Ch. 2791..2800
The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2791-"Umm… About earlier, I—"
"I'm sorry, Miss Rita," Sherman interrupted with an apology. "I hope you'll pay no mind to my earlier comments. As you can see, she wasn't in the right frame of mind. I was angry, and her frustration rubbed off on me too. I hope you don't take it to heart, and I sincerely apologize if it offended you."
At that moment, Rita felt as if she had been thrown into an ice-cold bath. "Oh…
Don't worry, I didn't take it to heart. With that said, I'd like to ask if you could explain why I became the subject of conversation between you and Miss Claire.
If you don't want me to misunderstand anything, it would be better for you not to mention my name at all. That way, I wouldn't be placed in a tight spot either."
Sherman could sense Rita's anger, despite her smile. "I'm sorry," was all he could offer, as he found himself unable to admit that the entire blow-up happened because Claire thought he had fallen in love with Rita.
"Miss Rita, why did you come to see me today?" Sherman changed the topic.
Rita took a deep breath and decided not to argue with Sherman. After all, there were more important things at play there. "I was hoping you'd agree to let me investigate the developer with you."
Sherman's first instinct was to refuse. He frowned and rejected Rita's proposal sternly. "I've reminded you many times not to get involved. Or perhaps you're under the impression that this will work the same way as your last interview where a bit of patience and perseverance will eventually pay dividends?"
"Why won't you let me investigate with you? Parr Group is involved, so are you refusing to let me join you because you're planning to remove the clues?" asked Rita, irritated. She had been mentally prepared to try and persuade Sherman, yet she was taken aback when he rejected her outright.
"Or do you think I'm so incompetent that I'm not even qualified to investigate this matter with you?" she pressed.
"This isn't so much a question of your ability as it is a question of safety. There's more to the developer than you think, and I trust I've already told you that. You have my word that I will get to the bottom of this. Do you not trust what I've said?"
Sherman did not care that Rita had goaded him, as his only concern was that he did not want to get involved in the matter. She was a newcomer who had little knowledge of how things worked in their field, unlike Sherman who had years of experience.
If Esmond was able to evade the investigation on the electronics Bu business and sold them the piece of land as if nothing ever happened to them, then the scope of their influence ran clearly far wider than at first glance.
Sherman himself went the extra mile to be cautious when investigating the matter, so there was every reason not to let Rita get involved.
Furthermore, working alone would allow him to focus on the task without worrying about anything else.
"You're underestimating me. I've been investigating for so many days already, so wouldn't say I don't know a single thing about them. And m besides the duty of a reporter is to uncover the truth. Am I supposed to hide behind other people like a coward whenever something like this happens in the future?" Rita remained persistent.
She took two steps forward and said to Sherman in earnest, "I didn't choose this case for the sake of accolades and whatnot. I simply want to uncover the truth for Vingi and the others. Something tells me that Esmond has persecuted many more families, and all I want is for those people to get the justice they deserve. That has always been my intention when I chose this field, and I hope you can provide me with the necessary support."
Rita then assured Sherman, "I promise not to hold you back or disregard my own safety. Now let me ask you again: can you let me investigate this matter with you?"
The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2792-Sherman eventually caved in and nodded after seeing Rita's gaze. "There's no stopping you, is there? In that case, I have one request. If there is ever a time when your safety is threatened, you're to withdraw yourself from the investigation right away."
Rita was a little surprised when she managed to convince him. She was practically leaping for joy as she ran up to Sherman. "Of course! I'm not an idiot.
You don't know how much this means to me! I didn't expect you to agree. Thank you so much!"
"Well, how could I refuse when a certain someone declared in my face that her original intention for becoming a reporter was to get justice for people? I can't dampen her spirits after that…" Sherman smiled faintly when he saw Rita's glee.
"By the way," Rita's tone became more serious, "I investigated Esmond's schedules. He'll likely show up at some club tomorrow, but I'm not sure if the owner is one of his people, I haven't found much about that person. Would you like to check it out?"
Sherman was surprised by her resourcefulness. Her ability to find out that much information simply with her own means.
