She didn’t linger long in Jonathan’s office. After quickly gathering her things, Marina turned and left.
Jonathan’s gentle voice followed her out.
“Good luck at Fashion Week.”
Marina shot him a bright smile over her shoulder. “Thanks,” she said, and disappeared out the door.
As soon as she was gone, the warmth faded from Jonathan’s face, replaced by a cold, unreadable expression. He picked up his phone from the desk and tapped through to his call log. The first entry was from Niamh.
He didn’t remember talking to her.
He called her back. The phone barely rang before Niamh’s voice came through.
“Jonathan?”
“It’s me,” he said. “I saw you called earlier. Was there something you needed?”
Niamh sounded a little caught off guard. For a moment, she silently wondered if
Marina had told Jonathan about her call.
“I’m at Harmony Senior Residence with my mom,” she said, her voice betraying her nerves. “She… she wants to see you. Could you come by?”
Niamh wasn’t sure what answer to expect. After all, they were on the verge of divorce–asking him to visit her mother was strange, maybe even inappropriate. But Gemma had been insistent, going on and on about wanting to see Jonathan.
“I understand,” he said simply.
Before the call ended, that was all Niamh heard. She couldn’t tell if he planned to
come or not.
An hour later, Jonathan showed up at Harmony Senior Residence.
Gemma lit up the moment he arrived. She became more animated, her eyes brighter, her mind suddenly clearer. Niamh felt a wave of relief watching her mother come alive again–but knowing it was Jonathan who sparked the change left her unsettled.
The three of them spent a long time together at the residence. It wasn’t until rush hour was in full swing that Niamh and Jonathan finally left.
1/2
17-25
Chapter 238
Outside the main entrance, the sun was setting, painting the sky in shades of gold. Cars streamed past on the busy street.
Niamh hesitated, standing face to face with Jonathan, searching for the right
words.
“You managed to talk about divorce so easily,” Jonathan said, breaking the silence. “What else could possibly be so hard to say to me?”
She looked up, catching the chiseled lines of his face–handsome, but cold as marble.
“I… I wanted to ask you for a favor,” she said uncertainly.
“What kind of favor?”
“When we’re officially divorced, would you… could you still visit my mom with me every now and then? Pretend, just for her sake, that nothing’s changed–so she can be happy for a little while longer…”
The request tasted bitter in her mouth. Niamh had intended for the divorce to mark a clean break, no more entanglements. But seeing Gemma’s condition, she couldn’t bring herself to deny her mother this comfort.
Jonathan was silent for a long time. The world seemed to pause around them.
“Once we’re divorced, we’ll have nothing to do with each other,” he said at last, a smile curving his lips, though his words were anything but gentle. “Why would I waste my time putting on an act for you?”
Niamh sighed. She hadn’t expected much more.
“You’re right,” she said quietly. “I was out of line.”
Since the conversation had already turned to the topic, she decided to ask about the divorce agreement. After what happened with Michael, she knew Jonathan would never give her shares in The Thomas Group again. In any case, after the divorce, there’d be no reason for them to have any financial ties.
She was certain Jonathan had already prepared the new agreement.
“By the way, Jonathan,” she said, “if you have the divorce papers on you, you can give them to me now.”
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17.05.
