Chapter 120
Chapter 120
Jocelyn’s expression twisted into a complex grimace the moment Harrison suggested driving her back home.
The car came to a halt. Harrison stepped out first, then reached back in to help Jocelyn out.
As Jocelyn’s feet touched the ground, she saw Melvin stepping out of the apartment building. And in that very instant, Harrison scooped her into his arms.
Caught off guard, Jocelyn’s hands instinctively wrapped around Harrison’s neck, her eyes slightly wide as she looked up at him.
Harrison simply gazed back at her with tendemess. “You’re hurt, so it’s not good for you to walk”
Jocelyn knew exactly what he was thinking and silently consented to his behaviour
Melvin approached them with a chilly glint in his eyes.
“Mr. Martinez, why don’t you stay for dinner? Oh Harrison, when did you get here? Jocelyn, what’s…” Calvin’s voice trailed off in surprise as he saw Harrison holding Jocelyn, a look of astonishment crossing his face
After all, even if their relationship was confirmed, it didn’t justify such intimacy in this setting.
Jocelyn was embarrassed, especially since she was still in Harrison’s arms; she wished she could disappear.
“Calvin, Jocelyn took a tumble, I came over this morning to check on her. I have to head back to work soon but I don’t want to leave her alone, so I thought of bringing her back here for you and Daisy to
look after,” Harrison explained smoothly.
Calvin noticed the injury on Jocelyn’s chin and the bandages on her hands. He couldn’t help but chide her gently, “How can you still be falling over at your age? You’re just like your mother, always making others to worry.”
“What happened to Mom?” Jocelyn perked up at the mention.
“Your mom had a little mishap coming back from shopping with her friends, got nicked by a bicycle. Mr. Martinez happened to be around and brought her home. Thankfully, it was just a scraped elbow, nothing serious,” Calvin explained with a tone of relief for having Melvin there
Jocelyn was surprised. What were the odds of running into Melvin?
Harrison couldn’t help but glance at Melvin-it was oddly coincidental.
“Mr. Martinez, if you don’t mind, let’s have a dinner together.”
“Sure,” Melvin answered without hesitation.
Calvin was taken aback. His earlier invitation for dinner had been declined, but now Melvin agreed so readily.
“Then let’s head upstairs,” Calvin said cheerfully, turning to Harrison who was still holding Jocelyn, “Are you tired? You want me to take her?”
“Not at all, Harrison replied, “Lead the way please.”
Calvin beckoned Melvin to walk ahead, but Melvin nonchalantly took Calvin’s arm, “Let’s go together.”
Calvin still hadn’t get used to such contact with Melvin. It made Calvin a bit uncomfortable and flattered.
After all, it’s not every day that the company’s big boss would escort his wife home and treat him so kindly. Leading the way, Calvin and Melvin walked ahead, with Harrison carrying Jocelyn behind.
Harrison was unaware of the employer-employee relationship between Melvin and Calvin, and even less so that they had become quite familiar with each other.
The only consolation for Harrison was that Calvin seemed oblivious to the past issues between Melvin and Jocelyn, which also suggested that Melvin’s feelings for Jocelyn might not have been as serious.
Jocelyn had no clue what was running through Harrison’s mind. She felt as though the universe was playing a cruel joke solely on her. She had just weathered a storm at home. And now, with two more people added to the mix, she dreaded how daunting the upcoming scene would be.
Of course, the main person she dreaded was herself.
Once home, Harrison set Jocelyn down on the sofa and went to check on Daisy.
Calvin told them to sit back and relax a bit while he prepared dinner.
Meanwhile, like a dutiful son-in-law. Hamison accompanied Calvin to the kitchen.
“You were talking about heading back, weren’t you? Isn’t it getting late?” Jocelyn, eager to get at least one person out of the house, knew Melvin wouldn’t leave if he had decided to stay. So her only option was to convince Harrison,
#wasn that she wanted Harrison to leave. She was genuinely concerned about him getting back to his work without delay.
Harrison poured two cups of hot water for Jocelyn and Dalsy, “No worries, I can catch the last night out.”
“That busy?” Daisy frowned, handing the water to Melvin, “Here, have some.”
Melvin took the cup with both hands and thanked her
Harrison glanced at Melvin and then poured another cup of water for Dalsy. “Yeah, there’s a big conference going on, so it’s a bit hectic.” “Long-distance relationships are tough, and they’re notoriously unreliable,” Melvin commented as he sipped the water Dalsy had given him, his face betraying a knowing look. “A colleague of mine was in a long-distance relationship, and it didn’t last more than a few months. The guy seemed decent enough, but behind the scenes, he was playing the field. He’d show up once in a while to charm his girlfriend, but as soon as he left. his true colors came out.”
Daisy listened intently, her lips pursed and brows furrowed.
She had heard that long-distance relationships were challenging. There was a story in her neighborhood about a young woman whose two-year relationship crumbled just before the wedding when it was discovered that her fiancé had a child with another woman.
As a parent, Daisy couldn’t bear the thought of her child being mistreated and started to worry.
“Indeed, these things happen,” Harrison chimed in calmly. “That’s why I’m thinking of shifting my work focus to Yanova City, to cultivate my relationship with Jocelyn more seriously. Living together allows a couple to iron out the kinks, spot problems early, and make necessary adjustments. This is an essential foundation for a successful marriage.”
Harrison spoke with warmth and clanty, sincerity emanating from him.
Jocelyn, seated on the couch, was internally anxious but also touched by Harrison’s sincerity.
When a man starts planning a future for two, envisioning a life together in wedded bliss, it’s a clear sign he’s serious about the relationship Dating with the intention of marriage provides a deeper sense of security to one’s partner.
But Melvin, he was only ever in it for the thrills of the flesh, never once considering giving her a future or a home.
It’s true that a woman doesn’t need a man to feel secure and settled. But when two people come together, what they crave most is the promise of staying with each other forever and forming a recognized and respected union, rather than an ambiguous partnership that even sitting across the dinner table from the other’s parents, leaves them clueless about who this person is to their daughter.
Jocelyn’s heart was a tangled mess of emotions. For over three years, she knew a man who never once considered giving her the sense of belonging she yearned for. And yet, a man she had known for just a few months was ready to offer her the very thing she desired
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It was indeed ironic, leaving her to wonder what she had been waiting for all these years.
She didn’t look to see Melvin’s expression. It’s his own choice to be here. Still, it probably didn’t mean anything to him. After all, he never planned on building a home with her.
Daisy was profoundly moved by the conversation. The worries that had haunted her for years seemed to be dissipating at last.
She was exceedingly pleased with Harrison’s stance.
“Mr. Whitman seems to take matters of the heart quite seriously,” Melvin commented, a note of admiration in his voice.
Harrison replied with a firm conviction, “I’ve always been serious about relationships.”
Melvin offered a faint smile, glancing over at Jocelyn, “And what about you, Jocelyn? Are you serious about relationships?”
Caught off guard by his sudden call, Jocelyn flinched.