"Johnny, I'm yours. Sooner or later, no matter how unwilling you are to see it, I will be yours. You can't run away from that. And I don't want to wait any longer!" Celeste's voice trembled, hoarse from nervousness. With no regard left for anything else—not her reputation as a lady, nor her family's prestige—she unbuttoned her shirt in front of him with the sole hope that Jonathan would love her properly once.But instead of what she had hoped, Jonathan stopped her, displeasure framing his features. He didn't know how to tell her this, but he was apathetic toward her, regardless of what she did. While her tender, fair skin was on par with Scarlett's, it did nothing to stir his desire. It was simply the inexplicable nature of feelings—they could never be fabricated. Pretending to like someone he didn't truly like would only make matters worse for the both of them.Initially, Jonathan had thought that whoever he married didn't matter, for it was a ritual he had to undergo sooner or later

Just like that, Jonathan stood beside her, his arms wrapped around his chest as he watched Scarlett's mechanical actions coldly. He had no idea what she was playing at, what he had done to wrong her now. Hadn't he prevented Celeste from discovering Scarlett's presence earlier? Was that not enough for her? Instead of thanking him, all she did was give him the cold shoulder, and for no apparent reason too. Jonathan didn't know when she had become so sensitive. What could he have possibly done to ignite her anger to this degree?His initial decision to not speak was soon overridden as Scarlett showed no signs of ending her shower. At last, Jonathan started, "How long are you planning to be in the shower for? Haven't you had enough? And do you think my shampoo is free for you to use so much of it?"Without even turning her head, Scarlett replied hotly, "I'll buy a new one to replace it if I finish it! Happy now?"At that moment, she really hated the person she was yesterday. How could she

Jonathan glared as Scarlett shouted at him. He knew they had no time to lose, and he couldn't afford to stand there arguing with her while Ms. Zimmer's condition deteriorated by the second.Instead of explaining it to her any further, Jonathan opened the doors and windows to allow for better ventilation before slowly lowering Ms. Zimmer down onto the ground and administered basic life support. Then, he told Scarlett, "Quick, call the ambulance. What are you still standing there for?"All of this was said without sparing her a single glance in the process. Jonathan simply couldn't fathom how she could have so little common sense. It was fortunate that he'd trained in the army before and could recognize the early signs of a heart attack. He knew enough not to move Ms. Zimmer radically in her state for fear of causing even more damage. Scarlett's claim of him being heartless rendered him completely speechless. If she had been the one handling this situation, Ms. Zimmer would've very well

He followed behind Scarlett disgruntledly, though the latter seemed oblivious to his foul mood. She carried nothing, having delegated it all to Jonathan, who was beginning to suspect this woman was sent here to be the death of him.As Scarlett prepared to begin another round, Jonathan finally had enough. He planted his heels on the ground and intervened. "It's just the three of us eating. What's the point of you getting so many things? That's more than enough. Let's just go home."Instead of complying, Scarlett did not even bother to spare him a glance. She continued tossing a few potatoes into his basket, her reply earnest. "That simply couldn't do! I promised to make you a good, fulfilling meal earlier, and a few measly dishes wouldn't cut it. I've always repaid kindness by spades and, similarly, enmity, so please be rest assured. You will not be disappointed by this meal."Her words rendered him speechless. Was she trying to stab him with her words?Jonathan had to applaud her for h

Jonathan glared at Norman irritably. His words were blunt, unrelenting. "Hey, you've freeloaded enough. I'm not giving you a ride back. The door's over there. See yourself out, eh?"Norman retracted his gaze from Scarlett and bumped Jonathan once. "God, are you turning into a Scrooge? What's all this rush? Can't I sit for a while before leaving?"Jonathan's expression turned serious. He leaned closer to Norman and told him solemnly, "We've been inseparable since we were kids, which is why I'm not wasting my breath talking nonsense with you. There are certain things you ought to know my limits for, and this is one of them. You know what I'm talking about, don't you?"Norman might appear to be a carefree individual, but he was, like everyone else, a normal person with an eye for beauty. The way he looked at Scarlett was apparent to Jonathan. Jonathan knew he himself looked at Scarlett the same way, just more naked and direct in comparison to Norman's furtiveness.In order to prevent jeop