Jenny twirled a lock of her hair, revealing her delicate features. With her chest subtly pushed out, she seemed to be showing off her alluring figure to Jaden.
Jaden gazed at the woman in front of him with a touch of admiration, but his mind was racing. Why did Jenny keep trying to seduce him? Did she really think that getting him into her bed would make her successful? Or perhaps she believed that if she could get him to sleep with her, she'd have a better chance of becoming his partner?
It was understandable. A beautiful woman could have a powerful effect on any man. For Jaden, the flirtation with Jenny was also a strategic consideration.
Every time she seduced him, he couldn't help but entertain the idea of letting go of his rationality and simply yielding to the desire to possess her.
But after spending so much time with Jenny, Jaden had developed a certain immunity. Or maybe it was the lingering influence of Sherry's situation, but he wasn't feeling the usual rush of desire.
While there was still an urge to claim her, it was still within the boundaries of his self-control.
He gave a faint smile. "We've got plenty of time, no need to rush to know each other too much. Good night."
With that, he turned and walked back to his room.
Once inside, with the door safely closed behind him, Jaden let out a long breath. He could finally drop the facade.
He sat on the edge of the bed, massaging his temples in frustration. The plan with Jenny, coupled with the unexpected encounter with Sherry, had left him agitated. His mind felt foggy, and he wasn't sure how to proceed.
There were still two more days at the resort, meaning he'd need to leave by the afternoon the day after tomorrow.
During this time, he had to maintain his relationship with Jenny, while also keeping an eye on Sherry's situation.
In hindsight, having an affair with Jenny at the resort would have been the best move. But with Henry Lin's visit, the timing wasn't right. Now that he'd left, even if he were to sleep with Jenny, it wouldn't accomplish much. It would only serve to satisfy his own desires.
But when he thought about Sherry, Jaden didn't want to go through with it. He didn't want to betray the relationship he had with her. Even if he was eventually forced to sleep with Jenny to continue his mission for Luna Zhou, he saw it as a necessary part of the job.
And besides, even though Jaden had seen Sherry at the resort, he still didn't believe his girlfriend would betray him.
Just as Jaden was stewing in frustration, his phone rang. It quickly disconnected, followed by a text message notification.
Curious, he checked the message. It was from an unfamiliar number, reading: "Has the shipment arrived?"
Jaden immediately knew who it was. He walked to the door, checking that it was securely shut before dialing the number back.
"Hey, you're cautious. You switched numbers," Jaden said, the hint of a smile in his voice.
"Didn't want to risk disrupting your work!" Luna Zhou's voice came through, sounding urgent.
"You're worried about my work? You shouldn't have acted on your own. I warned you - you could ruin the plan. If it fails, it won't be on me," Jaden retorted, clearly irritated.
"I can't wait any longer! I need to know the result. Did Henry Lin come to the resort?" Luna Zhou's voice was tense.
"He came, and he's gone," Jaden replied flatly.
"Did you two get close? Was the plan successful?" Luna Zhou's tone was almost panicked.
"No, Jenny avoided me and went after Henry Lin. I barely had time to make any moves. He almost recognized me!" Jaden shook his head.
"Really? What were you doing? Why didn't you make the most of such a good opportunity? How long do you expect me to wait?!" Luna Zhou snapped, her patience running thin.
"We agreed beforehand that if you had a plan, we'd go with it. If it fails, it's on you. But if my approach has a higher success rate, then we do things my way. You barging in like this almost ruined everything. If you've got your own ideas, tell me. I'll follow your instructions, but let's be clear - if it fails, it's your responsibility. I'll forfeit the remaining money, but I'm not refunding the upfront payment," Jaden shot back, his irritation mounting.
"You…" Luna Zhou was furious, but she knew that the success of the entire plan rested on Jaden's actions. She took a deep breath, her voice softening. "Fine. Now that Henry Lin is gone, what's your next move? You're not just planning to enjoy a few more days at the resort, are you?"
"If you don't trust me, why did you ask me to help you? I didn't beg for this job, and I haven't wasted a cent of your money!" Jaden snapped, clearly upset. He tried to save Luna Zhou money, but now she didn't even believe him.
"I'm sorry... I've just been anxious. But you need to update me on your progress. What's the situation with you two? How much longer will I have to wait? Henry Lin is already talking to me about divorce. Do you expect me to finalize that before we can get this done? And what was all this about him almost recognizing you?" Luna Zhou said, taking another deep breath and apologizing.
"I don't know. I ran into them both, and he seemed to have some memory of me, but not enough to make a connection. Maybe it's from when I saw him at your place, but luckily, he didn't seem to recognize me. Don't worry. I'm confident I can handle Jenny. The identity we've built is solid, and she's definitely interested in me. If all goes as planned, our relationship will keep developing. Once we leave the resort, I'll set things up for you. You can have Henry Lin come in then," Jaden reassured her.
"Good. I'll wait for you to come back and continue the arrangements. Also, don't hold back on spending at the resort. Don't let them think you're some cheap guy," Luna Zhou advised.
"I got it. I won't hesitate to spend when necessary. Also, about the identities we've crafted, you'll need to polish them. I'm worried that once we leave the resort, Jenny might start having doubts," Jaden nodded, reminded by Luna Zhou to take care of details he might have missed.
Once they left the resort, Jaden's true identity would be something Jenny could potentially uncover, so everything had to be perfect. Any slip-up, and she might start questioning him, derailing the entire plan.
"Don't worry about it. Is there anything else?" Luna Zhou asked.
"Actually... never mind. I'm good. That's all," Jaden said, ending the conversation.
He had considered asking Luna Zhou to help investigate Sherry, but after some thought, he decided against it. He didn't want to air his dirty laundry, especially not without understanding the full picture himself.
If there was an issue with Sherry, he would find out in his own time.