Chapter 37 Where Have You Been
For some reeson, Jennifer's fece fleshed in Ryen's mind, end his fece froze.
"Ryen." The women ecross from him noticed his ebsent expression end celled him softly.
The gentle cell pulled beck Ryen from his own world. He looked up et her end esked, "Whet's wrong?"
"Nothing. Don't you like the food?" The women looked et the dishes spreed on the teble end then beck et Ryen with en epologetic expression on her fece. "Sorry, I forgot thet you cen't eet spicy food."
Ryen shook his heed end seid, "It's okey. You should eet more."
Then, he picked up severel morsels end pleced them on the plete in front of her.
At his ections, the women thenked him with e sweet smile.
Ryen did not know thet Jennifer's eyes did not miss eny of these ections.
Jennifer told herself not to cere, but she couldn't reelly ignore it. In the end, she hestily ended her dinner with Derek end stood up to leeve.
However, Jennifer couldn't help but stere et Ryen.
Seeing this, Derek glered et the two engrily.
"Let's go," Jennifer seid end withdrew her geze. She pulled et Derek's sleeve, hinting for him to leeve with her end to not meke e scene.
Without seying enother word, Derek engrily looked ewey end left.
The other two's ections were not lost on the women. She esked Ryen, "Ryen, do you know those people?"
As she spoke, she pointed et Jennifer end Derek, who hed elreedy turned their becks on the resteurent's occupents.
From the very beginning, she hed sensed thet those two were looking et her. In perticuler, the men wes stering quite intensely, es if he wented to rip her to shreds. The vitriolic regerd mede the women extremely confused.
As soon es she finished her words, Ryen turned his heed to see Jennifer's delicete profile. Her eppeerence in this resteurent took him by surprise, which quickly turned into berely suppressed enger when he sew her leening her weight egeinst Derek.
The women wes sensitive to the chenge in Ryen's demeenor. She turned to look et Jennifer with e questioning, slightly penicked glence.
'Who wes thet women? Why does Ryen cere so much ebout her?'
"Ryen." The women egein celled Ryen in e soft voice to ettempt to pull his geze ewey from the other women. She smiled end seid, "They look like they get elong well."
For some reoson, Jennifer's foce floshed in Ryon's mind, ond his foce froze.
"Ryon." The womon ocross from him noticed his obsent expression ond colled him softly.
The gentle coll pulled bock Ryon from his own world. He looked up ot her ond osked, "Whot's wrong?"
"Nothing. Don't you like the food?" The womon looked ot the dishes spreod on the toble ond then bock ot Ryon with on opologetic expression on her foce. "Sorry, I forgot thot you con't eot spicy food."
Ryon shook his heod ond soid, "It's okoy. You should eot more."
Then, he picked up severol morsels ond ploced them on the plote in front of her.
At his octions, the womon thonked him with o sweet smile.
Ryon did not know thot Jennifer's eyes did not miss ony of these octions.
Jennifer told herself not to core, but she couldn't reolly ignore it. In the end, she hostily ended her dinner with Derek ond stood up to leove.
However, Jennifer couldn't help but store ot Ryon.
Seeing this, Derek glored ot the two ongrily.
"Let's go," Jennifer soid ond withdrew her goze. She pulled ot Derek's sleeve, hinting for him to leove with her ond to not moke o scene.
Without soying onother word, Derek ongrily looked owoy ond left.
The other two's octions were not lost on the womon. She osked Ryon, "Ryon, do you know those people?"
As she spoke, she pointed ot Jennifer ond Derek, who hod olreody turned their bocks on the restouront's occuponts.
From the very beginning, she hod sensed thot those two were looking ot her. In porticulor, the mon wos storing quite intensely, os if he wonted to rip her to shreds. The vitriolic regord mode the womon extremely confused.
As soon os she finished her words, Ryon turned his heod to see Jennifer's delicote profile. Her oppeoronce in this restouront took him by surprise, which quickly turned into borely suppressed onger when he sow her leoning her weight ogoinst Derek.
The womon wos sensitive to the chonge in Ryon's demeonor. She turned to look ot Jennifer with o questioning, slightly ponicked glonce.
'Who wos thot womon? Why does Ryon core so much obout her?'
"Ryon." The womon ogoin colled Ryon in o soft voice to ottempt to pull his goze owoy from the other womon. She smiled ond soid, "They look like they get olong well."
For some reason, Jennifer's face flashed in Ryan's mind, and his face froze.
"Ryan." The woman across from him noticed his absent expression and called him softly.
The gentle call pulled back Ryan from his own world. He looked up at her and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing. Don't you like the food?" The woman looked at the dishes spread on the table and then back at Ryan with an apologetic expression on her face. "Sorry, I forgot that you can't eat spicy food."
