I nodded. "Yes."
"I see."
Frank''s voice paused slightly, then he said with a hint of amusement, "Should Ie pick you up?"
I was still a bit annoyed, but hearing this, my irritation faded away. "No need. I drove here myself. But I need to check with Jane first. I might have to visit the store beforeing to find you."
Just as I finished speaking, Jane''s call came in. I quickly told Frank, "I''ll talk to youter. I need to take Jane''s call."
After answering the call, Jane''s cheerful voice came through. "Charlotte, are you on your way?"
I smiled. "I''m setting off."
She teased with a grin, "Why don''t you stay a bit longer with your man and enjoy some time together?"
Iughed. "What''s the matter?"
Jane sighed. "The renovationpany that just arrived isn''t very good. I''ve scheduled another one. You''ll just be bored waiting around."
"Okay. Then... sorry for the trouble."
"Trouble? My sry and shares are enough to make others envious." Jane finished with augh, but then suddenly realized something and eximed, "Charlot. You weren''t nning toeter anyway, were you?"
I started the car and cleared my throat. "Let''s not talk about it. We''re still good friends."
"My ass!" Jane pretended to be angry. "You''re clearly prioritizing your rtionship over your friends. Of course I have to call you out on it."Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.
Iughed. "It''s just the honeymoon period. Cut me some ck?"
"Fine, fine!" Jane sighed dramatically. "I just felt like I''d digested lunch a bit, but now
I''m stuffed again. People who are single have it so hard!"
13
She had broken up with Tom not long ago, and I had dragged her into starting the Charlotte Jewelry with me. In the first couple of years, when thepany wasn''t fully on track and couldn''t afford to expand recklessly, she worked herself to the bone, barely having time or energy for a rtionship.
This year, with thepany booming and scaling up, she was able to rx a bit but still showed no signs of dating anyone.
I hesitated and tentatively asked, "In the past two years, have you met anyone you''ve had feelings for?"
"Why the sudden question?" She hesitated, then smiled. "You don''t think I''m still hung up on Tom, do you?"
Hearing her rx like this, I was relieved. "I did think that a bit."
"You think I''m as foolish as you, who needs to be heartbroken multiple times to finally get over someone?" Jane asked teasingly. "Charlotte, we''re different. I was born without a heart. The moment I broke up with him, I moved on. So, that chapter has long been closed for me. I''m single now purely because I haven''t met someone as good as Frank."
"I don''t believe you."
I nced at the traffic lights and added, "I don''t believe the first part."
Jane chuckled. "Of course, you''re an exception."
"Hey!" Iughed at her tease. "I won''t bother you with this. I''m driving."
Knowing that she had really gotten over Tom, I felt at ease. After all, a married man wasn''t worth her emotional investment.
Zachary swore he wasn''t eavesdropping on purpose.
It was Charlie who heard Jane would be at the store today and dragged him along to
see if it were true.
As they approached the store, Charlie suddenly remembered he needed to buy a cup of coffee. He dropped Zachary off at the door and ran to the cafe outside the shopping center.
When Jane turned around after hanging up, she saw Zachary.
Unlike Zachary''s awkwardness at being overheard, Jane showed no embarrassment
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at having her privacy listened to. She lifted her red lips and said, "Mr. Collins, came to inspect your own property?"
Jane only learned on the day of the contract that this shopping center was part of Zachary''s family business. Charlie had just been showing off his familiarity with Zachary, acting tough to vent Frank''s frustration. However, Zachary had just been watching quietly that day and hadn''t said anything, so Jane''s impression of him was... just average.