I already submitted my resignation.” My voice was cold and detached.
“I didn’t approve it.”
Jonathan’s grip on me tightened, forcing me to stand. As I turned around, I quickly slid the documents was holding into the drawer behind me and shut it without drawing attention.
I kept the motion subtle, deliberately out of his line of sight.
Jonathan looked down at me and said, out of nowhere, “I’m going on a business trip in a few days.”
“So?”
He frowned. “Aren’t you coming with me?”
“Why would I?”
I looked at him, genuinely puzzled. “You’re going for work, not vacation.”
Why would I tag along? Did I have nothing better to do?”
“You used to come,” he said. “Even if it was just for one day.”
By now, I’d heard enough stories about how obsessed I used to be. So, instead of being shocked, I just raised an eyebrow and said, “Aren’t you going there to work? What would I even do, hold your briefcase? And anyway, didn’t Alicia say she wanted to tag along? Let her. She could use the experience.”
His expression tightened. “Are you seriously being passive–aggressive again?”
“How is that passive–aggressive?” I asked, genuinely confused. “I’m just being practical. Didn’t she say she’s trying to revive her family’s business? Learning from you up close should be good for her.”
Before I could finish, Jonathan shot me a cold glare and walked out of the room without another word.
I said nothing else.
He didn’t come back to sleep that night.
I, on the other hand, slept great–completely sprawled out on the king–size bed like a starfish. No one called me for dinner either; they just left it outside the door. All I had to do was open it and grab my food.
Honestly, this setup worked just fine for me as long as Jonathan stayed out of sight.
I had no idea why he insisted on keeping me in this house. So what if Mr. Ford Senior was dying? That had nothing to do with me. He had never liked me anyway. He probably hated the sight of me.
Maybe it was a side effect from the whole suicide thing, but I hadn’t been sleeping well lately. It used to be that I could knock out the second I hit the mattress.
That night, somewhere around midnight, I felt a chill and fumbled for the blanket–but before I could pu it over me, something heavy pressed down on top of me.
apter 7
Then, a wave of warmth wrapped around me, and In my half asleep daze, I Instinctively curled toward is
heat
I didn’t know how much time had passed, but I heard a deep sigh.
…When are you finally going to stop being mad at me?”
A hand brushed through my hair, gentle and slow.
I tried to force my eyes open, but a heavy wave of sleep washed over me. Everything around me faded- nothing was left except the overwhelming pull of exhaustion.
The next morning, when I woke up, I was alone.
I stretched with a contented yawn, feeling refreshed.
Jonathan had already left for his work trip.
When I stopped by Millenia Corporation to meet with Gabrielle, she told me the news.
“He really moved fast. Told me two nights ago he was heading out–then boom, gone the next day.” As I passed by the secretarial department, I saw Alicia inside, tearing into someone. Her expression soured the moment she spotted me. Then she gave me a forced smile. It was dripping with sarcasm.
I completely ignored her and walked straight into Gabrielle’s office.
In the reflection of the glass door, I could see her glaring daggers at my back, clearly fuming.
I shook my head.
Gabrielle came to the door, grinning like a cat who’d just watched someone trip. “Looks like Jonathan’s finally not giving her the time of day. I heard she kept begging him to take her on the trip. She even posted all over her Instagram stories asking which hotel was the best. And then boom–he just left without even telling her.”
4
