Kyle's expression was grave, his brows knitted tightly together. The look he gave Jacob was one he might reserve for a Team Rocket grunt caught red-handed — a mix of disbelief and pure contempt.
He had always thought of Jacob as a decent guy. A college student with a good head on his shoulders, someone who cared about both Pokémon research and his growth as a Trainer. Honest and hardworking. He never imagined Jacob had been juggling so much behind everyone's backs.
You absolute scumbag.
"Alright, that's everything," Jacob said, exhaling slowly. He glanced over at Kyle and asked, "So, Chief Strategist — any brilliant ideas?"
"Dif... dif... difficult," Kyle muttered, shaking his head with a heavy sigh. "Let me make sure I've got this straight. Your second girlfriend already knows Nina is your girlfriend — but Nina has no idea there even is a second girlfriend. Right?"
"Yeah," Jacob nodded.
Raya had known about Nina from the very beginning.
"Well..." Kyle stroked his chin, lowering his voice as though sharing classified intelligence. "I do have one idea. It's not exactly refined, but honestly? It might be your only option."
"Please, Strategist. Go ahead," Jacob said, settling into a listening posture.
He was genuinely curious what someone with absolutely zero dating experience could possibly come up with.
"Since you've already got two girlfriends," Kyle said slowly, "what's stopping you from a third?"
Jacob turned to stare at him. "That's... not exactly a good idea, is it? You know I'm not that kind of person."
"Stop pretending!" Kyle snapped, his tone equal parts scornful and serious. "Just hear me out.
"First — Nina is your girlfriend. Correct?"
"Yeah."
"Second — you went and found a second girlfriend behind her back. Also correct?"
"...Yeah," Jacob admitted, quieter this time.
"Third — all you have to do is repeat step two. Find a third girlfriend behind both their backs." Kyle threw up his hands. "You've already crossed that line once. What exactly are you still acting innocent about? What's weighing on your conscience?"
Jacob opened his mouth, then said nothing.
"And look," Kyle pressed on, folding his arms, "at worst, you could set your registered address to Treasure Island. Different customs there — and Julia is from Treasure Island, isn't she? Her father took multiple wives. Maybe she'd actually understand." He sighed. "Instead of keeping all this hidden, why not just sit down and be upfront with her? Ask her how she feels. At least then you'd both know where things stand."
Jacob stared at Kyle in disbelief. What kind of absurd advice was this?
"What are you looking at?" Kyle snapped. "I'm embarrassed to call you my brother. If it weren't for how much I pity Julia in all of this, I wouldn't waste a single word on a scumbag like you. Disgusting." He made a spitting sound. "Tch."
"No — you've misunderstood me," Jacob said firmly. "I'm not that kind of person."
"Save it. One question. Just one." Kyle fixed him with a hard stare. "Could you honestly stand there and watch Julia walk down the street holding someone else's hand?"
Silence.
Jacob said nothing.
A faint, almost smug look crossed Kyle's face. "That's what I thought."
After returning from the New Year's celebration, Jacob spent a long time thinking it over. There was no question that Kyle — a man with zero experience in romance — was a spectacularly bad strategist. The suggestion had been half a joke.
But sometimes, an untrained Pokémon lands a lucky hit on a seasoned veteran. Wild and clumsy as the idea was, it might genuinely be the only real path forward.
Even so, Jacob didn't go looking for Julia right away. He set the matter aside. There were more pressing things to deal with first.
Abroad.
The sea breeze was warm, even in the dead of winter. Pedestrians strolled the streets in short sleeves, unbothered by the season.
A tall, middle-aged man wearing a face mask made his way through a busy, run-down street. His sharp, well-tailored suit looked completely out of place among the crumbling storefronts and rough crowds.
The local troublemakers loitering nearby glanced up at him — once, then again. Their eyes lingered. A man alone, clearly wealthy, with no bodyguard in sight. He looked like easy pickings.
Still, they had learned not to rush. Some well-dressed types kept powerful Pokémon on hand. Better to feel things out first.
Jacob had noticed the stares the moment he'd arrived. If anyone actually tried something, he wouldn't lose sleep over putting them in their place.
He turned and pushed open the door of a nearby bar, stepping inside.
"Excuse me," he said, placing a cigarette between his lips and addressing the owner behind the counter. "How do I get to Thornbridge Medical Centre?"
The barkeep turned at the sound of his accent. He looked Jacob up and down — the suit, the bearing — then glanced past him toward the door.
No one had come in with him.
The owner's frown deepened. He went back to polishing the glasses on the counter, replying in rough, halting Mandarin. "Out the door, turn left, walk straight. Take a right at the second intersection, keep going — tallest building on your right, that's it." He paused. "Men dressed like you ought to hire a bodyguard."
"Appreciated," Jacob said. He set a small note on the counter, turned, and left.
The barkeep watched him go. Then he reached for his phone.
Jacob was currently based in Golden City, in Siam — the wealthiest and most developed city in the country.
In one of its most sought-after districts stood Thornbridge Medical Centre, a high-end private hospital that operated under Edwins' name. It was his most visible legitimate business and one of his most valuable assets.
After Jacob had reached out to both Whitney and Edwins, Whitney had agreed to join Team Rocket's operation without hesitation. Edwins, on the other hand, had been less certain.
Being back on home turf had clearly given him second thoughts.
Jacob understood how men like them worked. Verbal agreements meant little to outlaws. Words carried no weight without something backing them up.
That was why he had come to Siam in person — to sit across from Edwins, put everything on the table, and lock in the deal. The goal was to formally fold the entire Paradise Group under Team Rocket's banner.
Before he quite realized it, Jacob was standing outside the Thornbridge Medical Centre building. He pulled out his phone and called Edwins' number.
Inside, Edwins was in the middle of a relaxed evening surrounded by company. When he saw the incoming call, his posture stiffened instantly. He held up a hand, signaling quiet.
"Hello?" he answered, voice carefully measured. "Boss — it's late. What's going on?"
"Are you in Golden City?" The voice was calm and low, but it carried a weight that was difficult to ignore.
"Uh — yes," Edwins said, sitting up straighter. "Is something wrong, Boss?"
"I'm in Golden City as well," Giovanni said. "Send me your location. I'll come to you."
Edwins went still. The comfortable ease of the evening lifted in an instant. "That — "
"Just tell me where you are."
"I'm at..."