Ch. 2991..3000

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 2991

Misunderstandings

What mistake could she have made? Moreover, even if she did make a mistake, she could have dealt with it easily, given her capabilities.

Who knows what was in her head? She ran off like a mad man early in the morning as if I was a monster out to devour her…

Larry continued working, but Caspian was preoccupied with thoughts about Jessica. In the end, he decided to ask an employee.

“Did something happen to Jessica?” Caspian questioned. The female employee peeked at Larry with a conflicted expression.

“Spit it out!” Caspian’s temper sparked at her hesitation.

“Don’t be mad. It’s just that when I came in, I saw Mr. Norton and Ms. Zimmer sleeping together,” the female employee whispered.

What? Larry and Jessica slept together? Caspian was thunderstruck at the news. His mind was all over the place as he tried to discern what happened between Larry and Jessica. Jessica was panic-stricken, but why is Larry so calm and composed?

Caspian felt betrayed as he glanced at Larry working in the office.

Caspian lowered his head and scratched it, at a loss for what to do. To think that I believed their relationship was merely that of siblings, but now they’re sleeping together!

No wonder she has been working overtime and coming to the office so frequently. It was all to meet Larry and not me.

Caspian furiously slammed his palm on the table, scaring the employees.

“Maybe they were merely resting in the office, and nothing happened between them,” the employee added instantly.

How is that possible when a man and a woman are alone in a room?

Moreover, Jessica used to admire Larry. But he should have been better than this. What has gotten into him? How could he spend the night with her?

Caspian sighed and left, not knowing how to face Larry.

If it were someone else, he would have punched that person in the face, but that person was Larry, who was like a brother to Caspian. Has been Larry secretly harboring feelings for Jessica all this while?

A sorrowful expression crossed Caspian’s face.

After a long while, he took out his phone and dialed Jessica’s number.

“I need to talk to you.” He sounded serious.

On the other side of the call, Jessica was on pins and needles. “I have something that I have to deal with at the moment, so now is not a good time. In fact, I’m going to be quite busy for the next few days.”

Jessica tried to give him an excuse because she didn’t know how to explain it to him. More importantly, she didn’t know if he would believe her explanation.

“No! I have to talk to you today!” Caspian yelled in exasperation.

Shit! He must have heard something. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be this mad.

“Alright. I’ll be back home early today.” Jessica hung up the phone and sighed. It seemed she would have to be mentally prepared for the upcoming talk.

Soon, night arrived. Jessica left the bookstore and drove home in silence.

What does Caspian want to talk to me about? Jessica’s eyes were clouded with sadness.

Ring! Ring!

“Jessica, come here immediately. I need your help on something,” Larry asked with a low voice.

“Larry, I have something else to do today, so I can’t go,” Jessica replied.

“It’s urgent, so get here immediately!” Larry ended the call in a hurry.

This stupid Larry always gets in my way at crucial moments. Jessica turned her car around and drove toward Norton Corporation.

At that moment, Caspian sat waiting for Jessica on the couch in the living room, oblivious to the fact that she wouldn’t be back that night.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 2992

More Misunderstandings

“All of these are Della’s company issues. They’re urgent, so please help to settle them.” Larry passed the documents to Jessica.

Jessica lowered her head timidly, trying her best to avoid looking at Larry. Why isn’t he concerned about this morning’s incident? Nervousness filled her eyes.

“What you’re doing standing there? Hurry up,” urged Larry as he patted her shoulder.

“Right.” Jessica walked toward the couch and started working on the problems.

At the same time, Caspian was waiting for her in the living room while staring intently at the door.

What happened? It’s late, so why isn’t she back yet? Caspian gazed fixedly at Jessica’s number on his phone, and after some hesitation, he decided to call her.

“Something urgent came up, so I can’t come back tonight,” Jessica answered cautiously.

What can she be busy with when the bookstore is already closed? Caspian’s brows were knitted into a frown.

