The Wrong Woman

Candice felt her hands sweating from nervousness as soon as the question was asked. She clenched her fists and lowered her head. She couldn't meet Elio's gaze, yet her ears remained sharply attuned to his voice.

After stealing a glance at Candice, Elio thought for a moment before saying, "Josie isn't my girlfriend."

"What?" Everyone fell into stunned silence.

Candice looked up, her eyes wide with shock as she stared at Elio in disbelief. Her reaction was so over the top that Elio almost laughed. He found her astonishment adorable and struggled to keep a straight face.

With a frown, Daniel asked, "What's the matter?"

Elio turned to Daniel and explained with a polite tone, "My mom was pressuring me to find a girlfriend back then. Out of desperation, I convinced my best friend to pose as one. We kept up the act for so long that everyone believed we were actually together."

"Why did you stop pretending?"

"My mom found out."

"That explains it."

unexpected sense of joy flooded

Elio and Josie were never a couple. That meant Candice's relationship with Elio hadn't compromised her values. And the

out as he entered the living

seat beside him. Turning to the group, Jasper said, "Grandma Michaela is really something else. She's downright terrifying. I even have nightmares about her. Poor Uncle

at Jasper and scolded him, "Jasper, that's no way to

brow and sighed. "Grandma, I'm just being honest. Dad told me Mom didn't really have a childhood. All she

natural genius. That made her studies manageable, and she even became a researcher. Uncle Elio, though,

conversation. "You know, I stayed with her during

was always a timer and strictly portioned. couldn't even pick what I wanted to

minutes. Oh my goodness, it was non-stop studying, reading, and writing. Lunch and dinner were

contain her disbelief, Sienna laughed. "Jasper, you must

were a total nightmare," Jasper

smile, Florence said, "I remember that year. Your grades improved dramatically, jumping over