Chapter 219 - Watermelon (1/2)
”How did you get that portrait so quickly?” Halia asked Max as she returned to the living room.
Max shook his head and sighed, ”Your man emailed me a file yesterday and said I had to get it printed and framed before you got back. You don't know how difficult that was.”
Halia laughed and patted Max on the back, ”You are an honestly good friend.”
”I hope Jackson realizes that,” Max laughed jokingly.
”Trust me, he knows,” Halia replied.
At that moment, Halia's phone began to ring.
It was Jackson. Speak of the devil.
Halia smiled and picked up the phone, ”Mr. Wu, when did you sneak behind my back and organize all this?”
”Do you like it?” Jackson asked without answering.
”I'd like it more if you were here with me,” Halia replied.
”Don't worry, I've already requested my resignation and recommended Trisha for the role. It shouldn't take too long,” Jackson explained. ”Treat Max to a meal for me. He's been a lot of help.”
”You should treat him yourself,” Halia complained.
”A wife should represent her husband when he's not around,” Jackson replied.
Halia blushed. She wanted to say that she wasn't his wife yet, but the sound of it was so sweet that she didn't want to complain. In the end, she simply glanced at Max awkwardly as she hung up the phone.
All of a sudden, as though he heard their conversation, Max said, ”I'm hungry, Sister-in-law.”
Sister-in-law? Halia didn't notice it earlier, but Max had actually been calling her Sister-in-law all day. This realization put her in a good mood. ”What would you like to eat? It's my treat,” she said.
...
Halia properly moved into Jackson's apartment, returned to work, and before she knew it, life returned to how it once was. One week passed after another. It was almost like Jackson was just one beautiful dream, but the portrait in their bedroom and their regular phone calls reminded her that he was real and their relationship was real.
”I can't even remember how it feels to hug you,” Halia laughed on the phone.
”I'm sorry,” Jackson replied. ”Trisha turned down the role and requested for a transfer to London instead, so the handover's been delayed a little.”
”She requested for a transfer to London?” Halia asked in surprise.
”Supposedly, she and Oliver are dating,” Jackson explained.
”Oh wow, good for them. I thought I sensed something between them,” Halia replied.
”Yes, but it means it might take longer before we see each other again,” Jackson sighed.
Halia frowned, ”I guess it can't be helped.”
Even though she was disappointed, she understood the importance of Jackson's role in Interpol and knew that he couldn't just get up and leave.