"That club you mentioned, who owns it? I had my men check his affiliates, so there's a chance the person might be on the list."
"The owner's name is Payton Waford."
"That name… Yes, Payton is one of Esmond's men. You've got some tricks up your sleeve, I see. I'm surprised you managed to locate one of his haunts so quickly."
Sherman pulled up information on the venue and found the place rather surprising. It had karaoke bars, clubs, pool bars, amusement parks, and all sorts of other entertainment businesses.
They catered to all ages, which explained why Esmond never got involved in the property business in the past few years. The revenue from his entertainment businesses would have been more than enough to sustain him, and that did not even take into account the shady businesses he would have.
"I seem to recall that there were minors in that karaoke bar, but aren't they supposed to be barred from entering that sort of place?" Rita frowned. Minors were strictly prohibited from entering those places as they had no self-control and were unable to protect themselves should a situation arise.
"It's pretty clear Esmond doesn't really care about any of that as long as he can make money. If he was even remotely concerned about that, he wouldn't have set up shady businesses. Now that we know that he'll be there tomorrow, shall we visit the venue?"
Rita nodded. "But you can't wear a suit and leather shoes. It'll make you stand out."
"What should I wear then?" Sherman frowned. He knew nothing about the dress code for such events, and even if he did, he only had suits and several pieces of loungewear and sportswear.
"Surely your wardrobe isn't just suits in different shades?" Rita asked in surprise. She was leaning in front of Sherman's computer to look at the screen, so the two of them were very close when they faced each other. Rita noticed Sherman's raised eyebrow as if to ask her, 'Is there a problem with that?'
Rita pondered for a moment and said, "Well then, let's give you a break from business attire( Il bring you to shop for something casual. Think of it as our preparation for going undercover tomorrow."
"Feeling generous?" joked Sherman.
Rita shrugged. "Sacrifices have to be made. It was my suggestion, so I have to be responsible for your safety."
Sherman stood up with a smile. His towering figure prompted Rita to take a step back, but her waist bumped into the desk and there nowhere else for her to retreat. m Sherman could not resist rubbing the top of her head, and it felt just as he had imagined-soft and fluffy like a small animal.
"Let's not dip into your savings for the clothes," Sherman insisted. "I'll clock off work early today and treat it as taking the rest of the day off."
Buying clothes for Sherman turned out quicker than Rita anticipated. She had good taste, while he was easy to style. Rita found herself enjoying selecting outfits for him.
The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2793-"Have you ever considered pursuing a career in modeling?" asked Rita.
"Is that an indirect compliment on my physique?" replied Sherman with a smile.
Rita nodded unabashedly. "Of course. You're the perfect example of someone who goes well with almost every style under the sun."
She then turned to the staff and gestured, "Hi, he'll take this set too, please."
"You're both so sweet," the staff said with a smile, "and you have impeccable taste, ma'am. The styles you chose are the trendiest this season, and the gentleman's physique brings out the best of the clothes." The other staff members nodded in agreement.
The two of them exchanged a quick glance at each other after the staff members mistook them for a couple. Recalling Sherman's earlier words in the office, Rita waved her hands in embarrassment. "You've got it all wrong. We're not a couple."
For some reason, Rita felt a pang of discontent as she corrected Sherman. He, however, remained silent and showed no inclination to clarify matters.
The staff glanced at the two of them before finally remarking knowingly, "I see.
He must still be trying to win your heart. In that case, you should just accept him, ma'am! There might be plenty of handsome men out there, but none as handsome as he is."
Rita was at a loss for words and looked to Sherman as if urging him to explain.
After all, he was the one who had advised her not to overthink things, yet he stood there like a statue and made no effort whatsoever to clarify the situation.
"It is a misunderstanding. Our relationship is purely professional. We're just colleagues," Sherman finally interjected.
The staff member was a little puzzled by Sherman's response. He seemed enamored when she assumed that they were lovers, yet Rita was insistent on asserting that they were not in any sort of relationship. It was out of place for two colleagues to go clothes shopping after work. After all, there was a certain intimacy in dressing up for someone of the opposite gender!
