gabriella was not a fool. She was able to tell that Jory did not want to see her. However, Nancy seemed to be linked to Norton Corporation, making her feel very curious.

“No. I’m tired of the rich lifestyle. I want to live a life of self-reliance now,” replied Gabriella, trying her best to glamorize her hard life.

Sensing the familiarity in Gabriella’s words, Jory froze. Isn’t this what I’ve just said earlier in the elevator? Coming to think of it, she and I are really no different… He had a wealthy family and business but did not want to inherit it. Instead, he wanted to live an ordinary person’s life while making it clear that he was self-reliant.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1754

However, the only difference was that even though he was “wandering” around outside, Jory still received money from his father every month, although he had never used it before. In comparison, Gabriella had really been kicked out of her house and had nowhere else to go.

Jory was very touched when Nancy took his side and stood up for him, for she had not questioned him alongside Gabriella. Instead, she was showing her unconditional trust in him by speaking up for him.

“So… after you’ve bothered Larry about every little thing, did you change targets?”

Jory only knew that Gabriella had been kicked out of the house by Landon because of an unspeakable matter and had no interest in knowing what the problem actually was. Thus, he had not bothered about her past before he asked her for help.

Yet, as soon as Nancy said those words, both Jory and Gabriella’s faces hardened. They had probably wanted to ask why Nancy knew about that. At that moment, Gabriella was raging with fury. She had originally only wanted to knock Nancy off her high horse because she seemed to know nothing. She had not expected that brat to attack her.

As it happened, it was a mere casual remark from Nancy as she only heard a little about the rumors. Nevertheless, she had never believed anything that was not based on fact.

Previously, there had been a few times when she asked Joan about it, but the latter always seemed to avoid answering the question. As Nancy was an outsider, it was appropriate for her to continue probing further. Never would she have thought that there would come a day where those rumors would come in handy. Moreover, judging by Gabriella’s expression, it seemed to be true.

At that moment, her focus was no longer about refuting Gabriella. If that rumor was true, exactly what kind of person was its male lead, Larry?

However, Gabriella was also not one to mess with. She hailed from the Ward family after all. Even if she was at a low point in her life and no one would help her because she had no money, at least she still had her social relations. Hence, she would have heard some news about the Barrymore Group too. Previously, when she was expelled from the Ward family, she happened to hear that the daughter of Barrymore Group and a good friend of Norton Corporation’s president got married.

That person should’ve been Nancy, so she should already be married. So why’s she standing next to Jory right now? If I didn’t come today, only the two of them would be in this room.

Bearing that thought in mind, a calm and unscrupulous smile spread across Gabriella’s face. “There are some benefits to being wicked after all. At least, no matter what I’ve done before, I’ve already gotten my punishment, so I don’t feel as guilty. Unlike some people who pretend to be polite and spotless on the surface but are actually unfaithful and have poor morals!”

Never would Gabriella have thought that there would be a day where she would get so agitated that she spoke that harshly. Even though she had not said a single curse word, she had made the two hypocritical people in front of her become so angry that they were speechless.

“You!” Jory clenched his fist so tightly that his veins were popping out. His knuckles were white, and it was as if a strong force was prompting him to raise his arm for a strike.

Nancy then grabbed him on the wrist. Although Gabriella was mocking her, she was so much calmer than Jory was. However, Nancy’s palm on his skin was still cold to the touch, revealing that she was actually very nervous and was angrier than he was.

The two most difficult things to practice in the world were patience and understanding. At that very moment, Nancy was having an internal conflict in managing those two. Gabriella’s words were indeed describing whatever Nancy was doing then. Therefore, while Nancy wanted to rebut her, there was nothing she could refute.

“Why aren’t you talking? Did I hit the nail on the head and make you feel uncomfortable?” asked Gabriella, taking the opportunity to provoke her even further when Nancy kept silent.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1755

Nancy swallowed. Suppressing the tremors in her heart, she said, “I didn’t do anything wrong. I’m not in an affair. Jory and I are just old friends. We’re not as despicable and dirty as you think!”

“She’s right. It’s you who keeps coming to my office and disrupting my work. Do you want me to call the police?” Jory said with a stern expression. He was livid, causing others to shudder.

Gabriella was so furious that she could not speak, her anger hovering like a dark cloud over her head.

She then smiled at Nancy disdainfully, masking her malice.

