Chapter 21

“So why aren’t you wearing a ring?” Mrs. Fisher senior looked at Angelia’s hand in confusion.

“Um…” Angelia awkwardly withdrew her hand and explained vaguely, “Because…for some special reasons.”

“Are you divorced?” Mrs. Fisher senior asked.

“No,” Angelia shook her head.

Mrs. Fisher senior became inexplicably angry and glared at Adela, “Look at her, she’s younger than you, her child is already four years old, and you’re not even married yet.”

Adela was caught off guard and laughed, “Grandma, I’m a career-oriented woman. How can I be tied down by children? Let’s wait a few more years.”

“I’ll be in the coffin by then,” Mrs. Fisher senior became even angrier.

“Then we’ll work hard, work hard,” Adela followed Mrs. Fisher senior’s lead and pushed Jerome.

Jerome still looked at Angelia, his eyes deep like the ocean.

Mrs. Fisher senior also noticed Jerome’s gaze, “Oh, do you two know each other?”

Jerome didn’t speak, waiting for Angelia to introduce him.

“Um…he’s my boss,” Angelia explained to Mrs. Fisher senior.

“It turns out he’s your boss. What a nice coincidence,” Mrs. Fisher senior looked at Jerome, “You should take care of Angelia more in the future. She’s a kind and good girl.”

“Of course I will take care of her,” Jerome’s face was cold and he said heavily.

Mrs. Fisher senior was satisfied with Jerome’s response and asked Angelia, “Are my granddaughter and son-in-law a good match?”

Angelia’s eyes flickered and she nodded uncomfortably, trying to force a smile, “Yes, they’re a good match.”

Jerome’s face grew even colder.

He was already someone else’s boyfriend, and she didn’t care at all! In her heart, he didn’t even have a place as insignificant as dust. Perhaps he had never entered her heart at all.

Jerome picked up his glass and drank it all in one gulp.

Adela raised an eyebrow and poured a full glass for Jerome, gesturing for him to drink.

Jerome’s sharp gaze swept towards Adela.

Adela raised a mischievous smile and gave him a thumbs up.

Mrs. Fisher senior saw them being intimate and was also happy, “You two, stop playing dumb. Have a big, fat child soon so I can still have the strength to take care of you.”

“It’s coming, it’s coming,” Adela placed her hand on Jerome’s shoulder. “Let’s not use any measures tonight, let’s just get pregnant.”

Jerome looked at her. “Do you want to?”

Adela sensed the danger in Jerome’s tone and withdrew her hand. “Forget it, forget it, let’s just take precautions.”

“What precautions? You just agreed to my request,” Mrs. Fisher senior raised her voice.

“Mom, young people have their own plans,” Adela’s mother said softly.

“What plans? Plans to not get married? I’m already so old, maybe I’ll be six feet under in two years, and I won’t be able to die peacefully,” Mrs. Fisher senior said angrily.

“I’ll privately remind them,” Adela’s mother said with a smile.

“Angelia is still the best,” Mrs. Fisher senior looked sadly at Angelia and patted her hand. “If only I had met you five years earlier.”

Angelia smiled lightly.

“Eat your vegetables, eat your vegetables, you’re too skinny, women look better when they’re a little plump,” Mrs. Fisher senior said as she picked up a piece of pork rib and put it in Angelia’s plate.

Angelia wanted to say thank you, but was afraid that the unusual tone of her voice would reveal her emotions. She ate the pork rib with her head down, and when it was finished, she couldn’t just sit there, looking stupid.

She went to pick up some beef, but Jerome was quicker to grab her chopsticks. Angelia shrank back, and went to pick up some shrimp, but Jerome once again grabbed her chopsticks.

Angelia was angry, she looked at Jerome, her eyes turning red. Various emotions were rushing through her, sadness, anger, injustice…

Did he think she wasn’t worthy of sitting at this table eating, or did he think she was easy to bully?

She could choose not to eat, or she could leave!

Adela cleared her throat, picked up some beef and put it in Angelia’s plate, tilting her head and smiling. “You’re my grandmother’s lifesaver, eat more.”

Angelia snapped out of it and felt sorry for Adela. “Thank you.”

“Don’t be polite.”

Adela looked at Jerome, raised her small fist, and lowered her voice, “Even though she is your employee, she is now my grandmother’s savior. You are not allowed to bully her.” Although it was a low voice, Angelia heard it and felt even more guilty.

She did not want to do what Lillian did back then.

Since Jerome was already someone else’s, she should not have any ambiguous feelings towards him.

She realized she had overstepped her boundaries. She finished the drink in her cup.

“Angelia, you have a good drinking capacity. I like it. I salute you, first to thank you for saving my grandmother, and secondly to wish you a bright future.”

Adela smiled and poured herself half a cup of wine.

Angelia was worried that she would get drunk and cause trouble, so she reminded herself that it was her last half cup.

She poured herself a drink and was about to clink glasses with Adela when Adela mischievously took the cup back and said, “Don’t you want to say some blessings?”

Angelia’s eyes tightened, she pursed her lips, and forced a bitter smile, “I wish you and Jerome a hundred years of happiness, unity, and early birth of noble children.”

