Chapter 189
"At eight in the evening, Cassie and Laura arrived at the doorstep of the bar, when out of the corner of her eye, Laura spotted a man and a woman approaching. The man, dapper and sophisticated, was complemented by the woman beside him, who wore a chic apricot jacket and had soft, wavy curls framing her utterly charming face.
Just moments ago, he had claimed to be too swamped at the office to pick her up, yet here he was, cozily accompanying another woman.
Cassie frowned and marched over, her voice dripping with insincere cheerfulness. ""What a coincidence! Laura told me you were swamped with work at the office, too busy to pick her up.""
She spoke with a sharp edge, leaving Benjamin red-faced. ""It's true, I was supposed to work late. It was only because Isla asked me to come that I did,"" he stammered.
Isla quickly interjected with a pleading tone, ""Right, right, Laura.""
Laura Miller's attempt at a smile failed miserably.
Cassie beamed and teased, ""You're so lucky to have such an attentive older brother always ready to escort you to parties and rush to your side when trouble arises. But, you know, guys might get the wrong idea and think you're already taken.""
Isla's previously downtrodden face filled with unease. ""Cassie, what are you implying? There's nothing going on. Why don't you believe us? Speaking like this in front of Laura... what must she think?""
Benjamin frowned upon hearing this.
""Benjamin, I'm sorry,"" Isla hastily apologized. ""You should go be with Laura. If there's any danger later, I'll just run.""
""Enough,"" he cut in.
He shot Cassie a dissatisfied look. ""Miss Brooks, you clearly don't know the whole story. Maybe keep your opinions to yourself?""
Cassie rolled her eyes. ""I was just offering a friendly reminder...""
""I know where to draw the line in my relationships. I don't need your reminders,"" Benjamin snapped coldly.
""Is that so? Because I don't think you're very good at it,"" Cassie retorted.
Laura Miller, seeing her friend targeted again and again, couldn't contain her frustration any longer. ""Every time she needs anything, you're there instantly. What about me? When I'm sick, I go to the hospital alone. I took a taxi home by myself after a midnight flight. Eventually, even shopping and dining out end up being solo activities.""
Isla pleaded, ""Laura, please don't listen to your friend. Benjamin truly only has eyes for you.""
""Shut up!"" Laura's patience had run out as she yelled, ""If you like clinging to someone else's boyfriend so much, why don't you just be with him?""
""I didn't..."" Tears began to fall from Isla's eyes.
Benjamin couldn't stand it any longer and pulled Isla behind him, fiercely retorting, ""Laura Miller, are you out of your mind? She didn't provoke you. Stop being led astray by your friend's comments and think for yourself.""
""Yeah, I'm brainless,"" Laura shot back. ""That's the only explanation for falling for you.""
With those final words, Laura grabbed Cassie and stormed upstairs.
Behind her, Isla stamped her foot with urgency. ""Ben, go after her, Laura's mad.""
""And you're still taking her side? Did you not hear what she just said?"" Ben retorted.
""I did, that's the thing. She's just clueless, can't tell who truly cares about her,"" Isla sighed.
""Well, you can't blame her for that,"" Ben said, his tone softening.
...
Their voices trailed as they continued the back-and-forth."
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