Carolina considered his question. "Possibly," she answered at last, honestly. "I do believe I've become emotionally invested." It was against her better judgement, certainly, but she'd never known emotion to be answerable to one's better judgement, even when observing it in others. Certainly, she'd never experienced this sort of thing firsthand before. If asked even one year earlier, she would have thought herself incapable of it.
"If that concerns you, then I believe I've given you cause." She glanced sidelong at Li. "Are you not emotionally invested?" she asked. She would have thought otherwise, judging from his behavior, but perhaps it was nothing more than a sense of duty that guided his actions toward her. At the same time, Carolina didn't believe Li owed her anything, and so a sense of duty seemed misplaced. She had thought their relationship was based on similar values, lack of judgment on either side, and certainly a mutual regard. If she was wrong, it would be better to find out now.