Late in the night, Jackson was smoking as he scrolled to Tiffany’s number on his phone and stared at it for a long time, not pressing dial. She must have arrived at the capital by now. It was the first time he was losing sleep over a woman.
When he turned away to flick the cigarette ash, his phone suddenly rang. Not expecting someone to call him in the middle of the night, Jackson was nonchalant and even a little annoyed before he saw the incoming caller. He was stunned when he saw it was Tiffany. After breaking out of his trance, he carefully pressed the answer button. Having smoked too much, his voice was hoarse as he said, “Hello? Are you home?”
Tiffany was slurring her words drunkenly on the other end of the line. “Jackson… Where are you? I want to see you…”
Jackson jolted. “Have you been drinking? Aren’t you back in the capital? Where are you?!”
As if not hearing his words, Tiffany began to rant, “Do you know how much it pains me to break up? But what can I do? We don’t have a future… There’s such a big gap between us… and you, you’re such a womanizer. I’m not confident I’ll be able to keep your heart with me for our entire lives. I’m afraid… so afraid that you’ll despise me someday and no longer want me in the future. I can’t give you anything nor can I help you with anything. Other than being like a vase, I’m also a burden. I don’t deserve you…”
Arianne’s voice came from the side. “Stop it. Tiffie, you’ve drunk too much. C’mon, let’s go to bed…”
She was not back in the capital! She was at Arianne’s place! Jackson picked up his room keycard and flew out of the door. He would go to her, regardless of time and place, as long as she said that she wanted to see him!
Jackson was unaware of the force he used as he knocked on Mark’s doors.
When Mark opened the door groggily, his grumpiness vanished when he saw it was Jackson. “You crazy?”
Jackson barged in, looking for Mark’s car key before he turned to leave immediately. “Lend me your car!”
Mark did not even get to ask him where he was going. After the long night, he did not have the heart to ask him as well.
...
When Jackson arrived at the residential area, Jackson called Tiffany. However, it was picked up by Arianne. “Hello?”
“I’m in your area. Tiffany’s with you, right? I’m coming up now.” He hung up and parked the car. When the security guard saw his car, he let him in directly. There were residents in the area who drove luxury cars but none was driving one as expensive.
When Jackson arrived at Arianna’s unit, Tiffany was still wailing on the couch while Arianne looked visibly exhausted. “About you two… I don’t know what to say either… You heard what Tiffie said when she called you earlier. She broke up with you mostly due to those reasons.”
Jackson texted Mark. “I’m at their apartment, probably won’t be leaving tonight. Arianne went out to give us space. Pick her up.”
All drowsiness left Mark as soon as he saw the message. How could he not feel worried about Arianne being alone in the middle of the night? He quickly changed and left.
Driving to the perimeter of the residential area, Mark called Arianne when he could not find her.
Arianne had left the house with her phone. She was surprised when she saw Mark’s call, but she did not reject it. “Hello?”
Mark said bluntly, “I’m at the entrance of your residential area. Come out. Jackson probably won’t be leaving tonight.”
Arianne understood what he meant. She hoped that Tiffany and Jackson would not break up as well. After a slight hesitation, she agreed. After all, she did not want to sit at the bench outside the entire night. There were a lot of insects now that it was summer, and she was only dressed in her nightgown. Her legs were already bitten by the mosquitoes.
When Mark saw her coming out, clad in just a nightgown, he could not help frowning. His car was parked at the roadside, and he had brought spare keys. “Come in.”
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