“Really?” Adela raised her eyebrows and kicked Jerome with her foot.

“Really, I mean it.” Angelia quickly finished the drink in her cup. Jerome’s face was not good, he picked up his glass and took a big sip. Angelia adjusted her breathing.

She did not want to cry, there was nothing to cry about, and no reason to cry.

She wanted to leave, but leaving at this time would easily make people misunderstand, so she could only sit there and wait for the party to end.

“Angelia, are you okay?” Adela looked at her and asked.

She did not want to appear strange, but sitting there stupidly, motionless, was already strange enough. She felt uncomfortable and said, “I think I’m drunk.”

“Don’t drink too much, eat more food, drinking on an empty stomach will make you drunk easily.” Adela scooped a bowl of West Lake beef soup and placed it in front of Angelia.”Thank you,” Angelia said softly.

“You’re welcome, Jerome. Let’s go toast to our uncles and grandfathers. I have a lot of distant relatives, and if we wait too long to toast, I’m afraid I’ll get drunk too. You’ll have to hold me up,” Adela said.

Jerome’s gaze moved away from Angelia’s face, and anger had already invaded his brain. He stood up and left with Adela.

Angelia still lowered her head, the emotions came too violently, she couldn’t control or change them, she could only bear them.

“Jerome’s father is Walter Taylor?” Mrs. Fisher senior asked Adela’s mother next to her.

“Yes. Walter’s military district is still under management,” Adela’s mother said with a smile.

“Well, it seems like we’ve hit the jackpot. Let’s hurry up and set the marriage, so many girls are pursuing him. Nowadays, young girls don’t care whether you have a girlfriend or not,” Mrs. Fisher senior advised.

“Yes.”

Mrs. Fisher senior looked at Angelia and asked, “Angelia, you’re Jerome’s employee. Keep an eye on him for me at the company. If any girl tries to seduce my grandson-in-law, you remember to tell me secretly, okay?”

Angelia was very uncomfortable.

“I’m sorry, Grandma. Family Taylor has projects all over the world. I’m only responsible for the game company in North Carolina. After the company is on track, Jerome may not appear for a year. I can’t keep an eye on him,” Angelia said candidly.

“Oh, I see. Then I’ll have to make sure Adela is more careful. That girl is too wild and loves freedom too much. Who knows, she might get taken advantage of,” Mrs. Fisher senior worried.

“Mom, Adela has her own sense of propriety. Look at how well Jerome treats her now. Maybe next year, you’ll be able to hold your great-grandchild,” Adela’s mother said.

Angelia flipped her hair and couldn’t even sit still.

“Grandma, I think I’m drunk. Can I go back and rest first?” Angelia said weakly.

Mrs. Fisher senior looked at Angelia, who looked really strange, “I’ll have someone take you.”

Angelia shook her head, “No need. I live close by.”She stood up, leaning on the table, and walked towards the outside. Despite not having drunk much, her steps were not very steady.

Jerome’s gaze fell on her back, his facial expression tense, and his grip on his glass tightened as he turned his head.

Adela looked at him. “I have good news and bad news for you. Which one do you want to hear?”

“I don’t want to hear either. Even if we’re just playing along, we should still have some limits. If we go too far, we’ll have to bear the consequences,” Jerome replied in a bad tone.

“I’m just helping you test her out. Is she really a married woman?” Adela asked.

Jerome did not answer her question and his expression worsened as he walked away.

“Jerome, watch your expression. My grandmother will think we’re fighting,” Adela reminded him, holding onto his arm.

“Tonight, find somewhere else to stay. I won’t share a room with you,” Jerome said in a low voice.

“No way, my whole family is watching. Worst case scenario, you can sleep on the bed and I’ll sleep in the bathtub…”

Angelia returned to her room, sat on the bed, and still felt the pain in her heart. She lay down on the bed and stared blankly at the air.

This feeling was just like when Neville betrayed her. She felt sad, depressed, and uncomfortable, with something stuck in her heart that she couldn’t get rid of, hurting her insides.

So what?!

Just because she was sad, things wouldn’t develop the way she wanted them to.

She couldn’t change, especially when it came to emotions. She couldn’t force them and couldn’t control them.

Time passed by, second by second. She closed her eyes, the pain becoming even clearer. She sat up, saw the liquor cabinet, and knew she couldn’t get drunk outside, but it should be okay to get drunk alone in the room.

She got up, looked at the price list, and saw that the red wine was one hundred and eighty-eight. She could afford it, so she opened it, poured a glass, and gulped it all down.Once you get drunk, you can sleep well.

Once you wake up, you can adjust your emotions.

Once you have adjusted them, you can treat Jerome as your boss, work well, and stop thinking about unrealistic things or having wild thoughts.

She doesn’t know how much she drank, but her stomach is churning and she feels uncomfortable.

She went to the bathroom and vomited, feeling like she couldn’t breathe.

Whoever said that getting drunk can solve a thousand worries is lying.

Her heart doesn’t feel any better, and her body feels worse.

She has no strength, her limbs are weak, her head is heavy, and she feels pain.

