Annie finally felt at ease. She listened as Isolde continued,

"Galvin now feels more like a stranger than an actual stranger. Besides, I'm not foolish enough to fall for that jerk's words again."

"The time I spent with him was nothing but a stain on my life. Escaping that mess was a relief-I could hardly be happier. Why would I ever be dumb enough to trust him again?"

The more Annie listened, the more reassured she felt. Isolde remained her usual cheerful self, showing no sign of hesitation or ...