Lucas was unphased by Macy's evaluation of him and simply flipped his hair animatedly before declaring, "I'm much smarter than her; that's why she always loses to me in arguments."Macy thought back to her words and pouted. She hadn't mentioned his intelligence; she'd only said that he was cunning and manipulative. Lucas was clearly twisting her words in his favor.Dylan and Scarlett were finally catching up to Lucas and Macy, but they stopped in their tracks before they could get close to them. The scene before them was straight out of a movie; there was a crowd of people surrounding Macy and Lucas, and the men stared adoringly at Macy while the women fawned over Lucas."Perhaps we shouldn't go over," Scarlett suggested hesitantly. There were way too many people around Macy and Lucas, and she felt like they would be trampled if they tried to make their way past the sea of people.Dylan nodded in agreement. He wasn't worried about Macy and Lucas. Macy was a well-trained kickboxer,
"Auntie Macy, I don't want to see such a horrifying sight. It's disgusting," Lucas whined, tugging on Macy's hand.Macy agreed; Monica's presence made the scene much too lewd. Macy turned to the crowd of men around her with her large doe-like eyes and just stared at them piteously, lodging a silent complaint against Monica. The men were instantly overcome with pity after seeing Macy's tear-filled eyes, putting an end to their burning arousal for Monica.When it came to attractiveness, Macy was on par with Scarlett. In fact, she could even be considered more beautiful than Scarlett because of the way she carried herself. On the other hand, though Monica was attractive, she had a very normal and forgettable face. So, it was unsurprising that the crowd preferred Macy over Monica.In an instant, the atmosphere changed from lust for Monica to pity for Macy, making Monica's expression contort in fury.Monica was annoyed that Macy was considered more beautiful than her, and she wanted to
Why did Monica have to be such a blabbermouth? Besides, judging by how quickly Monica jumped to the conclusion that Macy was sleeping around, she probably had first-hand experience with these matters. Though Scarlett felt slightly sorry for Monica's state right now, she'd brought this all upon herself."But I don't want to fight anymore." Macy pouted, evidently trying to get Lucas to comfort her. "Look at my palms! They're so red, and they sting as well! Actually, my feet hurt as well from kicking her!" Macy continued piteously.Of course, Lucas played along with her and even gently blew cold air on her palms.The crowd went silent at this. Monica's unconscious body lay not even a few feet away from the duo, yet the person who'd knocked her out was complaining about her stinging palms. It was such a ridiculous scene, but naturally, no one bothered to speak up for fear of ending up knocked out cold, just like Monica."Oh well, let's just continue shopping. Where are the two cuties f
Though Scarlett had said that very casually, it still made Dylan extremely happy. He was overjoyed that she remembered that she owed him a birthday gift; it was the first time she remembered something about him so clearly. There was no reason for him to refuse her offer, and they both walked towards the area of the mall that specialized in branded clothes.Lucas pulled out his state-of-the-art phone to text Jonathan, "Did you take Monica home? It's fine if you want to take her out shopping, but why did you have to let her cause such a scene in front of my Mommy?"Jonathan, who was still deciding whether to stay or leave, felt his phone buzz in his pocket. Seeing this notification made him feel immensely better, and he immediately texted Lucas back. "If you didn't want her to cause a scene, then why didn't you say anything to defend me? Besides, if you really didn't want to speak up for me, then you should've just stayed silent."Lucas felt aggrieved when he saw Jonathan's reply an
Fiancé? Cedrick stared at her in shock. He could tell that Jonathan liked Scarlett, but he didn't know that she had a fiancé! Before he could stop himself, he blurted out again, "If you have a fiancé, then doesn't that mean that my cousin is your secret lover, sister-in-law?"Dylan was clearly annoyed at Cedrick's nickname for Scarlett. What type of guy just randomly calls someone his sister-in-law? "Mr. Ashford, do you call everyone your sister-in-law?" Dylan asked coldly.Cedrick and Scarlett stared at him silently. Did this count as jealousy?"My cousin likes you, but you don't like him." Cedrick ignored Dylan and mumbled to himself.What nonsense was he spouting? Scarlett didn't even know who his cousin was! Hearing him mumble such nonsense made her head spin, and to make matters worse, she could tell that Dylan's patience for Cedrick was also wearing thin."I think you've got the wrong person. I don't know your cousin, so stop calling me your sister-in-law." Scarlett explaine
Cedrick wasn't exaggerating when he said that. If Tristan and Phoebe really took over Leonard Corporations, the economy of Atville would be impacted, and as Atville's governor, Scarlett would have to deal with the mess that followed.Upon hearing the potential consequences, Scarlett also felt that, as governor, she had to step in to prevent a potential crisis at all costs. The panic in Cedrick's eyes was also genuine, but Dylan still had a hand on her, unwilling to let her go to Cedrick."I'll be fine! I'm just going to discuss something with him. I have the right to talk to anyone I want," she exclaimed frustratedly to Dylan.If it weren't for Scarlett bringing up her rights, Dylan probably wouldn't have let her go. Though he agreed that he was going overboard, he really didn't want her to go to Cedrick and Jonathan. However, the minute she got upset with him, he gave in and let her go.Scarlett walked toward Cedrick and asked, "What's going on?"Desperate times call for desperat