“I really envy you. No matter where you are, some guy will always have your back.” When she was done speaking, Gabriella turned to pick up the handbag on the sofa. As she headed toward the exit, she slammed into Nancy’s shoulder, forcing her a few steps back.

Gabriella’s strong perfume suffocated Nancy, invading her senses from all directions as if it were deadly poison.

Although Gabriella had left, her words remained deep in Nancy’s heart. Gabriella was not wrong. She was a greedy, shameless, and unfaithful woman.

For a long time, Nancy stood still with her hand on Jory’s wrist. He then reached out with his other hand and held hers. Only when his warm palm touched her hand did she snap out of it, freeing her own hand and slowly moving away from Jory.

“My rebuttal just now… was it powerless? Did I sound unconfident?” she whispered, her voice faint.

However, Jory did not know how to respond to her. Gabriella’s words had made him understand something. From the beginning, he had ignored Caspian’s existence and that the very person he was pursuing was not even single.

As his hands felt weak, he eventually slipped them into his pockets. Throughout his life thus far, Jory had never felt so powerless until then. In the past, he had everything he wanted. Then, when he gave it all up to pursue whatever he wanted to, he still had it all. However, at that moment, he had to admit that he was small and powerless.

He was powerless to change anything. There was no way to change it.

“I… am sorry…” Those were the only words that came out of his mouth after a very long time. It was as if he had deliberated for ages before deciding to say it, but simultaneously also seemed to be something he said without thinking.

Nancy smiled, though it was one of unease and bitterness. “Sorry? What for?”

Then, both parties fell into silence. As Nancy gazed at Jory, she felt a familiar sense of distance from him. Although he was right in front of her, she felt as though they were very far apart—so far that she would never be able to touch him.

“Actually… I really like being with you…”

As soon as Jory heard those words, he felt more secure. It was such an unrealistic feeling that he wondered if he had fallen into a third dimension.

He was so happy that he simply stared at Nancy, admiring the smile on her face. Her smiling eyes reminded him of pink cherry blossoms. At that moment, her smile was the only thing that mattered.

Nancy’s dress fluttered beautifully as she walked past him. Jory did not know where he got the confidence and courage from, but the moment she was about to pass by him, he reached for her wrist again.

He held her tightly as though she was going to disappear the next moment and he would never see her again. It was as if he were drowning and holding on to his last chance at survival.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1756

Nancy had originally planned to leave, as Gabriella’s words had made her understand her own situation. She couldn’t be as self-indulgent as Jory was. Besides, she was married then. That was the reason why Gabriella had dared to say those bold words.

Back then, the failed engagement and her failure to meet and understand Jory were probably due to fate.

Thus, although Nancy wanted to leave his office in a carefree manner, she realized just then that how difficult it was to pretend to be nonchalant.

Yet, why had she felt joy the moment he stopped her from leaving? Why did she have a sudden urge to give up everything for him?

Just then, Jory’s voice rang out, carrying a more solemn and calm tone than usual. Although it was a far cry from his typical image, it was still pleasant to hear.

“I also really like it…”

Nancy’s smile widened. Even if he had not said anything, she knew it. Their mutual affection and feelings that they had found their confidant had caused both parties to fall for each other.

Jory studied her face, his gaze falling on her flowing hair, then on her long eyelashes. Watching him, Nancy saw something in his expression that she had never seen before. She saw gentleness.

“You…” Jory held her hand and gave her a warm smile. “I wasn’t finished with my sentence. There, you have to connect them for it to be a complete sentence. It’s what I truly want to tell you.”

Tears soon welled up in her eyes, causing her vision to become blurry. All Nancy could feel then was his warmth.

Jory still understood her even if she had not spoken and could perfectly express what she wanted to say. Considering that they had such deep understanding, it had to be fate.

Jory then held her hand and turned her body to face him. When he saw the tears on her face, he was dumbfounded and pulled her into a hug. Since she was confused at the moment, he wanted to give her a reliable source of support.

That hug probably counted as the first real hug he gave her. Nancy’s entire body was wrapped in his, and she could only feel the warmth radiating from his chest.

Jory stroked her smooth hair and said, “Why are you crying? You’re such a crybaby.”

Nancy had been contemplating whether or not to raise her hand and hug him back. However, upon hearing those words, she immediately hit him on the back a few times. Since she had just cried, her voice reflected it clearly when she spoke.

