Chapter 386
Abigail: [John, don't let Wendy get to you. Hope you're doing okay.]
Connie: [Heard you went to Crystal Nation. When are you coming back?]
Richard: [John, we're waiting for you to come back!]
Quinlan: [Dude, how'd you just take off to Crystal Nation without a word? Were you there to mess around with foreign chicks? I can't stand you!]
Yves: [When are you coming back?]
After reading the messages, I called each of them back. When Lillian picked up, I could hear her crying, "John, you finally called! You scared me to death!"
"Lillian, is that John?" Emily's voice came through the phone.
I felt super guilty. "Emily, it's me. I'm back from Crystal Nation."
Emily said, "You have no idea, we've been losing our minds looking for you these past days. Patrick is still in Crystal Nation."
"Patrick's in Crystal Nation?"
Emily said, "Yeah, he's been there for ten days now."
I felt deeply grateful. "Emily, I'm fine. I'll call Patrick right now and tell him to come back!"
"Don't hang up yet. Where are you? Are you hurt?"
"No, Emily, I'm fine. I'm in Greenvale City right now."
"That's good, thank God!"
After hanging up, I quickly called Patrick. Before I could speak, Patrick's skeptical voice came through, "Is that John?"
I could tell he was exhausted. I thought, 'Having a friend like him in this life is worth it.'
"Patrick, it's me. I'm back from Crystal Nation."
"Damn, you actually came back." Patrick's annoyed voice came through the phone, "You're such a jerk. Don't you know we've been looking for you? Don't you check your messages? You worried us to death!"
I listened silently. If he didn't truly consider me one of his own, he wouldn't say these things. He wouldn't even care if I were alive or dead. "Patrick, come back. I'll explain everything when I see you."
"Alright, you must have gone through something over there. Otherwise, you wouldn't have done something so foolish." His tone was relaxed, as if a weight had been lifted from his heart.
After hanging up, I called Kelsey. I knew she must be feeling very guilty at this moment.
When the call connected, I heard Kelsey's sobbing, "Is that John?"
Her hoarse crying pained my heart. "I'm sorry, I came back late!"
She started crying harder, "John, you're finally back. I was so scared. If I lost you, I wouldn't want to live either."
To comfort her, I even made a video call.
In the video, Kelsey looked extremely haggard, her eyes red and swollen from crying, and she had lost a lot of weight. "John, do I look terrible now?"
"No, you still look the most beautiful and adorable to me."
"Really?"
"Really. So from now on, you need to eat well, sleep well, and take good care of yourself. I don't like skinny girls."
"Okay, I'll listen to you. I'll do anything you like." She sat up straight and wiped away her tears, her eyes filled with determination. "I swear I'll never let you leave me again!"
"Alright, I won't let you leave me either."
"I'll wait for you in Sevan City. When you come back, you'll see a better me."
"Okay!"
After hanging up, I called Ruby. She called me ten times a day and sent me dozens of messages, along with many photos—pictures of her dancing, and her swollen, injured ankle.
Even with makeup, she couldn't hide her worried and haggard face.
When the call connected, she answered almost immediately, "John, you're finally back."
She was both anxious and happy. Realizing she might have come on too strong, she said, "Emily called me earlier and said you were back. Are you okay?"
"Ruby, I missed you."
"Alright, I'll come see you tomorrow, okay?" Beneath her calm tone was a surge of emotions, "You little rascal, how could you worry us like this, disappearing for half a month? I was worried sick."
"I'm sorry, Ruby," I said, feeling guilty.
"Alright, as long as you're back. I'll come see you tomorrow. Remember to pick me up." She hung up after that.
I felt a bit unsettled. This was her first time offering to come see me.
Then, I called Rita, "Rita, I miss home!"
Rita's surprised voice came through the phone, "John, you finally called me back. If you miss home, then come back. I won't work late tonight; I'll wait for you at home, okay?"
I wanted to go back immediately, but I couldn't leave Greenvale City just yet. I suppressed my longing. "Rita, give me a few more days to handle everything here."
"Alright, I'll wait for you."
I talked with Rita for a long time. The products Ella had developed were selling well and were very popular.
After thinking for a while, I called Ella, "I'm sorry, Ms. Martinez. I didn't keep my promise."
She had sent me many messages over the past few days. "You owe me thirty-six lessons. Have you thought about how to make them up?"
"Can I hire you for extra lessons? Three in the morning and three in the afternoon. That way, I can make them up in a week."
"My tutoring fees are very high."
"I can afford it anyway."
"Alright, we'll talk when you get back. I have to work on new products now. Bye!"
Then I called Marry and the others, saying roughly the same things. Before I knew it, the whole morning had passed.
I took a deep breath. There were still a few more calls to make.
"Hello, Ms. Kingsley. I'm very sorry. We had planned to have dinner together, but I had to go on a business trip to Crystal Nation, so I couldn't make it. It's not what you think; my wallet and phone were stolen abroad, and I just got them back."
"Ms. Rodriguez, please don't be mad. Let me explain." After much persuasion, Wendy finally agreed to have dinner tonight.
If the branch office wanted to operate in Greenvale City, we couldn't afford to offend them.
"Mr. Harrison, I'm sorry. My phone and wallet were stolen in Crystal Nation, and I just got back today. I didn't mean to ignore your messages, really."
"Richard, I'm back. Sorry, I couldn't make it to your place earlier. How about I visit you in a couple of days?"
"Connie, it's me. I'm back. Want to meet tonight? I can't tonight; I just got back and have some work to handle. How about I visit you in a couple of days? Yes, let's do that!"
After hanging up, I checked the time and hurried back to the apartment to cook for Linda and Stella.
Luckily, we had a great time last night, and they had just woken up.
I cooked according to their tastes, served them, and even fed them fruit after the meal. I also had to massage their legs and backs, feeling a deep sense of bitterness.
It was much better in Crystal Nation. Cassandra was incredibly considerate, and her household staff was very obedient.
Taking advantage of Linda and Stella's good mood, I said, "Ms. Foster, Stella, I have a very important dinner tonight. Can I go?"
"What kind of dinner? How many people? More men or women?" Stella asked first.
"Why can't we go with you?" Linda glanced at me and said.
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