Chapter 49
The suit was a gift from Niamh–a brand Jonathan didn’t even recognize, made of fine wool and clearly expensive.
Jonathan gathered all six suits Niamh had bought him and called Prescott.
Prescott arrived at Jade Peak Pavilion in a rush, expecting some urgent company business, only to find Jonathan thrusting six suits into his arms.
“These are for you. If you don’t want them, give them away or toss them. I don’t care.” Jonathan’s voice was icy, and Prescott couldn’t shake the sense that Jonathan was holding back serious anger.
The suits were obviously high–end, pristine as if they’d never been worn. Prescott certainly wasn’t going to throw them out.
He was full of questions, but all he managed to say was, “Thank you, Mr. Thomas.”
With the offending suits finally out of sight, Jonathan thought he’d feel better. Yet agitation still clawed at him, leaving him desperate for a cigarette.
By the time he lit his third, his father called.
Meanwhile, across town at FY, Niamh was about to contact Julian when several
men in sharp black suits burst into the conference room.
Niamh’s heart leapt. She recognized every one of them.
They were the Thomas family’s bodyguards.
Two hours later, Niamh was ushered into Sprague Thomas’s villa.
Sprague–Jonathan’s father, her father–in–law.
Inside were her mother–in–law, Marigold; her second aunt, Lucy; and Jonathan himself.
“Niamh, I must have been blind!” Marigold snapped, slamming her phone on the coffee table. “How did I never se
e you for the ungrateful snake you are?”
The phone screen glowed, displaying a trending headline–Niamh’s name front and
center.
“Look at you. From a family with nothing, and if it weren’t for the fact that you once saved Jonathan’s life, do you think I would’ve let you marry into this family?”
“Ever since you joined the Thomases, we’ve given you everything. You never had to
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lift a finger or show your face in public. But instead of being grateful, you go running around behind Jonathan’s back, humiliating him and all of us!”
Marigold’s anger only grew as she paced the living room, wringing her hands. If it weren’t for her need to maintain the image of a refined society matron, she’d have slapped Niamh right then and there.
“That’s why you marry someone from your own world,” Lucy chimed in, cracking sunflower seeds between her teeth. “If Jonathan had married Marina like I always said, we wouldn’t be dealing with this disgrace.”
Niamh had expected the Thomases would come down hard on her, but she hadn’t counted on Jonathan being there too–or on Marina’s name being dragged out again for comparison.
Truthfully, Marigold’s tirade washed right over Niamh. She stood silent, her eyes fixed on Jonathan, searching for any hint of his feelings.
He gave her nothing.
Those cold eyes were as lifeless as still water, as if even if she truly had betrayed him with Julian, it would make no difference.
Niamh looked away, suddenly feeling exposed and helpless. Then she heard Sprague’s voice: “Niamh, what’s going on? Did you really cheat?”
Niamh opened her mouth, weighing her words carefully.
She wanted to divorce Jonathan. If she lied and said she had cheated, maybe the marriage would finally end.
But admitting to something she hadn’t done would leave her branded for life, and that wasn’t fair–not when Jonathan was the one who had been unfaithful.
Besides, admitting it would hurt Julian too.
After a long moment, Niamh decided to tell the truth.
“I didn’t cheat. Julian is just a friend. He got a new job, and I wanted to give him a small gift to celebrate-
“Oh, so you’re just friends? Holding hands with your ‘friend‘ in public, is that it?”
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