Part 281

Edward raised his hands in a placating gesture, trying to defuse the tense situation. "Wait a sec. Brenda, when I said 'find a way,' I meant finding a way to help Jill, not to continue a romantic relationship with her. You're jumping to conclusions."

Brenda raised an eyebrow, not entirely convinced.

"Really? Because it sounded like more than just that to me." Her interrogative tone showed she wasn't going to let Edward off the hook without a proper explanation.

Throughout the exchange, Jill remained silent, her mind racing with thoughts and questions she dared not ask. It seemed to her as if Brenda might be Edward's official partner, and if that was the case, she didn't want to cause any more trouble for either of them.

Meanwhile, Brenda stared at Edward for a moment before finally deciding to give him the benefit of the doubt.

"Fine," she relented. "But you better not be lying to me. You know very well the kind of trouble that could arise if your words aren't true."

Edward nodded in