Joan’s expression had taken a drastic change after hearing what Nancy said. She got up wordlessly and pulled Nancy along toward the restroom.
Nancy could more or less guess what Joan wanted to talk to her about, but she kept her smile as she looked apologetically at Larry. “Excuse me, Larry. We’ll be using the restroom first.”
The restroom was empty, and Joan slammed the door behind them once they were inside. It was clear as day that she was a little peeved.
However, the truth was Joan wasn’t in a bad mood. It wasn’t so much that she was angry. It was more that she was confused by who Nancy was now. She was no longer the girl who blushed every time she talked about Caspian. There was something about her that had changed drastically.
“Your misunderstandings have not been cleared, have they?” Joan questioned.
Nancy was expressionless as she replied, “They have.”
Seeing that Joan still wasn’t convinced, Nancy quickly added, “But, it’s just Caspian who thinks that way… “
“What do you mean it’s just Caspian?” Joan interrupted angrily. “What about you? What has he done that you can’t forgive him?”
There was a glimmer of sadness in Nancy’s eyes as she wondered how best to put her words across. “Joan, he hasn’t done anything wrong. It’s me. So if anything, it should be me asking for his forgiveness.”
Joan frowned and looked at her in confusion. “What on earth happened between the two of you?” When Nancy showed no intention to answer her, Joan got even more agitated. “If you treat me like a friend and a sister, then please tell me.”
Nancy held her gaze for a split second before lowering her head again.
Joan calmed herself down and tried to comfort Nancy instead. “I’m sure Larry is also questioning Caspian now. It’s common for husbands and wives to have disagreements and misunderstandings. The important thing is to be considerate toward each other, to know when to give and take, and try to change yourself for the other.”
“But two people should only be together because they’re a good fit for each other. If you change yourself for the other, that’s called being accommodating. That’s not love,” Nancy retorted.
Joan realized all the advice she had given to Nancy in the past had fallen on deaf ears.
She knew that everyone had differing opinions on various issues, and if someone else had told her what Nancy just said, she would have found them perfectly reasonable. But it was appalling that those words came from Nancy, and Joan believed there was more to it than meets the eye.
Nancy held Joan’s hands as she continued, “Besides, if the love isn’t strong enough, then one wouldn’t even be accommodating in the first place… “
The more she tried to explain, the more Joan thought there was something seriously off with Nancy. She wasn’t the Nancy she used to know. She was like a stranger now. She pulled her hand out and fixed a steely gaze on Nancy. “What are you trying to say?”
“I’m in love with someone… “
Telling the truth felt like a weight off her shoulders. All this time, Nancy had been trying to convince herself that her feelings for Jory weren’t real. But when her heart pounded after seeing that woman in his office, she knew she had fallen for him.
The pressure and anxiety she felt from keeping this secret had become almost unbearable. She was so relieved now that she had told Joan the truth. But that also meant she had come to terms with her feelings for Jory.
