When Jaden actively searched for Sherry without success, she unexpectedly walked right past him at the swimming pool. His mind was a whirlwind of emotions as he stood frozen, staring at her in disbelief.
Wearing a white bikini, Sherry was as stunning as ever. Her doll-like face now carried a hint of mature allure that only made her more captivating. Jaden, however, couldn't afford to admire her for long. His wide sunglasses obscured most of his face, and Sherry, not paying attention, didn't seem to recognize him. Or did she intentionally pretend not to?
Jaden's mind raced.
Sherry is really here? Why would she lie to me? Didn't she say she was on a business trip? How could she afford to come to such a high-end resort?
The answer seemed obvious - someone brought her here. But who?
Looking around, Jaden saw no immediate companion. Sherry walked over to a lounge chair, placed her belongings down, and leisurely slid into the pool. He felt his heart pounding as he fought an inner battle.
Should I confront her? Pretend I didn't see her?
As he struggled with his thoughts, Jenny's voice broke the tension.
"What are you staring at?" Her voice carried a note of irritation. She adjusted her sunglasses and glared at Jaden, clearly displeased.
"It's… nothing," Jaden replied, quickly averting his gaze. Yet, despite his best efforts, his thoughts remained consumed by Sherry.
"Nothing? You've been ogling her for ages! Is she really that pretty?" Jenny snapped, her jealousy evident.
"No, I wasn't - listen, I can explain…" Jaden stammered, his mind scrambling for an excuse. At the same time, another realization hit him: Sherry didn't recognize me because of the sunglasses. I can still play this carefully to figure out what's going on.
Jenny crossed her arms. "Oh, spare me. Let me guess, you're about to tell me she just looks familiar? That's the oldest line in the book. What next? You want to go talk to her?"
"No, of course not!" Jaden said hurriedly. "I swear, I'm not interested. It's just… she does look familiar, that's all."
Jenny wasn't buying it. "Yeah, sure. You men are all the same. Go ahead, admit it - you like the baby-face type, don't you?"
"No! I like *your* type," Jaden insisted, flustered. He forced a weak smile, trying to pacify her. But his eyes betrayed him - they couldn't resist flicking back toward Sherry.
Jenny caught the glance and fumed. She stood abruptly and snatched the sunglasses off Jaden's face. "Don't you dare tell me you're not looking at her! I saw it! You're obsessed with her!"
Without her usual composure, Jenny threw the sunglasses to the ground, causing heads to turn in their direction.
Jaden panicked, quickly retrieving the sunglasses and putting them back on. Glancing again at Sherry, he saw her swimming peacefully, seemingly oblivious to the commotion.
Relieved, he muttered, "She didn't notice me." Yet his heart was in turmoil.
*Why is she here? Who is she with? A man? A friend?*
Jenny stormed off toward the locker rooms, leaving Jaden at a crossroads. He knew he should chase after her to smooth things over, but his curiosity got the better of him.
*If Sherry has a companion, they should show up soon. I need to know.*
As if on cue, a man and a woman walked out from the changing area, heading toward the pool. Jaden tensed, his pulse racing. The two appeared to be heading toward Sherry.
Jaden's fists clenched instinctively as he stared at the man.
*Please, don't let it be him. Don't let him be the one with her.*
Just as he was on the verge of losing control, Jenny's voice cut through his thoughts again.
"You're STILL staring at her?!" she yelled, now fully dressed. Her voice was sharp, her disappointment clear. She gave Jaden a bitter look before storming off.
"Wait! Jenny, let me explain!" Jaden called after her, but it was no use.
With one last glance, he saw the man walk away in a different direction while the woman approached Sherry, laughing. Relieved, Jaden exhaled deeply. At least for now, it seemed like Sherry wasn't with a man.
But he couldn't relax yet. Jenny was furious, and if he didn't catch up to her soon, it could ruin everything. Without even changing out of his swimwear, Jaden rushed after Jenny, leaving the mystery of Sherry's companion unresolved for the moment.