“Jessica, are you hungry? Do you need me to order some food for you?” Suddenly, Larry’s voice sounded from Jessica’s end.

At that moment, Caspian realized that she was with Larry.

Clang!

He threw his phone on the ground. This b*tch! How could she cheat on me? Caspian buried his face in his hands with a look of agony.

We have been together for so long. Am I not enough to fill the emptiness in her heart? I knew that Jessica did, in fact, love Larry in the past, but I’m the one who has been with her through thick and thin, taking care of her.

Moreover, she had declared that the person she loves is me. So why is she with Larry? I thought that she merely went to have a chat with Larry, but in truth, she was cheating on me with him!

What a joke!

“Caspian! Listen to me! Caspian!”

Before Jessica could finish her sentence, Caspian had hung up the phone. And when she returned the call, his phone had already been turned off.

What’s wrong with both of them? Have they gotten in a fight again? Larry sighed as he glanced at the worried Jessica. It’s perfectly normal for couples to fight. They’ll reconcile after a while.

Larry continued his work on hand after reassuring himself. However, Jessica couldn’t focus on her work.

“Why don’t you head back home? You should settle the problem between the two of you,” Larry advised.

She’s so preoccupied with her relationship problem that she can’t focus on the task at hand. So I might as well send her back to settle it first.

“But Della…” Jessica started hesitantly.

“It’s no big deal. I’ll take a look at it later. You go on home.” Larry gestured for her to leave.

As Jessica rushed back home, Caspian had left and gone to a brothel in a residential compound in the neighborhood.

“Mister, you seem new around here. Come, let me introduce you to our best girl.” The madam at the entrance dragged Caspian into the brothel.

“Who’re you? Why are you touching me? Let me go!” Caspian flung off the madam’s arm.

This b*stard is drunk as a skunk, yet he’s still conscious. A cold glint flashed across the madam’s eyes. “Come in and have a look. The girls here are all beautiful and provide excellent service.”

“It doesn’t matter to me whether they’re beautiful or not. So move!” Caspian yelled at her.

This stupid b*stard! It seems that I have treated you too nicely.

“Men!”

At her call, two brawny men appeared behind her.

“Yes, Madam!” the men chorused in unison.

“Carry this douchebag in.” She followed behind them into the brothel. You’re too naive to think that you can mess with me!

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 2993

Mistakes Are Made When You Are Drunk

The madam glared at Caspian furiously and pointed at a girl, instructing, “You! Go and serve that douchebag! Hurry up!”

“But I don’t know how…” the beautiful girl named Lisa answered in a trembling voice as she cowered in the corner.

“Don’t know how? Do you want me to beat you to death?” yelled the madam as she picked up the cane at the side.

“Madam, please forgive me! I’m still young, so I don’t know how to serve a man, and I won’t do it.”

Slap! Slap!

The madam struck at the kneeling girl with her cane.

“I’ll go! Fine, I’ll go!” In the end, Lisa gave in.

It was better to be alive than dead. However, not many people could accept such a way of life. Lisa tidied herself up and wiped away the tears on her face before she slowly entered the room.

“Don’t cry! And serve that man well,” shrieked the madam from behind her.

Lisa shut the door tightly as if afraid of others seeing her in an unsightly state.

In the room, Caspian was lying on the bed with a look of exhaustion, snoring away softly.

“Jessica, tell me. Why did you betray me? Why? Have you ever loved me? Have you?” Caspian muttered as he turned over.

Lisa slowly approached him and lightly tapped his back, but there was no response from him.

“Mister, let me serve you,” Lisa uttered cautiously. Her voice was so soft that Caspian didn’t hear her.

“Louder!” demanded the madam from outside.

Lisa jumped in surprise and shivered uncontrollably. Then she tried her best to turn Caspian over.

“Don’t touch me! Who are you? Is it Jessica?” Caspian asked with his eyes closed. His heart ached every time he mentioned her name.

“I…”

“Yes!” yelled the madam again.

“Yes! I’m Jessica,” Lisa answered helplessly.

