Looking into Calebâs eyes, I admitted with a sense of resignation, âThings between Andrew and me arenât as they appear.
I owe Andrew my life; thatâs why I agreed to pretend to be his partner.
His engagement to me was merely a strategy to escape Shirleyâs obsessive advances.
I have no _ romantic feelings for Andrew, nor do I plan to stay with him.
â
At these words, a spark of hope flickered in Calebâs eyes as he eagerly asked, âReally? You truly donât love Andrew? Youâre not engaged? Youâre not staying together?â
I shook my head and stated firmly, âNo, Iâm not involved with Andrew.
â
This revelation seemed to thrill Caleb even more.
In his excitement, he scooped me up and spun around wildly.
Feeling a wave of dizziness, I hastily exclaimed, âEnough, put me down!â
Noticing my discomfort, Caleb set me back on the floor but didnât let go, his arms still encircling me as he bombarded me with questions.
âReally? Is it true?â
âs BunnyBookery
Holding back a headache, I sighed and reiterated, âIâve told you countless times.
Yes, itâs true.
Andrew and I are just friends, nothing more.
â
However, before I could breathe a sigh of relief, Caleb covered my mouth.
With my eyebrows knitted in confusion, I gazed at him, puzzled.
âYouâre not to mention any other manâs name,â Caleb declared, his tone domineering.
Initially, I thought his behavior was just playful.
Yet, seeing the joy on his face, I didnât have the heart to dampen his spirits and simply nodded with a conceding smile.
âAlright, we wonât talk about other men.
â
âDo you love me only?â Caleb persisted, seeking reassurance.
Andrewâs POV:
I was still in the hospital ward when the butler called me.
Initially, I thought it was just his daily update, but his next words sent me reeling.
âDebra nearly got poisoned.
â
Panicked, I blurted out, âWho tried to poison her? How is she now?â
âThe person who delivered the poisoned food disguised himself in a bodyguardâs uniform,â the butler explained, his voice steady yet revealing his underlying concern.
âLuckily, Debra didnât eat any of it.
â
A wave of relief washed over me.
She was safe, for now.
My thoughts raced as I pressed for more details.
âWho was this imposter? Was the poison in the food extremely lethal?â
He sighed, a hint of fear in his tone.
âWeâve identified it as a new type of poisonâone that kills within ten minutes and has no known antidote.
â
Just as I began to calm down, a surge of anger took hold of me again.
The thought of someone infiltrating my home to harm Debra with such a deadly toxin was unbearable.
Who could despise Debra to the extent of wanting her dead?
Taking a deep breath to steady my nerves, I asked in a low, serious voice, âHave you discovered who this bodyguard really works for? Whoâs trying to kill Debra?â
The butler hesitated.
âWeâve discovered the fake bodyguard was just released from prison.
However, weâre still in the dark about whoâs behind him.
â
I couldnât suppress a sneer.
âI see.
Youâll need to tighten security at the manor and ensure Debra is well protected.
â