Chapter 13 Getting Used to His Presence
From that day on, even though she opened that dreaded computer every day, she never got another email from that person.
"Maybe it was just a prank," she thought, a smile slowly spreading across her face.
She was eager to work because it gave her peace of mind and made the time fly by.
So, while Jack was at work during the day, she started job hunting.
But every job she found turned her down because she couldn't work overtime.
She actually wanted to work overtime, but Jack always came home on time for dinner, which made it tricky for her.
Thinking about how he held her every night as they fell asleep, she realized she had gotten used to having him around.
Seventy days had passed, not too long, not too short, and she had slowly let down her guard.
That evening, Alison had dinner ready on time. When she heard the doorbell, she immediately ran to open the door.
At this hour, she assumed it could only be Jack, so she opened the door without hesitation.
But outside, Jack wasn't alone.
Standing next to him was a slender, beautiful woman, and Jack had his arm casually around her waist.
Jack walked straight into the apartment with the woman, his smooth voice ringing out, "Leah, look, my maid has already prepared dinner. Go wash your hands, and we'll eat together."
Alison was stunned, her feet rooted to the spot. She looked at Jack, completely at a loss for how to handle this sudden change.
In the apartment, it was just her, Jack, and the woman named Leah.
And the dinner was made by her own hands.
So, she was the maid Jack had mentioned.
"What are you standing there for? Serve the food!" Jack coldly urged when he saw her standing dumbfounded at the door.
"Oh, okay." His shout snapped her back to reality, and she hurried to the kitchen to bring out the dishes.
She set the home-cooked meal on the table, all of Jack's favorite dishes.
Over the past two months, she had learned his tastes, knowing what he liked and disliked. Although he never said anything, she observed each meal carefully, noting which dishes he ate more of and which he barely touched.
Even though she was just a hidden figure in his life, over these days, she had unknowingly grown accustomed to his care and tenderness.
That tenderness was like the wine he once gave her, rich and intoxicating, making her quietly addicted, unable to pull away.
But now, as he suddenly changed his demeanor, she realized that her acceptance of him might have crossed a line.
No promises had been made between them.
Women are always so quick to let down their guard.
The dishes were neatly arranged on the table, two exquisite plates, all personally selected by her from the supermarket.
But the seat that was originally hers was now taken by a girl named Leah.
"Miss Bruce, you can clock out now." Jack picked up his knife and fork, not even looking up as he spoke to her.
It was a signal for her to leave, treating her like a maid and sending her away.
Her heart tightened painfully.
"Okay, Mr. Winston, I'll leave now. I'll wash the dishes when I come back to clean tomorrow." She took a deep breath and said calmly, turning towards the door in a fluster.
She didn't know if this was all an act, but she knew her presence was no longer needed.
So, she left.
She took nothing with her. As a worker, the only thing she could take was the key to the apartment. She didn't even dare to take her clothes in front of Leah.
Barefoot, she silently floated to the door like a ghost.
Her fingers trembled as she opened the door.
Once it was open, she stepped out, feeling lost.
Behind her, Leah's sweet but disdainful voice rang out, "Jack, what kind of maid did you hire? She’s so dumb she forgot to wear shoes."
That voice echoed in Alison's ears. She bit her lip and smiled faintly. Maybe she was foolish and silly, but she just didn't want to wear shoes. She would leave barefoot.
"Oh, by the way, Miss Bruce, come back. I forgot to pay you last month's salary." Jack called out to her.
He was getting better at this act, even mentioning her salary.
Alison didn't turn back, she just said softly, "Mr. Winston, I'll come back tomorrow. We can settle it then." Without waiting for his response, she closed the apartment door. The sound of the lock clicking shut felt like a bomb, shattering her heart into pieces.
The pain spread, boundless and overwhelming...
The hallway was silent, with only a lonely shadow cast long on the floor.
Before Jack came home, she had been eagerly waiting for him, but now, it felt like she had fallen from heaven to hell, her heart filled with bitterness.
But now, she had nowhere to go.
She didn't have a penny to her name.
She didn't know where to go, or when Leah would leave Jack's apartment.
Although her pride told her to leave him, that decision quickly vanished.
That person hadn't replied to her emails in a long time, but the photos were like a ticking time bomb, always flashing in her mind.
No, she couldn't leave.
It hadn't been three months yet, and she had already invested so much. With just a few days left until those photos would disappear, she couldn't give up.
She kept telling herself she had to endure, she had to stay by Jack's side. When the three months were up, that person would reappear. The fox would show its tail, and she couldn't give up.
She didn't take the elevator or leave the apartment building. She suddenly wanted to see the night view of the city.
Step by step, she walked up to the rooftop, where she could see the dreamlike city that never slept.
She loved the night because it could hide her wounds, just like now, she only wanted to lick the wounds Jack had given her in the darkness.
Finally, she reached the rooftop.
The wind blew, making her long hair dance in the breeze.
She stood there, admiring the beautiful night view, watching the lights flicker in the thousands of homes below.