It seemed like Noah really liked Jenny.
Mia lowered her head and then said softly, "I'm going to the washroom."
Noah was in the middle of a conversation about something of interest when he was interrupted. So he nodded casually, without even saying a word of concern. He didn't realize at all that it was Mia's first time attending such an event and that she was already feeling incredibly flustered, but Noah was too negligent to think about it.
However, Jenny noticed that Mia didn't look too good. "Isn't this what I want to achieve?" Thinking of this, Jenny's smile deepened.
Mia found the waiter at the banquet and asked for the location of the washroom. The waiter saw that Mia's face was pale, so he asked if she needed company. Seeing Mia shake her head, he pointed upstairs and said, "There are very few people in the washroom on the second floor, and there's also a rest area prepared for VIPs. If you're not feeling well, you can go there and rest."
Mia's heart warmed. She quickly thanked the waiter, then crossed the hall to the second floor and found the bathroom.
Most of the guests were in the hall on the first floor, and the washroom on the second floor looked empty.
Mia hurried to the last cubicle in the bathroom and locked the door. She found the medicine prescribed at the hospital and swallowed it without hesitation.
This was the second time she had taken this medicine today, so the discomfort had lessened a lot, but she still felt very uncomfortable. The intense headache and ringing in her ears assaulted her, and for a moment, Mia couldn't take it anymore. She knelt by the toilet bowl and retched incessantly with tears flowing out.
It took her a long time to recover. Suddenly, someone knocked on the door.
Mia shuddered. Did Noah come for me, Mia thought.
A gentle voice came from outside. "Hello, is there anyone inside? Are you feeling unwell?"
Mia opened her mouth to speak, but the unbearable feeling had just passed, and she really didn't have the strength to speak.
The person outside waited patiently for a long time but did not hear a reply. Hence, he knocked on the door again. "Don't be afraid. I'm not a bad person. Did you encounter any difficulties? Do you need help?"
After a long time, Mia slowly recovered. Afraid that the person outside was still waiting, she gathered her strength and said, "Thank you, I'm fine. You can leave now."
After saying that, Mia took out a handkerchief to wipe off the sweat on her forehead, then slowly stood up while holding the wall. She tidied her clothes before opening the door and going out.
However, she didn't expect that the person outside was still worried and hadn't left, so when she opened the door, she saw the person standing at the door.
A tall and handsome man with a gentle expression was wearing a well-cut gray suit.
Mia froze. "Jack?"
After Mia was picked up by Noah's grandfather, Mia met Jack when she was in her second year of university. The two of them had a very good relationship, but since Mia had displayed her talent in painting after being picked up by her grandfather, in order to nurture Mia, her grandfather specially applied for a professional art studio to teach Mia.
Hence, during that period of time, Mia had to study drawing while attending lessons. Time was very tight. In addition, Mia had just met Noah at that time. It was the time when a young girl started to experience romance. Her heart belonged to Noah, so she did not even know when Jack went overseas to study. By the time Mia thought of Jack, the two of them had not seen each other for more than half a year.
Mia didn't have many friends at school, and she didn't know where to start if she wanted to find Jack. She couldn't get the contact information they'd left, either, because Jack had changed his phone number after leaving the country. So many years had passed in a flash.
Jack was not good at drinking and socializing, so he hid in the lounge on the second floor. When he passed the female washroom, he heard Mia's painful moans and was worried that something had happened to someone. However, there were no women nearby that could go in and take a look, so Jack had no choice but to go in and ask about the situation.
Seeing that Mia didn't look well and was shivering as she walked, Jack asked a few questions with concern and politely helped her out of the washroom. "Do you want to go back to the hall or rest here?"
There were too many people in the hall. Mia didn't like the crowded and noisy environment, and she didn't want to go down and see Jenny and Noah chatting happily, so she shook her head. Anyway, she was insignificant. Even if she left Noah, he might not find out. At most, he might think of looking for her when the party ended.
It just so happened that Jack didn't want to go down and face the people who kept toasting him, so he smiled and said, "It just so happens that I don't want to go down either. I'll stay here with you. You won't be bored."
Jack led Mia to the lounge next to the washroom. The lounge was empty and quiet.
The two of them found an empty seat in the corner and sat down. Then, Jack got up and poured a glass of water for Mia before handing it to her.
"Mia, long time no see. How have you been all these years?"