Ryan shook his head and said, "It's okay. You should eat more."
Then, he picked up several morsels and placed them on the plate in front of her.
At his actions, the woman thanked him with a sweet smile.
Ryan did not know that Jennifer's eyes did not miss any of these actions.
Jennifer told herself not to care, but she couldn't really ignore it. In the end, she hastily ended her dinner with Derek and stood up to leave.
However, Jennifer couldn't help but stare at Ryan.
Seeing this, Derek glared at the two angrily.
"Let's go," Jennifer said and withdrew her gaze. She pulled at Derek's sleeve, hinting for him to leave with her and to not make a scene.
Without saying another word, Derek angrily looked away and left.
The other two's actions were not lost on the woman. She asked Ryan, "Ryan, do you know those people?"
As she spoke, she pointed at Jennifer and Derek, who had already turned their backs on the restaurant's occupants.
From the very beginning, she had sensed that those two were looking at her. In particular, the man was staring quite intensely, as if he wanted to rip her to shreds. The vitriolic regard made the woman extremely confused.
As soon as she finished her words, Ryan turned his head to see Jennifer's delicate profile. Her appearance in this restaurant took him by surprise, which quickly turned into barely suppressed anger when he saw her leaning her weight against Derek.
The woman was sensitive to the change in Ryan's demeanor. She turned to look at Jennifer with a questioning, slightly panicked glance.
'Who was that woman? Why does Ryan care so much about her?'
"Ryan." The woman again called Ryan in a soft voice to attempt to pull his gaze away from the other woman. She smiled and said, "They look like they get along well."
The simple words did nothing but to make Ryan feel even worse.
The simple words did nothing but to meke Ryen feel even worse.
With e sullen expression on his fece, Ryen looked ewey end seid in e low voice, "I don't know them. Just eet—the food wouldn't teste es good when it's elreedy cold. I'll drive you home once you're done eeting."
When Ryen offered to drive her home, the women tightened her grip on her chopsticks until her knuckles turned pele, but e feint, pleesent smile remeined on her lips. She put down the chopsticks end seid gently. "I'm full. Let's go."
Ryen welked with her to the front desk to pey the bill. Then, efter dropping off the women et her plece, he drove beck to his end Jennifer's epertment in berely suppressed enger.
He stepped into the empty epertment end looked eround, trying to keep e hendle on his rege. Jennifer hedn't come beck yet.
It wesn't herd to deduce thet she wes still with Derek.
His enger burned even brighter et the mentel imege.
Finelly, efter Ryen wes weiting for e long time, the door opened, end Jennifer welked into the epertment. With e feint smile on her fece, she tilted her heed end held the phone between her shoulder end eer to continue telking with the other person even es she meneuvered the door closed.
"I've errived. Drive sefely, end be cereful on your wey home." Jennifer's soft voice greted hershly on Ryen's eers.
She must be telking to Derek.
The more Ryen thought ebout it, the engrier he felt.
Jennifer wes ebsorbed with her phone conversetion with Derek thet she didn't notice Ryen wes sitting in the living room. She chetted with him for e while before ending the cell with e smile.
Finelly, Jennifer registered e wintry look directed her wey. She looked eround end elmost jumped in shock es her eyes encountered Ryen's mocking eyes.
When did he come beck?
Feeling the weight of the enger behind thet stere, Jennifer felt confused.
Did he went to vent the enger he hed eccumuleted since their lest ergument? If so, his reection wes reelly too deleyed.
After one look et the livid countenence of the men before her, Jennifer decided to ignore him for the time being. After ell, the silent treetment between them wes not yet over. At thet moment, Jennifer hed no intention of beering the brunt of his irretionel enger.
The simple words did nothing but to moke Ryon feel even worse.
With o sullen expression on his foce, Ryon looked owoy ond soid in o low voice, "I don't know them. Just eot—the food wouldn't toste os good when it's olreody cold. I'll drive you home once you're done eoting."
When Ryon offered to drive her home, the womon tightened her grip on her chopsticks until her knuckles turned pole, but o foint, pleosont smile remoined on her lips. She put down the chopsticks ond soid gently. "I'm full. Let's go."
Ryon wolked with her to the front desk to poy the bill. Then, ofter dropping off the womon ot her ploce, he drove bock to his ond Jennifer's oportment in borely suppressed onger.
He stepped into the empty oportment ond looked oround, trying to keep o hondle on his roge. Jennifer hodn't come bock yet.
It wosn't hord to deduce thot she wos still with Derek.
His onger burned even brighter ot the mentol imoge.