At her answer, Caspian quickly grabbed her hand and placed it over his heart. He said sorrowfully, “Tell me. What have I done wrong? Why did you do this to me?”

He seems to be going through a relationship problem. As Lisa stared at Caspian, she didn’t have the heart to take advantage of him. He must love the woman so much for him to end up like this.

Meanwhile, Jessica returned to a completely silent house.

“Caspian! I’m back! Where are you?” Jessica looked around as she called out to Caspian, but there was no sign of him anywhere.

Where did he go? It seems that he is really mad this time around.

Since she couldn’t find Caspian, Jessica returned to Norton Corporation. She spent the entire night dealing with Della’s queries in Larry’s office. Similarly, Caspian didn’t return home that night.

Right then, Jessica sneezed. For some unknown reason, she felt uneasy at that moment.

Larry glanced worriedly at Jessica. She has been spacing out for the entire night. Is she tired?

“Jessica, you should go back. Let me handle the rest,” Larry suggested.

Jessica glanced at her watch. After a short moment of hesitation, she picked up her purse from the couch and left.

If she’s worried about something, why did she insist on working? Larry shook his head at his thought and returned his focus to the task at hand.

“Ouch.”

Why does my head hurt so much? Caspian hit his head lightly. Next to him, Lisa slowly opened her eyes and peeked at Caspian shyly.

“You’re awake,” Lisa greeted.

“Yes, I’m awake,” Caspian replied without a pause.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 2994

Caspian Is In Trouble

Wait, something is not right! That is not Jessica’s voice!

Caspian turned around and stared at the woman next to him, horrified. What happened? And who is this woman? Why is she in my room?

Damn it! I’m doomed! Caspian panicked, knowing Jessica would not let him off easily on this. He yanked the blanket and realized he was naked.

“Get out! Now! Quick!” Caspian pointed to the door and roared.

The young woman was startled by him. She softly reminded him, “Sir, this is not your home.”

What? Caspian looked around and surveyed the room, then bowed down and started to thump his head with his fist, trying to wake himself up.

What stupid things did I do last night?

“About, last night, the two of us, did anything happen?” Caspian stammered in panic.

“We are both stark naked. Can’t you tell?” the young woman teased. The truth was, nothing happened between the two the night before.

Caspian was knocked out by the drinks and had slept through the night. It was the woman who removed his clothes and scattered them on the floor.

Caspian could not recall a single thing, so he could only take her words for it.

What am I going to do now? I’ve made a grave mistake!

Slap! Caspian slapped himself hard, leaving a fresh red handprint on his face. He did not expect himself to commit such a stupid folly.

“Sir, so what are we going to do now?” The woman looked down and asked demurely.

Other than settling it with money, he could not think of other suitable solutions.

“Just tell me, how much do you want?” Caspian asked bluntly. He knew she wouldn’t have slept with him if not for money.

“Mister!” The woman suddenly went down on her knees and cried out.

Now what? Why is she crying instead? Caspian’s heart softened when he saw the woman sobbing uncontrollably.

“Please take me with you! I don’t want to stay here anymore! The madam here forced me to sleep with men. I don’t want to do that.” The woman was crying her eyes out and watching the door at the same time.

So she was forced into prostitution!

Caspian put on a forced smile and quickly helped her up.

“How did you get here? Don’t you know what kind of place this is? If you are unwilling, who will force you into it?” Caspian did not mince his words.

He had to be careful as there would always be sinister and sly scams around. Who knows if this woman is for real or merely putting on an act? Maybe she was pushing her luck, trying to con more money from him.

“No, that’s not true! I am tricked into this, mister! I did not do this willingly. I was sold and brought to this place!”

Caspian fumed upon hearing her story. How could people still engage in human trafficking in this time and age? They are asking for trouble!

“Sir, I’m willing to do anything as long as you let me stay by your side. If I just run away, that madam will hunt me down.”

That is true! It won’t be easy to run away from such syndicates. Caspian face fell as he looked away.

