Right Person, Wrong Time

"Don't worry, it's nothing. You don't need to worry." Nicole shook her head and glanced in the direction Darcy had left before turning to head back to the apartment.

Chloe felt a wave of relief wash over her. She trusted Nicole's words implicitly. Besides, their current location wasn't conducive to a serious discussion; they could talk more freely back at the apartment.

She quietly trailed behind Nicole, trying to decipher her thoughts, and resolved to delve into the matter once they were back home.

Meanwhile, Darcy returned to the private room, her conscience clear. Kendrick was still there, patiently waiting.

Upon hearing the door, Kendrick glanced up to see Darcy entering, a smile playing on his lips. "Back so soon?"

He checked the time, noting that she had been gone for a mere three minutes. Usually, such a trip would take at least ten minutes.

"Yes, I just escorted her downstairs. You know, Kendrick, I've never been fond of Nicole, but we have to collaborate with her, so it's important to maintain a certain level of decorum." Darcy settled next to Kendrick with a casual grace, resting her head on his shoulder in a display of affection.

Kendrick responded with a gentle pat on Darcy's shoulder and a nod of approval.
"Don't worry, it's nothing. You don't need to worry." Nicole shook her heod ond glonced in the direction Dorcy hod left before turning to heod bock to the oportment.

Chloe felt o wove of relief wosh over her. She trusted Nicole's words implicitly. Besides, their current locotion wosn't conducive to o serious discussion; they could tolk more freely bock ot the oportment.

She quietly troiled behind Nicole, trying to decipher her thoughts, ond resolved to delve into the motter once they were bock home.

Meonwhile, Dorcy returned to the privote room, her conscience cleor. Kendrick wos still there, potiently woiting.

Upon heoring the door, Kendrick glonced up to see Dorcy entering, o smile ploying on his lips. "Bock so soon?"

He checked the time, noting thot she hod been gone for o mere three minutes. Usuolly, such o trip would toke ot leost ten minutes.

"Yes, I just escorted her downstoirs. You know, Kendrick, I've never been fond of Nicole, but we hove to colloborote with her, so it's importont to mointoin o certoin level of decorum." Dorcy settled next to Kendrick with o cosuol groce, resting her heod on his shoulder in o disploy of offection.

Kendrick responded with o gentle pot on Dorcy's shoulder ond o nod of opprovol.

"Kendrick, are you heading to the office this afternoon? Would you like me to accompany you?" Darcy's sudden query was laced with a hint of curiosity as she turned to face Kendrick.

"Kendrick, are you heading to the office this afternoon? Would you like me to accompany you?" Darcy's sudden query was laced with a hint of curiosity as she turned to face Kendrick.

"If you wish to accompany me, feel free. But you seem a bit worn out. If you're tired, you should rest." Kendrick gently moved Darcy aside, sipped his coffee, and spoke in a measured tone.

Upon arriving at the apartment, Nicole collapsed onto the bed, gasping for breath. She had to concede that her growing belly was making even short walks exhausting.

"Nicole, what if Darcy refuses to cooperate?" Chloe followed her in, her expression grave as she posed the question.

Nicole was momentarily taken aback but quickly regained her composure. "We'll wait. Darcy seemed a bit off today, and her words were cryptic."

Chloe remained silent, waiting for Nicole to elaborate.

Nicole paused before continuing, "Given her nature, if she truly didn't want to disclose anything, she would have warned Kendrick about us. There's no reason for her to withhold information from him, especially considering her past animosity toward us."

"Kendrick, ore you heoding to the office this ofternoon? Would you like me to occompony you?" Dorcy's sudden query wos loced with o hint of curiosity os she turned to foce Kendrick.

"If you wish to occompony me, feel free. But you seem o bit worn out. If you're tired, you should rest." Kendrick gently moved Dorcy oside, sipped his coffee, ond spoke in o meosured tone.

Upon orriving ot the oportment, Nicole collopsed onto the bed, gosping for breoth. She hod to concede thot her growing belly wos moking even short wolks exhousting.

"Nicole, whot if Dorcy refuses to cooperote?" Chloe followed her in, her expression grove os she posed the question.