Chapter 258

"Mom, what are you talking about?" Kelsey frowned. "I'm not with Michael, and even if I were, it's not like we're fooling around."Kelsey said.

"Kelsey, I'm warning you, don't hang out with that Michael !" Margaret, usually gentle, was more serious now.

The Jose family had always been strict about their family values. Steven had learned this lesson the hard way in his younger years. As a result, he conducted his business with utmost propriety, avoiding any association with shady characters, even if it meant sacrificing potential profits.

Zaire and Kelsey were also taught from a young age not to associate with bad kids at school.

Kelsey still remembered when Zaire was in school, he once got into a gang fight. When Steven found out, he chased Zaire with a stick for a long distance.

Since Kelsey was a girl, Margaret was even more particular about this. Any students with eccentric attire and appearance were strictly off-limits for Kelsey to associate with.

When Kelsey was in school, she was always picked up and dropped off by car, living a pampered and well-behaved life.

Kelsey understood the reasoning completely, yet hearing this still made Kelsey feel slightly uncomfortable. "Mom," she remarked, "why do you sound just like the sandwich shop lady?"

"What sandwich shop lady?" Margaret was confused. "What did I say?"

'You all judge people by their appearance,' Kelsey thought.

"Oh, don't worry, I'm really not with Michael. If you don't believe me, you can ask Richard." Kelsey said.

Margaret was still not reassured and gave her a strict order, "I don't care where you are. You must come back for lunch!"

"But Mom..."Kelsey was interrupted because the call was abruptly ended on the other end.

Meanwhile, at the supermarket below the neighborhood, Jack had searched everywhere but couldn't find the brands of sanitary pads Kelsey wanted.The sales associate, seeing Jack wandering around with no clue, approached him for help. "Sir, can I assist you with anything? Maybe I can help?"

Jack handed over his phone. "Do you have any of these brands of sanitary pads?"

The sales associate glanced at the screen, his expression one of surprise as he looked Jack up and down. "Sir, we don't carry these brands, and I've never even seen them before."

Jack felt a bit awkward. "Alright, then just get me the most expensive ones you have, in the lengths I need."

"We can do that," the sales associate replied, quickly sorting out the products according to the specified lengths.

After paying, Jack left the store and checked several international shopping apps to see if he could find the brands Kelsey had mentioned.

No luck.

Returning home with the items, Jack heard Kelsey's voice from the bathroom as he walked in. "Jack, is that you?"

Jack answered and made his way over, carrying the bags.

He knocked on the bathroom door and slipped the items through the gap. "The brands you wanted, they weren't available at the store."

Kelsey rummaged through the bags. "No way. The ones I asked for are really common."

Jack stood outside the door. "Are you sure they're common?"

"Absolutely," Kelsey responded without hesitation. "When I visit other people's homes, their hosts use pretty much the same ones."

Mid-sentence, she suddenly realized something.

Typically, those who interacted closely with the Jose family were of similar status, so their lifestyle standards were also comparable. For families like theirs, the products used by women were not the kind one find in ordinary supermarkets. They were made by specialized companies and sold directly to them.

If Jack could find them at the local store, it would be quite a surprise!

Kelsey slapped her forehead in realization. In her haste, she hadn't considered this detail.

"It's fine," she said, "They're all pretty similar, so any of these will work."

With that, she opened a package and took care of herself.

When Kelsey opened the door, she saw Jack standing there, absorbed in his phone, seemingly unaware of her approach.

Kelsey glanced at the phone screen, noticing Jack was searching for the brands she used. The search results, however, were unhelpful.

"Jack," Kelsey said, gently tapping his shoulder.

Jack looked up, putting his phone away. "Done?"

"Yep," Kelsey nodded and then rubbed her stomach. "I'm hungry. I haven't had breakfast yet."

When Kelsey's breakfast got splattered as she entered the door, she was less than pleased.

Jack took her hand gently. "How about we go out to eat?"

Kelsey rubbed her stomach, looking uncomfortable. "I'm not feeling great right now. I don't have the energy to go anywhere. Do you have anything ready to eat at home?"

"Yes," Jack replied, leading her to the kitchen, "What would you like?"

Kelsey casually asked, "Do you have any Macaroni and cheese? I've been craving it."

Jack rummaged through a cabinet and pulled out a bag of Macaroni and cheese. "Yep, here it is."

Kelsey glanced at it and raised an eyebrow. "Instant kind?"

Jack hesitated, gripping the bag a little tighter. "If you don't mind, I could order some takeout?"

Kelsey realized her mistake and quickly said, "No, it's fine. I've never tried this kind before. Let's go with this."

Jack's eyes softened with a hint of amusement. "Alright. I'll cook it, and you can relax on the couch."

As he turned to start cooking, Kelsey wrapped her arms around him from behind. "I want to keep you company."

Jack chuckled softly, "Okay."

Instant meals were all about convenience. From cooking to serving, it took less than twenty minutes. Soon enough, they had two steaming plates of Macaroni and cheese.

Kelsey took a bite and smiled broadly. "Mmm, this is really good. I like it."

Jack looked at her, a bit conflicted. "This is usually what I rely on for a quick fix. Next time, I'll take you to a proper restaurant."

Kelsey shook her head, "You don't need to go out of your way. I actually like this. It's pretty tasty."

Jack ate in silence, focusing on his meal.

Kelsey reached out and placed her hand gently on his. "Jack, I'm easy to please. My mom used to say I was like a pig-just give me something to eat and I'm happy."

Jack took her hand in his, squeezing it firmly. "I'm going to work hard to give you the best I can."

Kelsey nodded, her face lighting up with a smile. "I believe in you, and I'll work hard alongside you!"

Her smile seemed to brighten the room, chasing away the shadows and letting the sunshine in.

At the Jose family residence.

When Isabella and Sebastian arrived, Nina and Richard greeted them warmly.

"Nina."

"Bella." Nina took her hand, concern in her eyes. "Why are you driving today? Where's Jack?"