They'd been in the study for a while before finally coming out. Sidney was in the kitchen making coffee. When she saw them coming downstairs, she politely followed Jayson to see them off. Once they were gone, she turned to him and said, "I don't think I've ever seen you bring anyone home before."
"Jack Maxwell's different. He's a friend I've known since childhood."
"What could a childhood friend want that's so important it has to be discussed behind closed doors?"
"It's nothing important, just asking him to help me find someone." Jayson walked to the living room and sat on the sofa.
"Who are you looking for? Why does he have to be the one to do it? Can't you do it yourself?" Sidney asked. Given Jayson's influence in B City, why would he need to ask someone else to find a person? She didn't understand.
"Sometimes, it's inconvenient for me to do it myself. You have a lot of questions today," Jayson said, looking up at Sidney, who was standing beside him.
"I'm just curious," Sidney explained. She didn't mention that she had already recognized that Jack was the person who had come out of the VIP room with Jayson that day. She was afraid he would start being suspicious of her.
"Pour me a cup of coffee," he said, rubbing his brow.
Sidney went inside, poured a cup of coffee, and handed it to him. Seeing his tired expression, she felt a pang of sympathy.
"Why don't you take a nap if you're tired?"
"No, I still need to go to the study later and organize some things." He took a sip of the coffee and thought to himself that she had quite a talent for cooking. Even the coffee she made tasted different from what the butler usually made.
"How about I give you a shoulder massage?"
He nodded.
Sidney stood behind him and began massaging his shoulders. Her hands were strong, and it felt incredibly soothing. Jayson tilted his head back, closed his eyes, and relaxed, feeling his fatigue melt away in an instant.
Sidney continued massaging his shoulders, watching his relaxed expression, and put more effort into it. After about ten minutes, she stopped and gently patted his back. He was already asleep, completely unresponsive. She grabbed a blanket and draped it over him, then dimmed the lights, thinking he'd benefit from a few more minutes of rest.
She quietly walked over to his side and sat down softly on the couch next to him, just watching the man in front of her. When he closed his eyes, he looked almost gentle, like a refined scholar—his lips slightly parted, teeth white and even, with none of the usual hardness she'd seen in him. There was a calmness to his face, a kind of serenity that made him seem completely at ease. She studied the long, delicate lashes peeking out from behind his glasses, thinking to herself that most girls didn't have lashes as long as his.
He opened his eyes. The surroundings were dark, and he could only see Sidney sitting beside him. "What time is it?"
"You've only been asleep for ten minutes."
"Why didn't you wake me up?"
"You're exhausted, I can't stand seeing you like this," she said softly.
He ruffled her hair before getting up and heading upstairs to the study, where he stayed for several hours. The door to the study was left ajar, and during that time, Sidney brought him some water. When she entered, she spotted a few photos on his desk—faces she didn't recognize. The first thing that crossed her mind was that these must be the people he was looking for.
Two days later, Sidney received a phone call from Jayson. He told her that Atticus, the vice president of his company, had just had a baby, and he asked Sidney to go to the mall and buy some gifts before meeting him at the office to visit.
Sidney couldn't help but think that the Calderon family issue was probably behind them now. With everything seeming to settle down, she felt a sense of calm wash over her and quickly began preparing to leave.
Sidney arrived at the mall near Jayson's office. Although there were still bodyguards following her, she didn't see any suspicious journalists, so she relaxed and wandered around the mall.
Lacking experience, she thought for a while and ended up buying a baby bath set and some toys. She asked the store clerk to wrap up her items and wandered through the aisles, picking up a few more things. As she turned down the spice aisle, her eyes caught movement—someone walking past. Instinctively, Sidney turned her head, and her gaze landed on him. It was Jack, the man who had come to her house that day. The recognition hit her immediately, though she hadn't expected to see him here.
"Wait a minute!" Sidney called out to him.
Jack stopped and hesitated, looking at her.
"I'm Sidney, Jayson's wife. You're his friend Jack, right?"
He nodded and greeted her with a "Hello, Sidney."
Today, Jack wore a leather jacket, a white-lined shirt, and a pair of jeans. His style seemed very different from Jayson's other friends.
"Can I talk to you for a moment?"
Jack slightly furrowed his brows, thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
The bodyguards didn't know who Jack was, but when they heard Sidney say he was the boss's friend, they didn't stop her from approaching him.
Sidney led him to a small café next to the supermarket in the mall and invited him for a coffee.
Jack didn't drink coffee. Instead, he pointed to a glass of lemonade on the menu, which was filled with every kind of coffee imaginable.
Turning back to see the bodyguards still standing at the entrance, Sidney spoke to him, "I've been married to Jayson for less than a year. When he mentioned having childhood friends, I got curious."
Jack was cautious, listening to Sidney's words. He only muttered a soft "mm" in response, but didn't say anything further.