Ashley only spoke up after a while. "My child, you’re hyper-fixating on your own grief. Try putting yourself in your father’s shoes; he lost the love of his life when your mother passed, and he simply couldn't bear to lose you too. Perhaps his decision to remarry Phoebe wasn’t the best, but he did it all out of love for you. So, please don't hold on to your hatred for him."Everyone will eventually taste the sweetness of life, and so will you. Not everyone will abandon you. Someday, you'll meet someone who will save you from yourself and be with you for the rest of your life. The both of you will get married and have children, and when that happens, maybe you will finally understand why your dad did what he did. Trust me, eventually you'll be happy, but until then, you need to stay strong and hold on. Don't give up. You're going to make the people who have never believed in you envy you instead. Do you understand?" she said sagely.Jonathan just listened silently to his aunt through
Jonathan didn’t even raise his head to look at who was causing the commotion. He was in a terrible mood and didn’t want to argue with anyone right now. All he wanted was to be alone.Scarlett, who'd gone through hell to rush here, wasn’t about to give up so easily. She studied the glass and deduced that it was probably shatterproof. Then she remembered that she kept a large wrench in her car, so she went back to retrieve it.Gripping the wrench, she walked back to Jonathan's car, ready to swing it against the glass. However, she remembered just in time that Jonathan was probably sitting in the driver’s seat. Thus, she hastily made her way to the passenger side before aggressively swinging the wrench against the window. The impact made the car alarm blare, but the window was practically unscathed, save for some light scratches. Scarlett’s eyes widened in disbelief; the quality of the glass was amazing! She tried again and swung the wrench repeatedly against the glass, but to no avai
Scarlett knew there was no real solution to the problem between her and Jonathan. The both of them were just choosing to ignore what had happened between them.There was nothing left for them to do to fix what had been broken.Until now, she still felt as if she was in a dream. Was she really married to Jonathan? Was she really living with him in such a lavish house? She found it hard to wrap her mind around it because it was all so surreal.The warm water in the tub sloshed gently over her body, and she felt her eyelids droop. These few days have been tough, and she hadn't been able to sleep well. All she wanted to do was fall asleep in this tub. If she were any less rational than she was right now, she probably would've just fallen asleep in the tub.Scarlett changed into a simple set of pajamas after her bath, completely ignoring the sexy lingerie set that Jonathan had picked out for her. She could probably wear that lingerie set if she were alone but she couldn't possibly w
Jonathan's tone was loving and teasing, and she was immediately transported back to the carefree times she had spent with Jonathan at university. Back then, they didn't have much to worry about and could just enjoy dating each other without reality holding them back."Have you had breakfast? I'm making breakfast right now. Do you want some?" Scarlett asked."No, thank you. I don't like eating in the morning. You can go ahead and enjoy your breakfast," Jonathan replied. Jonathan never got into the habit of eating breakfast; after he went overseas, he had less reason to have breakfast. As such, he never ate breakfast anymore. After Scarlett had finished her food, Jonathan drove them to city hall to sign the necessary documents for their marriage.The entire time, Scarlett felt as if she were in a dream. Everything that was happening seemed so surrea. The absurdity of the events and the fact that she had not slept well in two days only made her more dazed. Scarlett hadn't realize
Scarlett immediately understood what he was trying to say and bashfully lowered her gaze. Since when had he become so sleazy? Going overseas had done nothing to teach him to be a better man. Scarlett didn't know how to answer him, so she stared silently at the ground. Suddenly, she thought of something and raised her head to say, "Jonathan, I have to tell you something. I can marry you, but you must promise me one thing. We won't have a wedding ceremony."Jonathan was upset by that suggestion, and he huffed, "What? No ceremony? Are you planning on just getting married in secret? Is it that embarrassing to be married to me? Is that why you don't want a ceremony? If you don't want to marry me, just tell me! You don't have to do all this to show how reluctant you are to marry me!" Jonathan had no idea what was going on in her head. What woman would outright refuse to have a wedding ceremony? Any woman would love to have a grand ceremony to celebrate her marriage, but now that Sca