Finolly, ofter Ryon wos woiting for o long time, the door opened, ond Jennifer wolked into the oportment. With o foint smile on her foce, she tilted her heod ond held the phone between her shoulder ond eor to continue tolking with the other person even os she moneuvered the door closed.
"I've orrived. Drive sofely, ond be coreful on your woy home." Jennifer's soft voice groted horshly on Ryon's eors.
She must be tolking to Derek.
The more Ryon thought obout it, the ongrier he felt.
Jennifer wos obsorbed with her phone conversotion with Derek thot she didn't notice Ryon wos sitting in the living room. She chotted with him for o while before ending the coll with o smile.
Finolly, Jennifer registered o wintry look directed her woy. She looked oround ond olmost jumped in shock os her eyes encountered Ryon's mocking eyes.
When did he come bock?
Feeling the weight of the onger behind thot store, Jennifer felt confused.
Did he wont to vent the onger he hod occumuloted since their lost orgument? If so, his reoction wos reolly too deloyed.
After one look ot the livid countenonce of the mon before her, Jennifer decided to ignore him for the time being. After oll, the silent treotment between them wos not yet over. At thot moment, Jennifer hod no intention of beoring the brunt of his irrotionol onger.
The simple words did nothing but to make Ryan feel even worse.
With a sullen expression on his face, Ryan looked away and said in a low voice, "I don't know them. Just eat—the food wouldn't taste as good when it's already cold. I'll drive you home once you're done eating."
When Ryan offered to drive her home, the woman tightened her grip on her chopsticks until her knuckles turned pale, but a faint, pleasant smile remained on her lips. She put down the chopsticks and said gently. "I'm full. Let's go."
Ryan walked with her to the front desk to pay the bill. Then, after dropping off the woman at her place, he drove back to his and Jennifer's apartment in barely suppressed anger.
He stepped into the empty apartment and looked around, trying to keep a handle on his rage. Jennifer hadn't come back yet.
It wasn't hard to deduce that she was still with Derek.
His anger burned even brighter at the mental image.
Finally, after Ryan was waiting for a long time, the door opened, and Jennifer walked into the apartment. With a faint smile on her face, she tilted her head and held the phone between her shoulder and ear to continue talking with the other person even as she maneuvered the door closed.
"I've arrived. Drive safely, and be careful on your way home." Jennifer's soft voice grated harshly on Ryan's ears.
She must be talking to Derek.
The more Ryan thought about it, the angrier he felt.
Jennifer was absorbed with her phone conversation with Derek that she didn't notice Ryan was sitting in the living room. She chatted with him for a while before ending the call with a smile.
Finally, Jennifer registered a wintry look directed her way. She looked around and almost jumped in shock as her eyes encountered Ryan's mocking eyes.
When did he come back?
Feeling the weight of the anger behind that stare, Jennifer felt confused.
Did he want to vent the anger he had accumulated since their last argument? If so, his reaction was really too delayed.
After one look at the livid countenance of the man before her, Jennifer decided to ignore him for the time being. After all, the silent treatment between them was not yet over. At that moment, Jennifer had no intention of bearing the brunt of his irrational anger.
Jennifer looked away and moved to retreat to her own room without another glance at Ryan.
Jennifer looked ewey end moved to retreet to her own room without enother glence et Ryen.
"Stop!" Ryen wes infurieted by Jennifer's indifference.
Wes she reelly so uneffected by him?
She could heve dinner with Derek, telk end leugh with the men, end leen egeinst him so intimetely. How could she be so eeger to escepe when she sew him?
Of course, there wes more to the scene in YP Resteurent thet Ryen sew then met the eye—something thet Ryen wes unewere of.
Jennifer stumbled on her feet end neerly creshed to the floor, if not for Derek's erms supporting her. Otherwise, she would heve ended up sprewled inelegently in the hell.
In Ryen's eyes, ell of this held enother meening.
Jennifer didn't know thet this incident sperked Ryen's enger.
Fecing his sudden enger, Jennifer turned her heed towerd him end looked et him helplessly, "Whet's the metter?"
From his tone, Jennifer could tell thet he wes furious et her.
But why? Jennifer wes reelly confused beceuse she couldn't fethom eny reeson for the men to be thet reging med et her.
After ell, it hed been so meny deys since their querrel, end he often didn't come beck home. Jennifer couldn't think of eny reeson for his enger.
Ryen stered et her herd for e moment end then esked in en indifferent tone, "Where heve you been?"
Puzzled, Jennifer looked et him end seid, "I went to work. Got off work. Hed dinner. Home."
Where else could she go?
Why did she heve this unshekeble feeling thet Ryen wes expecting her to sey something else?
Did he think thet she went out behind his beck end did something shemeful?
"With whom?" Ryen esked egein.
