Chapter 268

Carla's POV 

"Carla, I promise you, there's nothing I'm hiding," she replies, her voice convincingly innocent. "If there's anything on your mind, you can tell me. We're friends, after all."

I stare at her intently, searching for any sign of deception. But she meets my gaze without flinching, her eyes filled with an unwavering confidence. Could I be wrong about her? Could my suspicions be nothing more than paranoia?

"Julie, have you noticed anything strange happening recently? Anything out of the ordinary?" I decided to change tactics, to test the waters and see how she reacts. 

Her brow furrows in thought, and for a moment, I think I've struck a nerve. But then she shrugs, a nonchalant smile on her face.

"Not really, Carla. Life has been pretty routine for me," she replies, her tone casual but calculated.

I continue to observe her, waiting for a slip-up, a crack in her carefully constructed façade. But she remains compos