Chapter 205
Niamh stared at Jonathan, her gaze unblinking
Jonathan’s face and voice were both calm–so calm, in fact, that she couldn’t begin to guess what he was up to.
After a tense pause, she finally spoke. “No, I’m not
Jonathan hesitated for a split second, then, without hurrying, reached into his briefcase and pulled something out–a document.
Niamh was neither too close nor too far from Jonathan, from where she sat, she couldn’t make out the contents, but her instincts screamed that the document had everything to do with her.
“If you don’t come over here, I’ll just toss this, Jonathan said, his voice over the phone as smooth and flat as a glassy lake.
But inside, Niamh felt a ripple of anxiety.
“What is it?” she demanded.
“It’s what you’ve always wanted,” he replied.
Niamh’s eyes flicked upward. She didn’t have to guess–he was holding the new divorce papers.
She tightened her grip on her phone. “I’m having dinner with a friend. Whatever your have, we’ll talk about it after I finish.”
It wasn’t that Niamh didn’t want to see the divorce agreement right away. In fact, she was desperate. But if she walked over to Jonathan now, there’d be no coming back–leaving Peter in the middle of dinner would be unforgivably rude.
Rather than getting angry, Jonathan actually chuckled, utterly composed. “So you’re not really serious about divorcing me, are you? After all this time, you’re still playing hard to get?”
When Jonathan set the document down, Niamh nearly jumped from her seat im panic.
She knew Jonathan was only using reverse psychology. He was vain he had every reason to be–but after all the times they’d argued about divorce, even a blind man
could see she meant it.
Still, Jonathan’s games were exhausting.
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Chapter 205
When she didn’t get up, Jonathan’s dark brows drew together ever so slightly.
“Niamh, if you miss this chance, not only am I throwing out these divorce papers–1 won’t discuss this with you ever again.”
His ultimatum left her rattled.
Just then, Peter leaned toward her and said gently, “Go ahead. Don’t worry about
me.”
“But…”
“I know what he wants to talk to you about. Go.”
He gave her a reassuring smile.
Niamh thanked him, apologizing as she stood and made her way to Jonathan’s booth.
Peter watched her slender figure walk away, the smile fading from his lips.
He looked up and caught Jonathan’s eye from across the restaurant.
Jonathan’s expression was as cold and inscrutable as ever, his gaze sharp, as if he could see right through you.
There was no hint of smugness or challenge, but Peter knew perfectly well–Jonathan had chosen this restaurant and this particular moment for a
reason. It was deliberate.
The table was covered in beautifully plated dishes, but Peter had lost his appetite. What was the point of a fancy dinner with no one to share it with?
He slipped his hand into the pocket of his tailored slacks, fingers brushing the small velvet box inside.
Meanwhile, Niamh reached Jonathan and slid into the booth across from him.
“You’re on a date with Peter, and you show up dressed like this? Didn’t know he was into business attire,” Jonathan remarked, his voice teasing.
Niamh ignored him, and Jonathan just smiled, motioning for the waiter and
ordering the most expensive prix fixe on the menu.
“I’m not here to have dinner with you,” Niamh said pointedly.
“Then why are you here? To talk divorce?”
“Jonathan-”
19:55
“Let’s eat first. We’ll talk while we eat.”
He set the divorce papers aside.
Niamh sat on edge, feeling trapped–once again, completely at Jonathan’s mercy.