Chapter 76 Chapter 76  Chase wasn’t always like this; lately, his temper had been flying off the handle more often than not. His sudden outburst nearly had Mark dropping to his knees in shock. “She said one word and you can just toss Amanda’s stuff aside like that? Chase demanded.  Mark, visibly shaken and fustered, stommorod, “Mr. Reyes, it’s just that Ms. Nicole has a heart condition, and we were trying to avoid giving her stress. So we had to…  Of course, anyone could see that Nicole’s heart condition was just a convenient excuse. Everyone knew Chase’s affection for Nicole was the real reason behind his actions.  Chose knew it, too. With a frown, he waved his hand dismissively. “Just tidy up. We’ll put things back in order when Amanda retums.”  “Yes, sir.”  Looking worn out, Chase hurriedly grabbed a bite of breakfast before diving back into work. But then, Nicole showed up out of the blue. he arrived just in time to see her belongings getting packed away, and her face fell instantly. “Chase, what are you doing?” she asked.  Chase slowly looked up, his gaze towards Nicole shifting noticeably.  Nicole sensed something was off too. With a face full of feigned innocence, she clung to Chase’s arm. “Chase, did I do something wrong? I’m sorry. Please don’t be mad at me.”  Chose had a soft spot for her pleas. Nicole was nothing like me, who always needed to sort out right from wrong and never backed down  “What are you doing here?” he asked, withdrawing his hand from hers, his eyes scrutinizing.  Nicole seemed to notice the change in him, a flicker of uncertainty crossing her eyes before she quickly plastered on a smile. “Chase, know you’ve been upset since Amanda went missing. You’ve been looking so worn out. I got up early to bake blueberry muffins. Try them.”  Chase took a bite, and Nicole beamed. “Good, aren’t they?”  “They’re tasty, but you didn’t make these, did you? They’re from Smith’s Bakery.”  Nicole looked up at him pitifully. “Chase, I know their muffins are delicious, so I went there to learn. I know I can’t compare to Amanda, who leamed to make the perfect soup for you. I just wanted to do something to make you happy”  sipping the almond milk, Chase spoke slowly. “Why do you always compare yourself to Amanda?”  Nicole was caught off guard, her gaze meeting Chase’s deep and unreadable eyes, which left even me, an outsider, puzzled.  “Chase, why are you acting so strange today?”  “Is it me who’s s  strange, or is it your lies?” Chase hot back. “Smith’s Bakery and Lee’s Soup are different. Lee’s is a franchise, meaning anyone can get the recipe if they pay. Smith’s has been run by the same family for thirty years. Do you know how many people have tried to get their recipes from them?”  Chase savored the soft muffins, the blueberry juice slowly seeping onto his taste buds. He continued, “At least ten people have tried. Some have offered to franchise the Smith’s Bakery, others to expand the business, and even offered high prices for the recipes. Recently, with online streaming booming, some companies approached the owner for mass production deals, offering very tempting terms. He declined them all, choosing to sell a limited quantity each day instead.”  “Chase, how do you know all this?” Nicole was clearly panicking.  “Because Amanda loved their muffins. I, too, offered a fortune to franchise the bakery, but he wasn’t swayed. Over the years, many have tried. What makes you think he’d see you differently and hand over the recipe to you so easily?”  “Moreover, making muffins seems simple, but mixing the dough, fermenting it, and filling the muffins–do you even know how many steps there are? It takes a skilled baker years to perfect the recipe. What were you going to offer the owner to teach you? Just your charm?”  Chase was on a roll today, echoing my thoughts perfectly. Even though I was no longer around, hearing this gave me a sense of satisfaction.  said. As she’s caught in her lie, Nicole’s façade crumbled, tears welling up in her eyes. “Chase, I’m sorry. I really wanted to learn. Like you he refused to sell the recipe to me, so I lied.”  Chase watched her quietly, his gaze filled with incomprehension. “Then tell me, even if you said it was bought, wouldn’t I have eaten it anyway? Why did you lie?”  “Chase, I’m sorry. I won’t lie again. Please forgive me. I really just care too much about you.” She clutched her chest, looking heartbreakingly pitiful.  Chase remained unmoved. “I’m curious. If you lie about something so trivial, what else have you lied to me about?”  Nipples eyes widened innocently. “Nothing else, Chase.”  Chapter 76  Chase scoffed, “Nicole, one last question. That day at the coffee shop, what really happened when you fell? Think carefully before you answer. Even if the CCTV was broken, I’ve found a witness. Remember, it wasn’t just you and Amanda there”  Nicole’s face e was a mask of panic. She was clearly weighing her options, unsure if Chase was bluffing.  “What? Can’t answer me?” Chase stood up, gripping her chin. “Because that day, it wasn’t Amanda who pushed you downstairs. You fell on purpose before I arrived!”  Nicole shook her head. “No, Chase, I didn’t…”  “Not only that. You hid Amanda’s passport, didn’t you? She clearly had bought a plane ticket but ended up taking a boat. Why did you do that?”  “It’s not like that. It must be a misunderstanding. I really don’t know anything about the passport!”  Chase hadn’t yet gathered concrete evidence, but his suspicions were clear. Nicole, however, remained tight–lipped.  Achase pointed towards his office. “Then tell me, if you truly didn’t want to come between me and Amanda, why fill every comer with  personal items? Where did all of Amanda’s things go?”  Chapter 77  ktark, webly shaken and fostered staminand yes that she condition, and we were trying to mit  Ban a heart  Of course, anyone to that country w Chan’s affection for Micale  Chase knew it in With frown way to Wat dings back in order when Amanda returns.”  humady grabbed  Che slowly kedua towards Nicole shifting noticeably  |  Nicole sensed something was off too With a fare fut of fagnad innocence the clung to Chase’s arm. Chen did do something wrong” I’m sony, Please don’t be mad at me  Chase had soft spot for her pleas Nicole was nothing like me who always needed to sort out right from wrong and never tracked  “What are you doing here?” he asked, withdrawing his hand from hers, his eyes scrutinizing  i  notice the change in hin flicker of uncertainty crossing her eyes before she quickly plastered know you’ve been upset since Amanda went missing You’ve been looking so worn out I got up early to bake blueberry muffers try  nd Nicole beamed “Good aren’t they?  “They’re tasty, but you didn’t make these, did you? They’re from Smith’s Bakery  ent there to leam. I know I cant compare to  ke you happy”  pitifully: “Chase, I know their muffins are delicious, perfect soup for you. I just wanted to do someth almond milk, Chase spoke slowly. “Why do you always compare yourself to Amanda?” caught off guard, her gaze meeting Chase’s deep and unreadable eyes, which left  ou acting so strange today?”  It even me, an outsider putted..  is it your lies? Chasehot back “Smith’s Bakery and Lee’s Soup are different Lee recipe if they pay. Smith’s has been run by the same family for thirty years. Do you know h pes from then?”  nly people  the blueberry juice slowly seeping onto his taste buds. He continued At least ten people Chaler savored the soft mut Some haver offered to franchise the Smutts Bakery others to expand the business, and even offered high prices for  ass production deals, offering very tempting  Recently with online streaming booming some compani  all, choosing to sel  ow all this? Nicole was cleady  ecause Amaride loved their muffinato, offered a fortune  approached the owner for ch day instead  franchise the bakery, but he wasn’t swayed. Over the you  Du bo susily?  filling the muffins–do you then kylow huyện  you? Just your you going to offer the  ing simple but inanig  aket years to perfect the recip  menting  oday, achong my thoughts perfect  en though I was no longer around.  Nicoles façade cruntled.  in her eyes. “Chair, MI sorry  of Chachd teely ex gaze filled with incomprension The bell you said it was bought, miután 1 i hem vatan it  Chase. I’m aunty I wont be again. Please forge realy at care toch about you she clutched her chest, looking heartbreakingly p  ined unitored. Te cuno  de about wornarina  Nipple’s eyes widened innocently “Nothing else, Chase”  y have you lied to me about?