Chapter 5

Before Yvonne could express her intention, two wealthy businessmen showed up beside her. They were also looking to meet Samuel.

She was at a loss for words. Isabel was right—there truly was a long line of people who wanted to meet Samuel.

The receptionist, clearly a seasoned professional, smiled politely. "Mr. Hover is quite busy at the moment and isn't able to take in any new appointments now. Please leave your contact details here, and I'll let you know when he's available."

Everyone else registered with their work titles. Yvonne stole a glance at the list and knew that an ordinary employee like her had no advantage.

So, she wrote, "I'm the designer of "The Wishful Girl" piece the Hovers bought during an auction four years ago. I would like to include this piece in an exhibition. Please get in touch with me when you can."

…

Yvonne grew anxious as there was a limited amount of time to prepare for the exhibition. Every day, she would wait at Hover Group between her work hours. By now, even the receptionist could recognize her.

"Mr. Hover truly isn't available, Ms. Jamison," she said.

"Alright, I'll continue to wait." Yvonne couldn't help but feel downcast. It was unexpectedly hard to meet the so-called prince of Jeriton City.

"Is your ex-husband's family close to the Hovers, babe? Do you think he can introduce me to them?" she asked Isabel.

Isabel replied, "His family might be able to get in touch with the Hovers, but I can't contact my ex."

She then spread out a dozen floor plans for the studio on the table. "Babe, come and have a look at which location you prefer. The studio renovation will take some time, so we can't afford to drag it any longer."

Yvonne was rather pleased with everything she saw. "They're all great. You can decide—I trust your taste."

"I knew you'd say that. I'm tired of picking, so let's just go with the most expensive one," Isabel replied.

The real estate agent was overjoyed by how much she was spending.

Yvonne's phone rang at that moment. It was a call from Anthony.

He said, "I hope you haven't forgotten that it's my birthday today, Yvonne. I've reserved a private room—I'll send you the address. We'll be waiting for you to join us for dinner."

Yvonne and Anthony also knew each other from college.

"Alright, I'll see you later," she replied.

…

When Yvonne opened the door to the private room, she wasn't surprised to see Jared sitting beside Anthony.

He held a cigarette between his fingers and a glass of wine in his other hand. His gaze skimmed over her without lingering.

"You're here, Yvonne. Come and have a seat!" Anthony immediately stood up to give her his seat. It was clear that he was trying to play the peacemaker.

All the others in the room were also mutual friends of Yvonne and Jared. They all knew that the couple had broken up just before their wedding.

"Happy birthday, Anthony." Yvonne was late because she'd gone to get Anthony a gift. As she took it out from her bag, she accidentally dropped the floor plan she'd gotten from the real estate agent.

"Thank you." As Anthony took the gift, he caught a glimpse of the floor plan she'd picked up. He immediately teased, "I've been wondering why you've been so busy and missing out on all our gatherings. It turns out you're preparing for the wedding venue."

Upon hearing his words, Jared glanced over to Yvonne, who didn't bother explaining, and smiled mockingly.

"Come have a seat, Yvonne!"

As the private room was filled with smoke, Yvonne chose to sit in the well-ventilated spot by the door.

Upon noticing the tension between the two, Anthony continued, "It's not easy for Yvonne to prepare for a wedding on her own, Jared. You've been together for so many years. How could you let something so trivial come between you?"

Everyone started encouraging Jared to be the bigger person.

"Since everyone is here, there are some things I need to clarify with you." He placed his wine glass down and exhaled a smoke ring. "You're the one who's making a fuss over nothing in this entire situation. You have to own up to your mistake.

"Shirley comes from a difficult background—it wasn't easy for her to finish her studies. You've been pampered your whole life, so you wouldn't understand the effort she's put in. But now that the Jamisons have gone bankrupt, it's time for you to get rid of your spoiled attitude."

Yvonne's gaze immediately turned cold at the mention of her family. "As a Jamison, there's no need for me to feel inferior."

She had warm memories of her father and her family—they weren't something that brought her pain. However, Jared used what he knew about her to turn it against her.

"Don't forget that you've been the one pampering Yvonne, Jared. It's a result of your achievement." Shane chipped in to help Anthony ease the tension.

At that moment, Jared received a call. "You're still running a fever, Shirley. Listen to the doctor and get some rest. Be good and don't go anywhere. I'll come over to accompany you now."

He picked up his blazer before getting up. "I'll take my leave for now. The next round of drinks will be on me."

As Jared passed Yvonne, he noticed the way her head hung low and assumed she was reflecting on her mistakes. "Take some time to calm down and reflect on your mistakes, Yvonne. Otherwise, I won't help you with the wedding matters. Think it through."

She didn't pay attention to him leaving. After all, she was just here to eat. "Why are you all looking at me?"

Shane coughed awkwardly before replying, "Don't be too petty, Yvonne. After all, Shirley is the student Jared is sponsoring—it's normal for him to care for her. Men might have playful interactions at social gatherings, but as long as he comes back, that's what matters the most."

Afraid that Yvonne might be unhappy, Anthony pointed at the floor plan in her bag and asked, "Do you need our help with anything?"

She merely smiled. "No need."

Knowing Yvonne and Jared's long history together, everyone was confident she was easy to make up with. They just had to wait for the invitation to come after the wedding date was set.

…

Yvonne worked while video-calling Lily at the same time.

"What happened after your blind date with Harold that day, Yvvy? Did he take the initiative to contact you?" Lily asked.

Yvonne replied, "He didn't. Maybe he's busy with work."

Lily said, "Simon mentioned that he's never dated. He's definitely introverted and doesn't know how to talk to women."

Her expression became hesitant as she glanced at the backdrop, which showed Yvonne's new house. "I know you've been close with Jared since you were young, Yvvy. You've also been working at Ford Corporation during all the years you've been living alone in Jeriton City. Are you and Jared—"

"I've already resigned, Mom." Yvonne smiled and answered seriously, "I want to find a job I actually enjoy. Now that I'm no longer young, I want to get married and have a child—just like what I wished for when I was younger."

In the past, she'd waited for the wrong person. It was now time to move on to the next person. She would no longer linger on the past—her focus was on the present and the future, where her hopes lay.

After ending the call, Yvonne continued to prepare the venue material when her phone chimed. She was surprised to find a text from "Harold (blind date)".

His text read, "I'm sorry, Ms. Jamison. I've been busy with work during the past few days. Are you free this Friday evening? I'd like to invite you out for dinner."

Yvonne couldn't help but laugh. As she typed her reply, she mumbled, "Mom must've told Mr. Quillan, and now they're putting pressure on him to reach out to me."

She decided she'd take this blind dating process seriously.

She replied, "I'm free this Friday. Just let me know once you've decided on a restaurant."

He texted, "Alright."

…

Jared's stomach ached from hunger in the middle of the night. The sandwich the household staff had prepared was left untouched on the table.

As he suddenly craved hot food, he was reminded of the ravioli Yvonne used to cook for him. He headed downstairs into the kitchen and searched through the fridge but didn't find anything.

He clutched his stomach with a frown before reaching for his phone to message Yvonne on WhatsApp. "What's the brand of the ravioli you always cooked for me?"

As Jared sent the text, only one tick appeared next to it. He was speechless when he realized that Yvonne had blocked him.