Chapter 9

Ambrose happened to see the whole scene from his angle, and from where he was, it looked like Jenson and Roxanne were in a very intimate moment. He frowned, suddenly losing his appetite. Roxanne quickly pulled her arm away, and Jenson's hand fell empty. He didn't react, simply retracting it without a change in expression. They walked into the restaurant. The first floor was full, so they sat at a table by the window on the second floor. "Do you have any dietary restrictions?" she asked politely. "No," he replied. "Do you prefer light, salty, or sweet flavors?" "Light." His answers were short, almost cold, and it made her wonder how anyone could put up with living with him. Being with someone so distant and detached would probably be pretty dull. She ordered a few dishes she liked, all with lighter flavors. The restaurant served delicious fish and chips, so she ordered that as well, along with a bowl of mushroom soup. As they waited for their food, there was a palpable silence between them. Trying to ease the awkwardness, Roxanne ventured, "Are you close with Mr. Sullivan?" "Mm," Jenson answered. She was surprised. She had never heard him mentioned by Lawrence before. "You must be married, right?" She immediately regretted the question. It felt a bit too personal. She had been trying to relieve the tension but had only ended up making things more awkward. She tugged at her hair nervously. "Why do you think so?" Jenson asked curiously. She hesitated before responding, "You just... seem like the right age for it." He raised an eyebrow, his expression shifting slightly. "Do I look that old?" "No, no," she quickly corrected, flustered. "You're still young! I just assumed that men your age are typically married, so I thought... Well, I didn't mean to imply you're old!" He didn't seem upset. In fact, he answered seriously, "I'm not married." After a pause, he added, "One of my professors tried to set me up with one of his students, but she married someone else. After that, I haven't met anyone who seemed right." Roxanne's eyes widened in surprise. This was the most he had spoken so much in one go. She was too distracted by the sheer fact that he was actually talking to process everything he said. Before she could gather her thoughts, the waiter arrived with their food, cutting their conversation short. "These are all dishes I've tried. You should give them a taste," she said, trying to sound friendly. Jenson glanced at her, his lips twitching into a faint smile. "Mm." After the meal, they headed back to the firm, with Ambrose following them. Jenson, ever perceptive, noticed right away. Once they arrived at the law firm, he told her, "Stay after work." "Okay," she replied, assuming there was some work to be done. She didn't ask any more questions. At nearly 10:00 pm, Jenson finally emerged from his office. "Sorry to keep you waiting," he said. "It's fine. I didn't mind." She gestured to the stack of case files on her desk. "Have you finished reviewing them?" he asked. She nodded. "Almost. I'll write up a report of the issues I found and have it ready for you tomorrow." "No need for all that. Just tell me what you found," he said as he walked toward the door. "Let's go." She followed quickly, taken aback by his directness. "Where are you staying?" he asked as they walked out. She answered honestly, "Sheraton Hotel." Jenson turned to look at her, a puzzled expression on his face. She explained, "I haven't found a permanent place yet, so I'm staying there temporarily." She had gotten a quick and unexpected divorce from Sebastian, leaving her without time to look for a new place to stay. Jenson nodded as they both got into the car, and he started driving. "So, what did you find?" he asked. She organized her thoughts before summarizing the cases she had reviewed. There were over a dozen cases in total, and from her assessment, she had identified issues in only three. She listed each problem she had spotted. He then asked, "If it were you, what would you do?" She thought for a moment before offering her solutions. "Not bad," he said with a nod. She wasn't sure if he was genuinely complimenting her, but her lips curved into a small smile. The road was relatively clear, and they reached the hotel without any traffic delays. As she was about to get out of the car, Jenson stopped her. "It's not safe to stay here alone. It's a busy area with all sorts of people." She paused, surprised. She had just seen a side of him that was more considerate than she had expected. "Thanks, but I'm still looking for a new place," she replied. Jenson gave a small nod. "The reason I asked you to stay late and brought you back so late is that I think we were being followed on our way back from lunch today. It seemed like they were targeting you." After all, no one would dare follow him. Roxanne felt a little confused. She couldn't think of anyone she might have angered recently. However, Jenson was experienced, and she knew he wouldn't say such things without reason. It was better to be cautious. "I'll be careful," she said. "Thanks for the ride," she added, giving him a small nod before closing the car door. "Drive safely." He gave her one last look before driving off. She watched as the car disappeared around the corner before she turned and entered the hotel. Her phone buzzed in her pocket, interrupting her thoughts.