Chapter 2 Rex

Helen had arranged to meet her friend at around nine o'clock at the store to have the watch checked first.

As for when they could find a buyer, that was purely a matter of luck.

"You even bought additional goods just to get this watch sooner? That must've cost you two years' worth of salary without spending a dime elsewhere."

Linda was slightly surprised, wondering how Helen knew she had purchased extra goods.

Helen explained, "My friend is the store manager. She saw your order. We'll go see her later-she may not be able to help much, but the more connections, the better the chances."

Linda's phone vibrated-it was a message from Bert's secretary,

[Miss Jackson, when would you be available to complete the transfer of the Riverside Community villa to your name? Mr. White said he feels deeply sorry for you, for failing to live up to your feelings. He insists that you accept the house as a way to settle the emotional debt he owes you.]

Linda suppressed the storm brewing in her heart.

Helen, noticing her expression, deduced that the message was related to Bert. She took the phone from Linda's hand and placed it on the table. "Why are you checking your phone while eating?" Then she deliberately changed the topic to distract her. "My mom and Uncle Jackson are getting married. What are you planning to give them as a wedding gift?"

Linda fell silent for a moment. "I haven't decided yet. What about you?"

Helen took even longer to answer. "Same here." She hadn't figured it out either.

She only loved her own father and mother. Now that her mother was marrying someone else, she didn't know what would be an appropriate gift. Linda, much like her, only cherished her own parents. Uncle Jackson and his ex-wife once had a deeply affectionate marriage, from school uniforms to wedding dresses, yet they ultimately parted ways. Linda was probably even more unwilling to face her father's wedding to another woman.

Linda suggested, "Why don't we buy something together? Something expensive, and I'll use it to send my blessings to my dad while you send yours to your mom."

Helen nodded. "Sounds good. Let's go pick something out when we have time."

After their meal, as they left the restaurant, Linda declined the driver Bert had arranged for her and walked straight out of the lobby.

Manager Harris felt uneasy. If he didn't ensure Linda got home safely, he wouldn't be able to answer to Bert. So, he tried persuading her again, "Miss Jackson, you've had alcohol..."

Linda interrupted him without looking his way. "I've called for a designated driver. And one more thing-let me say this again-I've broken up with Bert."

Manager Harris didn't take her words seriously. What couple hasn't said they're breaking up in the heat of an argument?

"Manager Harris, you should stay here." Walking behind them, Helen maintained a steady pace as she called out to him. "My sister wasn't celebrating that man's birthday tonight. She was treating him to a breakup dinner. He didn't eat, so I ate for him. And the breakup? It's done."

Manager Harris was visibly startled.

Helen quipped, "I hope that next time I come here, I can still enjoy the same warm and attentive service from you, Manager Harris."

Manager Harris smiled, his response well-measured. "Of course, it would be my honor."

Just then, the designated driver arrived.

He was a tall and slender young man, dressed in gray sweatpants and a loose-fitting white T-shirt.

Linda sensed a certain youthful aura from him-something completely absent in Bert, who had been navigating the business world for years.

After confirming he was the driver she had called, Linda handed him the car keys.

Helen grabbed a shopping bag from her own car. "Don't forget your dress."

Linda stepped forward, took the bag, and placed it in the trunk. Not wanting to trouble her sister any further, she said, "You should head home. I'll go to the flagship store alone to meet your store manager friend. You've already helped me enough."

Helen opened the passenger door and got in. "I'm already involved. Another hour or two won't make a difference."

The white car pulled out of the restaurant's parking lot and headed toward the watch flagship store.

With a stranger in the driver's seat, it wasn't convenient to discuss private matters, giving the two sisters a valid excuse to stay silent.

They hadn't talked much during dinner either-each eating their own meal in silence, simply seeking a moment of peace.

The car remained quiet throughout the drive until the designated driver stopped near the flagship store. Linda turned to him. "Would you like to take a walk nearby? I might be a while."

The driver didn't say much. He simply nodded and handed her the car keys.

The VIP customer who had come to pick a watch hadn't arrived yet, so the store manager was available to personally attend to them.

Before tonight, the store manager had never met Linda in person, but she wasn't unfamiliar with her. Over the years, she had heard bits and pieces about Linda from Helen and had a rough idea of her personality. Highly intelligent, adept at reading people-someone who seemed completely non-threatening but was, in reality, full of strategic calculations.

She had also seen photos of Linda in the family portraits displayed at Helen's house-an oval face with soft, elegant jawlines, clear eyes filled with a warm smile, the kind that could melt anyone's heart.

In the pictures, her features were flawless to the point of seeming unreal. The store manager had once thought that such beauty could only be the result of heavy photo editing.

But now, with Linda standing before her in real life, she-a woman herself-found her breath momentarily caught upon seeing her.

Linda greeted her politely. "Sorry for troubling you at such a late hour."

The store manager smiled warmly and ushered them inside. "It's no trouble at all. Your sister's matters are my matters-no need to be so formal. You're in luck tonight-our regional manager happens to be here. He has great connections. I'll ask him to help find a buyer."

The warranty card for the watch hadn't been filled out yet, and it had never even been worn. There was still a chance of selling it close to the original price-though that chance was slim.

Linda wasn't concerned about the price; she just wanted to sell the watch as soon as possible.

The store manager poured two cups of coffee and invited them to sit in the VIP lounge on the first floor. She then took the watch to find the regional manager, hoping he could match it with the right buyer.

Helen reminded Linda, "Don't drink the coffee. You won't be able to sleep if you do."