She brushed her teeth, rinsed her mouth, and looked at her disheveled self in the mirror.

What should she do?

She likes Jerome, she has fallen for him.

That’s why she is so upset, so out of breath…

She told herself that she shouldn’t like him, that she shouldn’t fall for him.

But her heart can’t be controlled by reason, and at some point, Jerome entered it.

She hates herself for being weak, for being stupid, for being so confused.

He is not someone she should like.

She sits on the ground in despair, hugging her knees and burying her head inside.

She drank too much water when she was stupid, and now it’s coming out of her eyes.

Someone knocks on the door, but she doesn’t want to answer.

The door opens.

“Is anyone in here?” Adela’s voice echoes.

Angelia is startled, immediately wiping away her tears and getting up from the ground.

Adela pushes open the bathroom door and looks at Angelia with red eyes.

“How much did you drink? Are you okay?”

Angelia is holding onto the sink, feeling like she can’t stand up straight.

She awkwardly explains, “I’m fine.”

“You should have brought your husband with you, at least he can take care of you. Do you want some hangover medicine? I’ll go get two for you.”

Adela seems to be caring.

Angelia shakes her head.

As she shakes her head, she feels even more dizzy.

Adela puts the cake box on the sink, “You didn’t finish your meal and you disappeared. My grandmother asked me to come and give this to you.”

“Thank you.”Adela looked at her suspiciously, “You’re not… interested in Jerome, are you? That’s why you’re jealous and upset seeing him with me.”

Angelia felt guilty and whispered, “I’m married.”

“Oh, right, I almost forgot. That’s good. Last time I saw you in Jerome’s room, I was startled. Luckily he explained that you two had nothing going on and that you were just looking for a suite with two rooms,” Adela said with a laugh.

Angelia didn’t know how to respond. If she saw another girl in her boyfriend’s room, she would ask too.

Now she realized she hadn’t thought it through. “I’ll be more careful in the future.”

Adela’s smile became even brighter. “I’m usually busy with work, and so is Jerome. I’ve given him too much freedom. Men, you can’t control them. What man isn’t a player? When we were in France last time, he was trying to hook up with a Japanese girl who played the piano in a Western restaurant. He even said I wasn’t his girlfriend. I was so angry.”

“Hmm?” Angelia looked at Adela in confusion. She didn’t think Jerome was like that.

Adela realized she had gone too far and immediately said, “Actually, I understand. Men like Jerome won’t have just one girl, but he also has a sense of responsibility. After we got married, he should only have me. If he dares to mess with other girls, I won’t let them off.”

Angelia couldn’t help but feel like Adela was saying all of this on purpose for her to hear.

“Look at me, I’m talking too much. I liked you from the moment I saw you. Your personality is gentle like water. Jerome always says I’m wild, domineering, and stubborn. I envy your personality. Being with you is very comfortable,” Adela praised.

“I’m not as good as you say. Sometimes I can be very fierce,” Angelia said.

“Even when you’re fierce, you look good. Alright, I won’t talk to you anymore. Jerome is waiting for me to go swimming. See you tonight,” Adela blew a kiss and left, closing the door behind her.

Angelia felt relieved.It seems that she needs to clean up her emotions faster.

She was able to let go of five years of betrayal as long as she restrained herself.

She can do it.

Feeling dizzy, she walked slowly towards the bed and lay down.

She fell asleep soon after.

She woke up again, disturbed by the ringing of the landline in the room.

She answered the phone.

“Angelia, remember to come to the Rain Tower at 18:08 tonight. My grandma invited some singers and comedians to perform. Dinner is a buffet of Chinese and Western food. Don’t get drunk. It’s not good for your health to drink too much.” Adela said cheerfully.

“Okay,” Angelia replied.

“You came. Did you take off your watch when you took a shower? You idiot, did you spend all your strength on the bed?” Adela deliberately said to the air.

After she finished, she said to Angelia, “Sorry, I’m going to help Jerome get his watch. See you later.”

Adela hung up the phone.

Angelia felt a little sour in her heart, took a deep breath, and suppressed it slowly.

She put the phone back, sat up from the bed, took a look at the time on her phone, and it was already half past five.

She got up, looked at the half bottle of wine on the table, and took the bottle to the bathroom.

She poured the wine from the bottle into the toilet and threw the bottle into the trash can.

She brushed her teeth, washed her face, and still smelled of alcohol.

She took a shower and soaked in the bathtub.

It was raining outside, and the thunder was loud, just like her mood at the moment.

Now, she just returned to before Jerome appeared, and compared to before, she had a better job without any loss.

It’s just that her heart feels empty.

Even after being betrayed by Neville, she didn’t feel this way.

Her phone rang, and it was Sammie.

She answered.

“Have you seen your ex-boyfriend recently?” Sammie asked angrily.

“Yes, I met him by chance at a restaurant. What’s wrong?” Angelia asked calmly.”You seduced him, I saw the video, he even kissed you, Angelia, use your brain, he was with your sister before, betrayed you, framed you, and you forgot all of that! Or do you think I’m going down, so you’re finding a backer? Don’t worry, I won’t fall so easily!” Neville said angrily.

