Chapter 8 Million-Dollar Apology
Francis started to get up, but Jennifer hadn't noticed yet. She hooked her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a kiss.
His expression turned cold, and he spoke harshly, "Sorry, Ms. Brown." With that, he stood up, grabbed his coat, and headed to the study to take a call.
Jennifer was left alone on the couch, her clothes half undone, looking stunned. Was he impotent? Or did he have some kind of split personality disorder? He had initiated it, yet now that they were undressed, he backed out.Was this his revenge for her running out on him after their one-night stand? Francis was so petty!
Jennifer's mind raced with thoughts, making her both ashamed and angry. She fumbled to button up her shirt, the small pearl buttons slipping through her trembling fingers. She finally managed to fix her appearance, pulling out a compact mirror from her bag to touch up her makeup. Her face was flushed, and her lips were still wet from their kiss. She wiped them clean with a fierce determination.
'Jennifer, you're so useless, giving in to temptation so easily!' She thought.
After she had composed herself, the study door remained closed. She had no idea when Francis would finish his call. Jennifer waited a bit longer, gazing out the floor-to-ceiling windows at the night view. Suddenly, she felt ridiculous for coming over. It seemed she wouldn't be getting the bracelet today; she might as well leave now with some dignity intact.
In the study, Francis's tone started off gentle, but something the person on the other end said made his expression darken. They argued briefly before the other person hung up.
Francis stared at the disconnected phone, too stubborn to call back, and sat there for a long time. By the time he remembered Jennifer in the living room, she was already gone.
Jennifer walked alone through the streets, passing a small amusement park outside a mall. The carousel's colorful lights blinked on and off, with children holding ice cream laughing and waving at their parents. She reminisced about the times her parents took her to amusement parks when she was a child. She longed to stay in her carefree and joyful childhood years forever.
Francis, feeling uneasy, drove slowly through the streets and spotted Jennifer. She was staring at the carousel with tears glistening in her eyes, filled with longing and nostalgia. He remembered the last time he saw her cry. Was it because of that man again? Their years together must have been full of wonderful memories, so even though he had changed, she couldn't forget him. This thought made Francis even more irritable, and he sped away.
The next day, Jennifer went to her studio job. Her boss was a renowned jewelry designer, and the work hours were flexible. She had taken several days off recently due to family issues. Upon her return, several colleagues showed concern, some genuinely, others not so much. Jennifer responded casually.
Near lunchtime, she received a high-end gift box with Hermes packaging.
A colleague exclaimed enviously, "Jennifer, your boyfriend is so good to you! Buying you such an expensive bag!"
Another colleague, Layla Scott, with her sharp chin and always-ready-to-gossip attitude, gasped, "Wait, didn't Jennifer just break up with her boyfriend? Already got a new guy? Jennifer sure knows how to attract them. This new one seems way more generous than the last!" She tried to sneak a peek at the sender's name.
Layla and Jennifer had known each other since college, and she was familiar with Eugene. Her words clearly suggested that Jennifer had traded up for someone wealthier.
Jennifer, feeling uneasy, clutched the box tightly, shielding it from Layla's prying eyes. She glanced at the sender's address, which was from an Hermes store. Who would send her such an extravagant gift without a name? She opened the package to find a brand-new Birkin bag. But what really caught her attention was the small paper bag on top of the purse, containing her lost bracelet! She quickly and carefully put the bracelet back on her wrist. She was relieved to see that Francis wasn't the type to keep someone else's belongings.
Despite the awkward encounter the previous day, she was thankful he returned the bracelet. It was a cherished birthday gift from her late mother.
Layla grabbed the bag to inspect it, her jealousy palpable, "It's a rare crocodile skin Birkin bag. Even on the second-hand market, it could sell for over a million dollars. Jennifer, who gave you this? Where did you meet such a generous man? Can you introduce him to me?" Layla initially thought it might be a fake, but the more she examined it, the more genuine it seemed, and her envy grew.
As Layla handled the bag, a small card fell to the floor. Jennifer picked it up. It read: [Sorry about yesterday.]
Clearly, the bag was from Francis as an apology. Jennifer only wanted her bracelet back; she had no interest in keeping the bag. Ignoring her colleagues' envious and curious stares, she said coolly, "Give it back to me. I'm returning it."
Layla pouted, "Why act all high and mighty?" But she handed the bag back, knowing she couldn't afford to damage such an expensive item.
Jennifer didn't argue. She took the box and left. She didn't go to Francis, knowing he wouldn't take back a gift once given. Instead, she went straight to the Hermes store to return the bag. The sales associate was surprised and confirmed, "Ma'am, this crocodile skin Birkin is one of our most sought-after items. It's very hard to come by, even with a special order. Are you sure you want to return it?"
Jennifer replied, "Yes, I see the receipts are all here. Can I return it?"
"Yes, but the refund will be credited back to the original account. We can't give you cash," the associate explained, suspecting Jennifer wanted to cash in on someone else's gift.
Jennifer understood the implication and smiled, "That's exactly what I want. I don't want to keep his gift."
"Okay!" The associate thought to herself, looking at the gentle-looking Jennifer. 'It seems she's being pursued. The love lives of the wealthy sure are dramatic.'
When Francis received the refund notification, he was a bit surprised. Seeing it was for the apology gift he sent to Jennifer, he let out a resigned chuckle. She must be really upset to return the gift. She even thought to return it directly; she wasn't always so foolish. If he had any real affection for Jennifer, it wasn't much. It was merely a way to pass the time and satisfy his desires. If she didn't remind him of someone else, he wouldn't have had the patience to play these games with her. Since she didn't want the gift, so be it.