Chapter 692
Alex, ever the impulsive one, chimed in, “Because Neal’s got someone now!”
Levi, annoyed by Alex’s lack of discretion, gave him a playful smack on the head.
Alex clamped a hand over his mouth, his eyes wide as if realizing his blunder.
Bonita stood there, dumbstruck, her thoughts racing. How on earth did they know about Neal’s love life? They couldn’t possibly know he was in an online relationship, right? And there was no way they could know she was the girl he was involved with, right?
As these thoughts swirled in her mind, Bonita’s cheeks turned a deep shade of red.
To the onlookers, however, her flushed face seemed not so much an expression of embarrassment, but rather, the brink of tears.
They had been familiar with Bonita for ages, and everyone recognized one of her defining traits: her emotions always manifested vividly on her face first. Whether it was fury, indignation, bashfulness, or joy, her cheeks would inevitably blush a bright red.
The piece of news they were discussing was unlikely to elicit any joy from her.
“Bonita, hear me out,” Sloane said as she approached her, grasping her hand and fixing her with an intense gaze. “Don’t feel down. I seriously doubt Neal and his new girlfriend will make it through!”
Bonita quirked an eyebrow, puzzled. “Why?”
“I’m certain they’ll part ways soon. Neal doesn’t seem genuinely attached to her,” Sloane remarked.
A veil of silence fell over Bonita, her face betraying no clear emotion. Levi chimed in, reinforcing the point, “Exactly, Bonita. Don’t let it get to you. Neal’s probably not serious. If he were, he’d have introduced her to us by now. The fact that he hasn’t said anything about his girlfriend implies she isn’t significant to him.”
Initially, Bonita hadn’t felt particularly distraught, but their attempts to console her nearly sent her into a panic.
Adding insult to injury, Alex interjected, “Bonita, leave it to us. We’ll make sure their relationship falls apart!”
Bonita lifted a hand, trying to hold back the escalation. “Let’s not escalate things unnecessarily.”
“No, Neal has been swept up by the allure of the fast life. We, as his friends, have to rescue him from this path,” Alex declared adamantly. Levi and Sloane nodded vigorously in agreement, echoing, “Absolutely!”
Distracting herself, Bonita reached for a cream puff and took a bite. She was desperate for something sweet; without it, she felt she would just snap.
But her thoughts kept drifting to Neal. Would it be better to address the situation head-on?
Yet, as she mulled it over, she decided against it. No, she couldn’t risk it. Her online rapport with Neal had become incredibly intense. What would happen if he discovered his online girlfriend was actually her? Would it douse their budding connection, extinguishing any potential they had?
No, she couldn’t afford that. She had invested too much time and emotion into this. It couldn’t crumble now.
.
.
.