Chapter 158 In Memoriam
After observing Nathan and Jennifer's future residence, everyone discussed Nathan and Jennifer's wedding date together. Since Nathan and Jennifer are both older people with simple lifestyles, they don't plan to have a large wedding. They only plan to invite close family members for a small gathering. Once the date was set, they were ready to register for marriage, and they intentionally chose the registration date to be after the completion of the house on the small island.
About a dozen days later, the residence on the small island was finally completed, and Nathan and Jennifer were ready to move in. Before their move-in, I went to the furniture market to buy some simple and unadorned furniture for Nathan and Jennifer. Since Zephyr Energy Solutions Company had already prepared many living tools and facilities, I didn't actually need to buy much for Nathan and Jennifer.
On this day, the furniture and large-scale renovation on the small island were completed, only a thorough cleaning was left. Katniss and I planned to take the afternoon off to help Nathan tidy up the house on the island, which would serve as their wedding house. Although the house was not decorated with lights and decorations, everything had been installed. In a couple of days, friends and family would gather on the small island for a large party to celebrate Nathan's wedding.
In Nightfall City, there is a tradition that before getting married, one must visit the graves of relatives to pay respects with flowers and candles. This is a way to express remembrance for the deceased relatives and to inform them of the upcoming marriage. Since Jennifer's hometown is in a distant rural town in another area, it would take more than ten hours by train to get there. So, Jennifer took her daughter to pay respects. After visiting family, I specially arranged for Jennifer to have a week off so that when she returned, it would be the day for her and Nathan to register for marriage.
With Jennifer away, Katniss and I had to help Nathan prepare the wedding house and do the cleaning. Originally, we planned to take the afternoon off and go to the small island to help Nathan tidy up the house. However, during the morning at work, I suddenly received a business trip assignment from the company to handle a business negotiation in a nearby city where I used to travel frequently and sign a contract. The general manager personally ordered this, and as an employee receiving a salary from the company, I naturally had to comply with the company's arrangements. The business trip would take about two days, so I had to call Katniss to inform her.
"Honey, I just received a notice from the company that I need to go on a business trip to a nearby city, and it will take one or two days. I might not be able to return until tomorrow night at the earliest." I wasn't feeling great about this sudden business trip at this time, but there was no choice. The more money I earned, the busier my work would naturally be. The company doesn't want to pay employees who don't work.
"What about going to your dad's place this afternoon to tidy up the room? Or should we wait for you to come back the day after tomorrow?" Katniss was surprised to hear about my business trip and sighed, asking. The house had just been renovated, and Nathan had already moved in by himself to take care of the house, considering the many valuable items inside.
"Let's not wait. Jennifer will be back the day after tomorrow, and they will move in together with your dad. It's better to tidy up now. If I can't make it back tomorrow, it would be a delay. There's not much left to tidy up anyway, you and your dad can finish it in the afternoon. You can help your dad tidy up a bit." Nathan's wedding schedule was tight and well-planned, any changes midway could cause unnecessary trouble. To give Nathan a satisfactory wedding, I decided not to change any arrangements.
"Alright, make sure you're safe there and don't forget to call me. I'll go help my dad tidy up this afternoon, and I should be back home before 4 pm." After the scare last time, Katniss seemed afraid that I might misunderstand her relationship with Nathan, so she explained at the end. In the past, Katniss would never have said the last sentence, perhaps she didn't even realize this small mistake herself.
"Okay, take care at home, I have a flight in the afternoon, so I should arrive at the destination before you get home." After saying this, I hung up the phone, checked the time, and realized it was almost noon. I prepared to say goodbye to the general manager, have a quick lunch outside, then go home to pack some basic toiletries and luggage. In the afternoon, I would set off, and the company had arranged a special car, so the journey would be convenient and fast.
As it was almost time to finish work, I went to the general manager's office to bid farewell and discuss the details of the contract to be signed later. When I entered the general manager's office, he was working on something on his computer.
"Kevin , sorry for being busy and forgetting. I heard your father is getting married in these two days, right?" The general manager stopped his work and kindly asked me. Although I hadn't publicized the relationship between Nathan and the janitor Jennifer on a large scale, the news had spread within the company. I was worried they wouldn't end up together, so I didn't report it to the general manager. After all, the company had a policy of family avoidance. If Nathan married the janitor Jennifer, she would have to leave the company, which was a rule most companies had to follow.
"Yes, it's the day after tomorrow. I've been busy with the renovation these days. I was actually planning to ask for leave to help my father tidy up the wedding house this afternoon, but now I have to go on a business trip suddenly." The general manager was only a few years older than me, and we had a good relationship outside of work, so I didn't hesitate to speak frankly with him.
"You've been my subordinate for a long time, and I just heard about this. You've kept it well hidden. In that case, it's not necessary for you to handle this matter. Since you have something at home, I'll arrange for someone else to take care of it. I'll give you the afternoon off to prepare for the wedding of your father. After all, it's not easy when you're getting older. This is both to understand your personal matters and to appreciate your filial piety." The general manager stood up, showing great understanding and said kindly.
