Chapter 382: The Password Hasn't Changed
Standing front the door, Jessica glanced at the keypad lock and asked, "What's the code?"
"It hasn't changed," Gabriel said.
Jessica looked at him, puzzled. 'Why hasn't the code been changed? It's been so long.'
She hesitated before entering the code. The door opened immediately as she brushed her fingerprint scanner.
'My fingerprint wasn't deleted?'
Jessica looked at the keypad lock in surprise.
As the door opened, Gabriel walked straight in without waiting for her to ask, said, "I haven't stayed here much in the past two years, so I forgot to change it."
Jessica nodded. "Okay."
After entering, Gabriel seemed to want to sit on the sofa, but it was clear that no one had lived here for a long time. Although a cleaning lady came regularly to tidy up so thatthe room was still clean and dust-free, Jessica could clearly feel the strange emptiness and lack of life in the place as she opened the door.
So Gabriel was telling the truth when he said he hadn't stayed here much in the past two years.
Blue Bay Apartments was the closest and most convenient place to his company. Jessica wondered that if he hadn't stayed here, where had he been for the past two years.
'Has he gone to the rumored Azure Water Bay estate? Or stayed at the company?'
Jessica hesitated briefly, then stopped thinking about it and walked over to ask him, "Did Landon really go to Bangkok? He didn't come back with us from Stellaria City. You don't have much luggage, so I'll just leave it here."
Gabriel turned to look at her, seeing her standing in a once-familiar place but now looking a bit awkward and hesitant. He didn't say anything, simply nodding towards the table, indicating she could put it down.
Although it had rained heavily in Stellaria City a few days ago, Xyleria had already entered autumn. It seemed like it had also rained here a few days ago , but not heavily. On the way back, she noticed that the puddles on the roadside were drying up, and the air was filled with the scent of early autumn.
Jessica went to open the window for some fresh air, then checked the time. They had just rushed back from Stellaria City today. Although she and Gabriel were on the same flight, Lynn and Zoey had left first after landing, taking her luggage back to the studio.
She turned to look at Gabriel, who was already sitting by the sofa: "I need to go get a new SIM card and pick up some things. Do you need me to buy anything? It's 3 PM now, and I should be back before dark."
As she spoke, she walked directly to the sofa.
Seeing Gabriel sitting there with his eyes closed, looking a bit tired, she realized that although he had tried to move his shoulder as little as possible during the journey, the long trip by plane and car was still exhausting. After all, he was still injured, with a deep wound on his shoulder and back. The doctor had also said that he needed a few days to recover his strength due to significant blood loss.
He probably needed to rest for a while.
Jessica didn't disturb him further, knowing he had heard what she said.
Getting a new SIM card was quick and easy, but she also needed to handle some problems at the studio and deal with the series of news reports triggered by the chandelier incident at the Golden Orchid Hotel. Jessica had been mentioned in the reports, and many fans were worried about her injury.
However, Jessica hadn't been in the mood to deal with these matters while in Stellaria City. Her Instagram was already in chaos.
The studio's Instagram had been flooded with over a hundred thousand comments from fans, criticizing the studio for failing to protect Jessica.
Coincidentally, the movie "Against the Flow" had premiered yesterday, receiving good reviews and box office . Jessica's popularity had surged, leading a continous online quarrel between her fans and haters.
As the person involved, Jessica had to comfort her fans' emotions.
After a brief meeting at the studio and having Mackenzie insist on checking her foot injury to ensure it wasn't serious, the studio posted a long message and pictures on Jessica's Instagram, reassuring fans about her safety and explaining the situation at the Golden Orchid Hotel. Only then was Jessica able to leave the studio.
Although her foot injury wasn't severe, and she wouldn't make bad efforts to walk as long as she wore comfortable shoes, she decided not to drive for safety reasons and took a cab to a supermarket near Blue Bay Apartments.
Before leaving, she hadn't checked the kitchen, but she assumed that since Gabriel hadn't stayed there for a long time, there wouldn't be any food at home.
While pushing a shopping cart in the supermarket, Jessica wore a mask and hat, deliberately turning her back to the crowd, unsure if any paparazzi had spotted her.
Due to her busy schedule with filming and promotions over the past two years, and with Caroline and Olivia at home, she rarely cooked anymore. She often ate on set or shared takeout and staff meals with her colleagues at the studio.
It had also been a long time since shevisited a supermarket at last time.
She bought a lot of groceries and seasonings. At the checkout, she kept her head down and her hat brim low, fiddling with the self-checkout machine for a while before finally leaving the supermarket.
Unexpectedly, she was still photographed. That evening, a gossip account posted pictures of her shopping alone, speculating that her elusive husband had returned because she was buying a lot of household items and food, suggesting she was preparing for a stay-at-home life.
However, since the photos only showed her shopping alone, it didn't cause much of a scandal. After a few posts from gossip accounts, the matter faded away.
Jessica had no idea she had been photographed. After leaving the supermarket, she remained cautious, even though she was already near Blue Bay Apartments. She took a cab for a detour and walked along a small road behind the apartments to avoid the crowd before entering.
Being a celebrity meant dealing with fans and paparazzi invading her privacy and following her had become a daily routine. Evem though she was already used to it,she still didn't want Blue Bay Apartments to be disturbed
When Jessica entered, it was just getting dark outside.
She thought Gabriel might be resting, but when she walked in, she saw the light on in his study with the door open. She walked over and saw Gabriel in a video conference. From her angle at the door, she couldn't tell if he looked any better.
She raised her hand and lightly knocked on the study door. Gabriel couldn't turn around, but his chair could swivel. As he turned, Jessica held up the shopping bags and gave him a questioning eye, asking if he was hungry.
Gabriel noticed her low-brimmed hat and mask, guessing how troublesome it must have been for her to shop. Instead of answering, he asked, "Aren't you going to take off your mask? Don't you feel stuffy?"
Jessica had forgotten. She quickly took off her hat and mask, regardless of whether he answered or not. She noticed the company executives in the video conference curiously looking in her direction, so she swiftly walked away from the study door and headed straight to the kitchen with the groceries.
