Chapter 152
Chapter 152
Jocelyn exuded a sincere sense of weariness.
Melvin felt increasingly uneasy. She had said those words several times, which essentially meant she was truly tired of his persistence.
But he wasn’t willing to give up on her!
“Well, then you’ll have to wait for my funeral,” Melvin declared, not caring if she would hate him for it. This was the truth in his heart.
Unless he was six feet under, he wouldn’t give up on her.
A sharp pang tightened in Jocelyn’s chest as she looked at him incredulously, but his gaze was unfathomably deep. “You…”
Melvin’s phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID before answering.
“Dr. Layla”
Jocelyn only heard him address the caller before he turned away. But he clearly kept the conversation private. Doctor?
The call lasted barely two minutes before Melvin hung up
Seeing that Jocelyn hadn’t left, he felt a wave of relief.
“I’ll drive you home.”
“I don’t need a ride from you, Jocelyn replied with a hint of defiance.
Melvin frowned. “Do I really need to force you?”
Jocelyn was afraid of him. She knew he was capable of anything when riled up-it was just a matter of whether he wanted to or not.
Considering the late hour and the long walk home, she finally agreed in reluctance.
They returned to his car. As they drove off, Jocelyn noticed his grave expression. She couldn’t help but think about that mysterious phone call.
“Is someone sick?” she finally asked.
“Yeah.”
“Who?” Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.
A doctor’s call at night was rarely good news. For relatives, such calls were dreaded, often bringing nothing but bad tidings.
She didn’t want to pry. But it seemed callous if she didn’t ask about it.
“No one.” Melvin kept his eyes on the road. His voice was even.
Taking the hint, Jocelyn fell silent.
The car stopped in front of her apartment building. Thanks, she said as she got out.
Uncharacteristically, Melvin stayed in the car without a word
As Jocelyn closed the car door, her neighbor Rose happened to be taking out the trash and spotted them.
“Hey, how come your boyfriend didn’t come up with you?” Rose asked.
Jocelyn wanted to explain they weren’t together anymore but feared a lengthy explanation, so she simply said. He’s got things to do.”
I haven’t seen him around for a while, Rose mentioned as they entered the elevator. “I thought you two might have broken up.”
Jocelyn offered an embarrassed smile.
Once home, Jocelyn went to bed directly.
Melvin’s words nagged at her-he wasn’t joking, and his stubbornness was something she had never anticipated. Clearly, if he didn’t let go, any future relationships she might have were doomed.
As the new semester approached, Jocelyn got busier, especially as a senior class teacher with mounting pressures.
Daisy had nothing better to do in her own house, so she offered to tidy up Jocelyn’s apartment after getting Jocelyn’s permission and the keys.
Jocelyn had kept her place clean usually, despite her busy schedule. But she rarely cooked, leaving the fridge either full of spoiled goods or empty.
Daisy decided to buy groceries and prepare some homemade toast to stock the fridge, ensuring Jocelyn always had something to eat.
Entering the building with her hands full, Daisy called out to hold the elevator. It was Rose inside.
Thanks, Daisy said, appreciating the help.
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you last time,” Rose remarked as they rode up. “You’ve got quite the grocery haul for Jocelyn there.
“Yeah, she’s gearing up for new school term, so I thought I’d help stock her up,” Daisy chirped. “You know how it is with youngsters-always too busy to eat properly, resorting to takeout or instant noodles. But none of these is nutritious”
Rose nodded in agreement. Then she mentioned, “I’ve noticed Jocelyn’s boyfriend hasn’t been around much recently.”
Daisy perked up at this. Had Harrison been a frequent here? That sounded good for them. She simply smiled, “He’s back to his parents’ during the holiday. Suppose he hasn’t been back yet.”
“Her boyfriend isn’t local, is he? He should be back now. I saw her boyfriend send her back a few days ago, but he didn’t go upstairs. Rose said, “Her boyfriend is really handsome and rich. I see they’ve been together for so many years. When do they plan the wedding?”
They were in a relationship for years?
“I thought Jocelyn and Harrison have only been dating for a few months, Daisy mused.
“Oh, are you sure? I’ve seen them together in and out for over three years.” Rose seemed surprised.
Daisy was even more baffled. Over three years? Why hadn’t Jocelyn mentioned before?
The elevator doors opened, but Daisy was no longer in a hurry to leave. She asked Rose for her opinion on Jocelyn’s boyfriend, playing the concerned mom.
Rose was always ready for a chat. “I get you. My kids don’t live with me either.” Rose said, “Your son- in-law is very handsome, better looking than those male stars on TV. And he is very rich. I remember
my daughter said that the car he drives is worth several million. However, the other day, they should have had a quarrel, and the young man was downstairs in the rain for a long time.”
Daisy was even more puzzled.
Rose had that seasoned look of someone who was experienced and sensitive. She wasn’t shy about sharing her wisdom with Daisy. “You’ve got to put the screws to them. It’s been nearly four years. It’s high time she made an honest man out of him. What’s the point of just dating forever? You ought to urge them to tie the
kat A woman’s prime doesn’t last forever. Unlike men, if they’ve got the dough, they can always snag
someone younger. But it’s different for us women You need a family to feel complete.”
Daisy’s mind glossed over the unsolicited advice. She was too busy plecing together that the young man Rose described definitely wasn’t Harrison.
it was someone else.
School hadn’t officially started yet, and Jocelyn wouldn’t be spending her evenings there for too long.
So Daisy did what she had to do. She called her daughter and insisted with a rare gravity in her voice, that Jocelyn come home that evening. They needed to talk
The seriousness caught Jocelyn off guard. It had been years since her mother had spoken to her with that tone Concerned, she hailed a cab straight from school to her parents’ house. The moment she stepped through the front door, she was met with the stern, almost accusatory stares of her mom and dad, as if she were a suspect and they were the detectives.
Feeling uneasy. Jocelyn took off her coat and ventured, “What’s going on? Are you guys fighting?”
But that didn’t seem quite right. If her parents were quarreling, her mom would never be sitting so close to her dad.
No, this was definitely something about her.