Chapter 691

Lauren said with a playful smile, “Of course not! If anyone’s doing the bullying, it’ll be me bullying Dr. Lloyd!”

Francesca rolled her eyes and said, “Lame. Then why did you drag me over here? Just to flaunt your sweet, lovey-dovey moments and make me jealous?”

Lauren gave her a mock glare. “Francesca, we’ve known each other for years. When have I ever done something disloyal to you?”

Francesca thought for a moment and realized she was right. With a laugh, she said, “Okay, fine. What is it then? You’ve got that mischievous smile, so spill it already!”

Lauren stared at her intently, so long that Francesca started to feel uncomfortable. Finally, Lauren asked, “Fran, tell me the truth… do you like Andrew?”

Francesca gasped, eyes wide as she quickly lowered her head. “I–I don’t know what you’re talking about. Of course not! I mean… obviously not!”

Lauren huffed in exasperation. “Fran, do you really think you can fool me? I know you like the back of my hand, so stop with the awkward cover-up. I’ve seen it for a while now—you like Andrew. And guess what? I don’t mind. Not even a little bit.”

Francesca’s head snapped up in shock. “What? Lauren… you really don’t mind?”

Lauren gave a cold laugh. “Why would I mind? Don’t you remember when we were kids, we made a pact? We promised that no matter what happened, we’d never break each other’s hearts and that we’d stay best friends forever.”

Francesca felt a wave of emotion hit her. Her eyes turned misty as she nodded. “Of course, I remember. I still remember how you stood up for me when those kids bullied me. And I remember you sneaking over to my house to get patched up after that accident because you were scared to tell your mom.”

“Exactly,” Lauren replied with a smile. “We’ve always had each other’s backs. Best friends forever, remember? And best friends share everything—even the good stuff.”

Francesca blushed and laughed, “Share everything, huh? Well, if Andrew’s part of that ‘good stuff,’ then I guess he’s just a ‘thing’ to you now—a bad one, at that!”

Lauren chuckled softly. “Fran, you like Andrew, and honestly, I’m happy for you. We’re best friends, and we’ve always been selfless with each other.”

“So, when I said you should go for it with Dr. Lloyd, I wasn’t joking. If you feel something there, then go for it! You’ve got my blessing, okay?”

Francesca’s heart raced, and her face turned hot. She hesitated, then muttered, “Okay… fine. I admit it. I do like Andrew. I mean, how could I not? He’s the kind of infuriatingly charming guy who gets under your skin. But you’re actually encouraging me to… do that with him? Lauren, are you really that open-minded?”

Lauren gritted her teeth and said, “I’m not that open-minded, you idiot! If it were any other woman sniffing around my man, I’d burn her world to the ground and chase her out of his life forever. But you’re my best friend. Of course, I want you to be happy.”

“Besides… there’s another reason.” Her voice softened as she continued. “Right now, I can’t… cross that line with him.”

Lauren’s cheeks turned pink as she trailed off, her sudden shyness making her look just as flustered as Francesca.

Chapter 691

Francesca stared at her, completely dumbfounded. “Lauren, we’re both adults. We’re the same age! What do you mean you ‘can’t’? It’s not like you have a medical condition.”

Lauren rolled up her sleeve, revealing a delicate, pale wrist with a striking red mark. With a sigh, she said, “See this? My mom had it applied by a spiritual practitioner. The moment I lose my virginity, it’ll vanish, and she’ll know.”

She added, “And when that happens, my mom will go ballistic. She’ll blame Dr. Lloyd and make his life hell.”

Francesca’s eyes narrowed in frustration. “Seriously? How could she be so harsh? You’re an adult. This isn’t some old-fashioned world anymore. And Andrew’s perfect for you—why can’t she just accept that?”