Whispers Turn to Whimpers: Could He Ever Change?

Gilbert stood there, slack-jawed, his thin lips parting slightly. "Sherilyn, can we just stick to the facts and have a rational discussion?" Rational discussion?

"Hmph."

Sherilyn's gaze dropped, a cold laugh escaping her.

Five years earlier.

When she was under suspicion, wrongly accused of pushing Caroline down the stairs, there was also no evidence!

Just based on Caroline's word, hadn't he convicted her?

Back then, why hadn't he stuck to the facts?

She lifted her gaze, giving Gilbert a sidelong glance. "You say you like me?"

"Yes, of course." Gilbert nodded without hesitation, though he didn't understand why she was suddenly asking this. "Fine."

Sherilyn took a deep breath, her piercing eyes locking onto his.

"Then listen well, it was Caroline who framed me!"

Gilbert flinched, startled by the resolve in her words, suddenly grasping her hand.

"Sherilyn, this matter..."

"I'm asking you one last time!"

Sherilyn cut him off, not wanting to hear any more of his excuses. "Do you believe me or her?"

"Sherilyn..."

Gilbert rubbed his temple, feeling a headache coming on, trying to reason with her. "I believe you, but for this matter, we still lack evidence. Your insistence might let the real culprit off the hook..." "Enough!"

With a jerk of her arm, Sherilyn pulled away from him.

She averted her gaze, refusing to look at him any longer.

Her tone turned icy. "Huh, what was I expecting? I must be a fool to have had any hope in you, utterly ridiculous!"

With those words, she turned and walked away.

"Sherilyn!" Gilbert immediately followed, trying to catch her. "Just calm down, let me explain..."

"I am calm." Sherilyn offered a faint smile. "What more is there to say? You're just repeating yourself, aren't you?" "I..." Gilbert stumbled over his words, his brows knotted tightly. "Can't you just listen to me, be reasonable?" "It's over, no need to say more."

Sherilyn remained unswayed, her

19

lips curling into a smirk. "Whatever you say, I've made up my mind - it was Caroline who framed me! If you're going to defend her, that's your choice, I can't do anything about it!"

With that, she pushed against his chest, forcing him back.

"Sherilyn..."

Gilbert staggered, pushed aside.

He wanted to follow, but what would he say? Sherilyn had already made up her mind.

This wasn't about taking Caroline's side, but there were indeed unanswered questions in the whole affair...

...

Sherilyn emerged from the elevator, standing at her apartment door, fishing out her keys.

Her hands trembled, struggling to insert the key into the lock.

"Heh, heh heh."

She closed her eyes, chuckling softly.

She was laughing at herself.

So close! It was so close!

That day, she had almost revealed the truth about the injustice five

years ago and the reality of her life in Crestwood!

Luckily, she hadn't.

It seemed like he had broken things off with Caroline for her sake.

But in reality?

Some things had never changed!

He professed his liking for her, but his trust couldn't outweigh that for Caroline!

Imagine, if that day, she had told him she was framed five years ago, that Caroline had set her up?

What would his reaction have been?

His attitude towards the Saul affair said it all.

He wouldn't believe her! His decade-long bond with Caroline! He trusted her; she could never harm her!

"Ha, hahaha..."

As laughed, tears began to

well up, but she quickly suppressed them, the bitterness in her heart

growing.

Cras com