Chapter 25


    The next moming, Jocelyn headed off to school.


    During lunchtime, Urs came over with her meal, plopped down next to Jocelyn, and handed her


    phone over, saying,


    Check this out, the minute Willow’s back she became the ambassador of a jewelry brand”


    The moment Jocelyn heard Willow’s name, her food suddenly tasted like cardboard.


    She couldn’t resist taking a peek and sure enough, there was Willow at the jewelry brand’s signing


    event.


    But it wasn’t Melvin doing the signing It was Zephyr


    Well, wasn’t that convenient? With all this back and forth, it would be only a matter of time before


    they’re an item. They’ve got the perfect setup for a little office romance


    “Something’s fishy, though Even though Willow is extremely popr, it’s surprising she’dnd a brand


    endorsement. contract right after returning I remember the jewelrypany never used ambassadors


    before, so this exception makes me wonder if there’s some undisclosed secret between thepany


    owner and her…”


    Urs muttered to herself, scrolling through thements under the video. Most of them were all


    about how stunning Willow looked Willow ys!, She deserves this”, ‘The jewelry brand’s got good


    taste!”


    And more importantly, a bunch of Willow’s fans had already started hitting up the stores, snapping up


    jewelry left and right to show their support.


    Got to admit, she’s kind of a big deal, Urs said, putting down her phone. She noticed Jocelyn looking


    down in the dumps and couldn’t help but ask, “What’s up with the long face?”


    Jocelyn had lost her appetite. She shook her head. “Maybe it’s the heat. I’m just not feeling hungry. You


    enjoy your meal; I’m gonna head out


    Back at the office, Jocelyn clicked on Twitter’s top stories and there was Willow, looking fresh as a


    daisy in a floral sundress, her hair tied up in a cute bun, her innocent features on full disy, decked


    out in the brand’s bling, striking a variety of poses.


    Lying up in the hospital one day, taking endorsements the next, talk about dedication to the job.


    Melvin’s really looking out for Willow by setting her up with such a sweet deal right off the bat. It’s hard


    to imagine Willow not bing a sensation with this kind of


    exposure.


    With Melvin backing her, Willow’s got a fast track to the top of the entertainment industry.


    Jocelyn Preston’s voice came from the doorway, startling her enough to drop her phone on the desk.


    She quickly turned off her phone and asked nonchntly, “What’s up?”


    The office was empty except for Jocelyn.


    Preston stood in front of her desk, his eyes on the phone she had flipped over on the table. “You saw it,


    didn’t you?”


    “Saw what?”


    Willow’s new jewelry endorsement


    Jocelyn shrugged it off. “What’s that got to do with me?”


    “My uncle’s the big shot behind the jewelry brand, Preston observed her expression carefully.


    Jocelyn smiled and said, “Still nothing to do with me.”


    Only she knew how much she was seething underneath all that cool indifference.


    RêAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Preston didn’t push further, seeing she was ying tough.


    He turned to leave but then stopped and looked back. “Jocelyn, how about dinner tonight?”


    Why


    To thank you for looking after me” He didn’t wait for her to decline and just walked away


    After school in the evening, Jocelyn, stepped out of the school gates only to find Preston waiting under


    a tree.


    Jocelyn, he called out


    She felt a touch of exasperation. If you’re hungry, I can treat you at the bistro out front”


    Preston shook his head, I’ve got a ce in mind, it won’t take long


    “Preston, Jocelyn said with a hint of authority. “You have ss tomorrow!”


    “It won’t take that long”


    Prestons insistence left Jocelyn with no choice but topromise. They hailed a cab and shortly


    arrived at a fancy restaurant He strode night in and pushed open the door to a private room.


    Inside, a few folks were having a good time until they stopped abruptly at the sound of the door turning


    to look at


    Preston.


    Jocelyn felt awkward standing behind Preston, feeling like a clown showing up uninvited


    “Uncle Melvin, you’re eating all the good stuff without inviting me and Auntie Jocelyn? Preston


    sauntered in, unfazed by Melvin’s icy stare, and called back to Jocelyn, Jocelyn,e on in.”


    Jocelyn really wished she could just sink into the floor


    She shouldn’t have trusted Preston, and she definitely shouldn’t havee with him


    Melvin’s gaze fixed on Jocelyn at the doorway, lips pressed tightly together


    Willow’s smile stiffened when she heard Preston call Jocelyn auntie


    Everyone present was from the jewelrypany’s upper echelon, including Zephyr


    Sensing the tension, Zephyr quickly tried to smooth things over. Jocelyn’s here! You just finished ss,


    right? Thanks


    for bringing Preston back. If you don’t mind, why not sit down and join us for a simple meal?


    Zephyr knew Melvin didn’t like airing his personal life in front of colleagues, includingpany staff. He


    wasn’t about to reveal their rtionship.


    Jocelyn found the whole charadeughable.


    She just smiled faintly, ncing at Melvin, who hadn’t moved an inch


    How could Zephyr have said that if he hadn’t authorized it?


    “No, thanks, Jocelyn declined politely. Actually, I brought Preston here to have a word with Mr. Martinez


    Preston is st that tender age, and as his guardian, you might want to pay a bit more attention to a


    teenager’s physical and emotional well-being. Work’s important, sure, but so is the health of a child So,


    Mr. Martinez please try to spend some time focusing on Preston, instead of leaving him to his own


    devices at home Yeah, that’s about it. Enjoy your meal, I be on my way. Goodbye.” Jocelyn kept her


    composure throughout, her tone professional


    As far as she was concerned, every word was strictly business, and surely everyone would


    conveniently overlook Preston’s use of auntie’


    She nodded slightly and left with grace and poise


    Stepping out of the restaurant, Jocelyn finally caught her breath with a heavy sigh


    First thing back home, she hit up a locksmith, got the locks changed, and switched up the codes in the


    dead of night


    After a shower, she flopped onto her bed, now not even feeling the urge to cry.


    She gave her love life another hard look, and it seemed like a total joke. She couldn’t figure out what


    the gained from


    she had now, or what she was even dreaming about


    ter she stumbled upon.


    It’s just a detour, and we all end up at the same finish line-death.”


    Jocelyn left ament underneath. “Every stage in life is just a transition. Only a shovelful of earth will


    be our final resting ce”


    Quinta shot back, “What’s up with you now?”


    Jocelyn replied, “Just trying to match your deep thoughts and make me look cultured”


    Quinta responded with a facepalm emoji.


    Jocelyn scrolled down to the bottom and then logged out, put the phone down, and went to sleep.


    In the middle of the night her phone buzzed. She fumbled with it with a frown and answered it without


    looking at who was calling.


    “Hello?”


    Silence on the other end.


    Woken up in the middle of the night, she was miffed.


    “If you’re not gonna talk I’m hanging up.


    “Uh.. softer ah…”


    ”


    Sounds from the other end jolted her wide awake.


    She flicked on the light and checked the caller ID in a rush.


    There, in bold, was the name Melvin.