"Very well, ma'am. I'll have your boyfriend's clothes packed up and ready to go."
Rita was speechless as the woman hastily packed everything as if worried that Rita and Sherman might reconsider their purchases.
Once they were outside, she turned to Sherman and voiced her frustration.
"Why didn't you clarify things earlier? It's not very nice to let people have these misunderstandings."
A person who is innocent remains innocent without needing to clarify themselves," Sherman replied nonchalantly strolling around the store as if suddenly captivated by its offerings.
"Why are you still looking at other clothes? We've bought everything we needed.
Let's go. It's time to call it a day," said Rita.
Sherman took the paper shopping bags that the staff handed over to him. Rita then noticed the plethora of bags Sherman was carrying and offered to take some. "I can help you hold a couple of bags."
After seeing her earnestness, Sherman handed her a gift box with a tie inside.
"Here."
Rita smiled. "It makes no difference if I'm carrying something this light! Are you underestimating me? Let me NOV help you carry some of those bags.
They're going to be very heavy if you carry them all by yourself."
The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2794-Rita had offered to carry the bags out of consideration, but Sherman remained firm in his response. "You're the one who shouldn't underestimate me! These are just a couple of clothes. Let's hurry along now!" Their interaction did not escape the notice of the clothes boutique's staff member, who found the interaction particularly heartwarming. In her view, Rita and Sherman seemed to be a perfect match, which made it all the more unfortunate that they were not together.
As they finally settled into the car, Rita was still clutching the almost weightless paper bag in her hand as Sherman prepared to drive her home.
"Are you heading back to your family home?" Sherman inquired.
Rita shook her head. "No. You can drop me off at the place I'm renting."
"Sure."
After a brief silence, Rita put forth a question. "Why didn't you ask about my decision not to go home?"
"What's there to ask? You're an adult, and you're not obligated to stay at home every day. Besides, I think staying alone gives you a little more breathing room,"
Sherman replied.
Rita chuckled. "You've only been to my house once, and you've already seen through it all. My father can't see the truth even though he's been with that woman and her daughter for years. He continues to think that I have a good relationship with them."
Sherman could sense the underlying helplessness in her tone despite her smile.
"Your father gets easily attached. Perhaps the older generation tends to focus more on having a complete family. My grandma used to drone on about getting married," Sherman remarked.
"Your situation is different from mine, though," Rita countered. She leaned back in her seat and gazed into the distance, feeling as if there was this sudden urge to open up on that tranquil afternoon ride. Her heart began to race as if to warn her of the danger of revealing too much.
"I'll lend you an ear if there's anything you'd like to talk about," Sherman offered.
That was the catalyst that opened the floodgates.
าวน "There are times when I don't even understand what my father is thinking. He says he remarried out of concern for me because he's worried about me not having a mother figure. I've always hoped she'd become someone who could treat me like my mother would, but she showed her true colors right from the outset. I learned to protect myself from her and her daughter at a young age, but I didn't expect my father to bring her back and let them take after his surname.
Isn't that something you should put more thought into before going ahead with it?"
She then continued, "I've put up with their manipulations and their scheming over the years, but I still get angry from time to time because I can never understand why my father is so blind to all their actions. His intelligence seems to just disappear when it comes to handling family matters…"
Sherman glanced at Rita through the rearview mirror, noticing her rising anger and the quiver in her voice as she continued to vent. At that moment, he felt a sudden and unexplainable urge to pull over, embrace her, and assure her that none of it was her fault.
However, he remained behind the wheel in prolonged silence before finally saying This isn't your fault.
You have every right to feel anger.
Those words seemed to have lifted a weight off Rita's shoulders. Tears streamed down her face as she Of how long it turned away because of !
had been since she heard validation.
Despite expressing her frustrations and disappointments, she never troly voiced out the suffering and grievances that she experiences.
Vince always sided with Karen and Sadie even when Rita had been wrongly accused by both of them. Alas, Vince was never able to see through it.
