After my initial shock, I realized that it was Anthony’s doing.
I couldn’t hold my rage in after a whole morning of trying and threw my phone on the floor with a loud bang.
I walked downstairs. He was having breakfast, which was just a couple slices of toast since Mrs. Eriksen wasn’t home.
I picked up a piece of toast and tossed it at him in rage. “Anthony, what the hell are you trying to do?”
He frowned and glared at me. “Watch it.”
“Watch it? Why should I?” I yelled, “How could you cancel my ticket without my permission? Anthony, what am I to you? A toy? Maybe a robot or a puppet that has to listen to your every word?”
He kept his mouth shut and continued staring at me for a long time before speaking. “You sound furious.”
I paused and pressed my anger down again. “I’m not furious, but please don’t touch any of my private matters without my permission ever again. I don’t mind that you’re not willing to get a divorce. We’re just wasting each other’s time after all. Still, please respect me. That’s all I’m asking for, thank you very much.”
My polite, slightly aloof tone clearly showed how exhausted I was.
I didn’t look at his expression as I went upstairs again, booked another ticket, and came down with my luggage.
He stood in the living room with that familiar pair of dark eyes staring daggers at me.
He didn’t chase after me even as I loaded my luggage into the car.
The car drove out of the villa and I sighed in relief when I noticed that he was still in the villa.
I got my air ticket once I reached the airport. Since it was still early, I got a book and sat down in the departure lounge to wait.
A girl suddenly approached me, giving me a shock.
“Ms. Stanhope, are you heading back to J City today as well?” The girl was dressed in a fashionable trench coat over a knitted knee-length dress paired with ankle boots. Her outfit was both modern and classic at the same time.
I looked at her dainty features for a minute or two but still failed to recall when and where I had ever met this girl.
The girl giggled at my confusion. “Ms. Stanhope, did you forget? We just met. My name is Yvonne Wilde. You and Mr. Stanhope saved me at the Imperial Hotel.”
I paused for a second and finally remembered. I asked in confusion, “You’re from J City too?”
She nodded and smiled. “Yep. I’m from S County, but I study in K City.”
After a pause, she said awkwardly, “I’m not from a very well-off family, you see. My parents managed to send me to high school but they couldn’t afford to send me to college after that. That’s why I had to work the night shift at Imperial Hotel to get enough money. I ended up getting mistreated because I wouldn’t leave with a client. Thankfully you and Mr. Stanhope saved me!”
I nodded in acknowledgment. I was never a sociable person, so I didn’t know how to carry on the conversation from there and fell silent.
She seemed to enjoy talking to me nonetheless and smiled when she saw the book I was reading. “Ms. Stanhope, do you like The Hunchback of Notre Dame as well? I just read it a couple of days ago.”
I nodded in response and paused before asking, “The New Year is in a couple of days. Why didn’t you choose to work a couple more shifts in K City before going back?”
“Mr. Stanhope arranged some shifts for me in J City so I can work closer to home and return at the end of the month,” she said with a smile. She seemed happy just talking about John.
I nodded but remembered that John didn’t seem to have any businesses in J City. What shifts could he have given her?
Out of curiosity, I asked, “What shifts did he arrange for you?”
“I study accounting, so he contacted an audit company for me called Harrison Credit. They only started growing these past few years. They have plenty of work that needs to be done since it’s the end of the year, so I can also get commission on top of my salary.”
She smiled and asked me, “Ms. Stanhope, is Mr. Stanhope also going back to J City for the New Year?”
Could it be this girl have a crush on John?
I shook my head. “I’m not sure. He’s probably staying in K City.”
She murmured softly, “He said he was going to J City, though…”
I didn’t ask any more questions. It was almost time for my flight anyway, so I said goodbye to her and got on the plane.
Jackson was already waiting for me at the airport. Once we got in the car, he started nagging at me.
“Can you turn off your phone the next time you’re doing that stuff with Anthony? It made me seem like some sort of pervert.”
I pressed my lips together and felt my face heat up. “I’m sorry, I’ll turn it off next time.”
He glanced at me and narrowed his eyes. “You used protection, right?”
I was especially sensitive at the topic of conception and stiffened momentarily before replying, “Yeah.”
He nodded. “Good. Your body is in no state for another pregnancy. Anyway, follow me somewhere later once we get back.”
“Where?”
“To see the doctor. You coughed up blood last time, and the doctor said even though it stopped, it’s still very dangerous and your life is at risk if it continues. I managed to contact a traditional doctor who can help you take a look,” he explained as he drove.
He took a look at my pale visage and asked, “Have you been burning the midnight oil again?”
I pressed my lips together and pinched my brow. “I just can’t sleep.”
If chronic illnesses could be cured once and for all, of course I’d do my best to follow the doctor’s instructions. But chronic illnesses took forever to treat and that took time and energy that I didn’t have.
He sighed. “If you and Anthony really are on such bad terms, then you should take a break until you get better. Dragging this on for so long isn’t good for either of you.”
“He isn’t willing to get a divorce!” I said as Jackson slammed the brakes at the red light in front of us.
He looked at me with wide eyes. “Are you crazy? Who’s thinking of getting a divorce? He has money, he’s fit and he’s good-looking. Why would you get a divorce?”
I looked at him in annoyance. “Would you like to take my place then?”
He suddenly started stammering and managed to say, “I already have someone else in mind, so no thanks.”
I paused in suspicion. His tone sounded a little off. “You have someone else in mind? Who is it? What’s her name? Are you two already together? How long have you been dating?”
He was struck speechless by my onslaught of questions and looked at me as he started to drive again. “Calm down! Damn, I never thought a woman could be this nosy.”
“Have you never met a woman before? That’s exactly why I’m so curious!” If I were a man, would I be this curious?
After a few more minutes, he finally cleared his throat and said, “You’ll know soon enough.”
I hummed in response and finally stopped bombarding him with questions.
I wasn’t exactly willing to go see a doctor the very moment I arrived in J City. After all, who enjoyed being treated like a patient all the time?
After bickering with Jackson for a little while, he finally gave in and brought me back to Glenwood Apartments.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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