Jerome’s smile grew even wider. “Leave your phone number with me.”
Summer then gave him her phone number.
After he saved the number, Jerome asked, “You’re heading back now, right? Need a lift?”
Summer would, of course, not allow him to send her home.
“No need to trouble yourself. I’ll head home on my own.”
Jerome did not insist. “Goodbye, then.”
Only after Jerome drove away did Summer hail a cab home.
After taking a shower, she received a call from Eliza.
The first thing Eliza asked her when the call got connected was, “Did Bowen say anything after I left?”
“What were you expecting him to say?” Summer had a rare opportunity to tease Eliza.
In fact, she could tell that Eliza liked Bowen.
However, what surprised her was that Bowen seemed to come from a normal background. That aside, from his acting style, he seemed to be a very stable person, calm yet not dull.
That kind of man was very attractive to many.
Eliza looked anxious. “Hurry up and tell me what he said!”
Summer advised her instead, “Why don’t you ask him yourself if you want to know that much?”
“Sigh, it’s a long story.” Eliza sighed.
Even so, Summer still responded truthfully in the end, “He asked me what I said, and I told him to ask you. Happy now?”
There was a momentary silence, and after a moment, Eliza’s voice came through very softly. “I think he might not look for me.”
…
Jerome mentioned a few days ago that he would look for Summer for a favor.
As a result, Summer only found out at the very last minute that the favor Jerome wanted was for her to accompany him to a reception.
Summer immediately refused the moment she found out it was that kind of favor. “Look for someone else. I can’t help you with that.”
Leonardo had also stressed that she should not see Jerome.
It was impossible to not see Jerome, but she could refuse his request to accompany him to the reception.
While the Patel family was not comparable to the Emerson family, the Patel family was still one of the more prominent families in Hoover City. She did not want any rumors or gossip to come from accompanying Jerome to that reception.
Jerome had seemingly anticipated her refusal and just calmly said, “You promised me earlier, and now you’re going back on your word.”
“I am going back on my word.” Summer’s position was firm.
Jerome was silent for a moment, and after he stared at Summer for a moment, he mockingly said, “Because of Leonardo?”
Summer was stunned for a moment and did not say anything.
Everyone thought that she and Leonardo were really separated, but Jerome did not seem to think so.
Seeing that she was not responding, Jerome paid it no mind. Instead, he leaned close and softly said, “Summer, I understand you far better than anyone else. What you’re thinking, what you want, I know all of it.”
Summer was not used to having another man other than Leonardo get so close to her, and she backed away. Jerome suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist. “Leonardo is not for you. The Emerson family’s waters run deep.”
“What do you mean?” Summer squinted as she said, “When I went abroad the last time, you said the same thing to me, that the Emerson family’s waters run deep. What do you mean by that? What are you trying to do?”
Jerome had totally not anticipated Summer’s series of questions.
Her tone and gaze were sharp as well as aggressive. Jerome schooled himself and became serious. “I won’t harm you. Perhaps in the past, I wanted to use you like Vicky and the rest did, but now, what I’m doing is for your own good.”
Summer was more and more convinced that Jerome knew something. “What do you know about the Emerson family? Tell me.”
“You want to know that much?”
Summer nodded.
Jerome let go of her wrist, and his expression was slightly cold. “Accompany me to the reception and I’ll tell you once it’s over.”
“You…” Summer stared at him with her tongue-tied. This was clearly a threat.
Perhaps Summer’s gaze was too obvious that Jerome saw through her thoughts.
“Summer, this is not a threat. I’m a businessman. I won’t do anything that isn’t profitable. You want me to tell you something, then you need to fork out a price. I’m only asking you to attend a reception with me as my female companion.
Jerome’s tone was very serious.
Summer pondered for a bit and felt that Jerome had a point.
She had already owed Jerome a favor, and he had no obligation to tell her what he knew.
If he really knew what was going on with the Emerson family, then it had to be a very important secret.
Whether he wanted to tell her or not, it was his free will.
Summer thought about it and sought confirmation from him. “I just need to attend a reception? And you’ll tell me about it after dinner?”
Jerome frowned slightly and seemed to be a little unhappy, but still, he nodded. “Yes.”
…
The reception Jerome talked about was at eight o’clock on Friday night, and the event was being held in a seven-star hotel in Hoover City.
The dinner that Michael had invited her to attend the other time was also held there.
The moment Summer stepped out of the car, she saw Jerome in a white suit.
He stood by the hotel entrance waiting for Summer. He was already a handsome person, and that white suit made him even more elegant.
He was the exact opposite of Leonardo.
Leonardo disliked wearing white suits, and his restrained nature meant that all of his suits were dark in color.
“You look beautiful today.” Jerome saw Summer get out of the car, and he approached her.
Jerome had wanted to pick her up, but Summer declined.
Summer was a stubborn person, and if she said she was only accompanying him for a reception, that was the only thing she would do.
She did not even want the dress Jerome sent her, straight-up returning it to him.
When Jerome told her that he was going to pick her up, she refused him directly as well.
Summer avoided Jerome’s hand, which he held out to hold hers. “Thank you.”
She was wearing a black dress today, a dress that was extremely simple in style.
The bangs on her forehead had long been left uncut, and her usual hairstyle was her long black hair with a middle parting. For the reception, she had gone to get her hair done and gotten it curled.
Her permed hair made her look far more mature, and maybe because she had now given birth to a child before, she had gained a touch of charm without realizing it.
Jerome withdrew his untaken hand and stared at her face without a smile.
It was different than before.
Summer and Jerome then walked in side by side.
Out of courtesy, Summer still held Jerome’s arm as they entered the banquet hall.
There were many people inside the hall, and among them, a large group of women was gathered together.
When Summer walked past them, she overheard what they were talking about.
“How’s my hair today? The stylist just came back from a study tour in Europe, it’s so cool…”
“Your dress isn’t bad.”
“… I don’t know if I can catch Young Master Emerson’s eyes later.”
Young Master Emerson?
Summer stopped.
Only then did Jerome’s voice ring out. “Oh, I forgot to tell you, Leonardo will be attending as well.”