"Hey, Jonathan. Why aren't you back yet? Phoebe and her son, Tristan, are holding a press conference in our company! The situation doesn't look good. The general consensus seems to lean toward their side. You know how rocky your relationship with your father was when he was alive. Plus, when he died, Phoebe was the only one by his side, making it even more difficult for you to defend yourself. Most of the board members are inclined to hand over all of their shares to the two of them!" Cedrick's voice was filled with urgency when he spoke. It appeared that both Phoebe and Tristan were anxious to get this over with as soon as possible."Alright, I'm on my way back now. Don't worry, Cedrick. As long as I'm alive, the position of president at Leonard Corporations will always be mine. No one can take that away from me without my permission. Help me delay those board members. Before I get there, don't let them sign over their shares to the other two. Do whatever you have to do to make sure o
"Jonathan, no matter what, I was the one by your father's side when he passed away. That is a fact that cannot be disputed! Moreover, I'm your father's wife and the primary inheritor of his assets. Just give up your shares now and stop fighting this. There's no point in wasting everyone's time here." Phoebe was really adept at avoiding the main issue and only focusing on what benefited her."She's not wrong. According to the law, Mrs. Leonard is the primary inheritor of Mr. Leonard's assets!" The lawyer who'd been standing on the side now spoke up. Phoebe had invited him precisely for this purpose."Did you hear that, Jonathan? Mr. Wolffian is practically a celebrity in the legal profession. No one dares to question his words!" Phoebe swept her gaze around the room before landing on Jonathan, the meaning behind her words clear. She was provoking him by challenging his authority."Phoebe, I'm giving you one last chance to take your son and leave. Or else, you'll have to bear the brunt o
Jonathan didn't speak anymore and left with nothing but a cold snort."Alright, there's that. It's over now. Everyone, get back to work. As for those reports, I hope they turn out to be satisfactory." Of course, that last part had been told quietly to the two meddling journalists.After Jonathan left, a few employees were still concerned about their futures at the company."What do we do? The president has left. Are we still expected to stay here? I don't have much confidence in the future of this place!" one of them said."You clueless fool! Didn't you hear what the president said just now?" The second employee knocked on the first's head."That's right! The president said we could transfer. Isn't that clear enough for you? Idiot!" Another employee chimed in.Afterward, they returned to their respective positions and waited for the results to come out tomorrow.Meanwhile, Scarlett gradually awoke from her slumber. Immediately, she scrambled about frantically, as if she were hunting fo
"Hold on, I—I'm not entirely sure where this place is. Let me go outside and take a look." Sure enough, Scarlett had no idea where she was now. The night before, she'd been in a daze when that bastard, Jonathan, had brought her inside. This morning, she'd even fallen asleep like the incompetent person she was. Scarlett wanted nothing more than to slap herself to death."What? You don't even know where you are? Who kidnapped you, Scar?" Dylan had evidently thought Scarlett's fate had been the same as his own. Like him, he thought she'd been knocked unconscious and kidnapped after that, but he couldn't, for the life of him, figure out who would have the time and the energy to do something so tedious. Could it be one of their old enemies? It was impossible! He'd taken care of practically all of his enemies, including those who'd been resistant to negotiations—it seemed impossible for him to have any residual enemies who had it all out for them. After giving the matter some thought, Dyla
"Today, the president of Leonard Corporations, Jonathan Leonard, unexpectedly appeared in the conference room of the company. It seems that a fierce battle for his late father's assets is about to commence between him and his late father's wife, Phoebe Leonard! Is the position of president in the corporation about to undergo a massive change once again? Let's just wait and see! Tune in for more updates tomorrow." The melodious voice of the show's host came from the car's radio."Um—sorry about that! I'll turn it off right away!" The driver hurriedly switched off the radio as soon as he realized his mistake."What? The president of Leonard Corporations is about to be replaced? What the hell is going on? Are those two really that impatient? This can't be happening! I need to stop them!" Scarlett became anxious as she thought about the matter. She hardly knew why she felt such an intense urge to intervene, but she could never allow something like this to happen. She hadn't worked so hard
"Um—mmm—no—" Jonathan hadn't completely withdrawn when Scarlett surrendered to his touch."That's a good girl. You might as well give up now, Scarlett. You're mine—only mine—" Jonathan's touch deepened, his lips never leaving her body.The strong scent of red wine permeated Scarlett's mouth, with a hint of bitterness amid the surge of richness. She supposed this was what love tasted like. The more she thought about it, the less she struggled. Her body relaxed as she slowly accepted Jonathan's intrusion.Not long after, a familiar, primal rhythm descended in the private room they occupied in the bar."How do you plan on handling the affairs of your company, Jonathan?" Scarlett couldn't help but repeat her question after their electric encounter. This was, after all, a matter of the life and death of a company."What do you mean by handle? She had an easy way out, but she chose not to take it. Leonard Corporations? Ha! I don't want it anymore. What I want is my own company, completely in
"Once you've got a grasp of the entire situation, if you're adamant about reclaiming Leonard Corporations, the benefits are the fact that you're the legitimate heir, and everyone would naturally bow down to your will. You would also be more familiar with the operations of the company, which would make it inherently easier to take control from within. "But what's slightly more challenging is the matter of getting rid of certain employees who serve no useful purpose to the company. After all, they're there because of their connections, and they're backing each other. I believe that if one of them happens to be implicated, the rest will ultimately stand up for them. So, firing a high-ranking employee might prove to be a challenge, especially considering their numerous clients and extensive relationships. "As for establishing your own company, the benefits of that are, in turn, obvious too. It will be your own company, so your word will be the law. You'll have the freedom to arrange your
Upon hearing the incessant beeps from her phone, Scarlett immediately retrieved her phone and glanced at the screen. She was in the car, and anticipation flooded her heart. Part of her wished that it was Jonathan who texted her, but the moment she caught a glimpse of her notifications, she frowned curiously. It was her baby, Lucas. Scarlett was puzzled; Lucas rarely texted her, so why was he acting so unusually today?Then she read the contents of his message."What? Why would Jonathan be with Lucas? And the amusement park?" A series of questions filled her heart, but none of them yielded any concrete answers. Scarlett felt her frustration rising along with her confusion."Whatever. Forget it—if those two crafty guys are together, I'd be fortunate enough if they don't end up harming others, let alone worrying about their safety. It's better for me to go home and sleep. I don't have it in me to dwell on what they're doing right now anyway!" With her mind made up, Scarlett decided to let
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