Just then, Scarlett heard someone call her name from behind her, "Scarlett?"Scarlett turned in confusion and realized that it was the school counselor. She never expected to see him here, and her heart was filled with warmth at the sight of him. She hadn't seen him since graduating, so she didn't think he would still remember her. She hastily wiped the tears from her face before greeting him with a brilliant smile, "Mr. Brown! Why are you here?""I had nothing to do today, so I thought I would drop by to play basketball. How's work? Why aren't you here with Jonathan? I can't believe it's been a year already. Time really flies … I still remember when Jonathan would play basketball, and you would cheer for him from the sidelines. I miss all of you, so come by with Jonathan next time! By the way, don't forget to send me a wedding invitation when both of you get married. After all, I've got my eye on both of you, and I'm sure you will end up together. I remember how nice Jonathan trea
"Hey! What are you doing? Are you going home now?" Scarlett asked."Of course! Where else would I go? Didn't we just break up? Why are you calling me again? Don't tell me that you miss me already!" Teresa's voice which was filled with glee, came from the other end of the receiver. Hearing her voice made Scarlett feel much better than before, but Scarlett was worried that she would no longer be so happy after Scarlett tells her the truth. She didn't want her problems to affect the lives of those around her. Since she made a mistake, she would be the one to bear responsibility, and no one else should have to suffer because of her … especially not her best friend.Scarlett hesitated before asking, " Teresa, do you like your job?""What's not to like? I love it! Being a teacher is my dream! My students are obedient and understanding. My job also gives me a sense of accomplishment! Why are you asking me this now? I've told you before that my dream is to be one of the best teachers in
As she spoke, Scarlett attempted to push Jonathan away, but he was too strong. She couldn't fight back at all. She felt like a fragile child in front of Jonathan, and he could crush her into pieces with just a little force. Jonathan leaned in and whispered coldly, "Do you think I’m still as compliant as before, allowing you to push me away repeatedly? Let me tell you, I’m not the same. How well do you think you know me? Let me make it clear, I will get what I want, including you!" Scarlett sensed the threat in Jonathan's words and looked at this unfamiliar man with some caution. She asked cautiously, "Jonathan, are you threatening me? What exactly do you mean? Why don't you just tell me instead of playing games? My time is not free, so let me go if you won't talk. I still have to work tomorrow." Scarlett was truly exhausted at this moment. Listening to her colleagues discuss Jonathan in the office had already put her on edge. After work, she spent so much time walking aroun
Jonathan did not take her comments to heart and continued coldly, "You came home quite late, Scarlett. It seems like you've learned to enjoy life more now, huh? Weren't you just a bookworm before? Why are you so late today? You've changed a lot after starting work and made more friends, huh? Tell me, who were you out having dinner with just now? A colleague? Your boss? Or is it your boyfriend? Whoever it is, it seems like he takes good care of you, and since you were having so much fun with him, why bother coming back home in the evening?" Scarlett could hardly believe the cruel words that came from his mouth. When did Jonathan become so heartless? Although he could be a bit carefree before, he would never say such things to her. In Scarlett's eyes, Jonathan had always been gentle and caring, completely different from the person uttering these words now. Scarlett felt infuriated and couldn't help defending herself, "It's not what you think! I was just having a cup of coffee with
The two best friends chatted, and before they knew it, time had passed as they enjoyed their coffee. Soon, night fell, and the sky that was once adorned with the setting sun was now full of twinkling stars. It was beautiful, but it also reminded Scarlett of the day she parted ways with Jonathan. That day was just like today, a beautiful night with bright stars. However, things had changed, and she could never sit here and talk with Jonathan as she did that day. Teressa noticed the shift in mood from across the table. After hesitating, Teresa couldn't help but speak up, "Scarlett, Jonathan ... He's coming back soon." Teresa didn’t know the details of Scarlett and Jonathan’s relationship, but she knew they went on a trip together during their final year while everyone was looking for internships. It was quite sudden since Scarlett barely hung out with Jonathan. Then, there were rumors that they were dating, but Jonathan went abroad to study soon after, and Scarlett never menti
Scarlett sighed heavily at these words. “Yeah, there’s no way our small magazine can get an interview with the great Jonathan Leonard. Only those major news outlets have the qualifications for that. It’s his first time returning to the country after going abroad, so this is big news. The media would be busy with this, but it’s certainly not for us to handle.” Just then, the editor-in-chief of the office suddenly appeared. He must have overheard their discussions outside and sternly said, “Am I paying you to gossip around? You’re all good for nothing. You’re all itching to gossip now that I’ve eased up on you?” Once he roared, everyone fell silent. They either looked down at their computers or pretended to be busy with their work. No one responded to him. Who dared to oppose the editor? His words were final. However, Scarlett, who had always disliked this editor, felt grateful to him at this moment. She thanked him silently for saving her from her colleague’s gossiping. This wa