“Y-You’ll be the death of me…”

Jory did not move, allowing her to let out her anger. “If you die, I’ll join you. There’s no reason for me to continue living in a world without you.”

He tightened his arm around her as she buried her face in his shoulder.

“Some things have only just begun, but it’s about time some others ended,” she said in a dull voice, closing her eyes tightly as she tried to force out the image of Caspian’s face in her mind. Nancy was about to make a selfish decision that would be the root of his pain.

The more guilty she felt, the more she told herself that perhaps everything had been wrong since the very beginning. At that moment, she was resolved to try her best to remedy that mistake.

In Nancy’s lifetime, she had met two men. The first was Caspian, and the other was Jory, who had become a changed man. The moment they appeared, they had easily changed her life.

Nancy stood outside the door, reaching for the keys in her bag. As there had been a fight, she reminded herself repeatedly to bring the keys when she left home. This was so that he would not trouble Caspian to unlock the door. However, the hand which was reaching for her keys suddenly paused. She pondered for a moment, then knocked on the door. It’ll probably be less awkward if it starts off this way.

Knock knock knock.

Three knocks later, still no one came to the door. Annoyed, she could only be thankful that she had brought her keys out. Otherwise, she would have to continue waiting outside.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1757

She gingerly turned the key in the lock, and after a few audible clicks, the door opened. Her heart was still pounding in her heart, and she could hear the sound reverberate through her entire body.

As she was removing her shoes, she suddenly felt the presence of a suspicious dark shadow inching toward her. When it finally got near her, a bouquet of golden tulips was suddenly thrust in her face.

Nancy screamed in terror.

“Surprise!”

How is that a surprise? Is this guy trying to scare me to death? Despite being well-versed in Taekwondo, Nancy had been feeling so guilty and terrified that she couldn’t even react when Caspian jumped out to surprise her.

Caspian was still grinning like a Cheshire cat as he shoved the bouquet into her hands. “What’s the matter? Did I scare you? I only wanted to give you a surprise. I didn’t think I’d… “

“It’s ok. I understand,” she replied. The more subservient he was toward her, the more her heart weighed with guilt and anxiety. The beautiful tulips were such a stark contrast to her mood—their bright, golden color being even more dazzling than the sun.

Nancy smiled faintly and hugged Caspian. A hug could never make up for what she owed him, but that would have to do for then. Even though Caspian was taken aback by this unexpected behavior, he secretly praised himself for having made the right decision to buy Nancy flowers. After all, women were emotional creatures who needed to be coaxed and spoiled.

The more he thought of how clever he was, the more he beamed with pride. Since Nancy had taken the initiative to make up with him, Caspian knew he should return the favor. Like Larry and Joan had said, it was common for married couples to argue, but one should never let these arguments fester.

“I’m sorry, Nancy,” he whispered. “What happened before was my fault, and I promise not to make any more unreasonable demands. You have my full support in whatever you wish to do or learn. Now that I think about it, Taekwondo’s pretty good too. After all, it is your way of life… “

Caspian was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t realize Nancy had become a sobbing mess. Even though she had kept her eyes shut as tightly as possible, tears still streamed down uncontrollably.

He always had her best interests at heart and tried to please her or give in to her whenever he could. How could Nancy, in good conscience, tell him that she wanted a break-up? Doing this to a man like Caspian would undoubtedly make her the greatest sinner of all time.

When he felt a patch of wetness on his shoulder, he realized she was crying and panicked a little. “What’s the matter? Have I said something wrong to upset you again? If so, I’ll apologize again, but please stop crying. You know how I’m like when women cry in front of me… “

His words only made Nancy bawl even louder as she lamented her fate. Why was she forced to choose between two people? Why did life have to be so complicated for someone as ordinary as her?

Caspian panicked even more as he tried to comfort her as he would a kid. “There, there. Don’t cry. Boss told me today that we should always talk through our misunderstandings. Besides, our problem is peanuts compared to what Boss and Joan had to go through. Despite all that, they still stuck through thick and thin.”

Caspian’s lips curled into a smile as he continued, “Us, on the other hand, are always fighting over the little matters in our daily lives. To think we call ourselves adults when we behave so childishly.”

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1758

The more he said, the sillier Caspian felt about his fight with Nancy. “Boss and Joan may have many problems, but at least when they upset the other person, they would apologize without any hesitation.”

For someone who wasn’t good with words, Caspian was surprisingly very eloquent and forthcoming. Nancy listened to him attentively. She had never heard him say so much in one breath, and she was afraid she might never again get the chance to in the future.

