Jack, You're So Handsome"
Caden's slender figure followed Alison to the women's restroom.
As she leaned over the sink, vomiting, a voice came from outside the door. "Miss, is anyone still in there?"
A woman walking toward the restroom glared at him. "What are you doing? Didn't a woman just go in there?"
"So she's the only one in there?"
"I suppose so."
"Thanks."
He turned around, got a sign from the tool room, and put it in front of the door: "Cleaning in progress. Do not enter."
Alison saw the man in the mirror. "Get out of here! This is the women's restroom!"
"It's my fault for insisting you eat chicken. Do you want to go to the hospital?"
Alison wiped the mess off her face. "I'm fine."
Pale-faced, she returned to the dining table.
Jack was sitting with his back to her.
"Jack, do you think that Parker guy is going to come bother me again? Can you figure out a way to make sure he never shows up in front of me again? I really don't like him, you know." Gwendolyn's voice was soft and alluring. "Jack, say something!"
"He's in the shadows, and I'm out in the open. I don't even know where he lives or what he does. I'm just a businessman. It's not that easy for me to make him disappear. But I'll keep that in mind, and I'll figure out a way to handle it later," Jack replied.
"That's more like it, Jack. Here, try a piece of beef. It's pretty authentic, though not as good as what I make. Next time, I'll cook it for you myself," Gwendolyn said, enthusiastically serving Jack a piece of meat.
Alison looked up, her gaze fixed on Gwendolyn's hand.
She watched Gwendolyn spear a piece of beef and bring it to Jack's mouth.
Alison's brows furrowed.
Jack hesitated for a moment but then opened his mouth and ate the piece of beef.
When Gwendolyn withdrew the fork, Alison simply couldn't bear to watch any longer.
What she missed was that the moment Gwendolyn looked down to pick up some food, Jack had already wrapped the piece of beef in a napkin and tossed it away.
He picked up the glass of water on the table, took a small sip, and spat it right back out. "That's awful."
After rinsing his mouth, he picked up his fork leisurely and began to eat.
Gwendolyn gazed at him. "Jack, you're so handsome."
Alison hung her head low, burying her face in her food.
She chewed and swallowed with all her might.
"Are you upset?" Caden asked casually, set down his knife and fork, and leaned back in his chair.
Alison froze. "Who's upset? I'm not."
"Good. Men are like that sometimes—they're just playing a part. Don't take it too seriously."
"Who's taking it seriously? He didn't say he wanted a divorce, and he's not with that woman. As his loyal wife, what do I have to fear?" Alison said.
Maybe Jack was still on a mission.
Yet the nagging unease in her heart grew stronger.
"Alright, forget about him. You still haven't told me what to do when Aidan comes to pick up Tyler tonight. Don't tell me you're just here for a meal." Alison forced herself to put Jack out of her mind.
"Simple. Just make Tyler 'sick.'"
"Sick? What do you mean? Tyler's perfectly fine."
"Ms. Fairchild, you seem to have caught a chill. It'd be perfectly natural for Tyler to catch a cold, too, don't you think?"
"Well, what should we do then?"
"Jack, when are you going to divorce that woman? I can't keep tagging along with you like this with no official status." Gwendolyn's voice came from behind them, leaving Alison flustered.
Alison pricked up her ears.
Jack took a leisurely sip of soup and said, "I'll come over to your place tomorrow night, but I can't go to that apartment anymore. I have another apartment in XX. It's old and worn, but I'll give it to you. How about that?"
Alison pulled out her phone, her fingers flying across the screen as she sent a text message.
[Jack, what are you up to? I've called three times and couldn't get through.]
She was deeply hurt because that apartment was a special place where they'd first met.
Though small, that little apartment had been the cradle of their love.
Now, he was giving it to Gwendolyn.
Alison had regretted choosing this place.
If she'd known she'd run into Jack and Gwendolyn together, she never would have come.
"How are we going to get Aidan to give up on Tyler?" Alison asked, changing the subject.
Caden lowered his head and quickly outlined the plan in a voice only the two of them could hear.
"That's it? What if we get caught?" Alison asked in disbelief.
"Have you ever acted like that in front of him before?"
"No."
"Well, have you ever lied to him?"
"No."
With the Tyler situation settled, Alison picked up her bag to leave.
However, Caden grabbed her hand. "Don't you want to get that off your chest?"