Chapter 706

"Call your dad, Karen," Jeffrey pleaded, his voice strained with desperation. "Tell him it's all a big

misunderstanding, and I'll explain everything, okay?"

What was gnawing at Jeffrey more than anything was the thought of losing the good graces of his

future in-laws, whom he had worked so hard to win over. And this wasn't just any setback—it was

the kind that you couldn't bounce back from.

But Karen was unyielding.

She just stood there, waiting for her father to come and take her away.

"Karen! For heaven's sake, I'm begging you! Just call your dad and ask him to hold off for a bit! Let's

talk this through, and then I'll drive you back myself, alright?"

Instead of responding, Karen turned her face away, refusing to communicate with him at all.

Out of options, Jeffrey reluctantly pulled out his cell phone to call Derek, but he couldn’t bring

himself to press the buttons.

He knew Derek wouldn’t listen to him anyway. The more he’d try to explain, the more tangled the

web would become.

“Just make the call, okay? Give me a chance to explain,” he implored again.

“It takes my dad at least fifteen, twenty minutes to get here. If you have something to say, say it,"

she responded without looking at him.

Jeffrey raked his fingers through his hair in frustration, marched back to his car to grab a pack of

cigarettes, and returned. "Here's the thing, Karen. Paige's daughter got sick, and she asked me to

help out yesterday. That's all it was! Nothing happened between us, I swear. Just wait and I'll show

you the surveillance footage if I have to. I didn't lay a finger on her!"

Finally, Karen reacted.

She turned to look at him and snorted with laughter. "Your ex's kid, and you're all concerned?

What's the deal, Jeffrey? Is the kid yours or something?"

Jeffrey was speechless.

"Jeffrey, it's not like I haven't given you chances! When have I ever not trusted you? Even when I

saw your car at the hospital, I only asked why it was there. I thought maybe you'd lent it to someone

because you said you were busy at work. I never doubted you!" As she said this, Karen realized

how foolish she'd been.

Why would Jeffrey ever lend his car to someone else? He was probably off joyriding with his ex,

flaunting their reunion, thinking about old flames!

"I really was busy at work, I didn't lie! Paige called me..."

"And you answered?" Karen's voice was sharp. "What about all those promises you made? You

said you wouldn't contact any exes, that you'd pretend not to know them if you bumped into them!

So what, now that we're engaged, you think you can push my limits with your wandering eye?"

Jeffrey had seriously misunderstood Karen. Her tolerance had limits - he'd crossed them.

"I was wrong, okay? I won't take her call again."

He had initially intended to tell Karen about his daughter, but considering the situation now,

revealing that truth seemed like it would mark the end of everything.

"Take your calls or don't—it's got nothing to do with me anymore."

"How can you say that? You're my fiancée! Karen, please don't scare me. Be mad, yell, hit me if you

have to, but don't throw the word 'break-up' around lightly!"

"Lightly?" Karen scoffed and laughed bitterly. "You think I'm being light about this? How would you

feel if I did the same with Levi—stayed out all night and turned off my phone? Would you be

understanding then?"

Jeffrey had no answer.

"I'm not saying this because I want to be entangled with you again. I just don't want to hear any

more of your excuses! I could tolerate your past flings, but I can't stand you fooling around after

you've got me!"

Jeffrey chain-smoked one cigarette after another, still at a loss for what to do next when Derek's car

pulled up.