CHAPTER 52: CHAPTER 52: YOU HAVE TO LOVE YOURSELF

Renee wrapped herself in a blanket, glaring at Jack Yates with a mix of feigned annoyance and resentment: "It’s obviously you who’s too..."

She didn’t say the word "big," partly because she was too embarrassed, and partly because she didn’t want Jack Yates to think she was complimenting him.

Because she wasn’t praising him at all; she was genuinely annoyed that he was too big.

Jack Yates pressed down on her: "Too what, hmm?"

He buried his face in Renee’s neck, deliberately rubbing her with his slightly stubbly chin.

Renee was tickled by his scratching, shrinking her shoulders and laughing as she pushed him away: "Stop it, don’t mess with my neck, it really tickles."

Jack Yates held her on top of him, rubbing down further and further.

Laughing, Renee slapped and hit him on the shoulder.

Just as they were playfully tangled together, Jack Yates’ phone rang.

Renee hurriedly got off him and smoothed her hair by her ear.

Jack Yates got up to get his phone, saw who was calling, and frowned slightly as he walked out of the bedroom with the phone in hand.

The call was from his father, Russell Yates, who started with an angry tone: "Your elder brother has run into some trouble; I don’t care which paradise you’re in right now, get back here immediately and help your brother sort it out."

Jack Yates chuckled with frustration, lit a cigarette, and, with the cigarette held between his teeth, said in a slyly cold tone: "Sort it out? How? Suppress the news of him raping a female student? Or get rid of that girl?"

On the other end of the line, Russell Yates was so angry that his temple throbbed, but he held back his anger and said, "Your brother is being framed; someone’s deliberately setting him up..."

Jack Yates interrupted Russell Yates with a cold laugh: "Set up? Who can set up the eldest son of the Yates Family? Which capitalist would dare to set him up?"

Russell Yates was still on an inspection tour in another city and couldn’t return for a while. As the saying goes, a county magistrate is not as good as the current authority; he could only rely on his youngest son, Jack Yates, to step in and resolve this matter. Only Jack Yates had the capability to handle it.

So Russell Yates sighed and sincerely said in the way of a father persuading his son, "Son, I’m getting old, and I’ll be stepping down in a few years. Once I’m retired, the Yates Family will be all on you."

"Your elder brother and second brother are not as capable as you, especially your elder brother, who, despite being the oldest, is the most incompetent. That’s why I worry more about him; it’s not that I love him the most, but as they say, the palm and the back of the hand are both flesh. You three are all my children, and I love you equally. If I had to choose a favorite, among you three brothers, you’re the most outstanding, and you’re my pride."

Jack Yates was actually already moved, but he still sneered, saying, "The palm and the back are both flesh, but the palm faces inwards, and the back faces outwards."

Russell Yates said, "If you really don’t want to do it, then forget it; stupidity is a mistake too, and he should bear the consequences of his own mistakes."

Jack Yates: "I’ll help him just this once, but I’m not doing it again. I’m helping him, not out of brotherly affection, but as compensation for his son."

After hanging up the phone, Jack Yates went to the walk-in closet to change clothes, returned to the bedroom, kissed Renee, and instructed, "I have something to take care of at home. You go to sleep; don’t wait up for me."

Renee didn’t ask what he had to do back home but obediently nodded: "Okay. Drive safely and be careful on the road."

Jack Yates gently caressed her face: "Go to sleep."

The room lights dimmed, leaving only a small nightlight by the bedside.

Renee lay on her side, trying to fall asleep, when suddenly the phone on the bedside table rang.

She thought it was Jack Yates calling, but when she picked up, she found it was Autumn Lowell, a high school classmate she hadn’t been in touch with for a long time.

Autumn Lowell had a bold and straightforward personality, frequently dating during high school, for which she was often bad-mouthed by classmates. Boys called her a "bus" everyone could ride, and girls said she was just acting "love-crazed." That was the nice version; the nastier ones called her flirtatious and loose, among other things, none of which were good.

Whenever people spoke ill of Autumn Lowell, Renee kept silent, not making any comments.

