Chapter 10 Jonathan’s Bandage
The White family ancestral hall was kept clean, but it got freezing cold at night.
Kneeling before the ancestral memorial photos for a whole night wasn’t just tough on the body–it was a mental struggle too.
Some even whispered about a ghost sighting there, someone driven crazy, yelling in fear whenever he saw someone else.
Lillian couldn’t look at Annabel. Her tears fell harder. “Dad, Mom, I don’t want to go to the ancestral hall. I’ll kneel here–in front of Annabel, even forever!”
“Lillian, what are you talking about?” Beatrice snapped, her face full of worry and anger, her voice pleading. “Annabel, she’s your sister, no matter what she did. Please don’t send her to the ancestral hall–I’m begging you.”
Victor, seeing the mother and daughter so upset, got mad, pointing at Annabel. “You’re too harsh, Annabel. You don’t deserve to be my daughter.”
“Idiot!” Walter swung his cane, hitting Victor’s hand. Victor winced but kept glaring at Annabel, his eyes fierce.
“Idiot!” Walter swung his cane, hitting Victor’s hand. Victor winced but kept glaring at Annabel, his eyes fierce.
Annabel’s face stayed cold, her eyes on Lillian, kneeling on the floor. “The ancestral hall honors our ancestors. Lillian messed up–kneeling there is fair. How’s that harsh?”
Victor’s face twitched. He knew Walter cared deeply about respecting the family.
If he pushed back, Walter’s anger wouldn’t stop at a cane swing.
“Lillian, go,” Victor said, softening, nodding to a maid. “Get her warm clothes.”
He looked at Lillian, his voice gentle. “Don’t worry, I will come by later.”
Beatrice, still upset, protested. “Victor…”
Victor hugged her, patting her back to calm her.
Annabel, the only victim here, got no comfort–not a single word.
Lillian gave Annabel a hateful glare before leaving.
Annabel’s lips curved slightly, like she might say something. Scared Annabel had
another plan, Lillian lowered her head and rushed out of the villa.
“Dad, money for a new laptop” Annabel said, holding out her hand.
Victor, still holding Beatrice, got and
Successfully unlocked!
king for money now?”
pulled out a card. “Annabel, here’s
Walter glared at him. Beatrice, seny the five thousand dollars. Take it. Let me know if you need more.”
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Chapter 10–Jonathan’s Bandage.
Annabel didn’t take it. “That’s not enough.”
Beatrice’s expression changed. “Then…”
Annabel opened her phone’s payment app, pausing. “Thirty thousand dollars for now. I’ Il tell you if I need more.”
Thirty thousand for a laptop. That was insane.
Beatrice thought Annabel was ripping her off, but with Walter watching, she couldn’t
argue over money.
“Fine, I’ll send it,” she said, her voice strained.
The money hit Annabel’s account. She nodded to Walter and left.
Walter’s eyes followed her, lingering.
Lately, something about Annabel reminded him of someone from his past.
Annabel bought a computer and some accessories. Then she hit Beatrice up for another sixty thousand dollars.
Beatrice hesitated, but when Annabel said, “I’ll ask Grandpa,” the money came through fast.
Her luck turned bad, though. She picked a random car from the garage, but it got a flat tire halfway to where she was going. She checked the trunk–no spare.
Then it started pouring rain.
Annabel climbed into the back of the car, just off the phone with her insurance
company, when another car pulled up smoothly beside her.
The window rolled down, showing a sharp, cold face–Jonathan Turner.
“Get in,” he said, his voice low and clear, cutting through the rain.
Annabel’s eyes narrowed. “You? What are you doing here…”
Days ago, they bumped into each other at the hospital, and this? This was their second run–in. Annabel couldn’t help wondering why she kept running into this escort guy.
“No thanks,” she said, her voice cool.
Jonathan raised an eyebrow. “It’s pouring. Insurance won’t show for at least an hour, and cabs don’t come out here.”
Annabel glanced at the rain, then at the open back door he’d pointed to.
“Alright, thanks,” she said, getting in.
The driver turned around, grinning. “Hey, Daddy!”
Annabel froze.
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Chapter 10. Jonathan’s Bandage
Leonard Jensen stared at her, shocked–PeaceNotPaws, the top gamer, was even prettier than her photos.
“Daddy, it’s me–SirDoesNotCare!” he said, grinning wide.
Annabel frowned. “You looked me up?”
“No way,” Leonard said, his eyes sparkling. “Someone shared your photo–you’re too pretty to forget, heh!”
Annabel’s face darkened, her eyes shifting to Jonathan, suspicious.
Jonathan’s gaze flickered, his lips barely moving.
“I didn’t know before then,” he said, his voice calm, almost brushing it off.
Annabel got it, her suspicion fading. She looked away.
Leonard didn’t let up, jumping back into the conversation. “Daddy, how’re you so good at gaming? Born with it or just grinding hard?”
Annabel glanced at her so–called “son,” not impressed. The guy was too talky, too chummy, and full of hot air.
Leonard saw her annoyed look and quickly tried to fix it. “What kind of parents staring
at their kids like that?”
Jonathan gave him a cold stare, and Leonard clammed
up fast.
Still, Leonard’s curiosity wouldn’t quit, his eyes bouncing between them. Jonathan and Annabel clearly had history, and… not just a passing thing, it looked like.
The car kept moving. Annabel picked up a faint smell of tobacco mixed with a clean, cool scent coming from Jonathan.
Strangely, it didn’t bother her.
Jonathan’s quick glance caught Annabel shifting away, practically hugging the car door.
“Trying to become part of the door?” he asked, his voice dry, turning to her.
His eyes spotted a cut on her hand. He grabbed her wrist. “How’d this happen?”
Annabel frowned, just now noticing the scratch–probably from messing with the flat tire.
She pulled her hand back. “Let go,” she said sharply.
His reaction seemed way too much for a stranger.
Jonathan didn’t say anything, keeping a firm hold on her wrist.
Annabel’s face was stone–cold as he pulled out a medical kit. He cleaned the cut with alcohol, and wrapped it carefully with a bandage.
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Chapter 10 Jonathan’s Bandage
Leonard watched, his mind blank.
He couldn’t believe that Jonathan actually cared about someone.
Even crazier, Jonathan pulled a navy–blue handkerchief from his pocket, tying it over the bandage to cover its sloppy look.
“Don’t take it off unless you want people worried,” he said, his voice low, as Annabel
moved to untie it.
Annabel stopped, her hand balling into a fist. “Thanks,” she mumbled, barely loud. enough to hear.
The car went quiet, the silence lingering until they reached the villa district.
As Annabel got out, she paused, glancing at Jonathan.
He raised an eyebrow. “What’s up?”
Annabel bit her lip, then spoke, “Find a real job. Escort job doesn’t last long.”
She turned and walked away without looking back.
The car stayed still for a moment. Then Leonard burst out laughing. “Hahaha!”
“Jonathan, since when are you a gigolo?” he gasped, holding his sides.
Jonathan’s sharp eyes locked on Leonard, shutting him up fast, though his mind was still cracking up.
Annabel disappeared into the rainy haze.
Jonathan’s lips curved into a small, hard–to–read smile.
The young woman was stubborn and clueless, it seemed.
E
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.