Mia blinked her eyelashes that were wet with sweat and tears. Because she had met an old friend, her mood was slightly better, so she pursed her lips and smiled shyly. "It's been quite good."
Jack had been looking her up and down since he'd first seen Mia. Out of courtesy, he hadn't asked, but now that there was no one there, he asked, "I saw the ring on your finger… you're married?"
Mia nodded. "I got married when I was in fourth grade."
Jack was stunned. He looked at the delicate and weak Mia, who was sitting in front of him. She looked so young and innocent that she looked like a minor. Hence, he could not help but say, "Who is so lucky to be able to trick you into getting married at graduation?"
When Mia heard that, she said shyly, "Jack, you're still so direct."
Jack laughed. "You know how I talk. Please don't mind me. I'm just surprised that you got married at such a young age. I've always been single."
Hearing this, Mia knew that Jack in front of her was still the same as before, so she felt slightly relaxed and less restrained.
"Jack, I've always been curious. Back then, why didn't you say anything and went abroad? You even changed your contact details. Why couldn't I find you?" Mia felt a little wronged when she thought of this past.
Jack touched his head and said embarrassedly, "Mia, I'm really sorry. I left in a hurry back then. My mother and the rest sent me directly to the plane the moment the overseas procedures came out. At that time, I didn't take my luggage or phone with me, so I didn't have time to say goodbye to you."
"Tell you what, I'll buy you dinner in two days and apologize to you. What do you think?" said Jack, making a gentlemanly gesture of invitation.
Mia laughed. "Jack, why are you still so interesting? You don't have to specially invite me to dinner. Now that I've seen you, I know why you didn't contact me back then. I'm no longer angry."
"You silly girl, you're still so easy to coax!" Jack said helplessly.
Before he knew it, the dinner party was almost over. Jack looked at his watch. "Mia, how did you get here today? Did you come alone? Do you need me to take you home?"
Hearing Jack's question, Mia's expression immediately changed. She forced a smile and said, "No, I came with my husband. He's downstairs. He's busy and doesn't have time to notice me."
Jack frowned, feeling that Mia's "quite good" was too much of a lie.
As men, they all had possessiveness and a desire to protect. A wife as delicate as Mia was not by his side, yet that man was not worried at all. It seemed like he did not cherish this marriage.
Jack began to guess that Mia's marriage life might not be very happy. He sighed inwardly while feeling a little pity for her, so he reached out and gently patted her shoulder to comfort her. "If you have any difficulties, please let me know. As long as you need it, I will do my best to help you."
As soon as he finished speaking, a gloomy and cold voice sounded from behind them.
"What are you doing?"
Mia was caught off guard by the sound. Startled, she turned around while clutching her chest.
It was Noah.
Noah had gone up to the second floor at some point in time. He stood behind the two of them, with his expression dark. Especially when his gaze swept over Jack's hand that was on her shoulder and had yet to be removed, his expression became even uglier, as if he was going to come up and cut off that hand in the next second.
Jack withdrew his hand from Mia's shoulder and moved a few steps to the side to maintain a safe social distance from Mia. Then he shrugged. "This gentleman here, you are going to scare your wife."
Noah glanced at his wife, who was indeed frightened. He strode towards Mia and pulled her into his arms. Then, he looked at Mia expressionlessly. "Didn't you say that you went to the washroom?"
Mia was so scared that she didn't know what to do. In addition, she was already uncomfortable after taking the medicine. Noah's question left Mia at a loss for words.
Jack, who was beside her, quickly helped her out. "We met in the washroom."
At this moment, Noah looked like a lion that had his territory violated. His expression turned even darker.
Noah raised his head and looked at Jack slowly. He looked like he wanted to rush up and beat Jack up.
From the look on Noah's face, Jack knew he'd misunderstood his relationship with Mia. He'd wanted to explain, but seeing Noah so ungentlemanly, Jack's expression began to darken.
The two of them began a silent confrontation. Poor Mia was sandwiched between them, held in Noah's tight embrace, and he was holding her tighter and tighter. Mia hung on Noah limply, and her already uncomfortable body was pressed even harder against him. She could barely breathe.
Mia pushed Noah gently, but he did not move. Hence, she moaned softly, "Don't… Don't be like this."
Mia grabbed Noah's collar weakly. "This is my friend from college, Jake. We haven't seen each other in years. Today, we just had a chance encounter and we were catching up."
After finishing her sentence, Mia laid on Noah's body and panted slightly.