Mentioning Jeffery, Josephine smiled gently. "Yeah, my boyfriend and I were together for five years, but we split up out of the blue. Jeffery's already four. He's super smart and adorable. Mr. Armstrong, you'll meet him in a few days."
Rex took a moment to process this bombshell.
Once he snapped out of it, he finally said, "Alright, I'm looking forward to it."
But honestly, he wasn't looking forward to it at all!
Josephine having a surprise boyfriend was one thing.
But a son too?
And he was already four?
Rex stormed off to find Steven, looking pretty upset.
Steven was just as shocked when he heard Josephine had a kid. "A four-year-old son? I wonder if Laura knows about this."
Rex shot him a look. "Josephine kept this under wraps. Even if Laura knew, she wouldn't spill the beans to you."
"You're so chatty," Steven shot back. "Even if Laura knew, if Josephine asked her to keep it quiet, Laura would keep her word."
"Stop making excuses," Rex said. "Is it so hard to admit Laura doesn't care enough about you?"
"Are you looking for a fight?" Steven gritted his teeth. "No wonder you can't find a girlfriend!"
Rex went silent.
Steven looked at him. "Seriously? She has a boyfriend and a kid, and you're still hung up on her?"
Rex said, "It's rare for me to meet a woman I like this much."
Steven got it.
Jessica's mom and Rex had a business marriage.
They didn't have a fiery romance, but their life was pretty smooth.
Steven also knew Josephine was the first woman Rex openly admitted to liking.
Now, finding out Josephine not only had a boyfriend but also a kid hit him hard.
As a close friend, Steven felt he shouldn't rub salt in the wound.
But he couldn't help it.
When Laura gave him a hard time, Rex never missed a chance to tease him.
So, Steven said bluntly, "There's nothing you can do. Even if you're a rogue, you can't be a sleazy third wheel. Rex, keep trying, you'll find someone you like."
"Shut up!" Rex snapped, downing a glass of wine. "You seem so lively, I guess Laura hasn't given you enough grief!"
Steven sighed. "Let's not tear each other down. Who would've thought we'd both end up liking those two women."
"You're way better off than me," Rex said. "Laura might be a handful, but at least she's yours. I haven't even held Josephine's hand!"
Steven tried to comfort him, "I've known Laura for six or seven years. How long have you known Josephine? There's still a chance."
"Got any tips on how to win someone over? Spill," Rex asked.
Steven said, "It's not really a tip. Just put aside your pride and ego, take care of her, protect her, and make her happy. Honestly, it's been tough for me these past few years."
Rex had seen Steven and Laura's journey.
It hadn't been easy for them.
But even now, Steven hadn't completely won Laura over.
In other words, Laura still hadn't acknowledged him as her boyfriend.
But then again, Rex thought Steven was kind of a fool.
It was just a woman, how hard could it be?
But now, he could kind of relate.
With other women, he didn't have to lift a finger, and they'd come to him.
But Josephine hadn't even given him a second glance.
The comparison made things pretty clear.
But Rex wasn't the type to throw in the towel.
The more he learned, the more he thought he had a shot.
He immediately asked Steven to hit up Laura and invite her to dinner.
Steven, always eager to see Laura, started typing the message and said, "I can get Laura to come out, but I can't promise she'll spill the beans about Josephine."
Rex replied, "Just get her out here first."
Laura got the message and thought, 'A sudden dinner invite? There's gotta be a catch!'
She asked, "Rex wants to invite me to dinner? Why?"
Steven said, "He's upset. Should I pick you up?"
Rex being upset was something she couldn't miss.
Laura quickly replied, "No need to pick me up. Send me the location, I'll be there."
Steven knew her well. Just from her message, he could picture her tone and expression.
Putting down his phone, he told Rex, "She's coming to see you make a fool of yourself."
Rex said, "Fine, as long as she helps me win over Josephine, she can watch all she wants."
Laura arrived, and Rex didn't waste any time, asking directly, "Did you know Josephine has a son?"
Laura was taken aback.
Steven raised an eyebrow. "You didn't know?"
That made him feel a bit better.
But then, Laura said, "How did you guys find out?"
Rex said, "Josephine told me herself, and she said Jeffery is coming back to the country."
Laura said, "That's right. So what? You can have a daughter, but Josephine can't have a son? What's so strange about that?"
Steven was annoyed. "Why didn't you ever tell me about this?"
Laura shot him a look. "Who are you that I need to tell you?"
Steven went silent.
Yeah, he had overestimated his importance.
In Laura's mind, he was nothing!
Steven realized he still had a long way to go.
Rex was initially enjoying Steven's discomfort, but then he realized his own situation was even worse.
He asked, "How much do you know about Josephine's boyfriend? Can you tell me?"
Laura said, "There's nothing secret about it. Overall, he's taller than you, more handsome than you, richer than you. Oh, and most importantly, younger than you."
Rex was fuming, clutching his chest as he looked at Steven. "Can you control your woman?"
Steven didn't dare.
He was barely managing himself. How could he handle others?
He said, "Laura is just being honest. If you're seeking advice, be humble and sincere, show the right attitude."
Rex gritted his teeth and said, "Fine. I'll see how he's taller, more handsome, and richer than me!"
Laura said, "Actually, Josephine doesn't care about those things. If you ask me, the fact that he's younger than you means you've already lost. Who would prefer an old man over a young guy?"
Rex was infuriated. "Who's an old man? How can you say that?"
Laura said, "Not only are you old, but you also have a bad temper. Unless Josephine is blind, how could she possibly like you!"
Rex looked at Steven. "Look at what she's saying!"
Steven, afraid of getting dragged into it, quickly said, "Compared to a guy in his twenties, you are a bit older."
Rex glared at him. "Don't forget, we're only two years apart! If I'm an old man, so are you!"
Steven frowned. "Laura is kindly providing you with information. Instead of being grateful, you're insulting me?"
Rex was about to explode. "Fine! I want to see just how amazing her boyfriend is!"