Renee was the type who, even if she didn’t like someone, would not speak ill of them behind their back.

Because she was gentle and peaceful and never gossiped, most people in the class could get along with her, including Autumn Lowell.

When they graduated from high school, Autumn Lowell hugged Renee and cried, saying Renee was her best friend throughout high school.

After that, Renee went to university in Northcity, while Autumn Lowell went to an art school in Southedge.

In the year at university, Renee and Autumn Lowell rarely contacted each other, only occasionally liking each other’s posts on social media.

Now receiving a call from Autumn Lowell, and at past nine in the evening, Renee didn’t answer immediately.

After a while, the call ended automatically. She breathed a sigh of relief and was about to put the phone down when it rang again, still Autumn Lowell calling.

"Hello." She answered with a smile, asking, "What’s up, Autumn?"

Autumn Lowell’s voice was tear-choked: "Renee, Renee, I’m so upset."

Renee asked, "What’s wrong with you?"

Autumn Lowell tearfully said, "I’ve come to Northcity to find my boyfriend, but I found out he’s cheating."

Renee: "..."

In her heart, she thought, aren’t all the boyfriends you date like that?

Autumn Lowell sobbed and said, "I’m pregnant; it’s his, but he won’t admit it."

Renee’s brows furrowed upon hearing this: "How could he do that? What are you going to do now?"

Autumn Lowell, feeling helpless, said, "I don’t know. I plan to go to the hospital tomorrow to get rid of it. Can you come with me?"

Renee: "Where are you now?"

Putting on clothes, Renee hurried downstairs, walking towards the apartment entrance while booking a car with a ride-hailing app.

She stood by the roadside waiting for the car and sent a message to Jack Yates.

Durian Flavored Ice Cream: [A high school classmate of mine came to Northcity and ran into some trouble. I’m going to check on her.]

After sending the message to Jack Yates, she also sent one to comfort Autumn Lowell.

Soon, the car she booked arrived.

The car stopped on the Westlake bar street, and Renee quickly walked over upon seeing Autumn Lowell squatting by the roadside.

Autumn Lowell hugged Renee and cried loudly.

Renee lightly patted her back to calm her: "Alright, alright, stop crying."

Autumn Lowell let go and looked at Renee with tears and laughter: "Renee, thank you."

Renee: "Oh, saying that makes us strangers." She asked, "Do you want to go back to the hotel or go somewhere else now?"

Autumn Lowell pointed to the bar behind her: "Since we’re here, how about a few drinks inside?"

Renee was surprised: "Can you drink while pregnant?"

With an indifferent tone, Autumn Lowell said, "I’m not keeping this child anyway; I’ll get rid of it tomorrow, so who cares. If drinking could cause a miscarriage, even better. It’d save the cost of an abortion."

Renee: "..."

Renee felt at a loss for words. She really wanted to ask Autumn Lowell, "Are you enjoying this kind of life, or are you doing it on purpose to torment yourself?"

However, she understood the boundaries between people and ultimately didn’t ask.

Autumn Lowell gave her a smile: "Ask whatever you want to ask?"

Renee asked, "Do you not know he’s bad, or do you know and still choose him?"

Autumn Lowell: "I’m not stupid; of course, I know. I know he doesn’t love me much. Every time we do it, he never uses protection, and he either does it inside or outside. Most of the time inside, and I have to take medicine afterward."

Renee: "Then why are you still willing?"

Autumn Lowell shrugged: "Maybe I’m just cheap."

Renee: "Don’t say that about yourself. No matter what others say, you must love yourself."

Autumn Lowell pulled her into the bar, heading for a booth in the main hall, and ordered two cocktails and a dozen beers.

Renee advised her, "Order less; I can’t drink much."

Autumn Lowell laughed, "It’s fine; I can drink. You just sit there and keep me company."

Just as Renee sat down with Autumn Lowell, a man with a Mohawk hairstyle and red-dyed tips walked over to their booth.

The man leaned down to look at Renee, smiling as he asked, "Hey there, mind if I join you at the table?"