After the intense selection competition, the sales department returned to its usual work routine, though not as heavy as before.
In the afternoon, Jake and Cabel chatted and shared their thoughts, and before they knew it, it was time to get off work.
All winners of the competition received varying lengths of vacation, and Jake's team, as the champions, each got two days off.
Jake originally planned to have a small date with Mia that evening, but unexpectedly, his aunt became an obstacle.
Jake only found out that day why his aunt had gotten so drunk—it was the day she divorced his uncle-in-law, likely because she couldn't have children.
Silently walking out of Shigella, Jake gazed at the setting sun in the sky. The air had grown colder, and the golden hues of the sunset seemed to drape the entire city in a golden coat. The roads were bustling with electric scooters and cars honking incessantly, adding liveliness to the prosperous city.
Jake breathed in the fresh air, realizing that a whole month had passed unnoticed. He felt deeply moved, unable to forget the experience for a long time.
A large number of Shigella employees brushed past him, and snapping out of his thoughts, Jake followed the crowd to the parking lot to retrieve his car.
Thinking of Mia, Jake decided to buy a decent gift before heading home, especially since he had shamelessly accepted two expensive suits from her before.
Driving to the familiar Dawn Plaza, Jake went straight to a well-known jewelry store.
Mia was a genuine rich second-generation heiress, owning almost every major international luxury jewelry brand, not to mention bags and shoes—she never repeated outfits. If she knew how to drive, her family's villa probably wouldn't have enough space for all her cars.
But love was stronger than gold. No matter how inexpensive Jake's gift was, Mia would adore it.
The dazzling array of jewelry was overwhelming, but compared to the last time he bought a suit, Jake now felt much more confident.
There weren't many people in the store, mostly women.
Jake had no choice but to ignore all the "inner voices" and carefully make his selection.
After more than an hour, with the help of a sales assistant, he finally chose a diamond necklace called "Tears of the Sky," priced at around 4,000 dollars. Jake rarely splurged, so he opted for a relatively expensive piece.
Just as he was about to check out, Jake happened to spot an emerald-green agate bracelet, and his aunt's face suddenly flashed in his mind.
Her jade-like skin, smooth arms, yet devoid of any jewelry adornments. Today was also his aunt's birthday. After a few seconds of silence, Jake asked the sales assistant to take it out for him to see.
When the exquisitely carved bracelet was placed in front of Jake, its elegant and noble appearance matched his aunt perfectly. The low-key yet luxurious agate emitted a green fluorescence, making it the perfect gift for a teacher.
Without even asking the price, Jake took both the necklace and the bracelet.
After checking out, the total came to just over 6,000 dollars, which was more than manageable for Jake, who now had a "fortune" of 50,000 dollars.
For the first time, Jake felt the thrill of spending. Though reluctant, he couldn't help but submit to the allure of money, and his desire to strive grew even stronger.
After buying the gifts, Jake unusually dined at a high-end restaurant. By the time he got home, the sky was already pitch black.
Lounging comfortably on the sofa, Jake idly scrolled through short videos when "ding ding ding…" several WhatsApp messages from Mia popped up in quick succession.
Jake opened the chat window.
There were photos and videos.
The photos were all selfies of Mia, still in her cute and adorable style.
Jake chuckled as he clicked through each photo, swiping through them before opening the video.
Under dim lighting, a stunningly beautiful woman sat at the dining table, silently making a wish in front of a lit candle while Mia's birthday song faintly played in the background.
Simple yet warm and beautiful.
For a moment, Jake felt as if he were there.
It was his aunt.
Though they hadn't seen each other in days, his aunt remained as enchanting as ever.
Smiling knowingly, Jake sent a message, "Don't stay up too late, or you won't be able to wake up tomorrow."
The reply was a voice message from Mia.
Accompanied by elegant music, Mia's voice rang out, "Don't worry, I'll rest after celebrating Auntie's birthday."
"By the way, is Auntie staying at your place tonight?" Jake tentatively asked another question.
"I'm not sure. It depends on my mom. Gotta go, time to cut the cake."
Jake turned off the screen and closed his eyes to rest.
After some time, his phone rang again—a goodnight message from Mia.
Staring at the message for a while, Jake felt a flicker of hesitation. After some deliberation, he decided to take a gamble.
Jumping up from the sofa, he freshened up in the bathroom, tucked the newly bought agate bracelet into his pocket, and rushed out the door.
...
The Wester family villa.
Two equally tall women sat across from each other around the coffee table.
One, with wine-red wavy hair, crossed her legs. Her purple pencil skirt clung tightly to her voluptuous lower body, her plump hips exuding sensuality.
Her long legs were sheathed in sheer black stockings, the ultra-thin silk tantalizingly seductive. She wore white cotton slippers, her rounded heels swaying slightly, irresistibly alluring.
Her upper body was clad in a black long-sleeved blouse, her full, towering breasts seemingly bursting forth, the buttons straining against the creamy flesh peeking through.
The sleeves were casually rolled up, revealing her fair wrists. Her slender right hand held a cup of tea, her fingertips adorned with purple nail polish that shimmered with a noble, bewitching glow.
Her earlobes, neck, and fingers were all adorned with jewelry, exuding opulence without a hint of vulgarity. Her cold eyes radiated arrogance.
The other woman was the complete opposite, sitting upright with her legs together and hands resting on her lap. Though she wore no jewelry, her grace was no less than the former's.
Her gray strapless dress outlined her sexy figure, her long black hair draped over one shoulder. A gray knitted shawl covered her straight shoulders, exuding gentle elegance.
Her slender swan-like neck led to delicate collarbones, framing the deep cleavage between her breasts.
Her legs were mostly concealed by the long skirt, revealing only a glimpse of her fair calves. Her dainty ankles had faint blue veins visible through her skin, as perfect as a rare piece of art.
Yana took a sip of tea and said calmly, "Taylor, since things have come to this, divorce might not be a bad thing."
Taylor, as docile as a child in front of her sister, nodded in agreement.
"How was the property divided?"
"Aside from the house, we split the savings equally."
"Hmph, openly keeping a mistress yet not leaving empty-handed." Yana seemed dissatisfied with Linker's actions, her gaze resting on her sister.
"I told you to inform me before the divorce. I have a lawyer who could've handled it, but you acted on your own."
Hearing her sister's reproach, Taylor sighed mournfully. "I wasn't thinking straight at the time. He brought that woman with him, so I…"
Taylor's voice trailed off.
Yana also felt heartbroken for her sister, but back then, Taylor had been purely love-struck, impossible to reason with.
Her cold voice spoke again, "Enough. What's done is done. At least you two didn't have children, or else there'd be endless complications in the future."
Taylor remained silent, lowering her head.
Yana realized she had touched on her sister's pain and quickly changed the subject. "Since you're on break now, take some time to relax. Go traveling or something."
"Yeah…"
Seeing her sister in low spirits, Yana didn't press further.
She only suggested Taylor stay the night, but Taylor refused.
"Tsk, grown up and won't listen to your sister anymore. Fine, I'll have Yakov drive you back!" Yana stood up to call for Yakov.
"No need. Brother-in-law isn't feeling well, so don't trouble him. I've already called a car—it should be here soon."
Yana, seeing her sister's stubbornness, didn't insist, only silently walked her to the villa gate.
With a screech of brakes, the car arrived right on time.
"Tonight was wonderful. I'll be going now."
"Take care!"
Yana watched as her sister disappeared into the car and sighed. "Stubborn girl, so headstrong." A moment later, her tone turned icy.
"Daring to hurt my sister—Linker, you've got some nerve!"