The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2795-Rita's mind raced with questions. 'Why did he accept another woman's daughter as his own? Why should he let that woman's daughter be addressed as his daughter and not his stepdaughter? I'm not the only daughter! Why did he do that? Will I ever have an answer to that? Will I ever be able to find a way to undo all this so everything can return to the way it was before?' Sherman tactfully switched on the radio without making too much of a fuss about it. As the melodies filled the car, he heard Rita's silent cries in the background.
After what felt like an eternity, Rita turned around awkwardly and felt embarrassed to meet Sherman's gaze.
She wiped away her tears and offered a sheepish smile. "I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. It's not like me to become so emotional. I guess I'm just safer opening up to you. Thank you, Sherman." As their eyes met, Sherman felt a pang in his chest. He knew right then that the unavoidable had sunken in.
He struggled to find the right words, but before he could speak, Rita seemed unable to bear the embarrassment and hastily bid farewell as they arrived at her destination. Without another word, she opened the car door and ran off.
"You don't have to run…" Sherman mumbled as he glanced at her leaving.
Rita seemed to collapse as she reached the door of her house and covered her face in agitation. "Why did I even say all that?" she mumbled to herself in frustration. "I can't believe I broke down in front of him. Argh! What was I thinking?"
Exhausted, Rita collapsed onto her bed. She was set to investigate Esmond with Sherman, but she felt too embarrassed to see him in her current state. Her mind continued to be filled with the scenes of what happened that afternoon, even when she was getting a shower before getting to bed.
Meanwhile, Sherman returned to his empty home and felt a sudden pang of loneliness as he switched on the television. He recalled his grandmother asking him whether he felt even the slightest bit lonely living by himself in a large apartment. At that time, he came up with a rather witty response about how perhaps he should live in a smaller house if he did not want to feel lonely.
His grandmother simply retorted by saying, "You know that's not what I meant."
She was not like other old women who had the traditional mindset that marriage must come at a certain age. She simply wished that he would take better care of himself and find a partner to spend time with.
He did not really take her advice to heart back then, and it took him a while to finally understand what she felt. After some thought, he put on some music, but that only seemed to amplify the emptiness in his home.
Perhaps, as his grandmother had suggested, another presence was required to fill the space at his home. Glancing at his schedule, Sherman realized that his grandmother had told him to visit the family home the next evening, which was slated to be after the investigation with Rita.
'I almost forgot," he muttered to himself, knowing that he would have to suffer the consequences of missing a family gathering.
When it was finally time to hit the sack, he was plagued by the lack of a peaceful night's rest. Rita's image lingered in his mind, especially that of her having to hide her tears . She should not have to go through all that or hold her tears in-it was important to let out one's pent-up feelings once in a while.
Vince's actions had shown that describing him as 'unreliable' would be an understatement.
The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2796-It would be remiss to claim that Vince did not love Rita, but there were numerous considerations clouding his feelings. There was his desire to have a family that at least looked complete and could be admired by all.
Sherman could not help but feel a pang of sorrow for Rita's predicament and wished she would not have to go through that at all.
The names Karen Parr and Esmond Parr popped up in his mind, and he sat up abruptly as soon as he thought of that. For some reason, he had numerous recent encounters with individuals whose surname was Parr.
"Tch, I shouldn't be overthinking things. Parr is a common surname. It's absurd to assume that they're all connected," he chided himself before settling back
down.
Half an hour later, he still found it difficult to sleep. It was one of those times he wished that Lucy would have just handed him several stacks of documents to review. Rather than toss aimlessly in bed, he could better use the time to review some contracts. Unfortunately, he did not bring any home, so he resigned himself to another two hours of tossing before finally drifting off.
The next morning, Rita awoke feeling disoriented until she noticed Sherman's message. [Let me know when you're up. I'll fetch you.] Rita realized she had overslept and hastily replied to his message. Memories of the previous day's embarrassment flooded back into her mind.
"Dear God, please just free me from that suffering and let me forget about all that," she mumbled silently. Despite her reluctance to face reality, she picked herself up and got ready, opting for a casual dress. When she finished freshening up, she looked at herself in the mirror and felt a sense of clarity wash over her.
