Chapter 74: Bust
Sandra had picked three locations for the studio, and she needed to discuss with Jennifer to make the final decision. That day, with no other distractions, Jennifer followed the agent to carefully check out the decoration and surroundings of the potential locations. After considering both cost and foot traffic, they ultimately gave up on the downtown location and chose a cultural arts district not far from the main commercial area. This place had a strong artistic atmosphere, a quiet environment, lower rent, and more space with great potential for renovation. Although downtown had heavy foot traffic, most people there were into fast fashion and luxury brands. The high rent meant they'd need tons of customers just to stay afloat. Jennifer wanted to build her own reputation and attract high-end clients for custom work, taking a quality-over-quantity approach.
Sandra agreed with this. The studio location actually represented their future direction, and Jennifer's plan matched her own thinking perfectly. They only had two people right now, and although they'd definitely hire some assistants later, they needed to take it slow. Plus, making money from rich people would be easier.
After making their decision, the two followed the agent to sign the contract. As they were leaving, Jennifer spotted someone familiar—Mia's husband, Aaron. She was about to go say hello when she saw a woman run over and hug him. The two were acting very intimately, laughing and chatting. Jennifer's raised hand dropped. That woman was definitely not Mia! What was their relationship? Did Aaron have a sister? Many questions flashed through Jennifer's mind.
Sandra patted Jennifer's shoulder. "What did you see? You suddenly froze."
Jennifer pulled down her hand and lowered her voice. "Sandra, you go ahead. I suddenly have some personal business to handle." Her expression was serious. Though Sandra was confused, she didn't ask questions and just nodded and left.
Jennifer dug sunglasses out of her bag and put them on, then pulled up the scarf around her neck to cover half her mouth. She casually moved toward Aaron's direction. The agent was asking him, "Mr. Hill, the apartments you just looked at are all in upscale communities with the best views and decoration. Have you and your girlfriend decided which one to choose?"
The woman next to Aaron wore a light green bodycon dress that showed off her curves. She pressed tightly against Aaron's body and said with a flirty laugh, "Aaron, I think these places are all so beautiful, but they're too expensive. I only make a few thousand dollars a month—how could I afford such expensive rent? Why don't we look at something cheaper? I don't deserve to live in such a nice apartment."
Aaron laughed. He pinched the tip of her nose and said in a doting tone, "Daphne, what are you talking about? I promised your sister I'd take good care of you. How could I let you pay for rent yourself? Of course, I'm paying—you just pick what you like. You're so pretty and sweet and obedient, you deserve the best."
Daphne looked up at Aaron with a gaze that was sweet and adoring. She suddenly stood on her toes and kissed him, then shyly buried her head against his chest and said, "Aaron, you're so good to me. I don't even know how to repay you. I can't choose—you pick for me."
Aaron laughed proudly. His hand around Daphne's waist tightened, pressing her belly closer to him. Daphne felt something hard pressing against her belly and let out a soft sound. Aaron leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Of course, you know how to repay me. From now on, we won't need to go to hotels—we can just go to your place."
Jennifer didn't hear that last part, but from Daphne's expression, she could tell they were flirting. Aaron's hands were getting more and more inappropriate, sliding down to Daphne's perky butt and giving it a few squeezes. She finally couldn't take it anymore and threw her bag at Aaron's back. "Aaron, how can you face Mia?" The agent who had been about to approach her was startled and froze in place. The smile on Aaron's face vanished instantly. He stared at her with his mouth open. "Who are you?"
Jennifer pulled down her scarf and took off her sunglasses, demanding, "Aaron, what's your relationship with this Daphne? Why did that agent just say you two are boyfriend and girlfriend? Have you forgotten you have a wife?" Her voice wasn't quiet, and people around them looked over with interest. Some started whispering words like "mistress" and "cheating." Daphne's delicate face instantly turned pale. She bit her lower lip hard. She was only eighteen, and this was her first time being a married man's mistress. She just wanted to enjoy Aaron's attention and the gifts he gave her—she wasn't prepared to face other people's accusations.
Aaron's face darkened. He gripped Jennifer's wrist tightly and pulled her aside, lowering his voice. "Jennifer, don't get so worked up. Daphne is just my friend's sister. I just see her as a young kid who likes to be clingy. You've got it wrong. I was just too lazy to explain all that to the agent. I'm not cheating."
Jennifer looked at Aaron, then glanced suspiciously a few times at Daphne, who was following behind him, looking wronged. Daphne's tears were about to fall. She stammered an explanation, "Jennifer, you've got it wrong. I know Aaron has a wife. I never wanted to break up anyone's family. I'm just a little scared being in Golden Harbor for work by myself, and my sister told me I could ask Aaron for help if I needed anything." As she spoke, tears fell, and her eyes quickly turned red.
They both sounded so certain that Jennifer started to doubt whether she'd seen things wrong earlier. Seeing her hesitation, Aaron swore again, "Jennifer, you have to believe me—I would never do anything to hurt Mia! You know how much I love her."
Jennifer thought about all the things Aaron had done for Mia. He'd once flown overseas overnight just because Mia mentioned wanting to try the most authentic local food. Mia had a bit of a temper and often hit and yelled at him, but he never got angry. She also remembered how not long ago Mia had taken her to catch Aaron cheating, and it turned out to be a misunderstanding. Maybe today was a misunderstanding, too? She looked at the two people in front of her suspiciously and said, "You're renting an apartment for another woman—does Mia know about this? Daphne is a girl after all, and you're a grown man. You should be more careful about appearances."
Seeing her soften, Aaron immediately promised, "Don't worry, I'll find the right time to tell Mia about this and get her approval. From now on, I'll have my secretary handle Daphne's matters. You're Mia's best friend—you probably don't want her fighting with me over a little misunderstanding and hurting our marriage, right?"
Jennifer nodded cautiously. "Of course I want you two to have a good marriage, so you better not make her sad."
Aaron promised her again and again, finally getting rid of Jennifer's suspicions.