“Me? Targeting her?”
Niamh glared at Jonathan, noticing the way he avoided her gaze, turning his face ever so slightly.
What was he feeling guilty about?
He’d run interference for Marina plenty of times before–this was hardly new.
“If she hadn’t hired someone to ruin my hand, I wouldn’t have wasted a single second on her.”
At that, Jonathan set down his glass of water, his voice even but distant.
“That was Susy’s doing.”
“Do you have proof Marina wasn’t involved?”
“Do you have proof she was?”
The room fell instantly silent, not even a breath out of place.
Jonathan clenched his jaw, a sharp ache burning behind his eyes, as if someone had set fire to them. Niamh’s furious stare was fixed on him like a blade.
He hadn’t come here tonight for Marina’s sake. Not really.
Marina had come running to him, tears in her eyes, complaining that Niamh had torn her invitation to shreds and tossed her out like trash.
She claimed Niamh was out to destroy her.
But Jonathan knew, deep down, that Niamh could never truly destroy Marina–not as long as he was willing to step in.
And yet, he hesitated.
But he couldn’t just abandon Marina, either. He’d promised her–no matter what happened, he’d always protect her.
He’d always believed that, of all the promises in his life, this one was unbreakable.
Especially when it came to his Rina.
The anger in Niamh’s eyes slowly faded, replaced by a glacial, distant calm.
Why was she even angry anymore?
1/3
20:30
Jonathan’s favoritism toward Marina was nothing new–Niamh had been through it so many times, she should’ve been numb to it by now.
“If you care about Marina’s career so much, Mr. Thomas, why not just marry her and make her the lady of the Thomas family?” Niamh remarked, her tone light and mocking. “All you’ve done is set her up with a little jewelry design studio, letting me keep her under my thumb. Isn’t that a waste of her supposed talent?”
It was something she’d never understood.
At least for now, Niamh’s position in the jewelry association ensured Marina would never get the upper hand.
The Thomas Group was a corporate empire–if Jonathan married Marina, she’d be its queen. She could have anything she wanted, professionally or otherwise.
“Didn’t you already promise her that? That you’d give her a title once you divorced me?”
The casualness of Niamh’s words made Jonathan’s face darken.
“Marina told you that?”
He grabbed her hand, his grip tight.
Niamh immediately yanked herself free.
“Try showing a little respect.”
Her nails raked sharply across his fingers, leaving a faint sting.
Jonathan clenched his fist, steadying himself.
“Are we done here?”
She opened the door, cold air rushing into the room.
Jonathan realized, not for the first time, that every visit to Niamh’s house
end with her showing him out.
emed to
A blast of frigid air swept in, and Niamh sneezed.
Jonathan crossed the room, shut the door, and handed her a tissue.
Niamh ignored him.
“You’re about to have snot running into your mouth,” Jonathan muttered, reaching out as if to wipe her nose himself.
Niamh jerked away, snatching the tissue from his hand and blowing her nose.
212
20:300
Chapter 411
“It’s freezing, it’s late, and I didn’t drive tonight…”
Jonathan’s voice was calm as he spoke from behind her.
Niamh turned, puzzlement flickering in her eyes as he finished,
“Can I stay here tonight?”
Outside, a white Lexus idled at the curb.
Elmer hadn’t left. He sat in the car, eyes glued to the front doors of Niamh’s building.
Finally, he saw Jonathan emerge.
A moment later, a royal blue Bentley glided by, slowing to a stop.