If she could turn back time, she would do the same thing she did the day before and choose vulnerability in front of Sherman again.
It might be embarrassing, but Sherman was not like other people. He would never judge her for what happened, and not to mention he was a very good listener too.
Rita smiled and muttered to her reflection, "You're doomed."
After hastily tidying up, Rita rushed downstairs to find Sherman already waiting Seeing him lean on his car door while scrolling on his cell phone made Rita's heart race for some reason.
"Sorry for keeping you waiting!" Rita exclaimed.
Sherman's frown eased at the sound of her voice. "No worries, I just got here.
You don't look like a reporter at all."
Rita blushed at his directness. "What do you mean by that? Are you saying I don't look nice most of the time?"
"Not at all. You usually seem rather professional. This is my first time seeing you dressed like a college student," Sherman replied. He reminisced about their encounter at the Russells' banquet, where ske donned an evening dress and put on a delicate layer of makeup. She was beautiful then, but there was a certain air of unapproachability to her at that moment.
Seeing her dressed in a preppy manner made him feel as if she was no longer unapproachable, shortening the distance between them to within arm's reach.
Rita could not help but scrutinize Sherman. "You look so much younger chose for you." The in the clothes I "And I have you to thank for that." He chuckled.
Their exchange lightened the mood and revealed a side of Sherman that m Rita had yet to see. Ky shedding off his formal attire, he seemed to be more genuine-more himself. He was only slightly older than her anyway.
"Shall we, Miss Rita? Oh, but I think we should avoid using honorifics later,"
Sherman proposed.
Okay. You can just call me Rita, and I'll call you Sherman. I know what it means to go undercover," Rita agreed with a mischievous grin.
The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2797-Sherman nodded. "Bingo. Now let's go check on Esmond's situation."
Despite the relaxed atmosphere during the journey, Rita's heart raced as they arrived at the club's parking lot.
"Are you nervous?" Sherman asked.
Rita nodded. "Of course. This is our first time being in such close contact with Esmond, after all."
"Don't focus too much on gathering information. It's just the two of us, and all we need to do is meet him. It'll be great if we succeed, but if we don't, we can treat it like any regular outing. Don't put too much pressure on yourself," Sherman advised.
"I am curious to see the face of the person who's behind all these cruel acts,"
said Rita with a stern gaze.
Sherman felt a tug at his heartstrings and said, "Then what are we waiting for?"
He took Rita's hand as they neared the entrance, and she glanced at their clasped hands before her gaze moved up to his face.
"I apologize in advance, Rita. I might put you in a difficult position today by having to hold our hand," Sherman murmured in a low voice to avoid being overheard.
"You could say the same about me," Rita replied in the same hushed tone.
A genuine smile unfurled across Sherman's face as he was taken aback by Rita's responses. "Guess we're both putting each other in a difficult position then."
Rita put on a stern face and nodded. "I guess we are."
Unfamiliar faces were a rarity there, and their entrance drew the attention of an attendant, who wore black just like all the other employees in the establishment.
were a rarity there. "May I help you?" asked the attendant.
Sherman's stoic demeanor, coupled with his usual air of authority, made him look intimidating, especially when he frowned.
Quickly sensing the tension, Rita stepped forward. "We're here to have some fun. Our friends told us that atel you have just about anything anyone can think of. Since it's our first time here do you have any recommendations for us?"
The woman smiled. "You've come to the right place. Having a wide range of facilities and impeccable service is our selling point. You'll be free to experience your heart's desire as long as you have the money ready."
Rita pouted and asked, "Is it really that impressive?"
The attendant did not say much and simply insisted that they experience everything for themselves.
Give us a VIP room, then. We're not looking to spend extravagantly right away. We need to give this place a test run first to see if your services justify the cost," Rita declared.
The attendant nodded. "Of course.
Our VIP rooms come in five tiers lf you're unsure. I recommend starting .
with the basic one."
However, Sherman interjected from behind Rita. "I'll take the highest tier."
Rita immediately latched onto his arm and feigned annoyance. "Come on, we don't have to splurge on the most expensive option when it's only our first time here. It's such a waste!
