"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
"Impossible!" Scarlett sighed softly. "He likes me! That's the only reason why I agreed—""He likes you?" Macy stared at her skeptically. "On what basis are you establishing your claim? It's his heart, his feelings.""A woman's intuition is never wrong, Macy!" Scarlett played with the straw in her drink. "All I have to do now is make him confess.""Scarlett, you're too arrogant!" Macy suppressed her anger, though she couldn't help but punch her friend once more. "You're basing an entire claim about where that man's heart lies solely on your intuition? That's too unreliable! I told you before that Jonathan isn't as simple as he appears to be. He has his own house out there, but he chose to move in with you anyway. He definitely has some kind of ulterior motive behind his actions.""That's why I said he's already fallen in love with me!" Scarlett concluded after Macy's long rant."Oh, you're hopeless." Macy blinked, holding back the urge to cry. Macy wanted nothing more than to tell her
Scarlett couldn't wait any longer. She reached out and hooked her arms around his neck before inching closer toward his lips, her breath fanning his face. She looked so alluring now, as if she wanted nothing more than to melt against him, her body flush against his. "Just tell me already! As soon as you say it, I promise to let you live with me, for real this time—"Before she could finish, the door of the office swung open with a bang. Dylan glared at Jonathan, his gaze full of rage. Behind him, Macy stood guiltily.Scarlett glanced at them questioningly. Why would Dylan come here at this time?"You've gone too far, Jonathan!" Dylan growled.Jonathan looked at Dylan gleefully. He swept her into his embrace as he spoke: "She's the one who came here and told me that she loved me. What did I do now? If there's anyone to blame here, it's you for not keeping a better eye on your fiancée."Dylan rushed forward and pulled Scarlett away from Jonathan. "Don't you touch my fiancée with those fi
Jonathan pointed at Macy. "So, it's true then? Everything she said?"Scarlett never turned to face him again. She could only nod."I guess I should be honored to have made the governor and renowned lawyer, Scarlett Langston, go to such lengths for me!" Jonathan laughed coldly.Scarlett could no longer hold back her tears. One by one, they trickled down her cheek as she thought to herself, "Please leave, Jonathan. Please leave. I can't do this any longer!"Macy, on the other hand, showed him no such mercy. "What nonsense are you still talking about? Can't you see how your presence here is affecting my family?"Jonathan pulled the door open and prepared to leave. "I hope you know that this is still my office! I'm going out to get some fresh air, but I'll be back in five minutes. When I get back, I don't wish to see anything here that's polluting the air I breathe in!" He left them with those cutting words before slamming the door heavily behind him.After Jonathan left, the entire office