Linda stirred her coffee absentmindedly and didn't hide her feelings. "I won't be able to sleep either way."

Soon, the store manager hurried back downstairs. Inside the VIP lounge, the two sisters sat on opposite ends of the sofa, not speaking, as if they were strangers.

She returned the watch to Linda. "I took some photos. Keep the watch with you."

After a brief pause, she gave Linda a heads-up. "The color of your watch strap-some people will absolutely love it." The rest of the implication was left unspoken.

Linda had expected this. She smiled and thanked her.

The store manager pointed to the entrance and said to Helen, "Our VIP guest is about to arrive. I don't have time to keep you company. Help yourselves to more coffee. If you need to leave, we'll catch up over the phone later."

Helen replied, "No rush. I don't have anything to do at home anyway."

The store manager had no time for small talk. She adjusted her outfit and makeup before hurrying toward the entrance.

She had just learned from the regional manager that tonight's VIP guest was a man named Rex from The Thompson Family in London.

Accompanying him was Bernie from The Clark Family, who had accidentally damaged his watch. They were here specifically to have the broken watch repaired. Buying a new watch was only secondary.

Just as she reached the entrance, two cars pulled up and parked in sequence.

Leading the way was a striking deep emerald green Cullinan. Even someone like her, who wasn't familiar with cars, knew that a Cullinan was the pinnacle of SUVs.

A young man got out of the driver's seat, dressed casually in a T-shirt a shade darker than the SUV, exuding a carefree and unruly air.

Then, the passenger door opened, revealing a tall man in a white dress shirt. She caught a glimpse of his deep, chiseled side profile-his aura was in stark contrast to the man in the T-shirt.

The regional manager stepped forward to greet the man in the white shirt, confirming his identity-Rex, the second son of The Thompson Family.

And the one in the T-shirt? Bernie.

The store manager followed behind them into the store. With the regional manager leading the way, there was nothing she needed to do.

On the staircase leading upstairs, it was mostly Bernie chatting with the regional manager. Rex, with a calm and deep gaze, was sparing with his words. From the entrance to the VIP lounge on the second floor, he had only spoken twice, totaling less than ten words.

The damaged watch was with Rex's secretary. Bernie gestured for the secretary to take it out and said to the regional manager, "Try to minimize the repair time as much as possible."

The regional manager only verbally agreed. The watch had to be sent to headquarters for repairs, and the exact repair time would depend on an assessment after testing-it wasn't something he could decide.

Bernie was more anxious than the owner of the watch, emphasizing twice that it had to be restored no matter the cost and that the repair time had to be minimized as much as possible.

The watch held great significance for Rex-it was a gift from his older brother for his twentieth birthday. Over the past nine years, it had been the watch he wore most frequently on important occasions.

It was all Bernie's fault. At the time, he had been fooling around, insisting that Rex take off the watch so he could have a look.

They had been playing cards, and in the heat of the game, Bernie had forgotten how valuable the watch was. After losing a round, he got playful and accidentally knocked the watch off. Worse still, after it fell to the ground, he absentmindedly kicked it...

After handling the watch repair arrangements, Bernie suggested checking out the store's watches and instructed the store manager, "Bring out the most expensive ones."

Rex was busy handling work on his phone and didn't even look up.

He had no need for another watch-his collection already filled three watch safes, with some pieces never even getting the chance to be worn. Bernie, however, insisted on buying him one as an apology.

The store manager selected a few watches that she thought might catch Rex's interest, skipping the basic models.

After setting up the display, Bernie motioned to Rex, "Take a look. See if any of these work for you?"

Rex swept his eyes quickly over the selection and said, "Put them all away."

Not a single one caught his interest.

Bernie understood Rex well-when buying a watch, it had to click with him, and price was never the deciding factor. He had seen Rex's collection, which ranged from five-figure to eight-figure watches.

Pointing at the damaged watch, Bernie asked the store manager, "Do you have anything similar to this one? It doesn't have to be the same model-something in a similar color scheme would do."

The store manager took a closer look at the strap and then instinctively glanced at the regional manager.

The regional manager also found the strap color familiar. Suddenly, he remembered Linda's watch. While it couldn't compare to Rex's in value, the strap's color scheme was quite similar.

The regional manager explained to Bernie, "We do have a watch in the store, owned by a customer..."

"Bring it here," Bernie interrupted impatiently.

"Just a moment, I'll get it right away." The store manager, composed and steady while inside the VIP room, took off almost at a run the moment she reached the staircase.

When she entered the lounge downstairs, she couldn't help but exclaim, "Good thing you two haven't left! If luck is on your side, this watch might find a new owner tonight."

Linda was surprised. "That fast?"

"That's why I said you're lucky."

There was no time to explain in detail. The store manager grabbed the watch and rushed back upstairs.

Rex, being a watch collector, could estimate the watch's price with just a glance. The one brought in by the store manager had no collectible value. He simply said, "Thank you for your effort."

Bernie understood-Rex wasn't interested.

Rex locked his phone screen and glanced at Bernie. "Let's go back to the hotel."

They had already looked at the watches, and since none appealed to him, there was no need to make a purchase.

But Bernie still felt guilty. Rex had an important business meeting tomorrow, and wearing a formal suit without a watch would feel incomplete. Borrowing someone else's watch wasn't an option for him either.

Ignoring Rex's words, Bernie took the initiative to ask the store manager again, "Would the Shanghai store have a larger selection?"

Rex had no patience for this. It was just a watch. He cut Bernie off and then subtly gestured toward the uniquely colored watch in the store manager's hands.

"This one will do," he said.