Reborn Rich: Prices Dropped, My Savings Didn't novel Chapter 68

Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Chance Encounter with an Old Acquaintance

Jasmine Sterling was taken aback by her daughter’s words. Thinking about it, it really had been a long time since she had simply gone out shopping with her.

Ever since her daughter started her second year of high school, her studies had become demanding. Jasmine herself had barely had any days off, always trying to earn overtime pay. She couldn’t even remember how many years it had been since they last went shopping together.

This was the first time her daughter had come back after getting into college, and it just so happened that Jasmine was unemployed and had free time. She really should cherish these few days and spend more time with her daughter.

With that thought, Jasmine’s worries eased, and she smiled. "Alright, Mom will go take a shower and change."

In late September, the heat in Veridia made people antsy and irritable. Even the wind felt warm.

At the Waterside Pavilion, a high-end private spa, the moment they stepped inside, a blast of cool air mixed with a pleasant, fragrant aroma instantly dispelled the sweltering heat from their bodies.

"Cecilia, your mom and I are getting on in years. Why do we need to get spa treatments? It’s just a waste of money, isn’t it?"

The black and gold lobby was understated yet luxurious. The first impression it gave was one thing: expensive.

"What do you mean, ’getting on in years’? My mom isn’t even 45 yet, and Auntie, you’re just a little over 40!" Cecilia said.

Jasmine Sterling gave a helpless smile. "And that’s not ’getting on in years’? Your aunt and I are middle-aged women!"

"Exactly. Our kids are already in college."

"Age is just a number. What’s most important is your mindset. A young mindset is what makes you truly young." Cecilia, linking arms with each of them, said solemnly, "I’m in charge of the plans today, just as we agreed. No one is allowed to be a spoilsport. All you have to do is enjoy yourselves."

Seeing Cecilia’s high spirits, Jasmine and her sister couldn’t help but exchange a wry smile. Still, they both nodded and promised in unison, "Alright. You arrange, we enjoy."

Only then did Cecilia break into a satisfied smile.

"Welcome to the Waterside Pavilion. Ladies, please present your membership card."

The receptionist at the front desk was dressed in an all-black professional suit, addressing them with a practiced, professional smile.

Hearing this, Cecilia asked softly, "This is our first time here. What do we do if we don’t have a membership card?"

"Well, Ma’am, the Waterside Pavilion is a members-only establishment, so we don’t serve non-members. However, if you plan to be a regular customer, you are more than welcome to apply for a membership card today."

The receptionist’s attitude was professional yet friendly, a clear sign of formal training. This gave Cecilia a very high first impression of the place. Just as she was about to nod and apply for a card, a surprised voice suddenly called out from the side.

"Jasmine? Yvonne?"

The sudden voice startled Jasmine and her sister, who had been focused on observing their surroundings.

Snapping back to reality, they turned their heads to look and were both shocked to see who was beside them.

Jasmine Sterling instinctively forced an awkward smile. "Evren? What a coincidence..."

"Evren Lynn?" Yvonne Sterling exclaimed in astonishment. Looking at his well-dressed, suit-and-tie appearance and the young woman by his side who looked at least ten years his junior, Yvonne’s pupils contracted slightly.

’In her memory, Evren Lynn hadn’t looked anything like this. It seemed he had truly transformed after climbing the social ladder.’

Evren Lynn instinctively looked Jasmine Sterling up and down. Although she had been run ragged between her children and her job over the years, Jasmine’s natural-born features couldn’t hide her lingering, delicate beauty. If that weren’t the case, she wouldn’t have given birth to two daughters who looked as beautiful as angels.

"It must’ve been over a decade since we last saw each other. You haven’t changed much at all," Evren Lynn said, his voice full of emotion.

As soon as he said that, the young woman beside him was instantly on guard, shooting a wary look at Jasmine Sterling.

"Jasmine? Is this... Cecilia?"

The moment Cecilia spoke, Evren Lynn was somehow able to guess her identity and even call her by her nickname.

Cecilia was a little surprised and glanced at her mother in confusion.

Jasmine Sterling’s greatest pride was having raised three outstanding children. Now that Cecilia was the topic, she seemed much more at ease and nodded with a smile. "Yes, this is Cecilia. I’m surprised you still remember her name."

"Of course I do. She was so cute when she was little. I can’t believe she’s all grown up in the blink of an eye. She looks just like you when you were young." Evren Lynn gazed at Cecilia with fervent eyes, and for a moment, it was as if he was seeing a young Jasmine Sterling and his former self.

’Cecilia, however, had no memory of the man standing before her. But it wasn’t hard to see that he must have liked her mother in the past. In her memory, her mother had actually had quite a few pursuers, but she had never agreed to be with any of them.’

’She had once asked her mother why she didn’t find a reliable man and start a new family.’

’Her mother had just shaken her head with a wry smile, saying that having her and her younger siblings was enough. But Cecilia knew that wasn’t the real answer.’

Returning to the present, Cecilia simply greeted Evren Lynn politely, "Hello, sir."

Not wanting to waste any more time, Cecilia turned to the receptionist and said, "I’d like to get a membership card, please."

But before the words were even out of her mouth, Evren Lynn spoke up. "Use my card. I’ll pay!"

As he spoke, he had already pulled out a black card and handed it over, without asking for anyone’s opinion.

His domineering words and actions, coupled with his oblivious arrogance, were the textbook image of an underdog who’d made a comeback. He was the classic case of a guy rejected by his crush, who then disappears for years only to return as a "successful man" to aggressively reclaim his pride.

In reality, he was not-so-subtly declaring that he was a completely different man now—and that rejecting him had been her loss.