When I mentioned this to Wendy later, she was amazed. She said that now women in Johnsonville would envy Luke's dog even more.Goofy needed IV treatments for the next few days. Since it was late, Luke and I left Goofy in the hospital after leaving our contact information.The streets were nearly empty past midnight. Exhausted and sleepy, I called a car on my phone. As soon as I got in, I leaned against the back seat and quickly fell asleep.When I woke up, I was lying on the back seat, covered with Luke's black suit jacket. Still a bit groggy from sleep, I touched the jacket and noticed its high-quality and faint smell of tobacco.I remembered going with Luke to take Goofy to the vet and calling a car for the return trip, but everything else was a blur.Not sure how long I had been asleep, I slowly sat up. Outside, the sky was beginning to lighten. Luke was leaning against the car, so I knocked on the window to get his attention."Where are we now?" I asked, opening the door and
The sun peeked over the horizon, casting a calm, gentle light across the misty sea. Its red glow spilled across the water, transforming its orange-red surface into a glittering expanse of golden waves in just two minutes. It was a breathtaking spectacle."It's so beautiful!" I exclaimed.I had watched the sunrise with Max back in school, but it was nowhere near as awe-inspiring as this.Luke smiled slightly.Immersed in the beauty, my fatigue faded away. However, as the sun climbed higher in the sky, I quickly checked the time on my phone.7:30! Oh no, I'm going to be late!"Jen, it's the weekend. We have a day off," Luke reminded me."Right, I completely forgot it's the weekend," I admitted. How could I forget that Luke, a workaholic, wouldn't be watching the sunrise if today were a workday?"Let's head back."Luke glanced at the driver, who immediately understood and approached the car with a smile. "Boss, where to now?""Let's go to the Dolcetto Cafe near Johnsonville Univ
Since Annie came to Johnsonville, she forbade me from going to the nursing home. She believed it was more important for me to stay home and take care of her than to take care of the residents at the nursing home. At that time, I tolerated her demands to keep Max from being caught in the middle. Looking back now, I realize how foolish I was."That's great! Anytime works for me, Jen," Patty eagerly replied."Let's meet at the nursing home at two," I confirmed.After ending the call, I spent a couple of hours reading before heading out to buy gifts.At exactly two o'clock, I arrived at the nursing home. The taxi driver kindly helped me unload the gifts from the trunk."Jen, why did you buy so many things?" Patty asked, her face beaming with joy as she greeted me. She had arrived a bit earlier."I haven't seen them in a while. This is just a small token of my appreciation.""You may not have seen them in a while, but you still send money every month. You're not related to them, yet
I couldn't contain my laughter. It felt amazing to have someone defend me."Jen, is she the woman who destroyed your family?" Mrs. Foster asked."Yes, she is!" I responded, following Mrs. Foster's lead. I couldn't let her efforts go to waste. "She's always around. I can't avoid her even if I try.""You awful woman! Are you bullying Jen because she doesn't have a family?" Mrs. Foster grabbed the sewing basket from the table and hurled it at Mandy. "Let me tell you, everyone here at the nursing home is Jen's family. If you bully her, you're bullying all of us!""You shameless person! Look at your clothes. You don't belong here. Get out before you make a mess of this place!" Mrs. Todd, still lively in her fifties, stood up to drive Mandy away."You've misunderstood. I'm not Jen's husband's lover. I...""I know you're the official wife now. You succeeded in your scheme! Pah!""It's not what you think. I...""Don't give me that nonsense about unrequited love being the real mistress.
"Jen, I grew up in a foster home and joined Mulligan after graduation. I thought that if I worked hard, my life would improve. But after three years, I'm still just a design assistant, doing menial tasks. My designs always end up in the trash," Patty said, her expression pained."Whenever something goes wrong, I'm the scapegoat. I'm always the one working overtime, but never on the list for a raise. I'm tired of this job.""Patty, you told me about your work situation before, and I had Wendy find you a new job, but you turned it down, saying you didn't want to adapt to a new environment."I remembered Wendy had found her a position as a designer at Origin Real Estate. Although Origin was smaller than Mulligan at the time, its founder was the son of a well-known wealthy entrepreneur in Johnsonville. There were many rumors about Origin; some said the founder wasn't serious and wouldn't last long, while others believed the company had strong backing. Wendy, knowing the founder well, be
When I arrived at the Pet Pavilion, I saw Luke standing at the entrance, talking on the phone. He looked different from his usual business attire, wearing a black tracksuit and styled hair that made him appear a few years younger.In that moment, I felt a sense of déjà vu. Years ago, I had seen him in a similar outfit at my house. Luke could pull off anything, even a simple tracksuit, with his tall frame, broad shoulders, and narrow waist. Back then, he had stood under a wall of blooming roses, lost in thought with his hands in his pockets. At that time, I was focused on Max and barely noticed Luke. However, that brief glimpse of him had left a lasting impression on me. The memory felt so vivid, as if it had happened just yesterday, despite the passage of years and the many changes that had occurred.I overheard a snippet of Luke's phone conversation, so I positioned myself a bit further away to avoid eavesdropping. When Luke spotted me, he ended the call."Sorry for the inconvenien
"At least you're luckier than me. My parents..." Patty began, but I cut her off.Patty had told me about her difficult childhood more than once. When I was still naive, her story had deeply moved me. However, after experiencing the darker sides of human nature, I realized Patty was using her story to gain my sympathy."Patty, I used to feel a lot of sympathy for you because of your background, and I did everything I could to help you. But we barely know each other, and I don't owe you anything," I firmly said."Jen, I'm not saying you owe me. Some things are easy for you but could change my life. If you won't talk to Mrs. Muller about me, can you help me get a job at Origin Real Estate?""..." She thought getting into Origin was as easy as walking into a market?"I recently sent my resume to Origin, but I got rejected in the interview stage. If I couldn't get in myself, how could I help you?""But you...""Origin is different now. You have work experience, so you could try apply
Luke reacted quickly, pulling me back just in time by my arm, causing me to bump into his chest."Sorry, I didn't see you there," the person with the shopping cart hurriedly apologized. I nodded slightly to indicate that it was fine.Luke's eyes darkened, and the other person quickly left upon noticing his stern expression."See how quickly that boyfriend reacted? He pulled her into his arms immediately! Last time, you just stood there dumbly while I got hit by a bicycle!" The couple's argument floated over, reminding me that I was still leaning against Luke's chest. I quickly straightened up and took a step to the side.My sudden movement was like that of a startled rabbit, jumping away.Feeling a bit embarrassed, I said, "Thanks for just now.""You seem to get it well," Luke remarked.I was speechless.Luke, looking displeased, pushed the cart past me. He worked out regularly, and even through his clothes, I could feel the firmness of his chest. I discreetly touched my back,