Chapter 257
Chapter 257 On the Way Back
Chapter 257 On the Way Back
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Maybe Jonathan still had people from the company around him, so he had done it on purpose just to let them watch the show.
Anneliese shook her head, pushing the thought away and letting it fade.
On her way back, she passed the tall glass tower that gleamed under the night sky, and she stopped there to collect the watch.
That day, when she had gone into the Patek Philippe store to pick out a watch for Jonathan, the purchase hadn’t gone through. So, she had stepped into the neighboring Vacheron Constantin boutique instead, where she chose another model. That watch had to be ordered in, so she left only the deposit.
That afternoon the sales associate called her, saying the watch had finally arrived.
What she never expected was to once again run into the very same woman in sunglasses who had fought her for the watch last time.
The woman carried herself like she owned the place. She dressed like a wealthy lady showing off her power. Tonight she wasn’t hiding behind tinted glasses. In one hand she carried a glossy designer bag, in the other she clutched the hand of a small boy.
She stepped out of the Patek Philippe store, the clerk right behind her, smiling and passing her a gift bag that held the watch inside.
“Have a wonderful day, ma’am p>
So, it seemed that she had to buy that broken watch, and now it was all fixed up.
Anneliese had no interest in crossing paths with her again. She slipped quickly behind one of the giant stone pillars in the shopping center, letting its shadow hide her.
The woman strolled past with the child in tow.
“Mom, do you think Dad will be happy about the watch? Will he stop staying mad at Uncle p>
“He will love it p>
Their voices trailed off as they walked farther, and Anneliese’s eyes tightened on the woman’s back.
Last time, the woman’s face had been hidden, but this time she saw it clearly. The features
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Chapter 257 On the Way Back
were too familiar. The resemblance to Selina was sharp and unsettling.
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Her brow furrowed deeper as she watched the woman and the child vanish into the distance. She recalled the sharp hostility in that woman’s eyes the other day in the store. That hadn’t been about a watch at all.
But there were plenty of people in the world who shared a face. Coral, for instance, had moments where she looked like Selina too.
Perhaps she was letting her mind wander too far.
Anneliese picked up the watch and returned to Maple Bay, only to find Jessica was gone.
Meatloaf spun in circles around her, restless and needy. She fed him, then reached for her phone to call Jessica.
It took three tries before Jessica answered, and when she did, heavy metal blasted so loud through the line that it made Anneliese’s ears sting.
“Are you at a nightclub p>
“Yeah, Velour! From this moment on, I’m Jessica! Only Jessica and no other name! I feel incredible, it’s worth celebrating. Come out with me, drink with me, let’s go p>
That told Anneliese that Marcus had already left Oceaton, and Jessica’s bright joy made her laugh as well.
“Are you there by yourself or with someone p>
“I’m with a new friend p>
At once, Anneliese remembered the last time she stepped into Velour, when she booked male dancers and the whole night spiraled into chaos. Jonathan had been the one to save her then, and the memory left her with a bitter chill toward the place.
“I’ll pass Since Jessica had another friend this time around, she’d give the invitation a pass. tonight. I’m heading back to Baytree tomorrow, and I need to get my packing done. You have fun, but don’t drink too much p>
She ended the call, showered, and began folding clothes into her suitcase.
Once she finished, she slipped back into the bathroom.
Halfway through her bath, Meatloaf’s paws thudded against the door, and his frantic barking filled the quiet.
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Chapter 257 On the Way Back
were too familiar. The resemblance to Selina was sharp and unsettling.
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Her brow furrowed deeper as she watched the woman and the child vanish into the distance. She recalled the sharp hostility in that woman’s eyes the other day in the store. That hadn’t been about a watch at all.
But there were plenty of people in the world who shared a face. Coral, for instance, had moments where she looked like Selina too.
Perhaps she was letting her mind wander too far.
Anneliese picked up the watch and returned to Maple Bay, only to find Jessica was gone.
Meatloaf spun in circles around her, restless and needy. She fed him, then reached for her phone to call Jessica.
It took three tries before Jessica answered, and when she did, heavy metal blasted so loud through the line that it made Anneliese’s ears sting.
“Are you at a nightclub p>
“Yeah, Velour! From this moment on, I’m Jessica! Only Jessica and no other name! I feel incredible, it’s worth celebrating. Come out with me, drink with me, let’s go p>
That told Anneliese that Marcus had already left Oceaton, and Jessica’s bright joy made her laugh as well.
“Are you there by yourself or with someone p>
“I’m with a new friend p>
11
At once, Anneliese remembered the last time she stepped into Velour, when she booked male dancers and the whole night spiraled into chaos. Jonathan had been the one to save her then, and the memory left her with a bitter chill toward the place.
“I’ll pass Since Jessica had another friend this time around, she’d give the invitation a pass. tonight. I’m heading back to Baytree tomorrow, and I need to get my packing done. You have fun, but don’t drink too much p>
She ended the call, showered, and began folding clothes into her suitcase.
Once she finished, she slipped back into the bathroom.
Halfway through her bath, Meatloaf’s paws thudded against the door, and his frantic barking, filled the quiet.
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Chapter 257 On the Way Back
Wrapped in her robe, Anneliese rushed out.
“What is it p>
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Meatloaf barked again and again, his tail lashing with energy, then he tore down the hallway toward the front door.
That was when she heard it. The ring of the doorbell cut through the air. Someone was there.
She quickly pulled herself together, peered through the peephole, and saw building staff outside. Puzzled, she pulled the door open.
“Is there a problem p>
“Mrs. Fullbuster? Mr. Fullbuster couldn’t reach you, so he asked us to make sure you got safe p>
home
Anneliese froze, then she remembered her promise. She had promised Jonathan she would at least text him the moment she walked through the door.
She had forgotten about that completely.
Snapping back to herself, she lowered her voice. “I’m sorry for the trouble p>
The guards waved it away
with easy
smiles.
“It’s OK. We’re just glad you’re safe and sound. You and your husband must be
“You should give him a call right now. Don’t let him worry p>
very close.
Anneliese smiled and nodded, then closed the door. She hurried back to her room and grabbed her phone.
Somehow, the phone had slipped into silent mode. The screen showed six missed calls from Jonathan.
She stared at the glow of the display, and her chest filled with a deep, aching swell.
She had never imagined someone across the ocean could worry for her in this way.
She had always believed that her marriage to Jonathan was nothing more than a cold, written
contract.
That was why she hadn’t been surprised when he had left for a business trip the moment their marriage license was signed.
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14:17 Wed, Sep 17 N
Chapter 257 On the Way Back
37
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Yet the truth was clear. Even when he was far away, he had never really been absent. Everything he was supposed to do, he had done. Even the things no one expected, he had done them with care.