After finishing work that day, I did not go home. Instead, I asked Lily out for dinner.Jake could have been packing his things up at that hour, and he would have left already.If we were to see each other, it would be incredibly awkward.I took my time and tried to drag it out as long as possible. I only headed back home at about eleven at night.As I pushed open the door, the smell of alcohol clouded my face. Jake sat on the sofa, empty beer cans all over the floor and table.He picked his head up to look at me. His face flushed in crimson, eyes fogged, and he was visibly intoxicated.He must have had plenty to drink to get to that point with his tolerance.I tore my eyes away from him, taking my shoes off while looking down. All I wanted to do was flee the scene and escape to my room.Still, I could not hold myself back when I walked past him. "Did you resign?"Jake, still sitting on the sofa, looked up at me. His face flushed like a peach with a tinge of naivety.In respo

Jake moved out.When I got home from work to an empty room, I was reminded that it was time for me to wake up from that bittersweet slumber.After he left, I came to a few realizations.Coming from a wealthy family background, Jake was great at taking care of someone. Aside from his backpack and cars, he did not seem to own other luxury items.His mother had passed away, and he had a stepmother.He and his father were not on good terms.It was easy to get lost in your own thoughts once you started making your own connections.I had thought of a few possibilities, but it all came to the same conclusion.Jake Young was a child you sympathize for. Perhaps all women were born with a sympathetic heart, or maybe it was just the way I was. However, every time I thought of him, the image of him standing in front of the door with his reddened eyes came to mind.It was a gut-wrenching sight.The reasonable part of my brain blared at me again. 'Avery Johnson, you're not a saint. You

The moment I saw Jake, my eyes brimmed with tears.He stood outside, drenched from head to toe. He looked at me with his distinctive eyes, like a wet puppy that had been abandoned.His voice was soft. "Miss Johnson, I miss you so much."At that instant, all sense and reasons left my body completely.Something was tugging on my heart torturously.I did not think twice before I darted towards him and threw my hands around him.He gently pushed me away. "Miss Johnson, I'm drenched. You will get a cold."My arms around him grew tighter.

The next day, Jake decided to bring me elsewhere.He pointed at a newly-built retail store by the corner lot. "Miss Johson, do you remember this place?""Isn't this a… new store? I don't think I've been here before," I responded bewilderedly. He paused and looked at me. "I wasn't referring to the new one. Same place, eight years ago."I looked at the surrounding streets, and memories came flashing like a lightning bolt."I think this used to be the fast food restaurant where I worked part-time when I was still in college.""That's right, Miss Johnson. I was only fourteen years old at the time. I went to the restaurant every day to do my school assignments. Do you remember?" Jake laughed lightly.I could see a glimpse of my distant memories. I was the only staff member at the time as the restaurant's business had always been bad, especially during nighttime. However, I vaguely remembered a chubby boy coming into the store every night after school.Initially, I thought he had

I discovered Jake's secret purely by accident.There was a period when he would frequent his father's company. He said there were things he had to sort out for his father.One time, I went with him and waited for his meeting to end in the guest room.Perhaps it was rare to have guests in the guest room. Two employees started chatting just outside the room by the door. They started talking about what happened within the Young family as they were chatting.One person even directly mentioned Jake Young."Young Junior has always been a smart kid. He pretended to run away from home in order for Missus Young to put her guard down. He even stood low to pursue a regular woman, fooling people around him that he was just a simple-minded man who thought of nothing but women.""Is that so? Jakey looked like a harmless dove. Turns out he's quite the cunning fox after all!""Right? I guess kids with that sort of background had to be clever one way or another."As their voice grew further,