He Chose the So-Called Sister Chapter 373: I've Got Your Back

"You don't have to force yourself to put up with anything. You owe Irene's family nothing. Like I said, you shouldn't have to suffer even a little, not for anyone, not even for me.

"If anyone ever makes you uncomfortable, you stand up for yourself. I've got your back.

"Anyone at all."

Sherry's heart was pounding. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't moved.

All the fatal flaws in Gilbert, all the things she'd feared the most—they didn't seem to exist in Lucas.

Sherry, embarrassed, changed the subject. "So how did you know we'd be in trouble on the lake? I saw tons of search and rescue boats out there."

The uniforms looked identical—highly professional, all the same style.

She thought she'd seen a logo on the boats, blurry as it was... and it felt similar to the ones on the cars in their convoy.

"If they wanted to hurt you, this lake was their first choice. It's known as the Killer Lake."

"Killer Lake?"

Sherry and Yelena exchanged looks. They'd never heard of it.

"A lot of deaths have happened here recently. So many people drowned that people started calling it that. Someone dies here almost every year.

"At first, people thought it was normal—big lakes have accidents. But once it became every single year, people started saying it's cursed.

"It destroyed the local tourism industry. That only started this year. Some still come without knowing, but it's not popular anymore.

"You can guess what they planned when they sent you two here."

"So all those boats were yours? There were so many, I thought it was a huge tour group! They practically covered the whole lake."

Not even professional rescue teams sent out that many boats.

Yelena wasn't blind. Even in her panic, she'd seen the mass of ships closing in.

Two staff members in their boat had seen them too. She'd just been too scared to think clearly at the time.

Now it all made sense. The boats were for them. Or rather, Sherry—and she was just tagging along.

"Oh my god... You brought all these people just for Sherry."

Yelena turned to them with a teasing grin.

"I'm officially giving you my permission to pursue my best friend. You're way better than Gilbert."

Once, people had tried to befriend Sherry—those from families less wealthy than the Bodes, who'd genuinely wanted to connect.

They weren't snobby like the other society wives.

Once, a friend had joked lightly about Gilbert, just casual friendly teasing, nothing offensive.

Gilbert had looked down at both of them coldly and said, "If you have nothing better to do, go home and cook. Stop gossiping like old busybodies."

He didn't even glance at her friend.

It was a humiliating slap in the face. After that, no one dared to be friends with Sherry. Not even neighbors.

Sherry panicked as Yelena kept talking.

If Lucas didn't respond, the moment would turn awkward, and things between them would only get even more uncomfortable.

She knew from Gilbert how proud men like this could be. They might care for you, but they'd still humiliate you in public.

Especially Lucas—everyone said he was cold and ruthless.

No one would dare talk to him like this. Most people were too scared to even breathe loudly around him.

Sherry was staying as calm as she could manage.

Anyone else would have been shocked speechless.

But Lucas sounded amused, not annoyed at all.

"Thank you for the kind recommendation.

"I appreciate the opportunity. Please help me, Ms. Quinn."

No sarcasm. He answered completely seriously, formally even.

Sherry felt an inexplicable wave of relief.

After all the humiliations she'd endured, her first instinct was to run from moments like this.

But this time, nothing embarrassing happened. It even washed out some of the old shame.

Yelena stared at Lucas starry-eyed.

"You got it! I'll be your personal spy from now on. Ask me anything you want to know!"

She looked loyal as hell.