“Sammie, I’m not in the mood to argue with you right now. If you think I’m greedy, only after money, ugly, and have bad character, you can divorce me. I’ll leave with nothing except for Alyssa,” Angelia said calmly.

“What do you mean? You found a backer and now you want to kick me away?” Sammie said even more impatiently.

Angelia was really too lazy to deal with him and said heavily, “Neville and I are not together, and we will never be together. I will always remember how he betrayed me, framed me, and hurt me that day. Are you satisfied with this answer?”

“So the video is fake?” Sammie doubted.

“What you saw may not be the truth. The person who sent you the video has even more sinister intentions. If you get involved, you’ll lose. Just focus on solving the Grandeur Gardens problem,” Angelia said and hung up the phone.

She went downstairs and found that the rain was even heavier than before. She hesitated, should she rush to the listening pavilion or not.

“Angelia, did you forget your umbrella?” Adela asked.

Angelia turned around instinctively.

She saw Jerome walking with Adela.

She felt a little sad.

Of course, he had to avoid suspicion in front of his girlfriend.

She didn’t want to cause trouble for them either, and smiled and said, “I forgot to bring it, I’m going back upstairs to get it now.”

She walked past them and headed towards the elevator.

Jerome’s face became even worse, looking back at her.

Did she just want to avoid him?

Adela looked at Jerome and smiled, “I didn’t expect your taste to be so heavy.”

Jerome looked at her, “What’s it to do with you?””I see her, and it seems like she doesn’t like you. You already have a girlfriend, but she’s still smiling and not reacting at all,” Adela continued with a regretful expression.

Jerome frowned, becoming even more restless. “What does that have to do with you? Find someone and give her an umbrella.”

“Ah?” Adela’s eyes lit up with surprise. “Does that mean you’re breaking up with her?”

“She didn’t bring an umbrella,” Jerome said in a deep voice, walking outside.

“Oh,” Adela’s eyes dimmed, but in an instant, she lifted up a bright smile and hugged Jerome’s arm. “You’re my boyfriend, it’s appropriate to leave like this.”

Jerome walked away with a cold face.

Angelia stood by the window, watching them leave before walking down from upstairs.

A boy in a work uniform walked up to Angelia, smiling as he handed her an umbrella. “Miss Fisher asked me to give this to you. She said it’s raining heavily, don’t catch a cold in the summer. A cold in the summer is a real cold, and it’s not easy to recover.”

“Um, thank you,” Angelia took the umbrella, took a deep breath, and walked into the rain.

She arrived at the Listening to Rain Tower, where the living room had a large round table removed and replaced with a bar. There were square tables and a sofa area, with a self-service buffet on the left side of the door. Seven beautiful girls were singing and dancing on stage.

Angelia immediately saw Jerome sitting in the sofa area. He lazily leaned on the sofa, shaking a red wine glass, lost in thought.

Adela snuggled up to him intimately, her smile sweet and dazzling. They seemed like a beautiful scenery.

Her heart was heavy and sour, so she quietly looked away and walked to the restroom.

“Did you see Jerome? He’s even more handsome and elegant than on TV. I don’t think Adela is a match for him at all,” the fashionable girl said sarcastically.”Who made Adela get the moon first by the water? Jerome went to France to develop, and she immediately followed to France. She has always been scheming since she was young, you can’t compare to her.” Another girl said as she applied lipstick in front of the mirror.

“Bea, you’re here too. Didn’t you say before that you were determined to get Jerome? Jerome already has a girlfriend now, you’re just a small star, keep dreaming.”

“So what if he has a girlfriend? As long as Jerome wants to, he can change girlfriends in a minute.” Bea said confidently.

“Based on you? Forget it, you’re not as good-looking as Adela, not as good in figure as Adela, not as good in family background as Adela, and not as smart as Adela.”

“You don’t understand anything. The flowers at home don’t smell as good as the wildflowers. Do you want to bet? I can hook up with Jerome in a month.”

“Okay, I’ll bet with this LV bag in my hand.”

Angelia couldn’t listen anymore, she went into the cubicle. Bea was no longer there, but the two girls were still there.

“Bea has some skills in seducing men. I saw her when I had a cold last time and went to the hospital. I asked the doctor, and she seems to have that kind of disease, I don’t know which man infected her.”

“No way, then she still dares to seduce Jerome?”

“She’s a third-rate star who will do anything to climb up. Do you think we should tell Jerome?”

“Jerome doesn’t like that kind of slutty woman.”

Angelia came out of the restroom and looked towards the sofa. Jerome was no longer there. She instinctively searched for him.

He was standing in the food section, Adela had disappeared, and Bea deliberately stood behind Jerome holding a glass of red wine.

As long as Jerome turned around, Bea wouldn’t leave and would definitely bump into her.

Just as she thought this, Jerome turned around and Bea deliberately spilled the red wine on herself.

Jerome looked at Bea.She got red wine on her white dress and looked at Jerome with a worried expression, saying, “What should I do? I still have to go on stage later. The manager requested that we all wear white dresses.”

