She didn't want him to see how scared she was. Her panic was steadily increasing, as she didn't know what he was planning to do to her.Suddenly, Jonathan grabbed her hands and forced them onto his pants. She was close to losing her mind, and her face flushed. Was he insane? How could he do this to her?She knew that her face must be as red as a tomato right now. She was thankful that the room was dark, so Jonathan couldn't see it. She was so embarrassed. Why did he like to torture her like this? If it weren't for the agreement binding the both of them stating that he could do whatever he wanted to her, she would've cussed him out already. As such, she couldn't say no to anything that he made her do within these 100 days.She'd prepared herself for the possibilities of such scenarios, but it didn't help. She didn't know what to do when things like this happened. She also knew how domineering and unreasonable Jonathan was, so she also knew that no amount of protesting could prevent
Jonathan's face was incredibly angry as he spoke. "I did the right thing! He'd always accepted bribes throughout his career; I don't see how my accusations could be fabricated."It was nearly impossible for anyone to blame him for falsely accusing Brian. That jerk had always been underhanded and suffused with greed. If Brian had the guts to provoke him, then he deserved to suffer as well. Jonathan had no qualms about being rude, nor did he have the desire to ever keep his mouth shut.He didn't think he'd done anything wrong; to him, his actions were justified. He just hadn't expected his grandfather to catch wind of the incident so quickly. The Stantons must have played a role in reporting his interference to his grandfather. Otherwise, the old man would never have guessed that he was the one behind this!Besides, for the old man to know that Jonathan had only done all this for the sake of a woman was definitely more information than he could ever have gleaned from any of the news chan
Truth be told, Scarlett didn't know how she was supposed to tell anyone that she was back, nor could she face the people who'd once been her life—her friends who'd once known her and would be able to see how much she'd changed for the worse. She couldn't face Dylan and Macy. Hell, she couldn't even look at Lucas because she knew she had become the most extreme version of herself.Sitting in the cab and watching the city's nightscape through the window, her heart was a bottomless abyss, as if the very essence of her being had been dug out. The five million dollars Jonathan had left her weighed her down even now; it was a burden she couldn't seem to bear. That kind of money wasn't something anyone could part with—it was the largest sum she'd ever gotten her hands on to date. She was certain that she'd never be able to earn it herself in this lifetime, even if she tried. And yet, to Jonathan, it was something he could casually leave on her bedside table without even batting an eye.It was
Scarlett wasn't a masochist; she knew she no longer deserved to aspire for a future with Dylan, but, like all people, her restraint was finite. Tears trickled down her face, clinging to her cheeks. She couldn't bring herself to speak. Even if she could, she had no idea what to say. Nothing she could ever say would change the fact that she didn't belong here.Her tears prompted him to wrap his arms around her even tighter, his heart aching for the woman crying like a baby in his embrace. He couldn't bear to see her hurt. If he could, Dylan wished he could transfer all her pain to himself and bear it for her. He hated that things had come to this—he hated that he couldn't do anything to help her ease the burden on her shoulders other than hold her tight and watch her cry.When he spoke, his voice was tender, and his arms ran the length of her back, soothing her gently. "Hey, don't cry anymore. Do you know how much it hurts to see you cry? Where have you been these past few days? I tried
Lucas giggled in Dylan's arms. Then he turned to Scarlett all of a sudden, seemingly having latched onto an idea that would ultimately doom her. "Mom! Where have you been these days? You didn't even tell me where you were going—that might be the meanest thing you've ever done!"At that moment, Scarlett wanted nothing more than to cover his mouth and stop him from speaking any further. How could he bring up this matter, especially in front of Dylan? She realized that she wasn't properly mentally prepared to tell Dylan about everything that had happened since they'd last seen each other. If she could, she'd rather bury everything deep in her heart and keep it a secret. She didn't wish for Dylan—or anyone, really—to know that she'd been someone's mistress, even if it had just been for a week.But what remained at the forefront of her mind was hearing from Dylan himself about whether he'd colluded with Tristan to bring Jonathan down. After all, she'd only been forced to accept Jonathan's b
"Scar, I have something to tell you as well. I haven't told you everything—well, not exactly—so I don't want you to worry or feel guilty about not telling me what's bothering you. Everyone has their own struggles and things they find difficult to voice. I understand what it's like. You never have to feel bad when it comes to me. I'll always be able to accept you for who you are. I'll always be able to forgive you, no matter what it is."Dylan's expression was strangely off when he spoke, as if whatever it was that he hadn't told her was rather serious. Scarlett couldn't help but feel a little surprised, but she didn't ask him about what he was hiding, respecting how he hadn't pressured her to talk to him. She knew that she had no right to demand that he come clean when she was doing the exact same thing to him. Still, knowing that they were both on equal footing comforted her slightly. She felt more relieved not to be the only one keeping a secret.After that, a year went by before the
Dylan hadn't seen Scarlett in more than half a month. Every time, either he'd been busy or she'd had to work, preventing them from being able to meet up. Now that they were together again at long last, he couldn't help but feel like Scarlett had become more beautiful in the weeks they'd been apart. His voice softened almost instinctively. "Baby, it's been so long since we last saw each other. You've got to make it up to me today—where do you want to go?"Scarlett felt guilty that she hadn't spent time with Dylan. Yet she'd already promised Natalie to head over for the audition, and she couldn't simply back out now. She could give an embarrassed smile as she attempted to break the news to him. "Dylan, I'm so sorry. I promised Natalie I would go down to her company for an audition. It's a great opportunity, and I want to give it a try. If this works out, I won't need to take on so many jobs going forward."Dylan was rather disappointed by her reply, but he swiftly regained his composure.
Knowing how stubborn Scarlett was, Dylan knew that their relationship would truly come to an end if he took the initiative to expose her and voice his truth. There was simply no other way around it. She was the woman he'd fallen in love with, and he'd continue to love her for the rest of his life. Despite the flocks of other attractive women that surrounded and flattered him, he couldn't bring himself to look at them the same way, not after he'd experienced what it was like to be with Scarlett. She was the only person in his heart, and he loved all of her—the good, the bad, and all the problems she inevitably brought him.He reached out and held her hand firmly. He wished he could transfer his heat to her icy fingers through their joined palms. How he wished she could feel the love he felt for her, how deeply it transcended any and every tangible emotion one could possibly feel. "Scar, didn't I tell you early on that no matter what happened, I'd never break up with you? I mean it. You
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