Chapter 416

Joe didn't see it coming. All his hard work went down the drain the moment he stepped through the door.

Still, Joe clung to a shred of hope. Maybe Carol was just messing with him. After all, his disguise wasn't perfect.

Carol might've thought Joe and Jack looked kinda similar, so she was trying to confirm Joe's identity.

Joe saw the confused look on Carol's face. "Sorry, ma'am, I don't get what you're saying. Who's Joe? Are you talking to me? That's not my name."

Carol smirked at Joe's confused expression. "You think you did a good job with that disguise, huh? Even changed the info in the university records. But did you know the real Jack looks nothing like you?"

She opened the tablet on the table and slid it over to Joe.

Joe glanced at it, a slight smirk forming on his lips. The resume was just like his, except for the photo of another guy.

Mike had messed with Joe's info, saying the mission was urgent, so he had a hacker swap the photo in the university records with Joe's. He didn't think Carol would catch on.

Actually, Carol didn't realize Joe's info was fake at first. It was because the Jack in the records had once hit on the cheerleading captain, who was part of Carol's intel team.

What happened next was pretty simple. Carol called up the cheerleading captain for some info.

The name Jack Sparrow was pretty memorable, so the cheerleading captain still remembered him.

"I thought this Jack guy was kinda cute. Why'd you turn him down?" Carol had asked, curious.

The cheerleading captain had replied with disgust, "That gross short dude with a face full of zits gave me sheets covered in his jizz. He said he jerked off thinking about me every night as a sign of his love. Ugh, it was so nasty. My friends and I beat him up, and he ended up in the hospital. We were scared of getting in trouble with the school, so we kept it quiet."

After hearing the cheerleading captain's description of the real Jack, Carol immediately knew Joe was a fake.

After finishing the call, Carol looked at Joe's photo, feeling like she'd seen him before.

Since Carol ran the intel team, her instincts were usually spot on. She racked her brain for info about Joe, finally matching his current look with a troublemaker in some document.

"Alright, now can you tell me why you're really here? Don't give me that hiding nonsense; I won't buy it," Carol said, fiddling with her phone.

Joe glanced at Carol's phone and smiled. He knew if he didn't give her a good answer, she'd definitely call Paxton or John.

"Alright, Ms. Lester, since you really wanna know, I'll spill," Joe said, locking eyes with Carol. His vibe shifted from a college kid to a man with some serious charm.

Carol froze, her fingers pausing on her phone.

Joe stepped closer, placing his hands on the table, staring into her eyes with a look that could melt ice. "Truth is, I've had a thing for you for a while. I came here because I wanted to be with you."

Carol's phone clattered onto the table, her eyes wide with shock. "What are you saying? You're here for love?"

Joe noticed the faint blush creeping up Carol's cheeks. It was clear she hadn't felt this kind of attention in a long time.

He kept his gaze locked on hers. "Yeah, Ms. Lester. I checked out the university you went to and saw you published some papers. They're really impressive. I got to know you through them, and I was totally captivated by your charm."

Carol's blush deepened, her breathing quickening. "Don't lie to me. How come I don't know about my own charm?"

Suddenly, Joe leaned in and grabbed her hand.

Carol flinched, trying to pull away, but Joe's grip was firm.

"Relax. I'm not gonna hurt you. I just don't get why you don't see how amazing you are. You're beautiful, talented, and everything about you fascinates me," Joe said, pressing a gentle kiss to the back of her hand.

Carol's breath hitched, and she stood up abruptly.

"Stop it, let go of me. If someone sees us, I could get accused of workplace harassment," she said, her face flushed.

Joe let go, smiling.

Carol quickly hid her hands behind her back, still blushing. "Am I really as great as you say?"

Joe nodded, his eyes soft. "I know, Ms. Lester, you probably don't like someone like me, a guy from a gang. Honestly, I hate that part of my life too, especially now that I'm being hunted. But my love for you is stronger than all that, and I had to see you one last time before... well, before it's too late."

Carol's expression shifted to one of concern. "It can't be that bad yet, right? I mean, you're still here, not caught."

Joe's eyes lit up. "Wait, are you actually worried about me?" he asked, practically bouncing with excitement. "Oh my god, the girl of my dreams just showed she cares! I could die happy right now!"

Joe's excitement was palpable, but Carol shyly turned her face away, avoiding his gaze.

"You misunderstood, that's not what I meant," she said, her voice tinged with embarrassment.