Chapter 6 Jeanette Dates Another Man

Jeanette had expected William to question her reckless spending, but to her surprise, he didn't say a word. So, did he simply not care about what she was doing? She let out a cold laugh and continued her routine shopping by splurging money on a revenge spree. One day, just as she came home, she received Sienna's call. The latter's excited voice blasted through her eardrums as she screamed, "Jean! You'll never believe what I saw at the New Edge Expo today! "The chip technology you invested in a while back was the star of the show. CEOS were so blown away by the technology that they're scrambling to invest." Jeanette had almost forgotten about the investment and was momentarily caught off guard. "What did you say?" After Sienna sent a video she'd recorded at the expo, Jeanette tapped on the play button. In the clip, a crowd of big-name investors gathered around the booth showcasing the chip she'd invested in and lavished praise on the technology. People rushed to invest or partner up, and some even offered sky-high bids for exclusive partnership rights. The numbers left her dumbstruck and wide-eyed in shock. All signs indicated that the chip was highly-regarded within the industry and even had all the potential… to become a phenomenal hit! Jeanette could hardly believe it. How had the casual, random investment she made… actually worked? Sienna's thrilled voice continued blasting in her ears. "Your timing was perfect, Jean! The person in charge of the chip project, Simon, said he has his investor who helped him during his most difficult time, so he won't take a position at any company or accept additional funding from others. "Do you realize what that means? Monopoly! You could start your company and ride this wave right now, and you'd easily break into the second-tier elite!" Jeanette didn't respond. What was the point of starting a company when her life was almost over? Oblivious to her lack of enthusiasm, Sienna continued, "Oh, and Simon wants to meet you to discuss the project's next steps. Since you didn't leave your number when you invested, he tracked me down. "Jean, would you like to meet him?" Jeanette figured she probably should. After all, the investment was made on a whim. Since she didn't have long to live, she shouldn't hold Simon back. "Sure. Give me his number, and I'll talk to him," Jeanette responded. "Great!" Sienna said with a grin. "Simon's just as good-looking as William, and he is even younger. You don't have to get too caught up on just one man." Was Sienna really encouraging her to cheat? Jeanette was speechless for a moment before she smoothly changed the subject. They chatted a little longer before she hung up. Just then, Simon accepted her friend request. He had an ink painting profile picture, which she found familiar, but she couldn't quite place where she'd seen it before. Before she could dwell on it, a message from Simon arrived. "Hello, Ms. Young. The chip's generating a lot of interest, and several companies have expressed their intent to place orders. Once the expo ends, I'll likely be finalizing some partnership contracts. "Shall we meet to discuss our profit sharing? You should start seeing returns soon." Jeanette was mildly taken aback as she read the message. Simon was far more capable than she'd expected. He had identified preliminary partners in just a few days. Without further comment, she scheduled a time and place to meet with Simon. After ending the conversation, she had a nagging feeling she was forgetting something, but she couldn't pinpoint what it was exactly. She changed clothes, added a touch of makeup to hide the pallor of her face, and drove to the restaurant. The moment she walked in, she spotted Simon. As Sienna had said, he was indeed good-looking. Unlike William's aggressively striking features, Simon's were gentle and almost tender. The way he looked at someone felt disarmingly soft. Jeanette looked away and took the seat across from him. After setting down her bag, she finally noticed something odd. Why did the restaurant's decor… look so romantic? As if reading her mind, Simon explained, "I'm sorry. Every other restaurant nearby was fully booked, and this is the only one left. "Do you mind? If the setting makes you uncomfortable, shall we go somewhere else?" "It's fine," Jeanette said, shaking her head. It was just a meal, and the venue wouldn't make much difference. She wasn't that particular either. Seeing that she was unbothered, Simon relaxed a little. Jeanette first intended to clarify her intentions, but before she could speak, Simon's fingers suddenly brushed near her ear. She froze and instinctively looked at him, only to see him pluck a petal from her hair. "Sorry. I guess I overstepped," he said apologetically. She thought that he was just tidying her up a bit and didn't dwell much on it. Her mind was elsewhere, turning over how to phrase her refusal to tell him that she didn't intend to start a company and that he should look for a new partner. Too absorbed in her thoughts, she didn't notice a pair of eyes burning into her. William frowned. He clearly hadn't expected to see her here. She'd said she was dying, so why was she here, all dressed up and dating another man? Not only were they acting intimately, but they were also in a couple's restaurant. Before he could process it, Giselle, beside him, covered her mouth in feigned surprise. "Is that Jeanette? "What a coincidence! You're just about to divorce her, and she's already out on a date with another man." So, this was what it was—Jeanette couldn't wait to find someone new. William's expression darkened.