Caspian gazed at the golden tulips held tightly in Nancy’s hand, feeling the warmth that seemed to emanate from them. “Nancy, I’ll change for the better. Tell me what you’re unhappy with, and I promise I’ll change! But you know I’ve always been a wild child, so some habits may take longer to get rid of… “

“Caspian,” she interrupted. Even though it was just one word, it had taken her a lot of effort and courage to get it out.

Caspian hummed in response as his gaze remained on the tulips. He stayed silent to let Nancy carry on with what she had to say.

But, no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn’t get the words out. Caspian treated her with so much love and respect, and she couldn’t bring herself to hurt him.

“Joan had invited you along to brunch with us. I… I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”

“Is that it? Don’t worry. Boss had already told me a while ago. We’ll go in the afternoon. We won’t make it for brunch, but we can still treat them to a nice afternoon tea.”

Nancy nodded, unable to go through with what she had planned to tell Caspian. The more she saw how he blamed himself for not treating her right, the more she couldn’t get the truth out.

She knew she wasn’t thinking clearly. She had never panicked this much, not even when she was up against a more formidable opponent in Taekwondo.

The only thing she could do now was to follow her heart and go with the flow.

The day to meet up had finally come. It was a glorious afternoon as the dappled sun shone through the trees, casting beautiful shadows on the roads.

The café by the road had set up umbrellas to provide shade for its beautiful outdoor seating. There weren’t many people idling about at that time, which added to the leisurely atmosphere.

Joan lifted the jug and poured herself her fourth cup of water. Larry looked on, bemused. “Don’t drink so much. Caspian and Nancy aren’t here yet, and we haven’t even ordered our meals… “

“I’ve been thirsty ever since I had my lunch. When I heard that Caspian and Nancy have made up, I was so excited I forgot about my water and came straight here. How dare you complain about me drinking too much!”

Larry laughed as he shook his head. “I’m not complaining. I’m just worried that if you drink so much now, you might need to keep running to the restroom when they finally get here.” Upon hearing that, Joan tried to hit him in mock annoyance, only to have him swiftly place his hand over hers.

“You’ve been drinking so much of the café’s water that people might think you’re trying to get a free meal,” he whispered.

Joan knew Larry had a point, so she scoped out the surroundings, only to find a few young servers eyeing them and talking in hushed tones. They were probably wondering why such a well-dressed couple was only drinking water and not ordering food.

Joan felt a hint of embarrassment as she gingerly pushed her glass away. Even though she was still thirsty, she knew she had to practice some self-control.

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Larry tried to hold his laughter in. “I’ll call to get them to hurry up.”

Before he could pick up his phone, Joan saw two figures walking toward them. “They’re here! Look, they’re here!”

As the pair got to the table, Nancy slung her bag over one of the empty chairs. “I’m so sorry,” she apologized. “We were held up by traffic.”

“Did you drive here?” Larry asked as he accepted the menu from one of the servers and passed it to Nancy.

Nancy nodded earnestly.

Larry pointed at Caspian and burst out laughing. “Come on, Caspian. You have to improve your driving skills! Aren’t you ashamed to always have Nancy drive you around?”

“But that’s only because Nancy doesn’t let anyone else touch her precious car,” Caspian whined.

Joan ignored them and looked at Nancy. “What would you like to get?”

Nancy cast a cursory glance at the menu before handing it to her husband. “I can’t think of what to order. You can decide for me, Caspian.”

Caspian seemed to be in high spirits as he placed an order for four different coffees. He had a smile on the entire time he was chatting with the server, a stark contrast from his usual scowl.

“Boss, how has Leslie been?”

Larry and Joan exchanged glances and smiled. “Speaking of Leslie, we really have to thank Nancy for the brilliant idea of sending him to my parents’. We’ll pay him a visit when we’re free.”

“Ever since what happened to Norton Corporation, I realized that having a child is a lifelong commitment and responsibility. No matter how much we as parents have to suffer, we can’t drag our children down with us,” Joan said with a sigh.

Nancy looked at her quizzically. “Joan, that was too profound for me.”

“You’ll understand when you have a child,” Joan replied while stifling a chuckle.

Larry immediately added, “Oh yes, if you have a daughter, we can be in-laws! And if you have a son, our kids can become blood brothers!”

