Chapter 367 Finding Every Opportunity to Bring Her Back
Jessica stayed in her room until the afternoon. She didn't sleep, but lying down for hours eased her stomach pain.
The rain had stopped, but the sky was still gloomy. Dark clouds hinted at more rain, and the forecast confirmed heavy rain from afternoon to evening. The airport even canceled tonight's flights.
Just as she was about to have lunch, two unexpected guests showed up.
Donald and Daniel, who had just arrived at the San Francisco Exchange, bumped into Jessica as she headed downstairs.
She couldn't help but wonder at the coincidence.
San Francisco has plenty of good hotels, yet Donald and Daniel somehow ended up at the same one.
In the hotel lobby, she saw Donald being wheeled towards a private elevator. He didn't acknowledge her, and she didn't bother to greet him either. Daniel glanced at her, but she simply walked past.
Jessica didn't get to have lunch.
A few minutes later, Daniel called, saying they were staying at the hotel and their grandfather hadn't eaten yet. He invited her to join them for lunch at a restaurant across the street, where they had reserved a table.
Jessica's attitude towards the Jenners was indifferent. She kept her distance but didn't harbor any deep resentment.
Her approach was simple - no contact, no reliance, no expectations. While Jessica and Donald weren't close, he was still family. They lived in different worlds, but since they ran into each other and she wasn't busy, she saw no harm in a meal.
It was like when she was invited to a Christmas dinner in Washington by Donald's family. She was in the area, so she felt obliged to show some courtesy.
So, she decided to go.
The restaurant was just across the street, about 200 feet away. Since the rain had stopped, she didn't take an umbrella.
When she arrived, she saw Donald and Daniel waiting in a private booth. Sitting across from them was a young foreign man, who looked like a business professional.
"Welcome, have a seat," Donald said calmly, indicating a seat next to the foreign man.
Jessica glanced at the distance between the seats and quietly sat down. The foreign man smiled and nodded at her, but she responded with a cold look, not intending to be polite.
"We've been in San Francisco for a few days. Daniel came to meet a client and decided to switch hotels," Donald said.
Jessica didn't care why they changed hotels. With Daniel around, it was probably trouble. They might have heard she was here and decided to bother her. Her so-called cousin was never up to any good.
"Is it because of the rain that you can't fly back?" Donald asked.
"Yes," Jessica replied.
Donald nodded. "So, you probably won't leave for a few days. Since we're all in San Francisco and staying nearby, we should have more meals together. Now, the only family I could meet are you and Daniel. You have your own careers, but as a Jenner, even if you don't return to Washington, you shouldn't cut off contact. At least you and Daniel can look out for each other."
His words sounded close, but his expression was cold, like he was doing her a favor by acknowledging her as his granddaughter.
"We work in different fields. My work might not impress you, so to avoid awkwardness, it's better if we don't meet unnecessarily," Jessica said bluntly, calling the waiter and ordering a glass of lemon water.
Donald turned away because of her indifferent words and started talking to the foreign man next to her.
Daniel kept glancing at her. Jessica returned his look with a cold stare while sipping her lemonade.
The foreign man spoke fluent English, discussing a potential collaboration with the Jenners. When they were talking about a new energy project, he said, "We should reconsider this. Our company lacks experience in this field, and entering an unfamiliar area is risky. The buzz around this business in the past two years makes it hard to tell where the investment is coming from. It could easily lead to trouble."
Donald nodded, lit a cigar, took a puff, and said, "Mr. Lawrence often asks if I have any close relatives. Well, here they are: a granddaughter and a grandson, both of whom studied in the U.S. My granddaughter, although not active in business, graduated from a prestigious university and is actually your alumna, making her your junior."
"Oh, really? Mrs. Jenner, what was your major?" Mr. Lawrence asked, turning to Jessica with curiosity.
Jessica pretended not to hear at first, continuing to drink her water. When Mr. Lawrence looked at her, she slowly put down her glass. Despite the slight pain in her stomach, she managed a faint, emotionless smile. Donald probably thought he was getting old and wanted to ensure the family assets weren't squandered by Daniel. He was trying every possible way to bring her back.
Was this an indirect matchmaking attempt?
If his granddaughter refused to return, finding a suitable grandson-in-law beneficial to the family was also a good plan.
If Jessica wasn't a Jenner, she might not have quickly deciphered Donald's schemes.