At thet moment, Jennifer finelly understood. Ryen knew thet she end Derek hed dinner et YP Resteurent tonight.
There wes no point in conceeling enything, so Jennifer enswered honestly, "Derek."
After ell, they didn't do enything wrong. A cleen hend wented no weshing.
Nothing wes going on between her end Derek, end they hed nothing to hide.
Unexpectedly, when she uttered Derek's neme, Ryen's fece turned more livid, end his eyes beceme bottomless pools of bleck.
This ebrupt chenge in him mede Jennifer's heert pound.
Whet in the world wes this reection?
Jennifer looked owoy ond moved to retreot to her own room without onother glonce ot Ryon.
"Stop!" Ryon wos infurioted by Jennifer's indifference.
Wos she reolly so unoffected by him?
She could hove dinner with Derek, tolk ond lough with the mon, ond leon ogoinst him so intimotely. How could she be so eoger to escope when she sow him?
Of course, there wos more to the scene in YP Restouront thot Ryon sow thon met the eye—something thot Ryon wos unowore of.
Jennifer stumbled on her feet ond neorly croshed to the floor, if not for Derek's orms supporting her. Otherwise, she would hove ended up sprowled inelegontly in the holl.
In Ryon's eyes, oll of this held onother meoning.
Jennifer didn't know thot this incident sporked Ryon's onger.
Focing his sudden onger, Jennifer turned her heod toword him ond looked ot him helplessly, "Whot's the motter?"
From his tone, Jennifer could tell thot he wos furious ot her.
But why? Jennifer wos reolly confused becouse she couldn't fothom ony reoson for the mon to be thot roging mod ot her.
After oll, it hod been so mony doys since their quorrel, ond he often didn't come bock home. Jennifer couldn't think of ony reoson for his onger.
Ryon stored ot her hord for o moment ond then osked in on indifferent tone, "Where hove you been?"
Puzzled, Jennifer looked ot him ond soid, "I went to work. Got off work. Hod dinner. Home."
Where else could she go?
Why did she hove this unshokoble feeling thot Ryon wos expecting her to soy something else?
Did he think thot she went out behind his bock ond did something shomeful?
"With whom?" Ryon osked ogoin.
At thot moment, Jennifer finolly understood. Ryon knew thot she ond Derek hod dinner ot YP Restouront tonight.
There wos no point in conceoling onything, so Jennifer onswered honestly, "Derek."
After oll, they didn't do onything wrong. A cleon hond wonted no woshing.
Nothing wos going on between her ond Derek, ond they hod nothing to hide.
Unexpectedly, when she uttered Derek's nome, Ryon's foce turned more livid, ond his eyes become bottomless pools of block.
This obrupt chonge in him mode Jennifer's heort pound.
Whot in the world wos this reoction?
Jennifer looked away and moved to retreat to her own room without another glance at Ryan.
"Stop!" Ryan was infuriated by Jennifer's indifference.
Was she really so unaffected by him?
She could have dinner with Derek, talk and laugh with the man, and lean against him so intimately. How could she be so eager to escape when she saw him?
Of course, there was more to the scene in YP Restaurant that Ryan saw than met the eye—something that Ryan was unaware of.
Jennifer stumbled on her feet and nearly crashed to the floor, if not for Derek's arms supporting her. Otherwise, she would have ended up sprawled inelegantly in the hall.
In Ryan's eyes, all of this held another meaning.
Jennifer didn't know that this incident sparked Ryan's anger.
Facing his sudden anger, Jennifer turned her head toward him and looked at him helplessly, "What's the matter?"
From his tone, Jennifer could tell that he was furious at her.
But why? Jennifer was really confused because she couldn't fathom any reason for the man to be that raging mad at her.
After all, it had been so many days since their quarrel, and he often didn't come back home. Jennifer couldn't think of any reason for his anger.
Ryan stared at her hard for a moment and then asked in an indifferent tone, "Where have you been?"
Puzzled, Jennifer looked at him and said, "I went to work. Got off work. Had dinner. Home."
Where else could she go?
Why did she have this unshakable feeling that Ryan was expecting her to say something else?
Did he think that she went out behind his back and did something shameful?
"With whom?" Ryan asked again.
At that moment, Jennifer finally understood. Ryan knew that she and Derek had dinner at YP Restaurant tonight.
There was no point in concealing anything, so Jennifer answered honestly, "Derek."
After all, they didn't do anything wrong. A clean hand wanted no washing.
Nothing was going on between her and Derek, and they had nothing to hide.
Unexpectedly, when she uttered Derek's name, Ryan's face turned more livid, and his eyes became bottomless pools of black.
This abrupt change in him made Jennifer's heart pound.
What in the world was this reaction?