“So, what do you want me to do? Buy you out, then leave this place?” He stared at her and asked.

“Sir, take that as a loan to me. I’ll definitely repay you once I have the money. In the meantime, I can do anything for you. Cooking, washing, anything! Even bearing a child for you!”

Caspian was touched, as she sounded sincere and committed. He truly felt sorry for her, that she had gone through so many hardships, and it wasn’t because of the guilt that he had slept with her.

There would be good and bad times in life. Some people could bounce back from setbacks and continue to thrive, while a few unlucky ones would get trapped in a vicious cycle. If this young lady failed to meet a savior, she would likely be doomed.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 2995

Caspian Needs Money 1

“Don’t kneel there. Get up.” Caspian helped her up.

Tears were streaming down her cheeks, glistering in the light.

“Mister, are you awake? Did you have a good night’s sleep?” The madam’s loud voice boomed in from outside the room.

Is that jerk sleeping still? That won’t do! She needed to see his payment before she could allow him to sleep in.

“Madam,” The young woman hurried over to open the door and greeted.

The madam walked over to Caspian, and asked, “How was it? Are you feeling alright?”

Ya, can’t be worse, no thanks to you! He fumed as he recalled what happened the night before. It was all her fault! He would not have gotten into this shit if she had not solicited and pulled him into this place.

“Mister, that was my girl’s first night of service. No matter what, you should show some appreciation, right?” The madam urged as she signaled at the woman standing next to her.

“Appreciation? Madam, wasn’t it you who forced me to come in last night?” Caspian angrily confronted.

“Oh my! You have wronged me. How would I dare to force you to come in, mister?”

What a hypocrite! The young woman stood by the side and looked on anxiously.

The madam went over to the woman, pinched her hard on her arm, and chided, “You foolish girl. It must be your fault for not satisfying this gentleman.”

“Stop that. It was not her fault.”

“I heard you bought her? Eh, I mean, you took care of her?” Caspian lowered his voice and questioned.

The madam threw the young woman a dirty look and replied coldly, “Yes.”

“Alright, I want her to leave with me,” Caspian declared, with a determined look in his eyes.

What? The madam was shocked.

What did this idiotic girl tell the jerk? Why did he offer to buy her out all of a sudden?

“This…That… I mean, we need to discuss this.” The madam replied hesitantly. However, her mind was already working on how to milk a good deal from him.

Over at the house, Jessica was looking everywhere but failed to find Caspian.

Where could he have gone? Worry was written all over her face, as Caspian did not have the habit of sleeping out.

“Larry!” Caspian greeted Larry as he walked into the office, looking anxious.

“What is it?” Larry asked as he looked up. He saw Caspian wearing the same clothes he had on yesterday. So he did not go home last night?

Then, Larry recalled how Jessica and Caspian had an argument the day before.

“What did you do last night, Caspian?” Larry asked as he detected something wasn’t right.

Caspian scratched his head in embarrassment. He did not know how to tell Larry what happened the night before, and he also wasn’t sure if Larry would agree to his loan request.

“Eh, Larry, I want to borrow some money from you.” Caspian shyly made his request.

Did he get into trouble last night? Larry immediately stood up and scrutinized Caspian, trying to read his mind.

Something has definitely happened! Larry knew Caspian wasn’t the kind of guy who would go around asking for a loan without a good reason.

“What happened?” He gave Caspian a pat on the shoulder and asked with concern.

“Larry, please stop asking me questions. Can you please lend me some money first? I’ll explain to you later.” Caspian clenched Larry’s arms and pleaded.

“How much?”

Caspian stretched out his five fingers.

Five hundred thousand? Why does he need so much money? Larry became suspicious.

Five hundred thousand was not a huge amount to him, but he had to find out what kind of trouble Caspian had gotten into.

“Shoot. Tell me what happened, only then I’ll lend you the money.” Larry was firm. He wasn’t worried about the money. He was more concerned about Caspian and wanted to make sure he was not involved in any illegal dealings.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 2996

Caspian Needs Money 2

“Larry, please don’t make things difficult for me.” Caspian sounded aggrieved.

