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
To his surprise, Scarlett hugged him back, making him stiffen at once, unsure of how exactly to respond. Still, her hug gave him the confidence he needed to wrap his arms around her body and return her embrace.Just like that, the two of them were pressed tightly together, the source of warmth and courage for one another.They stayed like this for about 20 minutes. Eventually her heels started to throb, but Scarlett dared not cry out in pain—she knew she'd long lost her right to do so. Jonathan had to be hurting inside more than her stupid heels were, but his arms remained tightly wrapped against her body, as if he were afraid of losing her.Jonathan's head was still nestled in the crook of her shoulder, and the sound of his regular breathing was echoing in her ears. A thought flashed through her mind. Then it hit her. It couldn't be. They were by the road! And they were both standing. And yet, those arms showed no sign of releasing her waist. Seriously, how could he fall asleep in thi
More importantly, Jonathan seemed to have undergone a personality change when he started pouting. "Come on, what do you say?"Scarlett's self-restraint shattered upon hearing those words from him, but she forced herself to calm down anyway. She opened her mouth to speak, but all that came out was a single word. "You—"It was simply too much! Scarlett yearned for someone to physically remove her from her situation because she was afraid that she wouldn't be able to keep her body in check for much longer. Her heart rate soared, and her face blushed crimson. Damn it, she wanted nothing more than to push him away, but Jonathan's fervent gaze prevented her from doing so for fear of breaking his heart."Scarlett, do you like me? Do you love me?" Jonathan asked tentatively."What the fuck is going on?" Scarlett mused frantically. She was rendered speechless, and she would've hardly believed her ears if not for the serious expression on his face."I'm engaged, Jonathan. Look, how about we both
More importantly, Scarlett wished Lucas weren't half as intelligent. She winced upon hearing his words. "Yeah, I am, baby. I need to focus on the road. Hang up now, okay?""Hey hey hey, wait up, Mommy! Are you coming home to eat, then?" Lucas asked hurriedly, preventing her from hanging up straightaway.What was all this talk about food? She was no longer hungry after the stunt Jonathan had pulled on her, but Scarlett reigned in her temper and told her son, "You should cook, but I might come home a little later. If I'm not back when it's time to eat, go ahead and eat on your own first."Having said that, Scarlett ended the call and pocketed her phone. As her hand slid into her pocket, she felt a foreign object buried within the fabric. It was round and hard, with a lump jutting out from its edge. She wrapped her hand around it, her heart beating wildly. She hardly dared to take it out, for fear of disappointment if it wasn't what she thought it was. But if it really was her ring … She
And so, when Aunty Macy had hinted for him to console Uncle Dylan the night before, he'd done nothing and pretended to be oblivious. When it came to relationships, it had to be a mutual agreement, and that, precisely, was what made them so hurtful. Lucas was well aware that it would take more than a few words to properly console Dylan. Moreover, he couldn't control who his mother ultimately chose. Still, he could never bring himself to tell Uncle Dylan anything absurd to placate him or make empty promises, like to never talk to his mom again if she didn't marry him. Even if they were merely lies, he couldn't even imagine himself saying any of those things. As long as he was alive, he would never allow anyone to hurt his mother—lies or not. Not him, not anyone, not ever.As for his bias toward Jonathan, he could only occasionally offer the man suggestions and urge him to up his game before the opportunity slipped away. It wasn't like he could do anything concrete to influence his mom's
Lucas seemed to have gauged the perfect timing when he asked right after Cedrick had left, "So, what happened last night? I thought my mother was a beggar when she came back this morning. What did you do to her?"His voice carried hints of anger when he spoke. Jonathan fell silent, indirectly admitting the part he played in Scarlett's disheveled appearance. Lucas continued reproachfully. "Why, I told you to pursue my mommy, not push her off a mountain, even if you failed to win her heart!"Jonathan started in a serious tone, "Baby, have you been watching too many soap operas lately? You're beginning to speak like one.""Yeah, so what? I've been bored out of my mind waiting for school to start, and I have nothing else to do. Since I've finished everything I need to do to prepare for school, I started watching a few episodes," Lucas replied earnestly.No wonder. Jonathan was certain now that soap operas really were a bad influence on Lucas. Of course, having a child who was a genius and
When Lucas turned back, he saw Aunty Macy looking at him. To have someone witness him in this state was simply unacceptable! If anyone else saw that picture, he would spend years being the laughingstock, and Lucas would never allow that to happen. For one, he was always the one who made fun of others, not the other way around. Now that the latter seemed imminent, it felt like the colossal joke of the century."What are you taking pictures of, Auntie Macy? Don't you know that filming me unauthorizedly is a direct violation of my rights to privacy? I could sue you anytime for this! But, whatever. Forget it. I'll let it slide this time, considering our relationship, on one condition—hand over your phone. How does that sound?" Lucas decided to try a diplomatic approach first. If reasoning with Aunty Macy failed, perhaps it was time for a tougher approach. Either way, under no circumstances would he allow that picture to be spread. How could he continue to live without shame if it did?"Luc
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