Second Chance: Marrying into Wealth Chapter 327

I felt uneasy.

But what would I even say if I went to find Christopher?

Explain why I wanted to quit my job?

I couldn't tell him the real reason.

And if I lied, I'd feel guilty. Besides, what if he just made that comment by coincidence and I overreacted?

To avoid overthinking, I tried distracting myself with my phone, scrolling through various news and gossip.

Then a headline caught my eye.

It was about Idris.

"Star Idris's Relationship Exposed."

I remembered how Quinlan had rushed off to chase a story about Idris that day.

I felt happy for her, thinking she must have succeeded in getting the scoop.

But when I clicked on the photos, even though they were a bit blurry, the two distinct moles on the chin and corner of the lips made my heart skip a beat.

I instinctively sat up straight.

I zoomed in on the photo for a closer look.

The position of the moles, the face shape, and the profile all increasingly resembled Quinlan.

How could it be? Quinlan's reaction that day didn't seem like someone in a relationship with Idris.

Regardless of whether she was dating Idris or not, one thing I was sure of: Quinlan didn't leak this news.

Even though Quinlan's incident happened a while ago, if netizens dug deep enough, they would quickly uncover her identity.

Given the craziness of fans in the entertainment industry, even I, who didn't follow these things, had heard about it.

I couldn't help but worry for her.

Quinlan would definitely face online harassment.

And I feared Yosef and Yasmin might see the news and misunderstand that Quinlan had found a celebrity boyfriend. If they came looking for her, it would be a nightmare for Quinlan, who had worked so hard to escape her toxic parents.

The more I thought about it, the more worried and heartbroken I felt for Quinlan.

I quickly dialed her number.

Even over the phone, I could sense Quinlan's weariness and frustration.

The last time I felt this was when Marlowe had set her up.

"Quinlan, what's going on with the news?"

Idris was a celebrity, so it was only a matter of time before I found out.

Quinlan wasn't surprised. For the first time, she cursed in front of me.

"Fuck, he's such an asshole. As a celebrity, isn't it normal to be followed by paparazzi? And with so many people taking photos, he must have lost his mind, choosing me on purpose and kissing me in front of the other reporters..."

I was taken aback.

Quinlan's rant wasn't over; she was genuinely pissed at Idris.

"If he hates being followed so much, he shouldn't be a celebrity. And I have a press pass; it's legal for me to take photos. He probably picked on me because I'm new, just to bully me. It's infuriating."

Idris seemed like a deeply resentful celebrity, likely fed up with being constantly photographed, which led to this outburst.

But involving an innocent person, especially Quinlan, was unacceptable.

Quinlan continued, "His people even called me, wanting me to admit to being a stalker, a crazed fan, and they'd compensate me just to get me to leave the city and stay away from Idris."

Clearly, Idris was in the wrong, yet Quinlan was the one suffering.

And Idris being a celebrity meant he could be filming anywhere in the country, making it impossible for Quinlan to find peace.

It was truly outrageous.

Quinlan understood the implications and naturally refused.

But the incident still had a significant impact on her. Fortunately, her editor was reasonable and didn't make things difficult for her, just gave her some time off.

Silence was the best response to rumors, at least until a solution was found.

"Stay home and go out less. Once this blows over, take a vacation!" I comforted Quinlan.

She agreed obediently, making my heart ache for her.

Worried about Quinlan, I barely slept that night and even had nightmares.

In my dream, Quinlan was being pointed at and humiliated wherever she went.

Then it was me being pointed at, accused of seducing men and being shameless.

The two dreams intertwined, and by the next day, I was visibly exhausted.

When I got to work, I had to face the reality of my nightmare.

As soon as I arrived, I heard people gossiping about Idris and Quinlan's "relationship."

Clearly, as an ordinary person, Quinlan was the target of disdain.

"She looks so old, definitely much older than Idris. How did he fall for her? She's so plain, it makes me think I have a chance too."

"With that look and demeanor, how could she match Idris? She must have seduced him."

"Maybe she forced a kiss on Idris and made sure the reporters caught it."

"She looks so innocent, but is she really that scheming?"

According to their comments, they didn't know they were talking about Quinlan.

I couldn't even openly defend her.

Reality and my dream blurred together.

I wondered if I could handle such humiliation if I were exposed online because of Christopher.

When they criticized, they never considered how the person being mocked would feel.

I felt a chill all over, my head spinning.

"Ms. Turner, are you okay?"

A colleague noticed my state and asked with concern.

I couldn't tell them the truth, so I forced a smile. "I'm fine."

To avoid further questions and connections to me, I endured the discomfort and went to the restroom.

Splashing cold water on my face, the chill made me shiver, but it cleared my mind.

Maybe it was just because I didn't sleep well?

I splashed my face again, like giving myself a spa treatment, and patted my cheeks.

The slaps weren't painful but made a satisfying sound.

I even found it amusing and did it a few more times, making faces in the mirror.

Then my expression froze.

Through the mirror, I locked eyes with Christopher.

He had a slight smile, his deep eyes filled with warmth and affection.

In that moment, I felt incredibly nervous.

How could someone look so deeply affectionate and mesmerizing?

I tried to calm my racing heart, not wanting to fall for him.

"How long do you plan to stay, Ms. Turner?" Christopher's smile widened as he saw my changing expressions. Seeing I didn't dare turn around, he broke the silence.

I forced myself to turn, but meeting Christopher's eyes made my brain short-circuit. I blurted out, "Mr. Collins, I was just... I thought it was fun..."

Oh my god, what was I even saying?

Feeling nervous and anxious when facing the loved one, was this what it was like?

I never felt this embarrassed and shy, not even with Lawrence.

Forget it, no more explanations. I quickly said, "Mr. Collins, you can use the restroom. I'm leaving!"

If my words didn't make sense, so be it.

As long as I ran away, the awkwardness wouldn't be mine!