“Irreversible? What are you talking about?”

    “Do you want to bring up that night again?”

    “That night? The truth is, nothing happened between me and Vernon. We have nothing but a pure teacher–student rtionship. Christopher, why do you believe a photo but not believe me?”

    Rosalind suddenly looked up at Eugene.

    She thought, “Could it be that he had sent the photo to Christopher? Why would he do that?”

    The misunderstanding from years ago was one thing, but this recent shot was clearly taken with intention, perfectly capturing the angle.

    Eugene knew everything that had happened between her and Vernon today.

    He did it on purpose.

    “Rosa, please. I’m really tired. Please don’t act impulsively, OK? I’m boarding a ne now. I’lle find you tonight.”

    “Christopher, I’ll say it again. Vernon and I–whether it was years ago or today–have never had anything intimate,”

    Rosalind said.

    Christopher’s voice was tense.“But you’re still lying to me today, aren’t you?”

    “What did I lie about? I told you I was going to San Francisco with Eloise. I’ve already told you that.”

    “But you didn’t tell me that Eloise was just your cover. Your real n was to meet up with that old man in San

    Francisco.”

    “Meet up?”

    Those words struck Rosalind like a sharp, hidden wound.

    “Believe what you want.”

    Christopher said, “Why don’t you exin to me about that night years ago, when you were alone with him in a hotel for the entire night? What exactly happened? Was there anyone else there?

    “Rosa, if you can exin, even if you say Eloise was there too, and you’re using her as a coverb, /bI’ll believe you.”

    Rosalind fell silent.

    He had already convinced himself that she was using Eloise as an excuse. What was the point bof /bexining anything?

    And besides, that night, Eloise was indeed there.

    But Eloise’s secret couldn’t be shared.

    Given Eloise’s current fame and public image, revealing this secret would destroy her career.

    People might sympathize with Eloise’s situation, but in the entertainment industry, people were always looking

    17.19

    30.4%

    b /bChapter 34

    for ways to ruin stars with dirt.

    This secret would expose Eloise to public ridicule, and that painful past would be a topic of gossip for

    everyone.

    Christopher asked, “Rosa, tell me, was Eloise there that night?

    “Come on, just tell me. Even if you’re lying to me, I’ll believe you. What’s there that you can’t say?”

    “She wasn’t there,” Rosalind said softly. “That night, it was just me and Vernon.”

    Christopher was silent for a while, and both ends of the line were eerily quiet.

    After a few minutes, he asked in a low voice, “So, what did you and Vernon do that night?”

    Christopher felt her silence and let out a heavy sigh.“Rosa, I’m hurting.”

    Menu

    “All these years, whenever I think about that night, whenever I remember the way you and Vernon looked in that photo, my heart feels like it’s being torn apart.”

    Rosalind hung up the phone.

    Her hand was trembling as she held the phone.

    Eugene looked at her and asked, “Did hee to find you?”

    “Yes.” Rosalind nodded slowly.

    Eugene then asked, “Do you want to see him?”

    “Is it as simple as not wanting to see him? I’m staying in your hotel. I’m here for your interview. If you send him my whereabouts just like you did with that photo, how can I avoid him?”

    Eugene suddenly grew serious. “If you don’t want to see him, I can make sure he can’t find you.”

    Meru

    Chapter 35.