Who is being difficult now? Isn’t it normal to give a reason when asking for a loan? Larry stared coldly at his friend, unmoved.

“Fine. If you won’t help me out, I will ask someone else instead.” Caspian ran out after saying that.

Rascal! When did he become so wilful? Did I say I will not help him? Larry was worried as he watched Caspian running out.

“Hey. Quick, find out where Caspian was last night. It is urgent.” Larry gave this instruction to someone over the phone.

I hope he is not into some serious trouble.

“Larry.” Jessica came in shortly after Caspian rushed off.

“Larry, what am I going to do? Caspian is missing!” Jessica broke down and cried.

Why is she crying all of a sudden? Larry handed some tissues to her and sat her down on the sofa.

“Yesterday, we spoke on the phone. I could not reach him after he ended that call.” Jessica quivered, looking angst.

Looks like she really loves him! His love and sacrifices were not in vain after all. Larry was heartened to know Jessica cared about Caspian. At that moment, the two of them did not know that Caspian was in deep trouble.

Larry quietly sat through Jessica’s whining with no intention of cutting her short. He wanted to hear her reveal her true feelings for Caspian.

Finally, she got tired and stopped sobbing.

“You can stop crying now. Caspian was here this morning. He looked fine and was not injured, so you don’t have to worry.” Larry revealed as he handed her a glass of water.

“Oh! He was here? Why did you not tell me sooner?” Jessica immediately dried her tears.

“What did he say? Did he ask about me? Where is he now?” Jessica bombarded Larry with questions, which heartened him, as that showed she really cared about Caspian.

“Don’t worry. He had some matters to settle, so leave him alone for now. He will come running back to you once he is done.” Larry gave her an ambiguous assurance.

He had no clue about what had happened to Caspian, so he could only help to pacify Jessica without going into more details.

Caspian, what happened to you last night? Larry clenched his fists anxiously as he was worried about Caspian.

Caspian was his only buddy, so Larry would never stand by and do nothing if he ever got bullied.

He picked up his phone and called Caspian’s number after Jessica left. It rang for a long time, but no one picked the call.

Ring ring ring!

“Mr. Norton, we got the information. Last night, Caspian went…” The man on the other end of the phone hesitated, seemingly embarrassed.

“Tell me!” Larry barked.

“He went to the brothel!” The man replied solemnly. Yes, the brothel, where one could get women to entertain them and even sleep with them for money.

Caspian went to the brothel? It was hard to believe, so Larry hurriedly asked for clarification. “Are you sure you were not mistaken?”

“There’s no mistake, Mr. Norton. We found eye witness.” The reply was clear and certain.

Anger was written all over Larry’s face.

Rascal! Even if he was moody after a fight with Jessica, he should not have gone to a brothel!

Larry was furious. He flung his phone onto the sofa, and hollered, “Guys!”

Instantly, a few men rushed into the office.

“Gather a few more guys and come with me!” Larry led the way out of the office.

Wait a minute! Such matters should be handled on the quiet.

“Nevermind. You guys don’t have to come along.” He changed his mind and got into the car alone.

Bang! Larry hit the steering wheel with his fist in anger as he thought about Caspian’s stupidity.

“Come on, it’s just five hundred thousand. I’ll definitely repay you.” Caspian tugged at a man’s arm and implored.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 2997

A Friend In Need

“Hey, don’t touch me, Caspian! Otherwise, I’ll get nasty! I don’t have that kind of money, so go borrow from someone else.” The man warned as he struggled free from Caspian’s grip.

Larry was watching them from a distance, and he let out a sigh.

“Caspian!” Larry shouted. Caspian turned around and realized it was Larry.

“Get into the car!” Larry ordered.

Caspian hesitated for a moment, then obediently ran towards Larry’s car.

How did he end up like this? Larry felt sad looking at the sorry state Caspian was in. He also had lots of questions in his mind.