We don't even know if it'll be enjoyable."
The attendant immediately countered. "That's no fun, is it? Judging by your appearance and that of this gentleman, money seem to be an issue. What's the point of making money if you don't spend it? Life is all about relaxing and having fun!"
The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2798-The attendant continued, "You can't bring money to the afterlife, right? The only way to make the money yours is to spend it on things you like. I can assure you that our services will not let you down." Since Sherman insisted on an expensive room, Rita had no choice but to agree. "Fine, but I'll let you know that I won't hesitate to file a complaint if your service doesn't meet our expectations. I won't let my man waste his money," she cautioned in a voice dripping with sweetness.
It was unsettling despite having a charming demeanor.
"Of course, Miss," the attendant assured her before muttering into a walkietalkie to inform her colleagues that room A118 would be prepared for them.
Moments later, a male staff member took over the attendant's duties.
"Come with me," ushered the male attendant.
Rita leaned toward Sherman and whispered in a tone loud enough for the male attendant in front of them to her, "Babe, where do you think he's taking us? I feel like we're going in circles. It's making me dizzy." The male attendant turned around with a smile. "You've requested for the highest-tier VIP room, so we've arranged for a room that's on the inside to enhance your VIP experience. We'll be there in a moment." Sherman subtly exchanged glances with Rita as they walked. She appeared puzzled, and he could not shake off a sense of unease either. The walkways that they were led down to resembled a maze, and it seemed that they were being led deeper and deeper into the venue before.
There was a chance that it would be difficult for them to leave safely in the event of an emergency.
Sherman tried to reassure her by mouthing the words 'don't worry' and patting her gently on her arm, and Rita found some comfort amid her apprehension in the fact that Sherman was beside her.
In the meantime, Sherman memorized their route silently, sensing that the place was designed in such a disorienting manner so there was no need to worry about guests who wanted to leave without paying.
He had a bad feeling, but when he sensed Rita's nervousness from her tightening grip, he decided it was best not to say anything that would alarm her any further.
After several more minutes of walking, the male attendant stopped in front of a door and said with a smile, "We've arrived. Right this way, please!"
Darkness enveloped them inside, and even the lights were turned on. Rita peered inside and feigned outrage What kind of place is this? We've spent a considerable sum! The least you could do is turn on the lights!" FindNovel.net "Don't worry, Miss. This is our club, and there's no reason for us to swindle you of your money. Our actions will only reflect badly on us and deter other customers from coming," the man hastily them.
insured باج Rita and Sherman had no choice but to enter. As soon as she set foot inside, the door shut behind them with a resounding click. The both of them ignored their charade and ran to the door, with Sherman Love attempting to push it open but failing to make it budge.
'What's happening? Everything was fine just a moment ago. Did we blow our cover?" Rita's voice quivered with tension as she tried her best to maintain her composure. Sherman frowned. He could handle this situation if he was alone, but Rita's presence by his side made him worry about her safety.
Step back. I'll try to force the door om open," said Sherman.
The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2799-"Okay," Rita replied. The atmosphere hung heavy with tension. She was worried that everything would turn out exactly as Sherman had predicted. 'What if Esmond knew we were secretly going to visit? What if we were being watched right from the beginning and this was just all a trap?"
She was not so much as afraid as she was guilt-ridden. Had she not invited Sherman to come with her, he would not have ended up being trapped. He would still be sitting in his office with his suit and tie, and his life would not be at risk after accompanying her there.
Rita felt that everything was her fault.
Sherman kicked the door, but his efforts yielded no results. Only the faint murmur of a radio broke the silence.
"Save your energy, Mister Sherman. Our boss is busy, but he'll come over to meet you when he's ready. In the meantime, you can wait here."
Sherman breathed a sigh of relief at the broadcast. Knowing that Esmond was behind it quelled some of his anxiety over the uncertainty.
Rita shuddered at the voice and lowered her head in dismay as Sherman approached.
