The police officer, who'd been brutally scolded by Jonathan, was just about to retaliate when the chief inspector hurried over frantically. The simpering smile on his face was an utter surprise, and his words shocked the officer even further. "Mr. Leonard, we're really sorry. This is all just a misunderstanding! It's all our fault. I swear to you, I'll let her out right away!"The officer was stunned by his chief's behavior; his arrogance was reduced to this submissive figure apologizing left and right now. In retrospect, he supposed he should feel fortunate that he hadn't gotten the chance to argue with the man earlier. His job would've been on the line if he'd happened to offend the man his chief appeared to admire and venerate.As soon as the chief finished speaking, Scarlett saw her cousin, Florence, being supported out of her cell. She was still inebriated, her eyes glassy, and her stance unstable. Scarlett was about to ask Florence what had happened when her cousin caught sight o
In hindsight, it didn't matter. Jonathan had always been beyond capable of comforting himself. Since Scarlett was his woman—in name and in spirit—it was only appropriate for him to protect her. No man could stand watching the woman who belonged to them be wrongfully insulted by another. Besides, Florence had been aiming at him with her slap. Despite his confidence in ducking the blow, Scarlett's unwavering action of shielding him from harm comforted him immensely. He considered this a reward for her selfless bravery.What he didn't know was how completely wrong he was. Jonathan thought of Scarlett's actions as a reflex instinct to protect him from harm when she'd really been afraid of Jonathan targeting Florence just to get back at her should her slap land on him. She knew how rotten his temper was. For an ordinary drunk to slap him without rhyme or reason would definitely not go over well. She had personally experienced the consequences of his anger just last night. Jonathan's threats
Scarlett glared at Jonathan. "You and I have nothing to do with each other anymore! I am not your assistant—and I never will be! I don't know what you told my cousin, but whatever it is, it won't work on me! I gave you that one night you requested! That's it! We're over! Please have some self-respect, Mr. Leonard!"Jonathan's indulgent expression darkened immediately. "What did you just say? Say it again if you have the guts to!" he bellowed. The young doctor, who had already been antsy around Jonathan in the beginning, jumped at his sudden bellow, the tray in her arm rattling precariously. Immediately, she excused herself from the room, having no courage to remain in the lion's den even a second longer.Scarlett, however, was unmoved by Jonathan's rage. She knew him long enough to understand that no amount of words on her part would convince him. She'd said all she wanted to, and the rest was on him. If he honored the promises he made, he should have the sense to abide by his own word
Midway through her musings, Scarlett inadvertently realized something bizarre. Why would Jonathan, a man who never stayed long with any woman, insist on her staying by his side forever? She suspected her blunt treatment of him played a part in piquing his curiosity, unlike other women who fawned over him relentlessly. Maybe she had been mistaken all along—perhaps she should've treated him like everyone else did. Perhaps, then, he would've gotten sick and tired of her company sooner or later.Who knew staying true to her nature would turn out to be detrimental to herself?Scarlett didn't expect Jonathan's jarring lack of anger despite her rudeness. His smile was maniacal, brimming with ill intent as if she had fallen straight into his trap. The man swept her into his embrace with a laugh. "Alright. Remember, this is your choice. Since you've made your decision, Monkey is yours to take care of now!"Scarlett remained silent. Taking care of his dog didn't seem that different from taking c
Contrary to Natalie's excitement, Scarlett's first response was frantic denial. She'd initially intended to keep everything that had happened with Jonathan a secret, even from Natalie, because of the amount of humiliation it brought up, but she simply couldn't stand the notion of hiding it from her best friend anymore. Scarlett didn't want to bear this burden alone, so, in the end, she confided in Natalie, entrusting every last detail to the person she deemed closest to her.Her first encounter with Jonathan, her pregnancy, the conflict between the two of them, along with Jonathan's threat for her to be his mistress for a month to protect Dylan's innocence when his return from abroad exposed Justin as Jonathan's younger brother … Scarlett did not spare Natalie any of the details as she recounted, quite literally, every bit of her long, painful history with Jonathan.As she spoke, her embarrassment grew—it was only natural for her to feel ashamed, though she felt a shuddering relief as
Scarlett wasn't about to let such a life-changing opportunity slide. If she could star in a TV show, the ludicrous pay could tide her over for a long while, not to mention the line of other opportunities that was bound to come along with it. This was a chance she had been waiting for all this while—a break in her career where she could be taken to greater heights in the industry and consequently live a better life.The suddenness of her grandfather's death seemed to have deeply affected her grandmother, so much so that she was currently hooked up to a respirator to help her breathe. Her grandma's unexpected illness still pained her to this day, and she decided to head over to the hospital to visit her after work.Unfortunately, the old woman showed no signs of regaining consciousness, her reliance on the ventilator growing by the day, a pallid sheen having taken residence permanently on her face.Scarlett's heart ached as she beheld her beloved grandmother lying lifelessly on the hospi
Despite having already made up her mind, Scarlett didn't find it appropriate to tell Ezra directly that she didn't want Jonathan to see her with another man. It wasn't that she was afraid of his rage—she was afraid of its consequences, which made her hesitant to trigger his temper if she could help it.Jonathan's threats were still ringing in her ears, an incessant reminder that plagued her. How could she forget when it was all still so vivid? She could curse him and yell at him, and she could call him a bunch of names and manage to get away with it, holding on by the skin of her teeth, but to appear in front of him with another man didn't seem to promise such optimistic outcomes.Left with no other choice, Scarlett could only alight from the car and head toward the entrance of the hotel along with Ezra. Even though her head was lowered, she could feel his piercing gaze threatening to strip her whole being right then and right there.Jonathan's gaze was cold as he stared at the man wal
"Miss Langston, you might be new here, but that's alright. You haven't seen how many newbies I've trained who eventually became famous. Just look at Daphne. She was once as clueless as you are now. Fortunately, our Daphne here picks up new things quickly and does as she's told. I'd say she understands the rules we play by too. Look at how famous she is now. I say, Miss Langston, if you grow to appreciate and abide by our rules, there's nothing you can't achieve."The man's sleazy words, barely hidden behind courtesy, gave her the urge to flip the soup bowl in front of her and pour the boiling liquid down his face in a fit of rage. While she wasn't familiar with whatever rules he was talking about, she understood what he was implying. Scarlett would never agree to any of that and would never stoop to the level of playing dirty just to get what she wanted. If she were truly that kind of person, her qualifications would've skyrocketed her fame so much that it would've long surpassed Daphn
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