"Mommy, you said it yourself! Timmy just wants to help Mommy work," Timmy said pitifully.
Amanda froze, realizing she had said something like that earlier. For a moment, she was stunned.
Then she heard Timmy yelp in pain.
"Mommy, it hurts!"
Amanda snapped out of it and realized she had unconsciously been gripping Timmy's arm too tightly.
She immediately let go and apologized, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Mommy didn't mean to!"
Timmy, though her arm was red and sore, was an understanding little girl. She nodded and forgave her mom, even though her expression was full of hurt, looking so pitiful it could melt anyone's heart.
Amanda felt an overwhelming pang of guilt. The nature of her work was clearly affecting her daughter in ways she hadn't fully realized. It was an unbearable thought.
But on the surface, she kept her tone soft and gentle, patiently warning:
"Timmy, sweetie, you must never say something like that again, okay?"
"Why not? Timmy's a good girl too!"
"Just don't, okay? No more saying things like 'cheering up an uncle.' Do you understand?"
Amanda's mood was sour, and her tone came out harsher than she intended.
Timmy, feeling even more wronged, looked up at her mother with tearful eyes. A glimmer of defiance flickered in her gazeâwhy could Mommy say those things, but she couldn't?
Still, Timmy didn't want to upset her mom any further, so she turned her face away stubbornly, refusing to speak.
Seeing this, Amanda grew anxious. Her brow furrowed deeply as she raised her voice, "Did you hear me?!"
Timmy was startled by her mom's uncharacteristic outburst. Her little mouth opened, and she burst into loud sobs.
"Waaaah! Mommy's a bad person!"
Her crying jolted Amanda back to her senses.
She realized that she was in the wrong and had unfairly taken her frustration out on her daughter. Overcome with guilt, Amanda gently picked up Timmy, holding her close as she apologized repeatedly:
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, it's Mommy's fault. Mommy won't talk like that in front of you ever again."
But Timmy only cried harder.
"I want Daddy... I want Daddy..."
Amanda tried soothing her, but Timmy wouldn't calm down. Exhausted and frazzled, Amanda decided to hand Timmy her phone as a distraction.
When she picked up the phone, she realized the call with James was still ongoing.
Her weariness deepened.
"King, I'm so sorry you had to hear that. My child is a bit mischievous. I'll drop her off at her grandmother's and call you later."
Without waiting for James's response, Amanda hung up.
James stared at his phone, lost in thought.
Every family has its struggles.
It sounded like Amanda was overwhelmed with work, leaving little time to properly educate and communicate with her child.
Hearing the little girl's cries tugged at his heart. He felt a sudden urge to transfer Amanda a hundred thousand dollars so she could take some time off and be with her daughter.
A hundred grand wasn't muchâit was like loose change to him. Plus, it might even earn him some favor.
Even if it never led to anything physical, fostering an emotional connection or admiration wouldn't be entirely off the table.
But then again, as an outsider, offering money out of nowhere might not go over well. Whether Amanda would accept it was one thing, but if her husband found out, he'd surely be furious.
Speaking of which, where was Timmy's dad? Why wasn't he helping out at home this late?
James sighed.
One of them had to prioritize the childâleaving it all to the grandparents would only hurt her self-esteem.
He decided he'd bring it up with Amanda when they met later that night.
James, always so noble, worried for the well-being of the world as he typed:
"Let me know when you're at work."
Then he reclined his seat and closed his eyes for a nap.
Before long, he drifted into a dream.
...
Time ticked on until it was finally 8 PM.
Night had fallen, and the dim streets transformed into a lively scene of neon lights and bustling activity.
The Dragon Bay Bar, located in the city center, was surrounded by luxuryâjewelry stores, high-end boutiques, beauty salons, and hotels lit up brightly to attract customers.
The area was crowded with people and cars. The traffic was a nightmare, one wrong move, and you'd be stuck for hours.
In this pricey part of town, the Dragon Bay Bar had an expansive parking lot right out front, large enough to fit fifty or sixty cars.
But parking there wasn't cheap.
A sign boldly announced: $30 per hour.
Jay Johnson had parked his modest, domestic SUV there for nearly two hours now.
It was his first time parking in such an upscale lot, and he was sweating bullets.
Every so often, he glanced nervously at the clock. At fifty cents a minute, he'd already burned through ten dollars just waiting.
If the boss decided to have a drink for two hours, the parking fee alone would be over a hundred bucks.
Who could afford that?
Sure, James would cover the cost, but wasn't this just a waste of money?
A parking spot was a parking spotâwhy burn cash unnecessarily?
Adding to Jay's anxiety, the lot was filled with luxury cars. Almost every vehicle was high-endâBMW 5 Series at a minimum.
His little beat-up SUV stuck out like a sore thumb, as out of place as a chicken in a flock of cranes.
Feeling self-conscious, Jay fidgeted in his seat.
At precisely 8 PM, as per James's instructions, Jay gently woke him.
James had been dreaming about roasted chicken, his hunger gnawing at him. He was starving. When Jay woke him, interrupting his feast, James opened his eyes in a fit of rage, ready to chew out whoever dared disturb him.
But then he saw the towering, muscle-bound figure of Jay Johnson, and his anger evaporated instantly.
Once he recognized Jay's face, his irritation vanished completely.
Seeing how Jay had dutifully waited for him in the car for two hours, James politely said:
"Thanks for waiting, Bro Jay. Much appreciated."
"No problem, no problem," Jay replied with a sheepish smile.
James checked his phone and saw Amanda had messaged him around 7 PM, saying she was already at the bar.
He got ready to head inside, planning to chat with Amanda and grab some food.
As James reached for the car door, he noticed a striking figure in the distance.
He squinted, confirming it was Amanda.
She was wearing the same white blouse and pencil skirt combo, her chestnut curls cascading down her back, her signature fox-like eyes radiating allure.
The only difference was that this time, she wasn't wearing stockings, leaving her long, bare legs exposed to the evening air.
High heels accentuated her toned, shapely legs, making them look even more alluring.
Behind her were two other women dressed similarly.
Was she here to meet him?
James, self-assured as ever, thought so.
Excited, he opened his car door, ready to greet her.
But before he could, a sleek Maybach glided into the lot, stopping right in front of Amanda, blocking his path.
Two men stepped out of the car first.
Dressed in matching black t-shirts and camouflage pants, they were well-built and exuded an air of intimidation.
Their expressions were cold, their eyes sharp and unyielding.
The moment they exited, they began scanning the area.
Their eyes locked onto James, scrutinizing him from head to toe without a hint of subtlety.
After confirming he posed no threat, their attention shifted to Jay Johnson, their gazes lingering on him.
They had to be bodyguards, James guessed.
Jay, however, remained calm, following James out of the car without so much as glancing at them.
Finally, the last passenger stepped out of the Maybachâa middle-aged man in a floral shirt and beach shorts.
A thick gold chain hung around his neck, and his shiny bald head was completely bare, not a single hair in sight.
He held a cigar between his fingers and wore slippers, giving off the vibe of a stereotypical TV villain.
The moment he stepped out, his greasy laugh echoed through the lot:
"Hahaha, Amanda, I told you not to come out to greet me! Why be so formal?"