Angelia frowned and without much thought, walked over to them and said to Bea, “I happen to have a white dress with me. Do you want to come with me and change now?”

Upon seeing Angelia, Bea looked a bit uncomfortable and said, “Can you please bring it over to me? The manager instructed me not to leave the living room.”

“Oh,” Angelia looked at Jerome, his deep and mysterious eyes looking back at her. She hesitated to speak, as it might be too presumptuous to warn him about Bea’s illness, especially since there was nothing between Jerome and Bea.

“Then I’ll go get it,” she said, turning around and walking outside.

“Miss Green isn’t jealous, is she?” Bea whispered.

“Jealous?” Jerome looked at Angelia.

“I think she seems unhappy and has something to say to you,” Bea said.

Angelia went back to her room and happened to have brought an extra set of clothes, so she took the white dress and went back to the living room.

As soon as she entered, Bea happily waved at her and said, “Angelia, Angelia, we’re colleagues now. Jerome said I have a deep understanding of the game and asked me to work with him.”

Angelia stood still, looking at Bea. Something inside her seemed to be in turmoil, rushing into her mind.

If Jerome had valued her abilities and let her join the gaming company, she might have been excited. But now, all that was left was a feeling of desolation, as if everything had been denied in an instant.

It made sense. She was just a hotel manager, while Bea was an actress with a lot of knowledge about games, much stronger than her.

“Congratulations. Here’s the white dress,” she handed the dress to Bea.Bea happily took it and sweetly smiled, “See you later, Jerome.” Angelia turned around.

“What job do you think she’s suited for?” Jerome asked in a deep voice.

Angelia, with her back to him, couldn’t muster a smile or flattery due to her bad mood, making it difficult for her to think normally. She coldly said, “I’m not the boss of the company, and I don’t understand the gaming industry. Whatever job you say is good.”

She went ahead, took a plate, picked a piece of steak, and sat at the farthest end, eating with her head down.

Bea went up to sing, singing “My Heart Only Has You, Not Him” solo.

She held a rose in her hand and electrified Jerome’s way. She didn’t know where she got the courage and went straight down from the stage to Jerome, handing him the rose.

There was a commotion in the crowd, and Angelia naturally looked over at Jerome.

She didn’t think Jerome would accept it. When June tried to seduce him, not only was she kicked out of the room, but she also lost her job.

In her impression, he was a noble and clean person, and subconsciously felt that he was different from those wealthy sons.

But…Jerome took Bea’s flower and happily went back on stage to sing.

In that instant, her soul seemed to have been hit by something, with a more desolate emotion.

Did she never really understand him from the beginning, or is he now his original self?

It was as if Jerome had turned into another person in her impression, with various emotions impacting her body.

Jerome turned around and looked at her, meeting her eyes as clear as water.

Angelia lowered her head, her hands holding the knife and fork trembling, unable to eat.

She needed time and space to adjust her mindset, or else the embarrassment would be hers.Without staying in the living room any longer, Adela stood up and walked towards the outside… Adela took the rose from Jerome’s hand and sat down next to him, lowering her voice and saying, “I was only gone for a few minutes talking to my grandmother, and a young girl came to see you? Today is my grandmother’s birthday celebration, and so many people are watching. If you mess up, I won’t let you off the hook.”

“It’s not what you think,” Jerome said in a deep voice, taking a deep breath and clearing his throat, placing his hand on her shoulder.

Adela smiled and leaned in closer to Jerome’s embrace.

Jerome turned slightly and looked in Angelia’s direction, but she was already gone.

He frowned, took his hand off Adela’s shoulder, and scanned the living room, but he didn’t see Angelia.

“What’s wrong?” Adela asked.

Jerome didn’t answer her, stood up, and walked towards the bathroom.

Bea saw what was happening and immediately followed Jerome to the bathroom.

Adela stopped her in front of her.

Bea was startled.

Adela said coldly, “What, do you have your eye on my boyfriend?”

Bea smiled and said, “Of course not, I’m not as pretty as you, my figure is not as good as yours, and my family background is not as good as yours. I know my place. But there’s something I don’t know if I should say or not?”

“What is it?”

“I saw that Angelia seems to like Jerome, so Adela, you should be careful of her,” Bea deliberately provoked.

“Don’t call me Adela, you’re not qualified. A face-selling actor like you, get out of here,” Adela said disdainfully.

Bea, seeing Adela still looking longingly towards the bathroom, could only walk in the opposite direction.

Bea walked into the bathroom and saw Jerome washing his hands. “The little star who brought you the flowers just now came to see me and said that Angelia likes you. It seems like she’s deliberately provoking you. Be careful of her.”

Jerome’s eyes darkened a few shades, and he also looked angry.

He deliberately hugged Adela’s shoulder, but she didn’t care what he did!

“She likes me, why didn’t I see it,” Jerome said coldly.Adela raised her eyebrows, “I saw Angelia, I can ask her for you.”

“No need, just focus on your own tasks. After the banquet, go back to France early so as not to get caught and I won’t be able to help you.” Jerome said coldly, wiping his hands with a tissue.