“There you go. Here is five hundred thousand. Take it.” Larry handed over a card to Caspian.

A friend in need is a friend indeed!

Caspian was touched by Larry’s kind gesture.

Caspian held back his snuffles. He was saddened by his so-called friends who acted pally with him only when things were good. When he needed help, they pushed him away.

“Now, can you tell me what happened?” Larry asked, feigning ignorance. He knew what transpired, but he wanted to hear it from Caspian.

Caspian turned around to face Larry, embarrassment written all over his face.

“I got drunk last night,” Caspian started hesitantly, but went on to confess to Larry truthfully.

He could not fill him in on many details as he was too drunk to remember.

Larry got worried for Caspian after hearing his full story.

He could not predict how Jessica would react to this, but he could definitely foresee turbulent days ahead.

“Why are you so foolish? She lead you in and you followed?” Larry chided and knocked Caspian on the head.

But I was totally wasted! I was not even aware that I was in a brothel or with some women. What could I have done?

Caspian could only sigh silently in resignation.

He would never have stayed on if he knew that was a brothel. But what to do? He had stayed over, slept with the young woman, and got himself into this trouble. He could not undo what he did.

Caspian sadly shook his head, sighed, and hit himself silly on the head.

“So, what are your plans? Now that you have that young woman by your side, what are you going to do with Jessica?” Larry questioned him sternly.

As if it makes a difference. Jessica only has eyes for you. Caspian glared at Larry with annoyance.

“Well, she still has you, doesn’t she?” he scoffed.

What? What was that supposed to mean? Larry turned around and stared fixedly at Caspian, waiting for him to elaborate further.

“Make yourself clear! What do you mean she still has me?” Larry challenged.

“Oh please, stop pretending, Larry. This is just between you and me now. You like Jessica, and she likes you…”

“Hold it!” Larry cut him off before he could finish his sentence.

What is wrong with the nonsensical mind of this jerk? Jessica and I were like brother and sister! How is it possible for us to have special feelings for one another?

Moreover, I only have space for one person in my heart—Joan! Did he hear some gossips again? Or are there any misunderstandings somewhere?

A look of irritation flashed by in Larry’s eyes.

How ridiculous can he get? He has known me for many years, and he actually thinks that I have eyed his woman! This is preposterous!

“I heard about what happened that day. You slept with Jessica.” Caspian continued in his hushed voice.

When did we sleep together? This is getting out of hand! Larry was raging deep inside.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 2998

Misunderstanding Cleared

“I know Jessica had always been fond of you, and that is why she always look you up at Norton Corporation. But what happened between the two of you in the office that day… I am really devastated, Larry.”

Finally, Larry realized what he was talking about.

This jerk misread the situation again! Larry closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm himself.

“First of all, Caspian, I see Jessica as a sister and she regards me as a brother. Due to some unforeseen circumstances, we had to sleep in the office that night. Nothing happened between us, and Jessica can vouch for that as well. We did not do anything scandalous behind your back. Moreover, I will never betray Joan.”

Larry left Caspian with no room for doubt.

Caspian could see Larry spoke with sincerity, and he instantly felt remorseful.

Yes, he had always been righteous and would never resort to such dirty moves.

Maybe I read too much into it…

Caspian bowed his head in embarrassment.

But that colleague said…

He was not totally convinced

It was as if Larry could read his mind, for he added, “The staff that stayed late in the office that day saw Jessica and I lay on the sofa in the office and made a big fuss over it. If you don’t believe me, you can go back to her and asked her if she saw me doing anything to Jessica.”

“No! I believe you, Larry! I was blinded by jealousy and could not think straight,” Caspian answered.

Yes, you did not think straight. As a result, you drank yourself silly and got into this mess! This is going to be a bloody troublesome mess.

Larry looked at Caspian with sympathy. He knew his buddy was a man who could be depended on, so he would not run away from his trouble. Unfortunately, Jessica would be the one to get hurt, as he took responsibility for what he did to the other woman.

