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Novel Catalog
Chapter 94
Nicole had never been afraid of anyone, but now she was as nervous as ever.
She could barely focus in class today, her mind preoccupied with thoughts of Jared.
After that day, she made the decision not to go to the café again.
She knew she needed some time to figure things out, and lying low seemed like the best option.
For five days, Jared didn’t see Nicole.
Thinking back to their last interaction, he couldn’t recall anything he had said that could have upset her.
So, why was she avoiding him? She had even ignored his messages about the new coffee arrivals.
Could it be that coffee didn’t interest her? Jared sat, feeling down, in the café, his eyes glued to his phone.
Nicole hadn’t replied to any of his messages.
Max, seeing Jared like this for the first time, was worried.
For the past couple of days, Jared had been in a bad mood, coming to the café and sitting there, seemingly waiting for someone.
But Nicole never showed up.
She had disappeared as if she never existed.
Just as evening fell, Jared thought he heard the door open.
He hoped it was Nicole, but to his disappointment, it was Norah.
Jared’s expression hardened.
Norah had been texting him every couple of days, and he had ignored all of her messages.
Now, she had come looking for him at the café.
“Mr.
Johnston? What a coincidence to see you here,” Norah said, pretending it was a chance meeting.
In reality, she had been coming to the café for a while now, ever since she found out Jared owned the place.
However, every time she came, he had already left.
Today, however, Jared was still there—her persistence had paid off.
“Coincidence? A staff member at the counter said you come here every two days, don’t you?” Jared said bluntly.
He wasn’t interested in Norah, and she felt a little embarrassed but quickly regained her composure.
“I can’t help it.
The coffee here is so good.
I enjoy it, just like Nicole does,” Norah said, hoping to get on Jared’s good side.
The mention of Nicole made Jared’s expression soften.
“Nicole said she liked the coffee here?” Jared asked, curious.
“Yeah,” Norah smiled.
“Can I sit down and talk, Mr.
Johnston?”
Jared frowned but eventually nodded.
“Please, sit down.”
Norah was almost ecstatic, nervously playing with her hair as she sat down, her gaze fixed on Jared.
Jared, however, wasn’t paying much attention to her.
He ordered Max to serve her a coffee and asked, “What has Nicole been up to lately?”
His question took Norah by surprise.
At first, she had thought Jared might be interested in her when he allowed her to sit down, but now she realized he was only asking about Nicole.
Disappointed, Norah forced a smile.
“She scored zero in the Math Olympiad test the other day and is trying hard to make up for it,” Norah explained.
“The monthly exams are coming soon, and she might fail if she doesn’t work hard.”
Norah made it sound like she was concerned about Nicole, but she was really just pointing out Nicole’s weaknesses.
Jared, however, wasn’t focused on Nicole’s grades.
“That makes sense now,” Jared murmured.
It seemed Nicole had been too busy studying to reply to him, and he felt somewhat relieved.
“Is there anything you need help with? I can help too,” Norah offered, eager to get Jared’s attention.
Jared’s expression grew cold.
“It’s alright.
She is irreplaceable.”
His words sent a wave of disappointment through Norah.
She had been trying so hard, but once again, Jared was only thinking about Nicole.
After asking a few questions and receiving her coffee, Jared stood up.
“This cup of coffee is on me.
I’ll be leaving now.”
“Mr.
Johnston…” Norah’s voice was filled with disbelief.
She had been trying to meet him for days, only to have him leave after such a brief conversation.
Without a glance back, Jared opened the door and left with Max.
Norah watched him leave, anger bubbling up inside her.
“Damn it, Nicole! What is it about you that Jared cares so much about?”
She had always ignored other guys who tried to flirt with her, but Jared seemed completely focused on Nicole.