Ye Chen was puzzled, “Why don’t you want to go back to the U.S.? Isn’t it nice to be home with your family? You’ve been away for so long.”
Tawana looked troubled. Of course, she wanted to see her family, but the reason she didn’t want to return to the U.S. was simple: she didn’t want to face her boyfriend, Trevor Kennedy.
Their relationship had undergone a fundamental change, and the one who’d fallen out of love instinctively wanted to stay far away, avoiding contact as much as possible.
Ideally, they could go a while without meeting or communicating, what people often call “ghosting.”
Even better, after a period of ghosting, the other party might get fed up and propose a breakup, allowing her to smoothly agree and end a relationship she’d long wanted to be done with, without even meeting.
So, Tawana hoped to avoid returning to the U.S., or if she did, to stay only briefly before finding an excuse to leave.
But she couldn’t tell Ye Chen what was on her mind, fearing he’d think her a fickle woman, so she deliberately put on an exhausted look and said, “Going back to the U.S. makes it hard to get real rest. Reporters and paparazzi will keep chasing me, even if I stay home, they’ll camp outside. I’d rather find a quiet place for a proper holiday.”
Ye Chen nodded, smiling, “That’s a good idea, go for it if you want to.”
Then he added, “Oh, by the way, I’ve booked a 6 a.m. flight back to Jinling. It’s already past 1 a.m., I’ll head out in a couple of hours. Wishing you a safe trip back in advance.”
Tawana, surprised and disappointed, asked, “Mr. Ye, you’re leaving so soon? Why not book a later flight so you can rest a bit?”
“No need,” Ye Chen smiled, “I miss my wife, I want to see her sooner.”
Tawana nodded dejectedly, mustering her courage to say, “Mr. Ye, let me see you off to the airport later!”
“No need,” Ye Chen declined politely, “I’ve already booked a ride to pick me up from the hotel. Besides, if a big star like you goes to the airport to see me off, it might spark rumours if someone sees, which wouldn’t be good for either of us.”
“Alright…”
Tawana’s heart ached, but at this point, she had no better options, so she said emotionally in a soft voice, “Then I wish you a safe journey, Mr. Ye!”
Ye Chen nodded gently at her, smiling, “Until we meet again, Miss Sweet.”
The team’s celebration banquet continued until 4 a.m. After all, holding twenty concerts in a month was a first for Tawana since her debut, setting a new work record while earning unprecedented bonuses. With a long holiday approaching, everyone was in high spirits.
When Ye Chen left, Tawana didn’t dare go downstairs to see him off, only watching from the banquet hall’s window as he got into a ride-hailing car.
At that moment, tears welling in her eyes could no longer be held back, streaming down her face.
Her agent came to her side, gently holding her hand to comfort her, “Tawana, some things are like this, they always leave regrets. You need to learn to let go.”
“I know,” Tawana quickly wiped away her tears, smiling self-deprecatingly, “I know a woman like me doesn’t deserve Mr. Ye. Sometimes, you just can’t help falling for a man who could never love you back.”
With that, she wiped away fresh tears and said to her agent, “Help me pick a quiet holiday destination. After returning to the U.S., I’ll stay one night at home, then take my family and leave right away. Don’t include Trevor, I just want to be with family.”
Her agent nodded understandingly, saying, “If you want absolute peace without paparazzi interference, an island resort is best. One island, one hotel—non-guests can’t even get on the island, perfect for keeping reporters and paparazzi out.”
“No problem,” Tawana said immediately, “Pick the best one, no need to tell me. Just arrange the itinerary, I want to rest in my room.”
“Alright! I’ll carefully select one now!”