“Are you sure that you had sex with that young woman? Could it be a set-up?” Larry cautiously tried to jog his memory.

“If you are so wasted, how could you possibly manage to do that?” Larry glanced at him and reminded.

Caspian had the same doubt. However, he could not discount this other possibility that he was so drunk, he could not remember what he did.

“There was a bloodstain on the bedsheet,” Caspian muttered.

There was awkwardness in the air. Larry cleared his throat and drove off with Caspian. Both men did not utter another word for a while.

“So, what are your plans? Give the madam the money, and keep the young woman by your side?” Larry curiously asked.

“Yup. That madam said she wanted compensation, so I have to give her that. As for the young woman, I want to send her home.”

Larry could only manage a forced smile. He had a nagging feeling that things would not go as Caspian had planned.

“How about letting me meet that young woman?” Larry quietly suggested.

Huh? Why did he want to meet her? Caspian looked puzzledly at Larry.

“Why? Are you reluctant?” Larry countered. He felt he should at least meet the other party before making any judgment.

Moreover, Caspian had never been a meticulous guy. He may overlook many issues, which Larry felt were important to look into.

“No, not that. I will hand the money to the madam then meet you again.”

“No way!” Larry cut him short. “Let me meet her first. I will get Joan to join us. After the meeting, you can proceed to hand over the money, and we can take the young woman away immediately.”

Some subjects were easier to discuss between women, so Larry wanted to ask Joan to go along.

Caspian also thought that was a good idea, although he could not figure out why Larry would insist on meeting the young woman.

After a quick discussion, Larry and Caspian, together with Joan, went to a cafe near the brothel.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 2999

Meeting Lisa 1

“Hello, Larry and Joan! Nice meeting you! I’m Lisa.” The young woman greeted the couple.

Caspian smiled, pleased that she was polite and well-mannered. Larry and Joan silently scrutinized her.

“You are quite capable, aren’t you? You have managed to seduce my buddy in such a short time.” Larry was out to spite her.

“No, Larry. I can swear I am sincere with Caspian,” she protested softly, raising her hand to make the swearing sign.

Larry took a sip of his tea and calmly assessed the young woman. She looked like a materialistic woman, but she did not seem to be the scheming type of woman.

Larry and Joan’s indifference made Caspian very anxious. He was worried they would make things difficult for Lisa, but his biggest fear was that they would tell Jessica about this. He was hoping he could settle this matter behind Jessica’s back.

“And? What are you trying to hint at? That you will marry Caspian and bear him children?” Joan probed coldly.

Lisa fell silent.

In the beginning, she was not attracted to Caspian. However, she was touched when she observed what he went through for her.

“Yes, I can do that!” she affirmed.

“What are you saying? I don’t need that!” Caspian nudged her on her arm and clarified.

“No! You have saved my life, Caspian. I want to serve you for the rest of my life.” She promised and gave him a tight hug.

Caspian was stunned and immediately pushed her away. He could not let Jessica down again.

“What are you afraid of, Caspian? We have already slept together. If someday, I am pregnant with your child…”

No way! She cannot bear my child! Caspian was dumbstruck.

“Abort it!” Joan was direct.

She could read Caspian’s mind. He borrowed money to ‘save’ this woman which was out of kindness and guilt. But Joan would never let Lisa take further advantage of Caspian.

“But Joan, this is our flesh and blood!” Lisa whined.

“No one can be sure who is the father of the baby yet,” Joan retorted bluntly.

I find it hard to believe a woman in a brothel is pure and innocent. So what if there was bloodstain? That would not necessary mean that she was a virgin. How gullible of you, Caspian. Just a few drop of tears and you are at her beck and call.

Joan had to take a sip of tea to calm herself.

“Joan, Caspian is my only man. It is true. You can check with my friends if you don’t believe me.”

There was no way Joan would fall for that! Joan was furious and regarded her with contempt. From the first impression, it was obvious this was a shrewd young woman.

