Chapter 5

By noon, the cafeteria was packed, and Jayden and I grabbed a table facing each other.

He really was handsome, with a sharp jawline and a fit body he kept up by running regularly.

Outside of being tight with money when it came to me, Jayden was generally a good catch.

Some coworkers sat nearby, diving into lively chats.

"This crappy weather's dried out my skin so bad," one complained.

Another joined in, "Tell me about it. I'm breaking out too. Hey, Michelle, what skincare do you use? Your skin is flawless. What's your secret?"

Before I could respond, Jayden jumped in, "Michelle's using the skincare set I got her. Four big bottles, plus a face cream."

They looked at me with envy, quickly touting Jayden as a perfect man. "Lucky Michelle, getting fancy skincare products. It must've cost a fortune. No wonder her skin's so great."

Jayden flashed his usual charming smile and shook his head modestly. "It wasn't much, really. The main thing is that Michelle likes it."

Technically, Jayden wasn't lying. A piece of that skincare set cost just a few tens of dollars.

Watching Jayden effortlessly charm our colleagues, I felt a pang of disgust at his act for the first time.

My eyes accidentally met Laney's across the table. Clearly, she'd heard everything.

She looked livid, glaring at me with intense dislike.

Our eyes locked, and she didn't back down or soften her stare.

In my field of view, Jayden's self-satisfied grin and Laney's angry face merged into one.

I suddenly had a hunch about why Laney might have been targeting me.

"Could she... be into Jayden?" I wondered.