George pulled up to the curb just in time to see Joanna hang up the
phone.
He raised a brow, surprised. “Who was that?”
Joanna’s tone was low. “My mom. She’s urging me to go pick out the wedding dress.”
She didn’t look at him. Instead, she walked straight to the passenger
side, opened the door, and slid in without another word.
When they stopped at the roadside a few minutes later, George turned to her with a serious look in his eyes. “Joanna, do you not
want to marry me?”
The words stung even as he said them. It felt like something pricked
at his chest.
Everything he had done for her wasn’t meant to be transactional. He didn’t want her to marry him out of guilt, or worse, because her
mother pressured her into it.
Joanna blinked in surprise, staring back at him.
Before she could respond, George continued, “You don’t need to carry that weight. I did all this because I wanted to, not to make you feel like you owe me anything. I don’t want to pressure you. If this is
making you uncomfortable, I’ll talk to your mom.”
Joanna understood what he meant.
Chapter 17
Her fingers curled in her lap, and she still didn’t say a word.
That silence told George enough. After a brief pause, he exhaled and said softly, “Then let’s end this today. I’ll head over to your house this
afternoon.”
Just as he was about to turn away, Joanna reached into the pocket of
his jacket. His breath caught.
He felt her fingers brush against him, and his body stiffened
reflexively.
But she was quick. She fished out the small ring box and slipped the
ring onto her finger without a second thought.
Then she turned to him with a bright, teasing smile. “What do you
think? Does it look good?”
George was stunned. His lips parted, but for a moment, he couldn’t
speak. “Joanna?”
She looked straight at him. “George, at first, I did agree to marry you.
because I wanted to escape Rowan. But now? It’s not about that
anymore.
“I’m not going to sacrifice my entire future just to be with someone who doesn’t deserve it. So believe me, I truly want to marry you. This isn’t something my mom forced on me. I’m not trapped, and it’s not because I don’t have other options.”
The sincerity in her eyes struck George like a flame, burning straight through his defenses.
Chapter 17
3/5
Overwhelmed, he unbuckled his seatbelt in a rush and pulled Joanna
into his arms.
In the eyes of others, George was always cold and distant. But now,
he looked like a boy who had just been given the sweetest candy in
the world.
o was cl
Later that afternoon, around the kitchen,
cooking up lunch with serious focus.
Joanna sat on the couch, her eyes drifting toward him through the
glass door separating the living space from the kitchen.
She smiled.
Then she picked up her phone and snapped a photo of her hand, the
ring gleaming on her finger. She scrolled through her contacts until
she found that familiar profile picture.
She tapped it. “I’m getting married.”
The other end stayed silent for a long time.
An hour later, George had lunch ready and called out for Joanna to
wash up and eat.
Her phone suddenly chimed with a sharp ding. “Wishing you happiness.”
She typed a few more words in response, her fingers pausing only when she heard footsteps behind her. Calmly, she set the phone.
down.
Of course, George noticed the movement. He always knew Joanna wasn’t as calm as she pretended to be.
She smiled and rose, reaching for his hand as they headed to the
table together.
After lunch, they headed out together to pick out her wedding dress.
The Schuman family had already prepared several custom gowns that fit Joanna’s measurements. All she needed to do was try them.
on and make her choice.
George took photos of her in each one. He was meticulous and patient, as if trying to capture every version of her that he could possibly keep.
By the end of the day, Joanna was completely exhausted.
George volunteered to take care of everything else. He ran her a warm bath, gave her a soft massage, and stayed by her side until she closed her eyes and drifted off into a deep sleep.
Just then, her phone buzzed again on the nightstand.
George stood and stepped away quietly, heading out to the balcony to
answer his call.
His assistant, Austin Delgado, said, “Mr. Schuman, we just got word. Rowan’s been getting hit pretty hard lately. He’s overwhelmed trying to keep things together, but he’s still chasing leads about Mrs.
Schuman.
“Word is he got into a car accident. His leg’s barely recovered, but he
Chapter 17
forced his way out of the hospital early.”