Men always fell for gentle, kind, and innocent women. Deep in her heart, Joan already knew Caspian would blindly accept whatever Lisa said if she started acting piteous.

“That’s enough. Let me make it clear to you. We will hand the compensation money to your madam and buy you freedom. However, that is on one condition, that you will leave Caspian alone from now on. If you disagree, we will take back this money,” Joan threatened. She needed to let Lisa know who has the upper hand.

“No, Joan. I can’t leave Caspian. I cannot live without him!” Lisa was quick to protest.

Oh my! She is resorting to emotional blackmail? Joan stared at Lisa with disdain. She loathed hypocrisy and had always hated those women who put on false pretense to manipulate men.

Larry sat by the side, watching the ladies quietly. He understood Joan felt terrible as Jessica was her good friend.

Never Late, Never Away Chapter 3000

Meeting Lisa 2

“Say something, Caspian!” Lisa tugged at his shirt and implored.

“He will only listen to Larry, so don’t waste your efforts.” Lisa was instantly dejected when she heard Joan said this.

“Eh, Joan, I think the most important thing is to hand the money to…” Caspian tried to mediate.

“No! If she agrees to our condition, you can head straight to the brothel to pay up. If she doesn’t, I will not let you go with the money.” Joan was firm in her demands as she knew this had to be made absolutely clear to Lisa. Otherwise, she could foresee more trouble in the future.

Lisa was no pushover. She was a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

It was obvious to all present, except for oblivion Caspian.

“Stop crying.” Larry finally broke his silence.

“Larry, what do you say?”

Caspian’s pleading look made Larry sad. He was saddened that Caspian got into a messy affair with a con woman like Lisa.

Larry and Joan tried to hide this incident from Jessica out of goodwill. They wanted to protect Caspian. However, things did not go as smoothly as they had anticipated.

“If you choose to not listen to my opinion on this, that would spell the end of our friendship.” Larry set an ultimatum.

He knew Caspian was softhearted and would have been manipulated by Lisa into keeping her by his side. That would drive Jessica crazy! Larry had no choice but to play the bad guy and pressure Caspian into doing the right thing.

Caspian was in a dilemma and felt lost. He was caught between his best friend and a woman he felt he had wronged.

In the meantime, Joan was staring fixedly at Lisa. She was full of suspicion.

Why would that madam let go of Lisa and ‘sell’ her off to Caspian so easily? Could there be more to it than meets the eye? Joan was worried as the more she thought about it, the more fishy it felt.

“Caspian, if you still love Jessica, you should make a clean decision to end this messy affair.” Larry was clenching his fist and looking solemn.

Although Caspian was like a brother to him, Larry was also protective of Jessica, who was orphaned and had looked up to him as family.

Indeed. Life had not been easy for Jessica in the past many years. Caspian bowed his head in shame.

“Caspian, I really cannot live without you! I’ll die!” Lisa wailed loudly.

“Shut up!” All of a sudden, Joan shouted out in anger.

She would have been less provoked if Lisa had made a big fuss, screamed, and cursed. This emotional manipulation game she was playing was despicable, and Joan was even more furious as Caspian was gullibly falling for it.

“Joan, what is wrong? Are you angry? Please don’t be mad at me! I will keep quiet if that will appease you.”

Her pitiful act looked so realistic that Caspian felt a pang of sympathy for her.

Larry’s face fell as he watched the drama unfold.

Looks like we are dealing with a formidable foe here.

He took a sip of tea and a deep breath, then asked, “Caspian, what do you propose?”

Caspian opened his mouth but was lost for words.

In his heart, he wanted to let Lisa go and stay with Jessica.

“Caspian, if I discover I am pregnant someday, I will know that is your flesh and blood.” Lisa suddenly made this remark and left the rest dumbstruck.

No way! This child cannot be brought into this world!

“Don’t you take contraceptives?” Joan asked anxiously.

“I did not have the chance to take it when it happened. After that, by the time I remembered, it was too late.” Lisa softly muttered.