CHAPTER 158: CHAPTER 158: JEALOUSY IS IN THE AIR

Suddenly, all the oddities came together in Holly Crowe’s mind.

The vague words of the lady boss in the small supermarket yesterday, and the discussions by the information center’s elderly about how well-matched and blessed they are...

In the past few years, her visits to Port Kallow were rare, not to mention that most young people left to work outside, leaving mainly elders who are not very active online.

Director Lennon isn’t the kind to gossip and loudly announce her marriage to Blake Sinclair.

So, there could only be one culprit.

Holly turned her head to look at Blake Sinclair beside her, eyes narrowed to a slit.

"In these two days I’ve been gone, what have you done? Was it you who spread the news of our marriage?"

Her anger surged, and she had to take two deep breaths on the spot to reluctantly suppress the sense of being schemed against.

Seeing her angry, Blake Sinclair wanted to step forward and pat her back, but as soon as he raised his hand, she warily moved away.

He had no choice but to withdraw his hand, "Since I’ve already moved to Port Kallow, it’s inevitable to greet and interact with the neighbors. They are concerned about me and asked about my situation, I naturally couldn’t hide it."

He paused for a moment, the look in his eyes towards Holly filled with tenderness, "Holly, they know I’m your husband, they’re very happy, saying we are well-matched."

"Stop!" Holly interrupted, waving her hand.

"It’s alright, this is a free and harmonious society," she comforted herself, "Many people get married today and divorce tomorrow, it’s okay, it’s just a divorce."

"I will not agree to a divorce." His voice got a bit louder, and there was a faint echo in the alley.

Holly was startled by him, quickly patted his hand, lowered her voice to warn him, "Why are you shouting so loud? This is the village, those grandmas’ ears are sharper than radars, might as well install a speaker on your mouth."

Blake Sinclair covered her hand with his other hand.

This time he leaned slightly closer, whispering with some grievance and possessiveness, "I won’t divorce you, don’t even think about it, and don’t even think about being with another man."

"Why are you pretending to be affectionate?"

Holly withdrew her hand, looked around, and distanced herself by three to five meters, "Actually, you don’t need to do this, although I don’t know why you broke up with Shannon originally, but since she came back looking for you, why bother entangling with me, the substitute? Wouldn’t it be better to go back to your first love?"

"You’re not a substitute! I don’t have a first love, and I was never with Shannon," he anxiously clarified, his voice a bit loud again.

Holly really didn’t want to argue meaninglessly with him here.

She waved her hand, extremely perfunctory, "Alright, alright, everything you say is right, yes yes yes, you are pure and flawless, it’s my dirty mind, okay?"

The atmosphere was a bit tense.

The only sound left in the alley was the wind blowing.

"Hey, Sinclair, there you are! I’ve been looking for you for a while!" An elderly voice came over, breaking the suffocating silence.

Not far from them at the alley entrance, a white-haired old man walked over with a wooden cane, smiling kindly.

"Oh, Holly is here too, are you two lovebirds on a date?"

Holly gave a polite smile, only to see Blake Sinclair had already quickly stepped forward to assist the old man, the movement natural.

"Grandpa Nash, take it slow, is there something you need me for?"

Holly watched, surprised.

He’s only been here a few days, how does he even know the reclusive Grandpa Nash?

Anyone would think he was a local of Port Kallow.

Grandpa Nash chuckled, patting Blake Sinclair’s hand.

"Our washing machine is acting up again, Grandma Nash is anxious with a pile of clothes to wash, she insisted I ask you to help take a look.

Strange, we had it fixed a few times by others and it never worked, but after you checked last time, it behaved for quite a while!"

Blake Sinclair responded gently, "Then I’ll go home with you and take a look."

Grandpa Nash’s gaze lingered on Holly, "Won’t this disturb your little date?"

Holly gave an awkward yet polite smile.

Blake Sinclair suddenly turned to her, "Holly, why don’t we go together? Grandma Nash was saying she hasn’t seen you in a long time the last time we chatted."

Grandpa Nash looked expectantly.

Holly saw the hopeful look in the old man’s eyes, then glanced at the man beside her, gritting her back teeth, "Fine."

Leaving Grandpa Nash’s home, it was almost noon.

They politely declined Grandma Nash’s invitation to stay for a meal, but before they left, each was stuffed with a bunch of home-grown grapes.

