Chapter 5 He Looked Familiar

Jemima took away the remaining two stones. Five in a Row is typically decided in a single round, but Nadine was not willing to accept defeat. In an attempt to salvage her pride, she blatantly cheated. “Even though you won first, I have five stones too. So, I also won.” She audaciously added yet another stone to her already existing line of four stones. Jemima looked at her as if she were a fool for a few seconds. “So, can I continue too?” Having said that, she placed a stone on the board and smoothly made another line of five stones. In the following minute, she nearly filled the entire board, blocking Nadine to the point where she could no longer make a move. Nadine's face went from pale to flushed as she clamored for another round. During the second round, the third round, and yet another round, Jemima either toyed with her leisurely, prolonging the torment, or swiftly and ruthlessly won within a few moves. She was purely treating her like a fool. Nadine cried in anger. “Enough!” Julius reached out and snatched the stone box from Jemima. Seeing Julius take her side, Nadine leaped into his arms, crying as if Jemima had done her a terrible injustice. Julius comforted her while Amanda seized the chance to scold Jemima. “It's just a game. Why are you making such a big deal out of it? It's obvious you're from a small family. You're small-minded and always jealous!” The sounds around Jemima faded into a blur. Julius' face, once so vibrant in her heart, now appeared like a faded photograph. The man who once shone so brightly in her life was now a blurred and distorted figure in her vision. Forget it, there are still twenty days left. He can do whatever he wants. With an air of indifference, she threw the remaining stones onto the board, then rose from her seat and walked away. A few drops of blood fell onto the board as she moved her hand, accidentally marking it. Stepping outside, she noticed the chill in her fingers and realized that her nails had dug into her palm hard enough to draw blood. “Jemima!” Julius called out to her, his voice finally betraying a hint of nervousness. He attempted to rise and pursue her, but Nadine held him tightly around the waist, her crying intensifying. Jemima left the Stahl residence. Throughout the journey, her phone kept ringing. It was Julius on the other end, but she immediately blocked his calls. Then she sent a message to Amanda: One point five billion! Anything lesser than that, and you'll pay a hefty price! Upon reading her message, Amanda nearly had a heart attack. Jemima drove along the road, unaware of the changing weather outside. A somber rain began to fall, scattering her thoughts like the raindrops. Suddenly, a flash caught her eye. A yellow motorcycle whizzed past, startling her and prompting her to hit the brakes. The next moment, with a resounding bang, a forceful impact struck from behind, causing her head to collide violently with the steering wheel. A sharp pain spread from the corner of her forehead. As she looked ahead, the world was shrouded in a haze of rain, painted entirely in crimson. She hastily grabbed a tissue, wiping away the blood from her eyes. Jemima had been rear-ended, and the yellow motorcycle that had darted out was nowhere to be seen. Just then, a knock on her car door prompted her to roll down the window. Standing outside was Louis Callen, a gentleman nearing his fifties, wearing glasses and exuding a warm, scholarly demeanor. He was holding a black umbrella, his expression filled with regret. “Miss, I'm sorry for rear-ending your car. We'll take full responsibility. But my employer is in a hurry. Can we exchange contact information? You can give us a list of damages for compensation later. We won't shirk our responsibility, I promise.” “Let's just let the traffic police handle it.” Jemima was already in a bad mood, and being startled twice in a row pushed her negative emotions to the breaking point. She pushed open the car door and stepped out, walking toward the rear. When she saw the dent in her bumper caused by the Bentley that had rear-ended her, she frowned. She snapped a few pictures as evidence before calling the police. Seeing her resolve, Louis decided it was inappropriate to stop her. He returned to the car to report the situation. “Mr. Sterling, this lady isn't willing to settle privately. What should we do...” The rain began to fall even harder. The windshield wipers cleared the rainwater from the glass, only for it to be quickly replaced by a new mist. Inside the car, a man was observing the woman outside. She was holding a phone to her ear with one hand while the other rested on her forehead. Her entire being was enveloped in profound desolation. Her white shirt was already soaked by the rain. Raindrops clung to her thick eyelashes, trembling before falling onto her red lips. “Mr. Sterling?” Louis called out again. The man's gaze fell coldly on his wristwatch. “Zander is on his way. I'll leave first. You stay and handle things.” “Very well, Mr. Sterling.” Jemima returned to the car. Soon after, the traffic police arrived, followed closely by a silver Maybach. Both vehicles came to a stop almost simultaneously. Jemima stepped out of her car as the driver from the car behind did the same. She noticed that apart from Louis, there was another figure present—a man of tall and slender build, exuding an air of refined arrogance. He had fair skin, and his deep-set eyes were sharp and captivating. As he sensed her gaze, he turned to look at her, his eyes piercing and intimidating. Jemima thought he looked familiar. “Give it to her,” the man said casually as he handed over the blazer draped over his wrist to Louis. Without a backward glance, he slid into the Maybach. Louis hurried over to Jemima with the blazer in hand. “Miss, your clothes are wet. Please put this on.” Jemima glanced down, realizing her white blouse was practically clinging to her body, making even her underwear almost visible. She awkwardly accepted the blazer offered to her. “Thank you.” As Louis quietly conversed with the traffic police, the Maybach slowly started up, breaking through the rain and continuing on its journey. Jemima only managed to catch a fleeting glimpse of a distinguished profile inside the car. The blazer still held the warmth of its owner, and the hint of a sandalwood scent dispelled the chill brought by the rain. The traffic police provided a resolution that both parties agreed to. They exchanged phone numbers, and Louis insisted on accompanying Jemima to the hospital to have her forehead injury examined. Jemima politely declined, her emotions having settled by then. Reflecting on her earlier overreaction, she expressed regret, assuring them it was her mood at fault, not them. “I'll clean the suit and send it back to you via courier.” Louis didn't refuse, though he knew full well that given his employer's temperament, the blazer probably wouldn't be wanted even if it was returned. Nonetheless, he graciously accepted the gesture. Jemima went to the hospital by herself. Julius couldn't reach her on the phone. As the rain poured down and his mind raced with countless terrifying thoughts, he received news of her accident.