"Sorry…" she said, her heart weighted with regret. Perhaps Sherman was right and she was never cut out for becoming a reporter. She just had to be brave and take on such a dangerous task when she was only a rookie. Had she not insisted on investigating it with Sherman, he would not have been trapped there with her in the first place.
He had his own investigation plan, and he was already uncovering information about Esmond. She did not have to be so eager and rush him into securing success. Rita had always been one to cry silently, and it was not until she was squatting in front of Sherman that he realized she was crying.
"Why are you apologizing?"
"Because I dragged you into this." Tears shimmered in Rita's eyes, yet she could see that Sherman was not angry at all.
"I'm sorry. If it weren't for me, you'd be safe and sound in Parr Group right now, rather than suffering here with me."
"Hmph." Sherman chuckled softly. "You've always liked shouldering the blame, don't you? But have you actually sat down and considered whether or not this was your fault? I'd like to think that Esmond was the one who landed us in this situation. And besides, I don't think the situation is as dire as it seems. We earlier had no clue whether or not this place was his territory, but at least we have been able to confirm now that it is. Having this knowledge will make it much easier for us."
"Do you think so? You're not just saying that to placate me, are you? If I hadn't been so impatient, you would've been able to find out that information anyway, and we wouldn't even be here in the first place."
Rita's tears ceased, but frustration lingered in her tone.
"Well, since he's said he'll be here, we might as well save our strength and strategize our response when he arrives. Revealing our vulnerable side to them at such an early juncture will only backfire on us."
Under Sherman's counsel, Rita sniffled and wiped her tears without shame.
"You're right. This is Esmond's doing.
I let fear take hold of me before the even showed up. That's not n acceptable."
Sherman was taken aback by Rita's resolve. She was despondent just moments ago, i and a few words of advice were all it took for him to reignite her spirit.
The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2800-Rita's resilience - and all that she had encountered in her years within the family-resulted in pent-up emotions within her. Without Sherman by her side, she might not have revealed such a fragile facet of herself.
In addition, she had matured swiftly in the past few years too. Though her family disapproved of her work and she occasionally traded barbs with her stepmother and stepsister, none of that could match up to the challenges of a reporter roughing it on the streets.
Once Rita had composed herself, her mind churned with questions. For example, she wanted to know how they got information that she was going to be
there with Sherman. She had kept her investigation of Esmond close to her chest, discussing it only with Sherman. That raised the question of how Esmond knew about their arrival and if his counter-surveillance operations were that formidable.
After she shared her concerns with Sherman, he thought for a moment before asking, "Are you certain you didn't mention Esmond to anyone else? Frankly speaking, I have spoken about it to my subordinates, but I trust that they couldn't have leaked any of the important information. And besides, they don't know about our plans for today."
Rita mulled over the possibilities until a recollection struck her. She had mentioned his name to Karen before to see what kind of reaction she would have. "Do you think it's her?"
"Karen and Esmond both share the same surname. Why would you bring up Esmond's name to test Karen? Did you uncover something? Are they connected or something?"
Sherman's memory was jogged to that night where he made the association about them out of nowhere.
"I haven't been able to piece together the information I've found, but all I know is that Karen had some unpleasant memories before marrying into our family.
Neither she nor her daughter was willing to discuss it. It seems she had an exhusband. I can't confirm if it's Esmond, but her expression turned sour when I mentioned his name. Something must've happened between them in the past."
Sherman nodded thoughtfully, "Then Esmond might be her ex-husband. If we look at it from that angle, it could explain how he knew we'd be here today.
Karen could inform him if she wanted, and he could've had his guard up against us from the beginning after we'd connected the dots to him. There's also a chance that we were targeted the second we entered this place. Why else would they have led us on a roundabout path to someplace that's so far from the entrance? It had to have been a trap."
Rita felt remorseful. "All I wanted was to figure out what their connection was. I never imagined that my questions would lead to this getting trapped here. I'm sorry for putting us in this situation."
"You don't have to apologize. Your questions validated our suspicions, didn't they?" After a pause, he ventured "I' m
curious, though. Does this mean Esmond and Karen have stayed in touch over the years? And does your father know about this?"