Chapter 948:
With a graceful motion, Harlee tore off a chunk of bread, a mischievous smile curling the corners of her mouth.
âThat is his shot,â she declared.
Tonyaâs confusion deepened.
Harlee explained further, âThe announcement isnât merely about my divorce from him. Iâm also planning to reveal an engagement.â
At these words, Tonyaâs eyes bulged, and her mouth fell open in disbelief.
âWho⦠Whoâs the person youâre going to marry?â she stammered, completely bewildered.
After all, for the past three years, there hadnât been a hint of any man in Harleeâs life, much less a romantic partner.
And certainly, Noel didnât count as one.
With a playful glint in her eyes, Harlee leaned forward, ready to unveil her elaborate strategy.
Harlee planned to use the public announcement as a dramatic stage to announce her divorce from Rhys, aiming to provoke him and then reveal an engagement to another man to further unsettle him.
Her ultimate objective was to coax Rhys into explaining his mysterious disappearance of three years and his return with another woman.
Aware that a straightforward approach would be fruitless, she devised this intricate scheme.
When Tonya grasped the plan, she enthusiastically endorsed it with a thumbs up, exclaiming, âThatâs my Harlee, always bold and decisive!â
Lá´§tÑÑt ϲhαptÑrs ðn gðªlðovÑlð.ð°ðm
After pausing to consider, Tonyaâs curiosity piqued, and she inquired, âBut who have you chosen to pose as yourâ¦?â
Tonyaâs mind raced. Over the past three years, other than the regular sessions with Noel, the psychologist, Harlee hadnât shown any interest in anyone.
Could it possibly be Noel?
Tonyaâs face morphed from amused curiosity to surprise, and then to utter disbelief.
Her hand flew to her mouth as she gasped, âYouâre not thinking of involving Noel in this charade, are you?â
Tonya felt this was deeply unfair to Noel, who had silently harbored feelings for Harlee for nearly three years. Yet, she bit her tongue, having vowed to Noel that she would keep his secret until he chose to reveal his feelings to Harlee himself.
âYes,â Harlee confirmed with a serene nod.
After sipping the last of her milk, Harlee smiled and said, âIâll talk to Noel about it later. In the meantime, could you visit my family estate and ease my parentsâ worries?â
âYou havenât broken the news to them yet?â Tonya widened her eyes.
Harlee drummed her fingers on the table, a sign of her growing anxiety.
âNo. I just donât want them to start worrying.â
Harlee had been keeping Rhysâs unexpected return under wraps on purpose, even persuading Belinda to keep it a secret from Skyla. The last thing Harlee wanted was for her parents and brothers to be engulfed in anger or concern for her once again. Yet now⦠since her marriage to Rhys wasnât legally binding, their only route to separation was a public declaration.
Despite her reluctance, hiding such significant news was not an option.
âAlright, I understand.â Tonya gave a small nod, grasping Harleeâs motives clearly.
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