Chapter 51
Chapter 51
Annabel’s face turned bright red at Jonathan’s blunt words, her voice trembling with embarrassment. “Let go of me first.”
After all, Annabel was sitting there with her upper body exposed, wearing nothing but her bra. Though she tried to shield herself with one arm, it barely did anything to cover her.
Jonathan intentionally invaded her space, yet surprisingly refrained from making any teasing remarks this time. Instead, he steadied her and grabbed the ointment to treat her wounds.
The moment the cotton swab touched her injury, a sharp, tingling pain shot through her, making Annabel shiver involuntarily as if struck by a jolt of electricity.
Her cheeks burned even hotter. “Jonathan, stop,” she murmured softly.
Jonathan’s gaze lingered on her smooth back, but there was no trace of desire in his eyes, only anger and heartache.
“Stay still, Little Wildcat,” he said, his voice low and gravelly, clearly showing his foul mood.
The cool ointment soothed her wounds, and every now and then, the rough pads of his fingers brushed against her skin, making Annabel clench her fists tightly.
Annabel stopped resisting. She knew that no matter how much she protested, Jonathan wouldn’t leave.
Resigned, she decided to treat him like a medical professional. Annabel closed her eyes and waited for it to be over.
Jonathan had already noticed how tense she was. Her back, slightly too thin, was held rigidly straight, and her skin seemed to blush faintly from embarrassment. The sight stirred a mix of tenderness and affection in him.
“Alright,” he said.
Annabel quickly reached for her clothes, but Jonathan stopped her with a hand. “Hold on.” As he spoke, he had already moved to stand in front of her.
Annabel’s face turned bright red, a mix of anger and embarrassment. “W–What are you doing?”
Jonathan looked at her with a hint of grievance and explained, “The,ointment hasn’t dried yet.”
Annabel huffed in frustration, clutching her clothes tightly to her chest. ‘Damn it, he saw everything,‘ she wondered. As she silently cursed him in her mind, she suddenly felt a tug on her hand.
Annabel reacted like a startled cat, her voice trembling with anger. “What now?”
Jonathan chuckled softly and grabbed her injured wrist, carefully unwrapping the bandage. “Relax. I’m just changing your bandage.” He lowered his eyes, and his gaze didn’t fall on her chest at all.
Annabel felt a bit embarrassed about her overly impulsive behavior just now and fell silent.
She stared at Jonathan’s eyes. His lashes were very long, trembling slightly.
The sudden knocking on the door snapped Annabel out of her thoughts. Seeing Jonathan look up, she quickly turned her attention to the door, pretending nothing had happened.
“Annabel, I know you’re in there. Open the door. I need to talk to you.” Carlos’s angry voice echoed from outside.
Annabel frowned slightly, and Jonathan spoke calmly, “Ignore him.”
Carlos continued pounding on the door, shouting, “Annabel, I know you had someone hack my phone. All my data is gone. Get out of here right now. Do you really think you can hide in there and avoid taking responsibility?”
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Chapter 51
He was quite arrogant, Annabel glanced at Jonathan and warned, “Stay here. Don’t come out?
With that she quickly put on her clothes, opened the door, and blocked Carlos’s view inside before shutting it firmly behind her
Carlos’s focus wasn’t on the room but on Annabel. His tone grew even more aggressive. “Annabel, is this how you treat your seniors? My phone’s data a gone. I’ve lost not just money but also connections,
“How are you going to make up for this? There’s no way you can compensate me.”
Annabel sneered, “Mr. Mayer, if there’s something wrong with your phone, you should find a repairmari instead of picking a fight with me,”
Carlos was about to retort, but Annabel narrowed her eyes slightly and continued, “Besides, Mr. Mayer, we’re business partners. I have no reason to harm you. If your connections are gone, it would also affect Aether Studios.
“Why would I sabotage myself? Maybe you should think about whether you’ve offended anyone recently.”
Her words were so logical that Carlos was left speechless, unable to come up with a response.
Annabel gestured toward her injured hand. “Mr. Mayer, I still need to change my bandage. If you’ll excuse me.”
Carlos stared at her for a long moment before leaving reluctantly, clearly dissatisfied. Jonathan stepped out shortly after.
Spotting Annabel already seated at her desk, he walked over. “Little Wildcat, who hurt you?”
Annabel shot back coolly, “Mr. Turner, if you’re planning to stay here for the shoot, focus on your job and stop wandering around.”
Jonathan’s brows furrowed. He hated it when she addressed him so formally, like everyone else. “Call me Jonathan.”
Annabel’s tone remained detached. “We’re not even friends.”
Jonathan locked his gaze on her, searching those amber eyes for any flicker of emotion that might be meant for him.
After a moment, he broke into a lighthearted smile. “Well, since I helped with your injury today, how about you treat me to a meal?”
Annabel asked, “What if I say no?”
Jonathan leaned forward, bracing his hands on the desk, his lips curving into a faint smirk. “You will.”
Annabel held out for a moment before letting out a long sigh, her fingers pressing against her temple, trying to ward off a headache. “Fine, you win.”
As soon as Jonathan left, Annabel picked up her phone and called Mason. “Did you block Carlos’s phone?”
“Yeah,” Mason replied without hesitation. “He needed a reminder that being a mole isn’t as easy as he thinks.”
“Next time, let me know first,” she said. Mason wasn’t her subordinate, and she had no authority to control his actions.
Meanwhile, Jonathan, after leaving the office, dialed Leonard. “Find out what happened with Annabel’s hand and back injuries.”
“Annabel got hurt again?” Leonard’s initial reaction was to avenge Annabel. But then, remembering Jonathan was already on the case, Leonard quickly swallowed his words. “Got it. I’ll look into it right away.”
In less than an hour, Leonard returned, visibly furious. “What the hell, Jonathan. Do you know who hurt her? Her father. Can you believe it? He hit his own daughter just to protect that stepdaughter of his.”
Leonard asked, “Should we make a move?”
Even though Jonathan was part of the Turner family, this wasn’t his territory. He had to act cautiously to avoid drawing unnecessary attention.
“Just make sure he survives.” Jonathan’s tone was icy.
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Chapter S1
Leonard’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Got it.” He hung up and immediately started making calls.
At the White residence, Victor, Beatrice, and Lillian were enjoying a cozy evening in the
living room, the TV casting a warm glow
Suddenly, the maid rushed in, panic written all over her face. “Mr. White, something’s wrong. There are men outside. They’re wearing masks and hate They look”
Before she could finish, seven or eight burly men dressed in black stormed into the room.
Victor shot to his feet, his voice filled with fury.
“Get out
of
my house. Who gave you
the right to barge in here?”
One of the men stepped forward, his tone icy. “Victor?”
Victor’s heart sank. This wasn’t a random break–in. They
e here for him. He quickly signaled the maid to call the police.
The man caught the signal and moved swiftly, kicking Victor to the ground. He gestured for the others to move in.
Victor tried to get up, but another kick sent him back down. His cries of pain echoed through the room as the blows kept coming.
Lillian, frozen in terror, burst into tears. Her trembling hands fumbled with her phone, barely able to hold it steady. Just as she managed to dial, someone grabbed her perfectly styled hair and yanked it hard.
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.