The only issue was that her appetite had been poor lately. Any strong taste easily triggered nausea.

But faced with Betty’s concerned look, Ariel forced herself to hold back the wave of queasiness.

“Jayson, get Ari something sweet to wash down the bitterness,” Betty instructed right away.

That finally drew Jayson’s attention. He didn’t refuse, but instead of grabbing something himself, he turned to Georgia and said, “There’s a jar of dried cranberries in the kitchen fridge. Bring it here.”

Georgia quickly returned with it and set it on the table.

Ariel’s eyes fell on the dried cranberries.

She had a preference for sweet and tart flavors. While she rarely snacked, she would occasionally buy dried fruits and stash them in the small fridge in the kitchen.

She hadn’t expected Jayson to know about that.

Not that it mattered anymore.

After a moment’s hesitation, she took a seat at the table.

Seeing their interaction, Betty finally smiled with relief. At least they weren’t fighting. Feelings could be cultivated over time, after all.

Since Ariel took a cab over yesterday, Betty arranged for her to ride in Jayson’s car.

Toby R

Today, the driver, Toby Booth, was behind the wheel.

Sitting in the back seat, Ariel opened up the material Carlos had sent her a couple of days ago. She read while making notes, with no intention of speaking to Jayson beside her.

The way they got along now wasn’t all that different from how they used to be.

The only difference now was that she no longer went out of hand

Silence was the only thing that filled the car.

way to please someone who didn’t care.

Jayson didn’t seem particularly interested in making conversation either, until his eyes casually landed on part of her screen.

“You read this kind of academic material?” he suddenly asked.

Ariel’s brows instantly furrowed. She turned her screen face down. “How much did you

see?”

Her gaze turned cold, tinged with frustration and displeasure,

To her, it was basic decency not to peer at someone else’s phone or computer screen. It was intrusive and inappropriate.

Jayson had once told her not to touch his phone or laptop. Ever since, she had kept her distance, respecting that boundary. She had assumed he understood that courtesy went both ways.

Seeing the chilly look in Ariel’s eyes, Jayson suddenly squinted and answered honestly, “I didn’t see much. Just

some terms related to AI.”

That made sense. Her notes were in small font, and from his angle, it would’ve been hard to read anything in

detail.

“Okay.” She didn’t feel like reading anymore, so she just put her phone away.

“That’s it?” Jayson rested his fist against his temple and locked his gaze on her, his look sharp and intense.

“What?” Ariel looked at him, confused by the question.

Jayson studied her face, which was completely composed now. Even when she was annoyed earlier, she’d kept it restrained. She didn’t lash out or say any harsh words.

Ignoring Ariel’s confusion, he let out a dry chuckle. “You clearly dislike it, but you never say so outright. You just never fight.”

Even now, when she was angry, she stayed quiet, didn’t throw a tantrum, and didn’t start a fight.

Was she just that easygoing, or did she simply not care enough to bother?

“Would it make a difference?” Ariel turned to look out the window. She wouldn’t need to fight for him if he were truly hers.

She wouldn’t have to overthink things if he were someone who wouldn’t put her in difficult situations. But since he was neither, she didn’t see the need to waste her energy on him.

Jayson stared at her profile, the quiet only broken by the sudden ring of an incoming call.