Blake Sinclair naturally took them from her hand, "Let me hold them."

Holly squinted at him.

The expensive shirt he wore had noticeable black smudges on the shoulders from just now fixing the washing machine, making him look far from his usual distinguished CEO appearance.

Recalling what Grandpa Nash and those elders said earlier.

She finally realized that in those days she was away, Blake Sinclair was helping the elders of Port Kallow, either fixing TVs or changing light bulbs.

He even proactively donated funds to help renovate the walkway of Nymphaea Pond under the guise of building the hometown, and even the sightseeing train tracks were renewed.

Putting down his stature, contributing money and effort, even if a passing dog saw it, it’d wag its tail twice to praise him.

Holly, absorbed in complex thoughts, didn’t expect him to suddenly turn his head.

Their eyes met unexpectedly.

"What are you looking at?"

Holly quickly withdrew her gaze, coldly retorting, "What exactly are you trying to achieve by doing this? To make me soften? To move me? Or to make me pretend like I don’t know what happened before, and continue being a stand-in for Shannon?"

Blake Sinclair stopped, his eyes sincere, "Holly, I didn’t do these things in exchange for your gratitude. Port Kallow is your home, I’m just accompanying you because you want to return, that’s all."

"It’s not necessary to do this." She avoided his intense gaze.

"It’s necessary," Blake Sinclair said with determination, "In my heart, you are the most important."

He combined the two bunches of grapes into one hand, his gaze deepened, "Holly, I didn’t handle things well in the past, there were many things I didn’t tell you in time. Can you give me ten minutes, just a chance to explain? After you hear it, if you still decide... then I..."

He couldn’t even muster the courage to say those two words.

His emotions were somewhat stirred, his hand shook twice.

The grapes swayed with his motion, a few at the bottom fell to the ground, one even rolled to Holly’s foot.

He stepped forward, "Holly, you can’t just give me a death sentence without letting me explain, that wouldn’t be fair."

Fair?

His words ignited the fire in Holly’s heart even more.

Hiding so many things from her, keeping so many secrets, and still talking about fairness?

Is this fairness tailored for different people, or passed only from men to men?

"I’m not free today." She bluntly threw out a sentence, turning her face away.

"Then when are you free?" He persistently asked.

Holly rolled her eyes, pretended to seriously think for a moment, and finally lazily said, "The day after tomorrow."

The day after tomorrow is the day they go to the civil affairs bureau for the divorce.

The implication was she didn’t want to hear his explanation.

The two were at a standstill here.

Suddenly, from afar, they heard Aiden Jenson’s voice. He was dressed in a black one-piece fish-hunting outfit, wearing a straw hat, and walked toward Holly with a smile.

Aiden Jenson approached, nodded at Blake Sinclair, then quickly focused on Holly.

"Holly, I sent you a WeChat message this morning but you didn’t reply. I asked a few grandmas only to find out you were at Grandpa Nash’s."

Holly pursed her lips somewhat embarrassedly, shook her phone, "My phone bill is overdue, I didn’t receive the message. What’s up, Aiden?"

"Didn’t we agree that I’d take you to dig lotus roots at Nymphaea Pond today?"

Holly seemed to remember something like that.

Port Kallow has a three-hundred-acre Nymphaea Pond, originally planned for tourism development by the cultural and tourism bureau, but it’s been neglected for a long time due to the lack of a professional team management.

This time Aiden Jenson came back to take over this part of the project, aiming to redevelop it.

Most of the lotus flowers had faded by September. He planned to explore the feasibility of digging lotus roots, mentioned it to her a few days ago.

"Sure, I’m free today." Holly agreed readily, after all, he had mentioned it long ago.

Hearing her words, Blake Sinclair was consumed with jealousy, his teeth itching with sourness.

She had just told him she was not free, doesn’t even have ten minutes to spare, but can turn around and have time to dig lotus roots with Aiden Jenson?

He stepped forward, naturally inserting himself between them, "Digging lotus roots? Sounds interesting, I’ll join as well. Good opportunity to inspect the newly renovated walkway and train tracks of Nymphaea Pond."

Blake Sinclair brought up his investor status, even though Aiden Jenson knew his intention, he couldn’t find a reason to refuse.

"Alright then, President Sinclair can join us as well, you can also give us some advice."

Us?

Ha.

Blake Sinclair half-smiled, extending his hand, "Then lead the way, Holly and I will follow behind."