Chapter 8


    He didn’t return until after 9 p.m. Rosalie had been waiting and she was growing anxious, fearing


    something might have happened. Unfortunately, she didn’t have a phone. Thus, she was unable to


    contact him.


    Rosalie left her rental home and walked toward the main entrance of the residential area. She


    constantly looked around, hoping to catch a glimpse of the figure she longed to see.


    After a period of waiting, she finally saw a familiar figure walking toward her.


    “Jon!” She breathed a sigh of relief as the figure approached.


    Jonathan saw her approaching figure and was slightly taken aback.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    He watched her rush to him, gasping for breath. Her face was flushed red due to the cold weather,


    but her eyes were bright.


    “Thank goodness you’re finally back,” Rosalie uttered.


    “Rosie, were you waiting for me?” Jonathan asked as he lightly brushed his fingers against her cold


    cheek. Feeling the coldness of her cheek from the tips of his fingers, he realized she must have


    been waiting for quite some time.


    “Yes, it’s sote and you weren’t back yet. I was so worried. Thankfully, you’re back safe and


    sound,” she said with a smile.


    His gaze shifted slightly. She was worried about Jon, but not Jonathan of the Youngblood Group. He


    wondered if she would still worry about him if she knew he was Jonathan Youngblood.


    With a smile, he said. “I was distributing the flyers and it took some time. Your hands must be cold,


    right? Let me warm them up for you.” As he said that, he gently held her icy hands and rubbed them


    between his palms, just as she didst time.


    Gradually, Rosalie felt her hands warming up. Despite the cold day, it felt very warm.


    Jon, I’m d to have you,” she murmured.


    He smirked and teased, “You must remember saying this. I hope you won’t regret it in the future.”


    She replied, “I won’t regret it. Well, my hands are warm now. Let’s go back inside. I’ll reheat the


    food. She led him into the residential area, oblivious to the ck car parked around the corner of


    the street at the entrance.


    At that moment, Carlos, who was sitting in the car, couldn’t believe what he had just witnessed.


    Jonathan was warming a woman’s hand. Carlos thought, “Well, that action could be called hand-


    warming. I suppose.”


    He had never seen Jonathan treating any woman in such a manner, not even toward Mnie, who


    was once his fiancée. Even she had never been treated like this.


    Yet, Jonathan was doing this for Rosalie. She was the perpetrator of Mnie’s car ident!


    Recalling Jonathan’s previous visit to the club to pick up Rosalie, who was drunk, Carlos couldn’t


    make sense of it.


    What exactly was Jonathan thinking? And how much space did Rosalie upy in his heart?


    The next day, while reporting the schedule and work matters to Jonathan in the CEO’s Office,


    Carlos couldn’t help but nce at Jonathan’s hands.


    Jonathan’s hands were remarkably elegant, with long fingers and distinct joints. Even Carlos, being


    a man himself, found that Jonathan’s hands were truly beautiful.


    Carlos had witnessed those hands mercilessly choking someone’s neck, almost taking his life.


    Jonathan allowed blood to drench them without hesitation. It sent shivers down one’s spine.


    However, he had never seen those hands warming another pair of hands. Especially not when the


    owner of those hands was a woman who had been in prison.


    1548 Wed, Sept


    “Is there something wrong with my hands?” Jonathan’s voice suddenly sounded right beside Carlos


    ear.


    “It’s nothing.” Carlos snapped out of it and quickly averted his gaze. He handed a card to Jonathan,


    saying. “This is an invitation from the Hamilton family. They’re forming a marriage of convenience


    with the Xanthos family. In two weeks’ time, Yvette Hamilton and Zachary Xanthos will be engaged.


    Mr. Hamilton hopes that you can attend.”


    “Engagement?” Jonathan nced at the invitation.


    He naturally understood the intention behind the Hamilton family sending this invitation. After all.


    Mnie, the eldest daughter of the Hamilton family who had died, was his fiancée. Moreover,


    Zachary and Rosalie who caused the ident. were once in a rtionship. The Hamilton family


    wanted to gauge his stance on this. “Let’s go and check it out.”


    Carlos noted it down.


    In the afternoon, Carlos apanied Jonathan to a private hospital in the city. ess to this


    hospital was typically limited to only the wealthy and affluent.


    Standing outside the hospital room, Carlos watched as Jonathan opened the door and walked in


    with measured steps.


    Carlos knew that the old man in the ward used to be a dominant figure in the city, controlling every


    aspect of Strico’s affairs. Yet, his only son had run away from home for the sake of a woman.


    Yearster, only an urn of ashes and a child returned to the Youngblood family instead.


    In the ward, Jonathan gazed at the old man on the bed. He looked at the man he should call


    grandfather. He wore a hospital gown with a drip hanging from the back of his hand. His frail body


    had weakened over time. He appeared somewhat


    emaciated


    “You’re here.” Leonard uttered, looking at his only grandson.


    “Yes, I’m here,” Jonathan replied.


    Leonard and Jonathan faced each other in silence, seemingly ustomed to this kind of


    “soundless” interaction.


    After a while, Leonard broke the silence. “I heard from my secretary that the Hamilton family and the


    Xanthos family are forming a marriage of convenience. Even during his hospitalization, his


    secretary would report important matters to him daily.


    “The engagement is in two weeks. I’ve received the invitation,” Jonathan responded.


    “Do you n to attend?” Leonard questioned.


    “Why not?” he asked in response.


    Leonard stared at Jonathan intently all of a sudden. After a long paiise, the former burst into


    laughter. “Good. You’re unlike your father.”


    Since Mnie’s death. Jonathan hadn’t dated any women in the past three years. Leonard was


    worried that Jonathan might end up like his father, entangled in his own emotions for one woman


    and unable to ept the marriage of convenience between the Hamilton family and the Xanthos


    family.


    After all, Zachary’s ex-girlfriend was the one who caused Mnie’s death.


    Jonathan naturally understood what Leonard meant by “unlike.” He stated. “Yes, I’m not him, and I


    won’t be like him.”


    Leonard suddenly grabbed Jonathan’s wrist. His wrinkled fingers clung to his grandson’s wrist


    tightly as if he was exerting all his strength. “Remember what you said today. Never be like


    him. If only he had listened to me back then, he wouldn’t have…


    Leonard gritted his teeth, and a trace of hatred shed in his eyes. His finger left deep red marks on


    Jonathan’s wrist.


    However, Jonathan seemed almost impervious to pain. A faint, mocking smile curved at the corner


    of his lips. He wouldn’t


    sacrifice everything for a woman, nor would he bow down and be subservient to one.