"That one?" Lucas pointed to one of the brightest stars and asked tentatively."You're absolutely right. It's that one indeed." Jonathan resumed his silent contemplation after replying almost absentmindedly.After gazing at the star for a moment, Lucas realized that the Ferris wheel had completed its round, but he didn't feel like interrupting Jonathan's trance just yet. Part of him couldn't stand seeing Jonathan so despondent, so he opted to follow with a cheeky remark a while later."Hey, mopey guy! We're here! Time to get off! Do you plan on staying here forever? Everyone in the queue down there is looking at you! How many times do you expect to go around this wheel with just one ticket?" Lucas deliberately provoked Jonathan, attempting to elicit some kind of response from him."Lucas! What did you say? Do you have a death wish?" Sure enough, Jonathan's innate wrath was always ready to strike, regardless of its target."I'm talking about you, dumbass! What are you gonna do about it?
"I know that. When the time comes, I'm counting on you to record everything. Don't you dare slack off!" Jonathan had already considered everything Lucas had brought up. After all, he hadn't been the president of Leonard Corporations for so many years for nothing."Since you already know, then I won't waste my energy explaining it to you. How much longer until we meet up with them?" Lucas hadn't eaten breakfast yet, and for a six-year-old, it was a meal of utmost importance."In half an hour, including our round trip by car. We still have ten minutes to spare, though. Why?" Jonathan knew that Lucas wouldn't ask something for no reason, so he took care to add a question of his own."Oh well, I was thinking, maybe … Can I have breakfast first?" Lucas finally spoke up, having ignored his growling stomach's demands all this time. He looked rather embarrassed by his request."Bring us some breakfast, please, Ms. Rose. And quickly!" Jonathan could never bear to let his own son starve. Immedia
"Well, there's that, then." Jonathan was inwardly delighted, but his face was as unruffled as ever."If you're done, I won't see you off," Phoebe said coldly."I see someone really doesn't know when to give up, even when the situation is already against them." Tristan laughed beside Phoebe.Jonathan scoffed coldly before he stood and left with Lucas. "This isn't over yet," was all he left them with before striding out of the coffee shop."Ungrateful bastard," Phoebe retorted, her expression ugly. Jonathan turned momentarily as soon as those words left her mouth. His cold gaze penetrated her, making her scalp crawl. Phoebe found herself turning away immediately, taking great care not to meet his eyes.Jonathan sneered once more before walking away.His mood improved greatly once they had finally left the shop. The next step would be to craft a plan brutal enough to finally bring down the mother and son."Lucas, you were amazing today." Jonathan smiled at Lucas. "How about I take you out
"Wow, to what do I owe the honor of being personally greeted by you, President Leonard? Where's your housekeeper? I'm not sure I can handle all this fanfare." Scarlett tried to swallow her laugh."Alright, stop teasing me, Scarlett. My housekeeper is out on some business. If you don't help me, I won't be able to be president soon," Jonathan replied with a bitter smile."So, you're only here because your housekeeper's not in." Scarlett pursed her lips."No, of course not. I'm here because of you." Jonathan scrambled to change his words. He was at a disadvantage after all, since he needed her help at the moment. And yet, a wicked smile crossed his face as he thought about what he was about to give her in a while."Follow me. All the documents I have to show you are here." Scarlett followed Jonathan into the house, and he led her into his study shortly after. A stack of documents were neatly piled on his desk, and Scarlett didn't waste much time as she strode over and picked them up. She
"What do you think you're doing? How dare you stand in my way?" Sharp, ruthless words shot out of his mouth. Jonathan wasn't about to show his rival any mercy.Dylan returned Jonathan's gaze with equal iciness. He scoffed, tightening his grip before flinging Jonathan's arm downward. "How dare you try to hit Scar? She is mine, and I'm the only one who can decide what happens to her!"Tension hung low and thick in the air.Jonathan's attempts to have his way with Scarlett seemed to have instantly turned into a heated confrontation between two men vying for her love. And yet, there were no spectators present."Dylan, laying your hands on me in my own home is against the law. You know it as well as I do."The coldness in Jonathan's eyes sharpened. He pressed closer before yanking the other man's collar up and tugging him roughly.Dylan gazed at Jonathan mockingly as he peeled away Jonathan's grip on him. "Why? Do you want to fight me? Tell you what, Scarlett is my fiancée. If you want to l
Lucas read through the text he'd just received from Dylan before casually composing another new message. "Hey, big bully. Uncle Dylan's on his way to City Hall to pick up my mommy." After clicking send, he didn't bother to check if Jonathan had replied. Instead, he turned his attention back to the soap opera playing on screen. Truth be told, all this stealth and subterfuge of being a double agent thrilled him to no end.Unfortunately, luck wasn't on Jonathan's side that day—he only saw Lucas' text half an hour later. He immediately jolted, instantly alert, as he glanced at the time. "I need to leave now. It'll be too late if I wait any longer," he mused.Yet, by the time he reached City Hall, Dylan had already picked up Scarlett. Jonathan stood in front of the empty hall for a while, entirely dumbfounded. Dylan's increasingly fierce attacks against him urged him to make a decision. He knew what he wanted and what he had to do to get it.A while later, Dylan drove Scarlett home. At that
"Scarlett, as long as you wake up, I'll take back what I said just now!" Jonathan thought about it for a while before uttering those words, though he was unsure about the sincerity he put behind them.The woman on the couch stirred slightly, but she clearly had no intention of opening her eyes. Was that offer not tempting enough for her? Jonathan furrowed his brows and leaned closer, so close that he could smell the fragrance wafting from her body. Still, Scarlett showed no response. This was simply ridiculous.Jonathan frowned before an idea crossed his mind. He stood up suddenly and exclaimed in the direction of the door. "Dylan? How did you get in here? Did I not lock the door?""Dylan?" Scarlett shot up at once. She still couldn't entirely process what had happened earlier, but she knew instinctively that she had to give the man at the door any explanation at all. "Dylan, don't—I mean, this isn't what it looks like!"She'd just finished when she realized there was no one at the doo
Jonathan nodded again. He was certain now that he'd been right all along. "I suppose, if I'm not mistaken, you only left the country six years ago because of me."Scarlett didn't try to hide it now that he'd guessed it. "I did," she admitted."I don't know what exactly it is that you're trying to run away from or what you're afraid of, but one thing I'm certain of is that you haven't succeeded in whatever you were trying to accomplish. Even now, six years later, you still have feelings for me. Admit it, Scarlett. In your heart, I'm still the one you yearn for, and you've been pretending otherwise all this time. Even though it's not completely love, hatred, or disgust—whatever it is—I still mean something to you. You have to admit that!"The finger he pointed directly at her heart made her chest clench. He was right. Every last word he spoke was true. She didn't like him, but she didn't hate him either. This man in front of her had completely and firmly occupied a place in her heart, an