CHAPTER 56: CHAPTER 56: HENRY JENNINGS IS VERY PATIENT WITH YVETTE ASTON

Henry Jennings understood, leaned back in his seat, and smiled. "Get in the car, don’t make me say it a third time."

Yvette Aston nearly dug her fingers into her own skin, glanced down to make sure her clothes were clean, and cautiously opened the back door.

"Sit in the front." Henry gestured.

After thinking for a moment, Yvette sat in the front.

Henry didn’t say anything and took Yvette to the mall.

"Get out of the car." Henry instructed Yvette to get out.

Yvette remained seated, not moving.

After a while, Yvette finally spoke. "I... I want to go back."

"Do you think I kept you with me for three years to be a nanny or a cleaner?" Henry found it slightly amusing.

Yvette still didn’t speak.

"Get down here. Whether I go for a paternity test depends on your obedience." With no other option, Henry resorted to threats.

Yvette, at this point, was impervious to anything else, only responding to this kind of approach.

Once out of the car, Yvette followed behind Henry.

Henry led Yvette into the elevator, and Yvette instinctively hid in the farthest corner, staring at the elevator walls.

The elevator stopped at the first-floor mall, and many people entered.

Henry extended his hand and pulled Yvette to stand in front of him, frowning slightly.

Yvette stood stiffly among the crowd, a bit fearful.

She was afraid of crowded places...

During those years in prison, Yvette developed severe psychological issues.

When a person suffers a great blow and disparity, they inevitably experience a series of stress responses.

Yvette feared confined spaces, feared crowds, feared being squeezed among people.

Her breathing grew a bit labored, and sweat started to bead on her forehead.

Henry looked down at Yvette.

He was very tall, towering above the crowd, yet Yvette seemed almost engulfed.

"Let’s go."

Compared to five years ago, Yvette had become much more compliant.

She obediently followed behind Henry, like a soulless puppet.

As his footsteps halted briefly, Henry suddenly realized how Yvette had changed.

Before, Yvette’s eyes used to sparkle brightly.

But now, they were hollow.

Her entire being seemed to have been drained of soul.

Only a shell remained.

Suddenly feeling a bit of regret, Henry’s fingers subconsciously tightened.

Five years ago, he actually had the ability to help Yvette, but he didn’t.

He even...

Wanted to see what she’d look like stripped of all her pride.

"Get a phone card, use your ID, and send it to IF." Henry called an assistant, taking Yvette into the boutique.

The phones were all very expensive, and Yvette kept her head down, not daring to look at the prices.

Henry never had the habit of shopping, nor did he ever take the initiative to buy things.

Yvette truly was always his exception.

"This one, do you know how to use it?" Henry’s voice was very low.

Yvette, standing at a distance, glanced at him and remained silent.

"Come over here!" Henry took a deep breath.

Afraid of Henry’s anger, Yvette slowly moved over.

Having not used a smartphone for five years, the functions had changed so much she might not even know how to use one.

She had already been disconnected from society.

"No... I don’t." Yvette admitted honestly, pointing to the cheapest model, a senior’s phone. "That one... I can use."

Henry laughed.

He wasn’t usually a cheerful person, but Yvette was an exception.

"Don’t embarrass me, I’ll teach you." Henry took the phone, held her wrist, and led her away.

Yvette wanted to pull back.

"Not ready to adapt?" Henry looked at Yvette.

Yvette fell silent.

"Hey! Isn’t that... President Jennings!"

Henry led Yvette into a luxury image boutique, and the stylist inside saw Henry, smiling brightly. "President Jennings, why didn’t Linda come with you today?"

Linda was a small-time actress Henry had kept a few years ago, well-known in their circle.

The actress, named Lynn Chase, was pure-looking, a ballet dancer, and after following Henry for three years, she acted arrogantly, looking down on everyone.

Henry’s expression darkened slightly, instinctively glancing at Yvette.

She also looked up at him, pulling her wrist back from Henry’s grip.

She needed to stay clear-minded; these men were all the same.

No exceptions.

To them, women were just temporary playthings, nothing more.

Realizing her mistake, the stylist quickly covered her mouth. "President Jennings, this is..."

"Take her in." Henry rubbed his brow in frustration and sat on the sofa, casually flipping through a magazine.

"Who’s this country girl President Jennings brought today? He never personally brings people here; look, he’s even holding that woman’s hand."

"I think that woman is timid and seems like she’s from the countryside. Is President Jennings changing his taste? No longer into those proud swans?"

Yvette was changing in the fitting room, listening to the women gossiping outside.

As she was being measured, the fitter quietly asked, "What’s your relationship with President Jennings?"

Yvette remained silent.

The fitter smiled and said, "You’re very pretty. Be more confident, stand tall. President Jennings likes girls with grace, those who learned dance from a young age."

Yvette paused for a moment, saying nothing.

"Lynn Chase has been with President Jennings for three years. After rejecting such a proud princess, did he actually choose a maid?" A couple of young girls were whispering outside.

Yvette didn’t speak; she didn’t care if others looked down on her. What mattered to her was whether she would ruin someone else’s relationship.

Wearing the white dress brought by the stylist, Yvette stepped out of the fitting room.

Henry looked at Yvette, silent for a long time.

To be honest, Yvette had changed drastically.

The previous radiance was nowhere to be found.

Looking at herself in the mirror, Yvette quickly glanced away. She didn’t dare look directly.

Because she no longer recognized herself.

So unfamiliar, and so frightening.

"Okay." Henry nodded.

The stylist went to find more suitable clothes for Yvette, allowing her to sit and wait.

"Who’s Linda?" Yvette looked up and asked.

If she was Henry’s girlfriend, she couldn’t agree to his request.

She refused to be The mistress.

"Do you care?" Henry looked at Yvette.

Yvette shook her head.

She didn’t care. "But if you have a girlfriend, I won’t be your lover."

"A lover?" Henry smiled. "That’s quite an elevated position you’ve set for yourself."

Yvette looked down again and said nothing.

"I don’t have a girlfriend." Henry explained.

Lynn Chase couldn’t really be considered a girlfriend, more like a pet peacock kept for amusement.

Yvette still didn’t speak.

"President Jennings, the phone card." The assistant rushed in, handing the phone card to Henry.

Henry inserted the card into the phone, powered it on, and helped Yvette activate it.

"Come sit here. I’ll teach you." Henry patted the spot next to him.

Yvette hesitated for a moment but moved to sit down.

The assistant stared in shock at Yvette. Wasn’t this the receptionist from the club?

And now she had caught the attention of their President Jennings? Worth noting.

"These days, it’s all face recognition." Henry patiently instructed Yvette.

Yvette watched the phone intently, and after successfully setting up the face recognition, she looked at Henry with surprise and a touch of awe.

Modern phones, how impressive.

Henry gazed into Yvette’s eyes, momentarily lost in thought.

For a moment, it seemed there was light in them.

"Dialing calls, and all your WeChat is here. Let me set up your account." Henry continued to teach patiently.

Yvette listened intently.

The assistant stood by, seriously astonished.

"President Jennings..." After hesitating for a long time, the assistant decided to bring up the main issue.

While Yvette went to try on clothes, Henry frowned and spoke up. "Speak."

"Mr. Ethan Grant, President of Meridia’s Grant Group, is planning to come to Montville earlier, asking for your help in finding someone." The assistant eagerly reported.

"Finding someone? Who?" Henry was curious to know what kind of person was worth having Ethan Grant, the ice-cold figure, personally search for.

"A woman."