CHAPTER 68: CHAPTER 68: IT’S INCONVENIENT FOR A MAN TO COME HOME

Justin Holden found the two pairs of shoes familiar, and his eyes visibly darkened, a storm continually brewing within.

He stretched his long legs, casually tossed his suit jacket onto the couch beside him, and walked straight inside.

The bathroom light was on, the sound of running water incessant.

He halted, looking at the bathroom’s glass door, steam swirling, water from the showerhead cascading down the patterned glass, a woman’s silhouette faintly visible.

He quickly turned around, his back to the bathroom.

The fleeting image lingered in his mind: a slender waist, long legs, wet black hair clinging to a thin nape and spine.

A small face, an upturned nose.

Just a silhouette, yet his throat felt scratchy, and his Adam’s apple involuntarily bobbed a few times.

"Who’s there?"

The water in the bathroom stopped, and a woman exclaimed in surprise.

Justin Holden frowned; his timing back was off, the female tenant happened to be bathing in the bathroom.

He didn’t make a sound, lowering his head and walking away.

Jean Ellison turned off the shower, pulled down the soft white towel, and wrapped it around her chest, tucking one corner securely under her arm.

She gently pushed the door open, placing one hand on her chest, fingers tightly grasping the towel.

She peeked out, her dark eyes moist and bright, her full head resembling a magnified version of Jesse’s.

Her soaked long black hair stuck to the back of her head, a few strands with water droplets clinging to her cheeks.

"Is anyone there?"

Clearly, she had heard footsteps, why was there no response outside?

Could it be the landlord was back?

She dared not step out to check; she only had a towel wrapped around her, which barely covered her body. If she lowered her head, she would be exposed.

After a while, there was no sound in the living room.

She finally stepped out, quickly crossing the hallway into the bedroom and locking the door behind her.

For some reason, her heartbeat was intense, always feeling as if a pair of eyes were watching her.

In the more than five hundred square meter house, it was just her and Jesse, saying she wasn’t scared would be false, even if someone lived here and didn’t want her to find out, they truly could manage it.

She never checked the study or the master bedroom, as those parts weren’t what she rented; they belonged to the landlord, and she had no right to enter.

She took a deep breath, calming her uneasy mood.

Sitting by the bed, she took out a hairdryer from her suitcase, turned it to the highest hot air setting, quickly drying her hair.

The phone on the bedside table suddenly lit up, a message popped up.

She glanced at it, seemingly startled, remaining motionless, the action of drying her hair abruptly stopped.

When the burning sensation on her scalp hit, she came back to her senses, tossing the hairdryer onto the bed, and using a hand to rub the spot burned by the hot air on the back of her head.

She stood up, reaching for the phone.

"The address."

"I promised Jesse I’d finish the story for her."

She knew perfectly well who sent the message, without even needing to read the three words "Lawyer Holden" on the note.

She couldn’t let Justin Holden see Jesse any more; Jesse already had a deep impression of him now. Continuing this contact would eventually lead him to discover that Jesse is his daughter.

"No need, I’ve already finished the story for Jesse."

It was just the story of the three little bears; of course, she knew it.

"You’ve finished?"

Justin Holden’s reply came instantly, almost as if he were beside her, waiting for her response.

"Hmm."

Jean Ellison briefly typed a single word, just as she was about to put down her phone, another message arrived.

"The story was made up by me; how do you know the follow-up?"

Through the screen, she seemed to see Justin Holden’s beautiful, narrow eyes full of mockery.

Well done, he really could do anything, even making up fairy tales.

"Give me the address."

Seeing her delay in responding, Justin Holden sent another message.

"The landlord is a female college student; it’s inconvenient for men to visit."

"If you have the time, send the story to my email. I’ll read it to Jesse; it’s the same."

She closed her phone, tossing it onto the bed, putting away the hairdryer back into the suitcase.

After washing and drying all her clothes using the dryer, folding and putting them away, more than half an hour had passed.

Jean Ellison picked up her phone, absentmindedly glancing at it; there were no new messages in the dialogue box.

What did it mean, would he agree or not, no response at all.

With Jesse always fixated on the story of the three bears, it wasn’t practical; she didn’t know what Justin Holden told Jesse before, or how the story continued.

She opened her email; it was empty too, not a single unread message.

Taking a look at the time on the wall, it was already midnight. Justin Holden might be with Leah Sutton at this moment.

Just like he said, tonight wasn’t convenient for him indeed.

Jean Ellison sat by the bed, turning on only a small lamp, the cold white light casting on her side profile, clear and cool.

On her long eyelashes, there seemed to still hang a few droplets of water, shimmering in the glistening light.

Lightly sniffing, her lips pressed tightly.

She didn’t know how to comfort herself; she’d been in prison for five years, there couldn’t be no women around Justin Holden.

Editor-in-Chief Sutton was a good person; the last time she almost got assaulted by an old man at the nightclub, it was Editor-in-Chief Sutton who called the police, and Philip Paxton had brought reinforcements.

One could say, Editor-in-Chief Sutton kindly saved her.

Counting the time, Justin Holden was turning twenty-eight after the New Year, long past time to marry.

For all she knew, they might have already met each other’s parents.

Her memories were too outdated, always thinking nothing had changed in these five years.

Days in prison were repetitive, each day the same, even the meals were identical for the whole week.

Her thoughts still lingered five years ago, on the day she was taken away by the police from the school gate, she remembered that day, coming back with her roommates from outside, holding a box of Japanese matcha snacks that were delicious, she had specially bought an extra set for Justin Holden.

That day he was participating in the national debate school league, only two teams left in the finals, he was bound to win, everybody knew that.

Before she even got his contest results, she was put into the police car.

As for that box of Japanese matcha snacks, they were probably left on the side of the road, maybe swept into the trash by a sanitation worker.

Dawn.

She had only slept for a few hours, getting up at first light to make breakfast for Jesse.

Director Thorne had said Jesse just had surgery, so she needed to be well-nourished at home.

The kitchen was filled with the aroma, the scent of milk mixed with the sweet and moist aroma of pumpkin, along with a faint fragrance of yam.

She placed a bowl of pumpkin yam porridge on the dining table, taking two thick slices of cheesy chicken egg toast out of the oven, putting them on a small plate.

Jesse, having brushed his teeth, wearing fluffy pajamas, came out of the bathroom, sitting obediently at the dining table, holding the toast in both hands and eating heartily.

Jean Ellison poured herself a cup of hot milk and half a bowl of oatmeal.

Scanning the living room, she noticed an extra suit jacket on the sofa, which wasn’t there when she returned last night.

Jesse caught her gaze, turned around to look as well, his mouth smeared with cheese crumbs.

"Mom, it’s Uncle Holden’s clothes!"

He pointed with his index finger, his rosy little fingers greasy, his eyes brightening over and over.

Jean Ellison thought so too, but upon a closer look, such a dark-colored suit jacket was too common.

"It’s not your Uncle Holden’s clothes, it’s the landlord uncle’s."

She smiled, telling Jesse.