"Are you going to see Jones?" Lisa’s brow furrowed.
"Yes, I need to talk to him about sothing. He’s back in the city, so I’m planning on heading there."
I didn’t go into detail, but given Lisa’s keen intuition, I was sure she grasped the gist of the situation.
She remained silent, her eyes reflecting a complex mixture of emotions.
After a mont, Lisa finally spoke again. "Well, I guess we should head out together then."
"What about Catherine?" I asked.
"She will go back for work. Leo’s got school there," Lisa replied.
I nodded, relieved that Catherine wasn’t going to the city. The last thing I wanted was her stirring up
trouble while I was trying to have a serious conversation with Jones.
Lisa and I each scooped up a child and left the room, notifying the hotel staff on our way out that we were checking out. Catherine and Leo were already waiting for us in the hotel lobby.
The hotel had arranged for a car to take us to the airport. Our flights were scheduled around the sa ti, just heading in different directions.
"Safe travels. We’ll see you in abroad in a few days," Catherine bid us goodbye, her flight leaving earlier than ours. She held Leo’s hand, looking surprisingly calm given the circumstances.
I couldn’t shake off the feeling that sothing was off. Catherine seed completely unphased by the fact
that Lisa and I were heading to the city together, even though Damon was there. And given Catherine’s fiery personality, it seed unlikely that she was simply indifferent.
On top of that, I had no idea how Catherine knew about Jones quitting his job. They weren’t even working at the sa hospital anymore.
I had always been suspicious of those two, but without any concrete evidence, I kept my doubts to myself.
But now it was clear to that there was more to their relationship than t the eye. The seeds of suspicion that had been planted in my mind were now starting to sprout.
Returning to the city felt surreal.
Since I moved away to abroad while pregnant, It felt like ages have passed. Now Serena and Brandon were almost six months old.
the city was the place I had grown up in and where all the ups and downs of my relationship with Damon had taken place.
Lisa had offered to arrange a driver for , but I had declined. "You go ahead, Lisa. I’ve already arranged for soone to pick up. They’ll be here soon."
I had gotten in touch with Bailey. He and Hannah were still living in the city. They had finally taken their relationship to the next level, which was a silver lining amid all the chaos.
I had offered them to stay at my parents house , but they had both declined.
Knowing that I was back, Bailey had readily agreed to pick up. He was driving the sa car that I used to ride around in, which I had insisted on leaving for him to use.
"Ms. Brooks!" Bailey greeted .with a wide smile, his voice filled with enthusiasm.
"Bailey, it’s been a while," I said, smiling in return.
"Yes, Hannah and I have missed you," Bailey replied, sounding rather excited.
"I have so matters to attend to this ti, and I might need you and Hannah to help look after the kids. Is that okay?" I asked, pushing a temporary stroller I had bought.
Having kids certainly made traveling more difficult, but I couldn’t bear to leave them behind in abroad, which was miles away.
Bailey leaned over to take a look at Serena and Brandon, praising, "They are even more adorable in person than in the pictures you posted on Facebook."
Bailey had beco quite the smooth talker, probably thanks to the positive influence of being in a loving relationship.
"Of course they’re adorable. Look at who their mom is," I joked.
"Right, they’ve definitely taken after you," Bailey chuckled. "Ms. Brooks, why don’t we head to my place for a al first? Hannah has been preparing so food. By the ti we get there, it should be ready."
I agreed, and we headed over to where Bailey and Hannah were staying. It was a simple two-bedroom
apartnt in a modest neighborhood. They had used two-thirds of their savings to buy it. Although it wasn’t extravagant, it was cozy and inviting. The sll of ho-cooked food wafted from the kitchen as
Hannah walked out carrying a plate of food. Her eyes lit up when she saw .
"Ms. Brooks, you’re back!" she exclaid.
The table was laden with dishes, all of which looked incredibly appetizing. I had always loved Hannah’s cooking and seeing the spread in front of , my mouth began to water.
"Ms. Brooks, let’s eat. The kids are asleep, perfect timing," Bailey suggested.
"Ms. Brooks, you’re still as thin as before. Are you not getting enough rest? Didn’t you hire a nanny to help out?" Hannah asked, concerned.
I responded to their queries, enjoying the casual conversation. It helped lift my spirits.
That was until Bailey brought up the matter of Coleman Co. "Ms. Brooks, are you back because of the Coleman Co. issue? I heard they were sabotaged by an insider, resulting in several major issues simultaneously. All of them quite serious."
"How did you hear about this?" I asked. Even I wasn’t sure what the exact issue with Coleman Co. was. I’d have to ask Luna or maybe even Jones directly.
"I heard so rumors a while back, so I’ve been keeping an eye on it," Bailey explained.
If it was really Jones who had caused this, then he must have been plotting against Coleman Co.
while he was still working at the hospital in abroad.
How did he manage to do that?
I lost my appetite and pulled out my phone, sending Jones a ssage: [I’m back in the city. Where
are you? We need to talk.]
But there was no response from Jones, and he didn’t answer when I called.
Not being able to reach Jones was driving up the wall.
Bailey and Hannah exchanged glances, but they were as helpless as I was.
Just when I was about to go ask Luna and the others, my phone rang. I thought it was Jones returning my call, but it turned out to be Damon.
Seeing Damon’s na popping up on my phone, I frowned, unsure of what to say if I answered the call.
When the phone rang for the second ti, I got up and walked out to the balcony to answer it.
"What are you doing back in the city?" Damon’s voice was stern, as if my return to the city was a grave mistake.
"It’s my decision, isn’t it? I don’t need to report to you, do I?" I snapped back, my voice equally harsh. I was feeling guilty, knowing that the current situation at Coleman Co. was partly my fault. But for so reason, whenever I heard Damon’s almost interrogative tone, I felt inexplicably irked.
There was a pause on Damon’s end, then he asked, "Where are you now? I’ll co to you, or you can co to ."
The person I wanted to find right now was Jones, because he was the one giving Coleman Co. a hard ti. The most pressing issue was to stop him from going any further.
Reviews
All reviews (0)