Chapter 242 - Losses 2

Jaquan nodded. Just as he was about to drive in, he smelled the aroma of the pancakes and said to her, "Give me one, please."

The old lady nodded happily, "Alright!"

A moment later, she handed him two servings. "You've worked hard. Take care of yourself."

With a smile, Jaquan took the pancakes and handed her the money. "Thank you."

When she came back to give him the change, he had left. She stood there and sighed, "Why did his wife and child leave him?"

When Jaquan got home, the lights in the hall were on. He thought that Felice had come, but after he changed his shoes in the vestibule walked into the living room, he saw Collin sitting on the sofa, watching TV, as if he were in his own home.

Jaquan stuffed the pancakes into his briefcase and said, "You got off work early today."

"I was on day shift." Collin stood up and walked to him. As a doctor, he had a keen sense of smell. "Did you buy vegetable pancakes?"

Jaquan placed the pancakes on the dining table.

"It's late, and there was nothing else I wanted to eat. I bought this at the entrance to the community. Do you want some? Here's one for you."

"Why are you explaining? I didn't say anything." Collin grinned. "You didn't buy it because you missed Emma, did you?"

"What's wrong with you? Why would I miss her?" Jaquan snorted, then averted his eyes to the TV awkwardly. "What are you watching?"

"Tom and Jerry."

Jaquan didn't comment on that.

He put down his briefcase and took off his jacket. "What are you doing here so late?"

Collin pushed his glasses and said, "I came to check up on you."

Jaquan loosened his tie impatiently.

"Now that you have, get out."

Collin mischievously observed his expression. "Actually, Emma came to the hospital today."

Jaquan's movements paused for a moment. Then he calmly washed his hands and picked up the pancakes. While eating, he eagerly waited for Collin to continue.

Collin poured himself a glass of water in the kitchen. Jaquan had thought that he would tell him more about Emma, but Collin said a lot more without mentioning anything about Emma, as if that one single sentence was all he had to say about her.

Jaquan couldn't help asking, "Why did she go to the hospital?"

"Who?" Collin feigned puzzlement.

Jaquan glared at him. "Get out if you don't want to talk."

Collin suppressed his laughter and said, "Oh, you mean Emma? She came for a recheck-up. Her leg recovered."

"Oh."

Collin patted his shoulder and said, "I'm leaving."

Jaquan pried his hand away. "Why exactly did you come here tonight?"

"I told you I came to check up on you."

"Bullshit."

Collin walked to the vestibule and abruptly turned around. "I'm taking next week off."

"So?" Jaquan looked at him impatiently.

Collin smiled mysteriously. "I plan to travel. Do you want to join me?"

Jaquan waved his hand dismissively without even looking at him. "I'm very busy. Goodbye."

Before leaving, Collin reminded him, "I hope you won't regret it."

Jaquan ignored him.

It was just travelling. Why would he regret not going?

It was midnight when Jaquan lay on the bed after a shower. Only then did he see the missed call from Arabella. It was too late, so he didn't return the call.

Arabella, however, was insomnia, still waiting for his call. She had checked on WeChat more than 20 times. Jaquan hadn't friended her yet.

It only occurred to her after midnight that she cared too much.

**

That same night, Rex came to Vincent's study.

"Mr. Vincent, Harold also went to check the surveillance footage of the Garden Hotel." He paused for a moment before saying, "However, what he checked was surveillance footage at the entrance of the hotel."

Vincent stopped writing. "Should I show the footage Miss Emily is in to Miss Irene?"

"Not necessary." Vincent continued writing, harder this time. "I don't think she will show up again after doing something so shameful."

"Yes, sir."

"There's one more thing ..." Rex hesitated. "Miss Emily also found that place."

Vincent raised his head, his face betraying no emotion, but gentleness was palpable in his eyes. "Trevor passed her the news. No wonder she found Stephanie."

Rex asked with a trace of sadness, "Mr. Vincent, what if she finds out you ..." He left the part "can't be cured" unsaid.

"Don't tell her." Vincent remained calm. "You can't make an omelet without breaking eggs."

Rex said no more, but he felt bad for the losses Vincent suffered.

**

On Peace Road, a shop that displayed all kinds of glasses for free was still open at late night. Passersby looked up at the LED sign from time to time, where the name of the shop, Glasses, was neatly written.

As if the owner was afraid that customers wouldn't know entrance was free, "free exhibition" was written in formal style beside the sign.

Many people frowned at the sign. Some even complained to their friend over the phone, "Holy shit, I'm telling you, I just saw a shop. Its name is really weird ..."

But since last night, the number of visitors of the shop had reduced because of the owner's new hairstyle, which had changed people's impression of him totally. Formerly, he had looked a gentleman, but now he looked like a fierce bald ruffian with a wound on the corner of his mouth.

After the thirteenth customer was scared away, Armando came to realize something. Was his new hairstyle so ugly?

He touched his head and didn't think there was anything weird about it. All he did was have his hair cut short.

The shop assistants were a young couple. When they saw him last night, they were so dumbstruck they didn't recognize him for a full minute before the girl finally asked in a trembling voice, "Boss, what happened to you?"

The boy whispered to her that women should stay away from men's business.

A reserved man, Armando didn't talk much with the shop assistants. But the young couple had been working in this shop since day one. After so many years, they got to know Armando. Recently, they occasionally would talk about their private life, but Armando would not say it until the young couple asked, and he would only respond selectively.

After another customer was scared away, Armando put on his jacket, ready to leave.

The couple stood up and asked, "Boss, are you going out?"

There were rooms on the second floor, three bedrooms and one living room. Normally, Armando lived upstairs. The rooms downstairs were for the couple. They could not cook downstairs, though. Cooking was only allowed on the second floor.

Armando left without saying anything.

Far away from the shop, he turned on his phone. Janessa hadn't updated her WeChat moments for three days. She just sent him a voice message. He had walked out of the shop to listen to it, only because he didn't want anyone to hear her voice.

Under the night sky, he gently clicked on the message.

"Don't worry, I'll be back for the New Year, Armando ..."

She seemed to want to say something else, but she didn't. After a long pause, the message ended.

This was the first time Janessa had contacted him since she left.

Armando put his phone to his ear and listened to the message over and over again. He couldn't get enough of her voice. When she called his name, it was mesmerizing.

Finally, a smile appeared on his face in the darkness, which he had not had for a long time.