He left the bathroom and scanned the living room, still unable to find Angelia. He asked in a deep voice, “Do you know which room she is staying in?”

Adela gave a dry smile, “You’re not planning to go to her room, are you?”

“That’s my business. Just give me her room number. Also, I’ll say it again, I won’t be sharing a room with you tonight. You figure it out.” Jerome said firmly.

“Sharing a room. What about two beds? Are you afraid I’ll eat you?” Adela joked.

“I don’t want to sleep in the same room as a woman who is not my partner.” Jerome said resolutely.

Adela smiled.

If one day she really became Jerome’s girlfriend, he would definitely be a trustworthy man.

Angelia was working at her computer. Darcey introduced a friend to her, and that friend introduced two more friends to her, all of whom were involved in gaming.

She wanted to learn more about gaming and not get caught up in romantic entanglements. Apart from self-doubt, it was not helpful at all.

Jerome had been working there for a year. After a year, she would be able to divorce Sammie smoothly and start a new life with Alyssa, far away from both of these men.

There was a knock on the door.

She walked to the door and looked through the peephole, it was Jerome.

Her eyes sank. She couldn’t avoid him while working for him in North Carolina. She opened the door and looked at Jerome coldly, “What’s the matter, Jerome?””I have looked at the proposal you sent me, it’s okay. How are you doing with the game?,” Jerome asked in a business-like tone.

“In fact, I know nothing about games. Even if I prepare, the outcome will be unsatisfactory. Putting your hope in me is not reliable. I suggest that others also make a proposal, and then choose the best one. This way is more reliable,” Angelia also said in a business-like tone.

Jerome frowned slightly, “You haven’t even started, and you’re already lacking confidence?”

“Hmm,” Angelia laughed lightly, “They say you’re a business genius, and you can make money from any investment. But bringing someone who knows nothing about games to make one, I think it’s a problem in itself. I hope you will consider my suggestion carefully. It’s not about confidence, it’s just self-awareness. Jerome, if you don’t mind, I have work to do.”

Angelia closed the door.

Jerome held the door, his eyebrows furrowed, “Didn’t I tell you that you can ask if you don’t understand?”

“I have added two friends who specialize in making games and I am planning to ask them. I will organize, verify and analyze the information I know, and make a simple proposal room for you to review within a week,” Angelia said coldly, wanting to close the door.

A look of anger swept across his jet-black eyes. She was so repulsive to him, so eager to drive him away?!

Jerome’s eyes became even colder, “Do you know? Bea is much cuter than you.”

Angelia looked at Jerome quietly, feeling the pain flowing and circulating in her blood, and then rushing into her heart…

A woman who specializes in seducing men is cuter than her!

How unworthy she was in his heart! When Lillian seduced Neville and drugged her, Neville said that Lillian was still a child and asked her not to mind.

Jerome’s words had an even more significant effect.

She knew she was the one who was compared unfavorably, the one who could be bullied and unprotected.

For a moment, the pain filled her whole heart, reached her mind, and she couldn’t say a word.She flicked her hair from her forehead to behind her ears, took a deep breath, and tried to appear calm, holding back her tears. It was better to just let it be. She couldn’t control or convince others of their opinions, nor could she change them.

The human heart is the most unpredictable and inscrutable thing, just like how she didn’t understand why Neville betrayed her for someone like Lillian, who was inferior to her in every way.

“A person’s view of another can be biased by emotions and preferences. If Jerome thinks she is cuter than me, then let it be. I don’t care. Even if you give her the position of vice president, it’s your right as the boss and the right choice. I have to get back to work,” Angelia said coldly.

Jerome felt uncomfortable, very uncomfortable. It was as if he was entangled in vines, with poisonous thorns piercing his heart, producing toxins that were sour, bitter, and stuffy.

“So, you don’t mind giving her your position as vice president?” Jerome asked.

“No, I don’t mind,” Angelia answered without hesitation.

“Then how about I fire you? You should be happy about that, right? It’s the result you wanted,” Jerome asked, his eyes gradually turning bloodshot.

“Actually, it doesn’t matter what I think. If you want me to work, I have to work. If you don’t want me to work, then I can’t work. It’s not about whether I’m happy or not, it’s about whether you’re happy or not,” Angelia complained.

Jerome gritted his teeth, walked in, and pushed her against the wall. “So, as long as I’m happy, you’ll do anything for me, including sleeping with me?”

Angelia was annoyed and pushed his hand away. Her eyes became sharp as she spoke righteously, “What kind of woman am I in Jerome’s eyes? Someone who is married but flirts with you, steals valuable things, and can discard anything for money? Sorry, I’m not Bea. I don’t need to be kept by a man, nor do I need a man’s money to promote and consume myself. I have my own hands to support myself!””What is someone else’s thing? Me?” Jerome’s chest heaved violently.

Angelia’s eyes also turned red, “A long time ago, I thought meeting you was my luck, but now it seems that you are my misfortune!”

“What?” Jerome’s voice became a little sharp, and his brows also furrowed.

“If I hadn’t met you, I wouldn’t owe millions, if I hadn’t met you, I wouldn’t be doing a job I don’t like, if I hadn’t met you…” She stopped, pursed her lips, and looked at Jerome firmly.

