THE BILLIONAIRE IS INFATUATED WITH HIS EX-LOVER
Chapter 34: Jessica meets the man of destiny

Jessica didn't go to school today, opting for a day off to attend a friend's wedding. As a privileged young lady, she had lived a carefree life, but after witnessing the hardships faced by Sara's family, she realized the necessity of having a job. It

was not just a means of survival; earning money helped her grasp the true beauty of life.

The day Jessica told her mother she wanted to become a preschool teacher, her mother was astonished. She had always thought her daughter would spend her life frivolously spending money, but she also understood her responsibilities to herself, her family, and society.

Although Jessica's family didn't need her financial support, they were delighted by her positive thinking and distance from frivolous friends.

Her mother allowed Jessica to live independently and gifted her a charming villa. She also offered to provide a housekeeper, but Jessica declined, wanting to care for herself and be independent.

The wedding was held in one of the city's most luxurious and expensive restaurants, attended by a large crowd. The lavish floral decorations were a testament to the host's substantial financial means. While taking photos with the bride, Jessica suddenly saw Henry entering through the door, which startled her. A friend nudged her.

"Look at the camera."

Jessica managed a strained smile. She wanted to greet Henry, but remembering what had happened between him and Sara, she decided to avoid him.

On the stage, the bride, beautifully made-up and in a dazzling wedding gown, held her husband's hand as they exchanged vows. Jessica wondered when it would be her turn. The man she had secretly loved for so long was so near, yet her heart was filled with fear-afraid of rejection, afraid they might not even remain friends.

She smiled, a salty tear rolling down her lip, feeling a pang of self-pity.

As the ceremony concluded and people began to toast the bride and groom, Jessica was lost in thought. She knew not all promises turned into reality, but she still longed to make a lifelong pledge to the one she loved.

Just then, a waiter handed her a glass of wine. Jessica took it politely, scanning the crowd for familiar faces. On the right, in a distant corner, her friends were chatting. She got up to join them but accidentally bumped into a man. The wine splashed onto his shirt.

Jessica quickly grabbed a napkin, started wiping his shirt, and apologized profusely.

"I'm so sorry, I was so clumsy."

Unfortunately, in her flustered state, Jessica inadvertently bumped into a server passing by, causing the entire plate of food to spill onto the man's legs. He tried to step back, but it was too late; his neatly arranged formal wear was now a subject of amusement for the crowd. Jessica frantically wiped from his stomach down to his legs with napkins. Everyone's eyes turned towards them, causing the man to feel embarrassed as he tried to take her hand. "It's okay, I can clean it up myself."

Only then did Jessica realize what she was doing and felt utterly mortified. Suddenly, she heard someone call her name. "Jessica, is that you? Long time no see."

The tall man standing before her was precisely the person she had been trying to avoid. She couldn't understand why he would appear just when she was most disheveled, as if fate was playing a cruel joke, wanting her to be thoroughly embarrassed.

"Henry, it's been a while."

"Do you need any help?"

Their faces flushed peculiarly; Jessica could hardly look directly at Henry, whispering.

"No, I can manage on my own."

Afraid that Jessica would leave, Henry hurriedly asked.

"Have you seen her lately?"

Caught off guard, Jessica sought to escape as quickly as possible. She looked affectionately at the man who was stained with wine and food.

"My boyfriend, unfortunately, had some wine and food spilled on his clothes, so we needed to head home quickly. Next time we meet, I'll talk to you more." Henry could only offer a forced smile while the other man stood stunned, genuinely puzzled by why she would say such a thing. He was about to speak up to clarify and avoid misunderstanding, but Jessica tightly grabbed his arm and pulled him out before he could say another word.

Reaching the car, Jessica opened her purse, took out ten thousand dollars, and handed it to the man.

"Here is some compensation for you. Buy yourself some new clothes. I am sorry about earlier."

Upon observing the man's refusal to accept her money, the woman deftly slipped an additional ten thousand dollars into his hand and departed without another word.

The man called after her, but she had already driven away. Shaking his head in disbelief, he muttered, "How can such an odd girl exist in this world?"

On his drive home, Mark couldn't help but smile continuously, occasionally bursting into spontaneous song. Despite being insulted and abandoned with a throw of money, he harbored no anger. Instead, he believed the woman aimed to leave an unforgettable impression on him with her peculiar act.

Mark noticed a familiar car parked near his gate as he prepared for work the following morning. After recollection, he realized it belonged to the girl he had encountered at a recent wedding. "Turns out she's my neighbor," he mused. Peering around and seeing no one else, suddenly, a little puppy darted out from his house, a mysterious object clutched in its mouth, closely followed by a beautiful young woman shouting. "Stop! Stop right there!"

It turned out that the puppy was holding onto the woman's underwear, which explained her urgency. Mark stepped aside to avoid further chaos, but just as the puppy reached him, it dropped the item and scampered off. The two locked eyes, her face flushed with embarrassment, and they laughed.

"It's you..."

"And you..."

"Fate does have a sense of humor! What are you doing here? Wasn't yesterday's money enough?"

Mark chuckled, not understanding why this girl always assumed people sought her out as if she were the universe's center.

"This is my house, and what are you doing here? This is a place for everyone to come. You better leave before the security catches on," Jessica haughtily retorted.

"As if you own the whole neighborhood," he replied.

At that moment, Mark realized they were neighbors. It seemed likely that these contentious neighbors would be crossing paths for many days.