Bobby retorted, âMichael is exhausted, up all night dealing with this. Whatâs wrong with your sister?â
âSheâs acting as his witness! Crowellâs and Caraâs family are hunting her down. And sheâs been looking after Fiona all this time.â
Bobby internally reasoned that Dulceâs involvement was her choice, largely because of her feelings for Michael. However, he kept these thoughts to himself, aware that voicing them could jeopardize not only Michael and Dulceâs relationship but also his own with Fannie.
âBobby? What are you doing in there?â
Fannieâs voice came from outside the bathroom. He had secretly taken her phone. Scared of getting caught by Fannie, he felt pressured to comply with Jettâs request.
âIâll text you Michaelâs number right now, but stop calling Fifi. Itâs over between you two. Letâs not revisit this again.â
âBefore you even met Fifi, she and I were close friends. Thatâs not something you can just erase,â Jett responded with a cold snort.
âReally want to debate who knew Fifi first?â Bobby challenged.
Jett fell silent.
As soon as Bobby ended the call, Fannie entered the bathroom, pulled back the shower curtain, and found Bobby sitting in the bathtub, fully clothed, one hand concealed behind him. âWhat are you doing?â
âPlaying hide and seek,â Bobby answered, attempting to lighten the mood.
âYouâre really acting childish,â Fannie said, glancing at the sink. âHave you seen my phone?â
Bobby, feeling a pang of guilt, quickly denied, âNo, no.â
While Fannie was distracted, Bobby slid her phone under the sofa cushion. When Fannie later retrieved it, she suspected nothing. Bobby had carefully erased all traces of the call history.
âBobby, we need to talk.â
âWhatâs on your mind?â
âI think you should stay at your place for a while. Iâm concerned about Dulce and would like her to stay here.â
âAbsolutely not!â Bobby rejected the idea outright, still too enamored with Fannieâs presence to consider parting.
It seemed everyone was worried about Dulce, but who was looking out for him?
As Fannie adjusted her earrings in front of the mirror, Bobby wrapped his arms around her from behind.
âWhy not let Michael look after her?â
Fannie arched an eyebrow, questioning, âDo you think he would?â
âAnd why wouldnât he?â Bobby echoed Jettâs earlier words, though his tone carried a mix of defiance and conviction. âHe has every reason to! After all, he owes it to Dulce!â
Fannie considered this for a moment. It was becoming clearâBobbyâs possessiveness was bordering on the extreme, unwilling to share her with anyone, even her closest friend.
âFine, Iâll call Michael,â she conceded.
âIâll speak to him later. Letâs sort out our own matters first.â
Bobby smoothly took her phone, guided her hand down, and with a sense of urgency, began to slip off the dress she had just donned.
âBobby! Will you ever let up?â
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