If it weren’t for meeting him, she wouldn’t be heartbroken again.

The slanders, defamation, contempt, and insults of enemies didn’t matter to her, because they were enemies and wouldn’t say anything good or do anything good.

But when it came to someone she cared about and trusted, just a simple “Bea is much cuter than you” could be like a sharp blade that directly pierced her heart, making her understand clearly what kind of existence she was in his eyes.

She might as well be a woman who flirts with men everywhere!!

Jerome’s eyes also dimmed, as if his blood had cooled, leaving only coldness, and he asked, “Have you only received misfortune from being with me until now?”

Angelia looked at him quietly.

Thinking of his relationship with Adela and his preference for Bea, she didn’t want to indulge in his charm and temptation.

Jerome was something she couldn’t peek into, someone else’s thing!

“I feel very unfortunate now,” Angelia said coldly.

“So, I was just being presumptuous,” Jerome said decadently, turning around.

But what could she do by looking at his back?

She needed to give herself no chance and die faster!

She closed the door and needed time to soothe her injured heart and sad emotions…

Detroit Bar.”Jerome, stop drinking. You’ve already had more than ten drinks. If you keep drinking like this, you’ll get drunk. What happened? Just tell me, it’ll make you feel better.” Sloan was called by Jerome an hour ago and has been with him since then.

Jerome doesn’t say anything and pours himself a full glass of alcohol, drinks it all, and pours himself another. Sloan takes away Jerome’s bottle and says, “Is it because of Angelia?” This is the first time Sloan has seen Jerome drink so recklessly.

Jerome commands, “Give me the alcohol.”

“My good brother, your IQ is so high, but why is your emotional intelligence zero? Angelia is a love expert. She deliberately hangs you up just to seduce you.”

Jerome grabs the bottle and pours himself a full glass, drinks it all, and pours another. Sloan takes away Jerome’s cup and says, “Let me teach you a foolproof way to pick up girls, guaranteed to be successful every time.”

Jerome looks at him with a deep gaze and asks, “What is it?”

“Drug her. When a woman is drugged, she becomes soft like water and will definitely be obedient to you. Even if you ask her to leave, she won’t leave.” Sloan says proudly.

Jerome takes his cup and tells him to shut up, saying, “Starting now, stop talking. When I get drunk, find a nearby hotel for me to rest.” This means that he came here to get drunk, so there’s no point in trying to persuade him otherwise.

Jerome drinks one glass after another.

Half an hour later, Sloan puts the drunk Jerome in the car.

Jerome’s phone rings, and Sloan answers it out of breath. “Hello, Jerome, where are you?” Adela asks tentatively.

“Where? He’s so drunk he can’t tell where he is,” Sloan says irritably.

“Can you take him to The Oasis? I’ll give you money,” Adela thinks he’s a stranger.

“No, Jerome asked me to find a nearby hotel. That’s it,” Sloan hangs up.

Adela says anxiously, “Which hotel are you staying at? I’ll come over now.”Sloan paused and asked, “You are Angelia?”

“I am not Angelia, I am Jerome’s girlfriend, Adela,” she replied.

“Oh?” Sloan was confused. He thought Jerome’s girlfriend was Angelia, so when did Adela come into the picture? Maybe Adela was forced by her family to be with Jerome, and that was causing him trouble.

“What’s with the ‘oh’? Send me the hotel address, or you’ll be responsible for the consequences,” Adela said domineeringly.

Sloan thought about it and realized he didn’t really want Jerome and Angelia to be together. They were not a good match, and maybe this drunken episode was a turning point for Adela.

“I’m in Detroit now. I’ll take him to Elite Estates later. When he gets to the room, I’ll send you the number,” Sloan said.

“I’ll call you later. Thanks, bro. I’ll treat you to a meal another day,” Adela hung up and sent a message to Sloan with three simple words, “Adela.”

She immediately rushed to Elite Estates.

Jerome slowly opened his eyes on the way to Elite Estates and muttered, “She’s not an easily angered person, nor is she unreasonable.”

Jerome suddenly spoke up, startling Sloan. “What’s a woman’s reaction when she’s jealous?”

“Jealousy? Anger, feeling wronged, sad, jealous, unreasonable. Even a small mistake of yours can be magnified infinitely. It’s just to get your attention and show that you care for her. All kinds of drama,” Sloan replied.

“We’re not going to the hotel. We’re going to The Oasis,” Jerome said in a deep voice.

“Oh?” Sloan forced a smile, feeling guilty. He had just informed Adela to go to Elite Estates. “The Oasis is quite far from here, and you’re already drunk. You should rest for a while and talk about it tomorrow.”

“I wanted her to be jealous and to find out if she likes me even a little bit. If she really gets jealous, I don’t want her to spend the night feeling angry, sad, and wronged,” Jerome said in a low voice.Sloan regretfully hit his own mouth and said that if a woman is jealous, he should have just pretended not to know.

“It’s already twelve o’clock now. If we go to The Oasis, it will be two o’clock. She will be asleep by then. If you wake her up, she won’t sleep well,” Sloan suggested.