Caspian lowered his head and smiled. When he saw that Nancy had become speechless and turned red, he gently nudged her to get her attention.

Instead of turning to him, Nancy looked straight at Joan and Larry. “We don’t have plans for that,” she said matter-of-factly.

Caspian’s heart dropped as soon as the words left her mouth, but he still tried his best to look normal and salvage the awkward situation. “Well, yes. We don’t have plans yet.”

Joan found Nancy’s reaction very strange. Being so straightforward about not having children made it seem as if she was intentionally avoiding something. Joan thought she might be overthinking when she noticed Larry also had on a forced, awkward smile. She knew then that he felt the same as she did.

The awkward silence had become too much to bear, and Caspian knew he had to do something to break the ice.

“Larry, Joan, because of some of the misunderstandings Nancy and I had in the past, we have made you worry about us. Now that we finally have this opportunity, please let this meal be my treat. It’s our way of thanking you for all your help. Isn’t that right, Nancy?”

Nancy wasn’t expecting Caspian to lob a question at her, so her surprise was palpable when he did.

“Yes, that’s right. Even though we have settled some of our differences, there are still other disagreements. Hopefully, things will get better as time goes. But even if they don’t, we can only do our best with what we have now and live every day to its fullest.”

Larry and Joan couldn’t help but feel that there was an underlying meaning to Nancy’s words. But no matter how hard they tried to decipher, they just couldn’t figure it out.

Caspian may not be the brightest bulb around, but even he could tell something has changed. Ever since that fight, Nancy was never the same again.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1760

Joan’s expression had taken a drastic change after hearing what Nancy said. She got up wordlessly and pulled Nancy along toward the restroom.

Nancy could more or less guess what Joan wanted to talk to her about, but she kept her smile as she looked apologetically at Larry. “Excuse me, Larry. We’ll be using the restroom first.”

The restroom was empty, and Joan slammed the door behind them once they were inside. It was clear as day that she was a little peeved.

However, the truth was Joan wasn’t in a bad mood. It wasn’t so much that she was angry. It was more that she was confused by who Nancy was now. She was no longer the girl who blushed every time she talked about Caspian. There was something about her that had changed drastically.

“Your misunderstandings have not been cleared, have they?” Joan questioned.

Nancy was expressionless as she replied, “They have.”

Seeing that Joan still wasn’t convinced, Nancy quickly added, “But, it’s just Caspian who thinks that way… “

“What do you mean it’s just Caspian?” Joan interrupted angrily. “What about you? What has he done that you can’t forgive him?”

There was a glimmer of sadness in Nancy’s eyes as she wondered how best to put her words across. “Joan, he hasn’t done anything wrong. It’s me. So if anything, it should be me asking for his forgiveness.”

Joan frowned and looked at her in confusion. “What on earth happened between the two of you?” When Nancy showed no intention to answer her, Joan got even more agitated. “If you treat me like a friend and a sister, then please tell me.”

Nancy held her gaze for a split second before lowering her head again.

Joan calmed herself down and tried to comfort Nancy instead. “I’m sure Larry is also questioning Caspian now. It’s common for husbands and wives to have disagreements and misunderstandings. The important thing is to be considerate toward each other, to know when to give and take, and try to change yourself for the other.”

“But two people should only be together because they’re a good fit for each other. If you change yourself for the other, that’s called being accommodating. That’s not love,” Nancy retorted.

Joan realized all the advice she had given to Nancy in the past had fallen on deaf ears.

She knew that everyone had differing opinions on various issues, and if someone else had told her what Nancy just said, she would have found them perfectly reasonable. But it was appalling that those words came from Nancy, and Joan believed there was more to it than meets the eye.

Nancy held Joan’s hands as she continued, “Besides, if the love isn’t strong enough, then one wouldn’t even be accommodating in the first place… “

The more she tried to explain, the more Joan thought there was something seriously off with Nancy. She wasn’t the Nancy she used to know. She was like a stranger now. She pulled her hand out and fixed a steely gaze on Nancy. “What are you trying to say?”

“I’m in love with someone… “

Telling the truth felt like a weight off her shoulders. All this time, Nancy had been trying to convince herself that her feelings for Jory weren’t real. But when her heart pounded after seeing that woman in his office, she knew she had fallen for him.

The pressure and anxiety she felt from keeping this secret had become almost unbearable. She was so relieved now that she had told Joan the truth. But that also meant she had come to terms with her feelings for Jory.