"I don't need to take the afternoon off after all. Company matters are important too, and I can postpone my personal affairs for a while." In any case, in the workplace, you still have to put on a show to give the boss a good impression.
"Alright, stop dawdling, go home and take care of your personal matters." The general manager scolded me with a smile and let me go.
As I left the office, I felt relaxed. Finally, I didn't have to go on a business trip. To be honest, I really don't like business trips because it means being away from home. I'm someone who loves home and loves my bed, so being at home is the most comfortable for me. It was already past the end of the workday, and I assumed Katniss had also finished work by now. According to our phone conversation earlier, Katniss would have lunch outside after work and then head straight to Nathan's place to help him tidy up, as going early meant coming back early.
I walked out of the company building, planning to call Katniss to tell her the news that I didn't have to go on the business trip. However, as I was about to dial the number on my phone, I suddenly stopped. A long-hidden thought surfaced in my mind. Honestly, when I asked Katniss to help Nathan tidy up the house alone over the phone, I didn't think much about it. Now that I didn't have to go on the business trip, my mind was free from burdens, and I couldn't help but indulge in some fantasies.
Since that night when Katniss and Nathan had sex while I was at home, it seemed like they had truly returned to their original roles. They had no more opportunities to be alone, and they even avoided each other. Despite the adjustments over the past few days, through my careful observations, I noticed subtle hints of melancholy and sorrow that Nathan and Katniss would inadvertently show. I believed that they hadn't completely moved on from the complex experiences and emotions between them. I knew that for them to fully recover, it would require a prolonged mental battle.
I skipped lunch and sat on a bench in a park near the company, contemplating. I thought back to everything that had happened before, the scenes I had seen on the surveillance footage of Katniss and Nathan making love, and the emotional turmoil and changes I had gone through. My heart was filled with mixed feelings. Honestly, although I was reluctant to recall those scenes, every time I remembered those passionate moments, I felt a mix of heartache and excitement. Just as I recalled some of the moments between Nathan and Katniss, my penis became erect in my pants.
Since it was lunchtime and there were many people coming and going in the park, I was wearing tight trousers. As I sat on the bench, a small tent formed in my pants, and to avoid any embarrassment, I had to put my hands in my pockets and press down on my erect penis. Feeling the hardness and heat of my penis in my hand through the fabric, I couldn't help but smile wryly. Perhaps it was because Nathan and Katniss no longer had any ambiguity between them, or perhaps it was to commemorate the times they had shared before. Maybe it was to cherish this possibly final opportunity. I decided not to tell Katniss about the sudden change in my business trip plans.
I wanted to see if Katniss and Nathan, taking advantage of Jennifer and me being away, would once again uncontrollably ignite the spark of passion. If they didn't, I would feel disappointed but also emotionally comforted. If they did, then what? Nathan was about to get married, and it was only a matter of time before they ended this intimate relationship. I saw it as giving them a chance to bid farewell to each other. So, regardless of whether they had a sexual relationship or not, I decided to accept and forgive, considering it as a final indulgence and farewell to my adulterous fantasies.
After a light lunch, I returned home. The house was empty, and Katniss hadn't come back yet. She must have gone alone to help Nathan tidy up the house. I sat alone at home, occasionally watching TV or using the computer, but my mind couldn't settle. Time passed slowly, and I felt restless. I hadn't installed surveillance devices in Nathan's house, so I had no idea what was happening between them. This lack of control over the situation was frustrating.
In the late afternoon, Katniss called me. I lied to her, saying I was on the way to a hotel and would be having dinner with colleagues in a few hours. I also mentioned that I had forgotten my phone charger, so my phone might run out of battery and shut down at night, telling her not to worry.
After hanging up the phone, I couldn't help but smile bitterly. Was I creating an opportunity for them? Based on the situation in recent times, the likelihood of Katniss and Nathan having a sexual relationship was very low. I spent some more time at home, and as the clock on the wall approached four in the afternoon, I planned to tell Katniss that I had canceled the business trip midway and returned. I had already thought of a reason to explain in case Katniss saw me at home.
Based on the schedule, Katniss would likely return home by around 3:30 pm at the earliest, or by 4 pm at the latest. I anxiously waited at home, hoping for Katniss to suddenly come back, open the door, and have dinner together. However, as time passed, my doubts grew stronger. Why hadn't she returned yet? By 4:30 pm, Katniss still hadn't come back, which was definitely not normal. Perhaps Katniss had left Nathan's place and gone out with friends for shopping or a date? Or maybe she was still with Nathan on the island, and something had happened in the house.
Suppressing the desire to call Katniss and ask, I couldn't do that. Was Katniss out with friends or still with Nathan? I couldn't figure out the situation. Without any hesitation, I got dressed and rushed out the door. It was as if my body was acting on instinct without my brain's control. I headed straight to the small island where Nathan and Katniss were, not knowing what I would find there.
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