“Then I’ll wait until she wakes up,” Jerome said firmly. He felt that Jerome was really drunk and not very clear-headed.

“If you wait for her to wake up, you won’t sleep tonight,” Sloan said.

Jerome closed his eyes and his voice became much lower. “I have two hours to sleep now.”

“You don’t have to wait for her to wake up. You can get up a little earlier. No matter what, she will get up after six o’clock. Waiting is useless. You might as well rest well and when she wakes up and feels better, you can coax her. Women are like that. Just coax them,” Sloan said.

Jerome didn’t respond. He turned to look at Jerome. Jerome closed his eyes and seemed to have fallen asleep.

During the red light, he sent a text message to Adela: “Don’t go to Elite Estates. I’m taking Jerome back to The Oasis now. We’ll arrive in about two hours.”

“Send me a message ten minutes before you arrive,” Adela replied.

“Okay.”

Two hours later, when they arrived at The Oasis, Sloan got out of the car and saw Adela running towards them.

Adela took a look at Jerome who was sleeping in the car and smelled the alcohol on him. “Why did he drink so much? Why didn’t you stop him?”

“No one can stop Jerome from drinking. And also…” Sloan hesitated.

“What else? Why are you speaking so hesitantly like a big man?” Adela urged.

“Is Angelia here too?” Sloan asked suspiciously. If Jerome was coming here, Angelia should be here, but Jerome’s girlfriend was also here, and he was a little confused.”She’s here. These past few days, my grandmother had her birthday and she was a guest of my grandmother. I will go and say hello first, and you can drive straight in later,” Adela said. After entering the leisure center, she came out shortly and opened the back door, sitting next to Jerome. He was still sleeping, quiet with his eyes closed. Even when drunk, he remained dignified like a prince, never throwing a tantrum or talking too much. As far as she knew, he had only been drunk twice, once five years ago and once today.

Sloan drove the car in and looked at Adela in the rearview mirror. She was a very pretty girl, stylishly dressed and had a unique personality.

If he were Jerome, he would definitely like Adela. Angelia was actually even more beautiful, but she had a dark past, having been raped and coming from a less than ideal family background. Adela noticed Sloan’s gaze and her eyes flickered.

“Drive forward, pass a bridge, and stop at The Purple Plum. It’s already late, and you’re driving Jerome’s car. Stay here tonight. I’ve already told the front desk. When you arrive at The Purple Plum, just ask for a room card,” she said.

Sloan nodded. “That’s fine. Jerome woke me up at 10 pm and we’ve been running around until now.” Jerome opened his eyes and asked, “What time is it now?” “Two, two, two o’clock,” Sloan replied, startled by Jerome’s sudden awakening. Had he been awake all along and just pretending to sleep?

Jerome sat up and looked at Adela beside him.

 “What happened between you and Angelia? Why did you drink so much? Is it worth it? You know she’s a married woman and there can be no future between you two,” Adela said, concerned. “Ah, Angelia is married?” Sloan realized he was losing his composure and looked at Jerome.

Jerome could have any woman he wanted, with a plethora of high-class ladies at his disposal.

Jerome didn’t say anything. The car stopped in front of The Purple Plum. Jerome pursed his lips, got out of the car, and walked towards the elevator with one hand in his pocket.”Adela, hurry and stop him. He’s going to confess his love to Angelia with the help of alcohol. If they really get together, it will be too late to do anything.” Sloan said anxiously.

Adela rushed over and grabbed Jerome’s arm. “Jerome, if you go confess to Angelia and someone sees you, tell me. My grandmother will think you’re a scumbag and will definitely oppose us being together. She won’t let me go back to France. Are you willing to give up the blue diamond for this?”

Jerome looked expressionless at the elevator. “You have a way to make sure no one sees us. The more you make a scene, the more embarrassing it will be for you.”

Adela was also angry. Can’t even the blue diamond stop Jerome?

“Angelia is a married woman with children. Don’t you feel embarrassed? Even if she agrees, do you want to sneak around with her? Will her husband agree? Will your family agree?”

“That’s my business,” Jerome said resolutely.

The elevator beeped.

He walked in, and Adela was really anxious. “If Angelia likes you, she will divorce her husband. If she rejects you and doesn’t divorce, it’s just because she doesn’t like you enough. Forcing things won’t work. You will only make her resist you, dislike you, and avoid you, wanting to leave you.”

Jerome’s eyes flickered and looked at Adela.

Adela suddenly woke up.

If she wanted Jerome to give up, she should make Angelia dislike him and reject him. Why was she trying to stop him?

She was really confused.

“She should be asleep now. If you still want to see her, I can get the room key,” Adela said hesitantly.

“Who said I want to see her now? Is there someone in the room next to Angelia’s?” Jerome asked thoughtfully.

Adela’s face turned even uglier as she nodded. “Someone is already staying there.”

“What about the one next to her?”

“The third floor is already full. Aren’t you going to confess to Angelia?” Adela asked tentatively, hoping for Jerome to answer.

Jerome didn’t reply and went straight into his room, closing and locking the door with a chain.

Adela: “…”