The Unwilling CEO's Love Game novel Chapter 147

Melvin's words seemed to stick in his throat, unspoken.

Jocelyn's heart, which she had painstakingly patched together, shattered once again.

She forced a smile, "It's okay, I understand. Rest up. I'm off."

This time, she left without any hesitation.

It was her own fault, really. Too confident of herself.

Words unspoken for more than three years were likely to be blurted out just out of impulse.

And now, not even that impulse seemed worth it.

Hope is for dreaming, not necessarily for achieving.

Jocelyn went back to shelling peanuts with the villagers, listening in as they gossiped. She didn't think about Melvin anymore. She wouldn't.

As dusk settled, a beam of headlights illuminated the village hall.

Uriah came in a run, "Mr. Martinez has headed back to the city."

Jocelyn paused in her shelling, just as Ursula came in and mentioned, "Willow left with him."

Jocelyn just smiled. "Good for them. A bit of peace returns to the village finally."

After dinner, Jocelyn caught up with her parents over a video chat. Afterward, Harrison called, saying he'd been driving non-stop and was only a few hundred miles from home.

Jocelyn thought he was driving too fast.

Harrison didn't ask about Melvin or Willow. They chatted idly for a while before hanging up.

"Are you okay?" Ursula asked her.

"What do you mean?" Jocelyn fiddled with her phone, looking puzzled.

Ursula gave her a knowing look. "Come on, don't put on an act for me. You've been off since you came back from the hike, and with him leaving overnight... if there's nothing going on, I'll eat my hat."

Jocelyn shrugged. "There's nothing going on between us."

"Are you really okay?" Ursula had a hunch that Jocelyn's calm was a facade.

"I'm fine. We’ll be back in a few days. Let's focus on catching up with the lessons."

Seeing that Jocelyn didn't want to talk, Ursula dropped the subject.

As long as Jocelyn wasn't falling apart, she could weather the storm.

Jocelyn went back to her room.

In truth, the next few days were light on lessons, with occasional tutoring for the kids.

Five days later, Jocelyn and Ursula prepared to return to the city.

The villagers came to see them off, filling Ursula's car to the brim with gifts.

Before they left, Yuri approached Jocelyn. "Hey, Jocelyn, Melvin left in such a rush, I didn't get to see him off. Could you tell him when I'm of age, I'd like to come work for him?"

Jocelyn blinked. "Didn't you take his number?"

"I did, but my grandma washed my clothes and forgot to take the note out. Lost the number," Yuri spoke in a low voice.

Jocelyn wrote down Melvin's number again. "If possible, keep learning as much as you can. Education isn't the only way forward, but it won't hurt to have some knowledge when you head to the big city."

"Melvin said the same. Don't worry, Jocelyn, I'll hit the books." Yuri smiled earnestly. "When I start working in the city, I'll treat you, Melvin, and Ursula to a meal."

Ursula teased, "Look at that, I'm included too."