41 - When you least expect...

James could discern that Monica would not believe him even if he told her the truth. Even he had heard the name once and it wasn't from Sly, but his mother but he never knew the details either. The only thing he recalls is Sly talking about how broken-hearted he was when they first met.

They were just pouring each other's woes. However, he had also come to the understanding that Sly never opens up about things that hurt him. That was Sly and they moved on like that. Nobody wanted to visit the past anyway. It was as good as dead and James, just like Sly, wanted the past as buried as it was supposed to.

"Will you believe me if I tell you that I don't know? Where did you even hear the name?"

Of course, Monica did not believe him but she didn't show it. "One of Sly's friends mentioned it at the event and Sly seemed to be in a daze. I realized that the person had strong leverage on him."

"That is where you are wrong, Monica. From all indications, Claudia was h