"Ms. Shaw! Have you finally changed your mind? Let's set up a meeting for tomorrow."
Hearing the excitement in the talent scout's voice, Jeanette Shaw nodded.
Not long after she hung up, she heard footsteps outside. A few seconds later, the front door opened, and Hank Johnson walked in with an umbrella in his hand.
Seeing her sitting on the floor in such a miserable state, he frowned.
"Why are you soaked?"
"I forgot my umbrella."
Jeanette's wet hair hung over her face, hiding her expression. Hank reached over and ruffled her hair.
"How are you still such a kid? Check the weather forecast next time."
Jeanette said nothing.
Only after he turned and went into the bathroom did she push herself to her feet. Half her body had gone numb from sitting on the floor for so long. She went to the other bathroom to wash up.
Afterward, she climbed into bed and stared blankly at the white wall. A little while later, Hank pulled back the covers and settled beside her.
The familiar scent of cedar filled her senses, bringing the events of that afternoon rushing back.
Unable to stop herself, Jeanette wrapped her arms around him. Slowly, very slowly, she lifted the hem of his pajama shirt.
Just above his heart, several letters were tattooed on his chest.
CG.
This was not the first time she had seen the tattoo.
In the past, whenever they had grown intimate, she had caught glimpses of it countless times. She had always been curious about its meaning, but she had never asked.
Now, seeing it again, she felt tears sting her eyes. Her voice came out low and shaky.
"What do those letters mean?"
Hank went still for two seconds. His gaze followed hers to the tattoo.
"It means something very important."
His voice was casual, yet beneath it lay a tenderness and love so profound that Jeanette had never experienced anything like it during their three years together.
After a brief pause, he seemed to misunderstand why she had lifted his shirt.
"Enough. You got soaked in the rain today, so I'll leave you alone tonight. Get some sleep."
With that, he gently removed her hand, pulled his shirt back down, and switched off the light.
Silence swallowed the bedroom.
In the darkness, Jeanette lay motionless while silent tears continued to stream down her face, disappearing into the endless night.
The next morning, Hank woke up early. He skipped breakfast, slipped on his shoes, and headed for the door.
Outside, the rain showed no sign of letting up. Knowing how much Hank hated going out in rainy weather, Jeanette called after him.
"I thought you didn't have any flights scheduled lately. Why are you going out?"
Hank seemed to be in a good mood. A faint smile softened his usually cool, distant features as he picked up his umbrella and reached for the doorknob.
"I've got something important to take care of. Stay home and be good."
His final words faded as the door clicked shut behind him.
Jeanette stared at the empty doorway for a moment before silently returning to the bedroom. That was when she noticed Hank's phone, which he had left on the bedside table. It was buzzing nonstop.
She picked up his phone and opened the messaging app. The name displayed at the top of the conversation was Cecilia Gibson.
[What time is your flight today? It's pouring outside. Stay inside the terminal and don't go out. I'll drive over and pick you up.]
The eagerness in the message and the concern behind those words could not have been more different from his indifferent reminder the night before to check the weather forecast.
So this was how Hank acted when he truly cared about someone.
Even in pouring rain, he would go out of his way to pick her up.
Jeanette had barely finished reading the message when she heard footsteps approaching the front door.
She put the phone down and slipped into the walk-in closet before Hank came back inside.
By the time she finished applying her makeup and stepped out, the phone was gone, and the house was empty.
She picked up her bag, went downstairs, and hailed a cab.
When she arrived at the café where they had arranged to meet, she immediately spotted Joshua Carter waiting by the entrance.
After exchanging greetings, they went into a private room.
Joshua walked her through the training program in detail, explaining how her career would develop afterward. Then he took out a contract and placed it in front of her.
Jeanette stared at the bright red company seal stamped across the document.
Starlight Music Inc.
She froze.
Starlight was one of the biggest entertainment companies in the world. Countless people fought tooth and nail for a chance to sign with them.
She had almost thrown that opportunity away.
A bitter, self-mocking smile tugged at her lips. She picked up the pen and signed her name without hesitation.
When Joshua received the signed contract, his face lit up as though he had struck gold. His smile stretched so wide that the wrinkles around his eyes deepened.
"Ms. Shaw, I was genuinely disappointed when you turned me down last time. Thank goodness you changed your mind. Otherwise, we'd have lost an incredible talent. You can rest assured that Starlight is one of the best in the business. We'll make sure you get your moment on the brightest stage. This is a closed training program, so once you get home, start getting everything ready. We leave in 15 days."
LOGIN
