Chapter 318 - 317: Separation Anxiety

The assistant arrived ten minutes early and rang the doorbell. She was startled when a man answered the door.

The man was exceptionally handsome, with a remarkable presence. Even she, who was used to seeing male celebrities in the entertainment industry, was momentarily dazzled.

"You... you are..." the assistant stammered, unable to make sense of the situation. ’Did Joanna Kennedy move without telling me?’

Before she could figure out what was going on, Joanna Kennedy popped out from behind the man.

"Tina, wait for me a moment. I’ll just change my clothes and then we can go," Joanna Kennedy said.

"Oh, oh, okay." Tina hesitantly walked in and sat in the living room, not daring to move a muscle. Her mind raced, trying to figure out what was happening.

As her assistant, she was, of course, aware that Joanna Kennedy was dating someone, but she had no idea they were already living together!

’Does Mindy know?! Does Boss Thorne know?! Have the paparazzi gotten photos of this?!’

Tina felt like she had stumbled upon a massive secret, but she couldn’t tell or share it with anyone. After all, all assistants had to sign non-disclosure agreements.

A glass of warm water was placed on the table in front of her. Tina froze for a second as the man’s voice sounded from above her. "Excuse me, please wait a moment."

His voice was cool and pleasant, his tone polite yet distant, but it still made her heart skip a beat. Tina didn’t dare to look up, subconsciously clutching her clothes. "Thank you..."

Simon Lockwood had only poured the glass of water out of basic courtesy before heading toward the bedroom.

Joanna Kennedy was inside changing clothes and was startled when he walked in. Tina couldn’t make out what she said, but she could hear the man’s voice, seemingly coaxing Joanna, deep and doting.

’I think I get it now,’ she thought. ’I see why Joanna Kennedy has fallen so hard for him, even moving in together right after they started dating.’

Right at four o’clock, Joanna Kennedy finally came out. Her lips, which had just returned to normal, were swollen again. She shot the man a fierce glare before turning to her still-dazed assistant. "Tina, sorry about that. You must have been anxious waiting, huh?"

"Huh?" Tina snapped out of it, hastily putting down her glass and standing up, a bit embarrassed. "No, not at all. I was the one who arrived early anyway."

Joanna Kennedy knew her young assistant was shy, so she didn’t dwell on the issue. Noticing Tina sneaking glances at Simon Lockwood, she introduced him openly. "This is my boyfriend, Simon Lockwood."

"Isn’t he handsome?" she asked, blinking like a child showing off a prized possession.

Tina’s face instantly turned red, and she stammered out the word "Handsome."

As soon as she said it, she realized she was being a third wheel and felt flustered. "Jo... Jojo, I’ll wait for you downstairs."

"Okay," Joanna Kennedy replied with a grin. The moment the assistant was gone, her expression changed. Pouting with her very swollen lips, she glared at the man. "How am I supposed to face anyone like this..."

Though they were words of complaint, they sounded more like soft, sweet whining coming from her, making one want to tease her. Simon Lockwood suppressed his mischievous thoughts and obediently admitted his fault. "You’re right, it was my fault."

"It’s all your fault..." Joanna Kennedy continued to complain, playfully hitting his chest as she spoke. He caught her hand, pressing it against his solid chest, and with a gentle pull, she fell into his embrace.

Simon Lockwood: "Alright, it’s all my fault."

Simon Lockwood’s voice sounded right next to her ear. Joanna Kennedy fell silent, quietly enjoying their last moments of tenderness.

Sometimes, a hug can stir more emotion than a kiss. There’s none of the lightheadedness from a lack of oxygen, just a pure, conscious connection between two souls.

"...Simon Lockwood, I really have to go now," Joanna Kennedy said after a while, her voice muffled.

She had never wanted to go to work less, especially after what she and Simon Lockwood had done last night. She felt like she was experiencing a bit of separation anxiety.

"When I get back, I want to drink brown sugar and egg tea again..."

Joanna Kennedy’s voice was very low, perhaps mumbled out of shyness, but Simon Lockwood heard her clearly. His heart suddenly started to race. "What?"

He asked cautiously, but Joanna Kennedy didn’t want to repeat herself, growing flustered. "If you didn’t hear me, then forget it."

Joanna Kennedy struggled out of his embrace, ducked her head to grab her suitcase, and started for the door. Before she could touch the doorknob, a firm, hot body pressed against her from behind.

"Okay." Simon Lockwood’s voice was hoarse as he said, seriously and deliberately, "I can make you brown sugar and egg tea every day."

’Every day?! Would I even survive that?’

Joanna Kennedy’s face was so hot it felt like it was steaming. Her legs felt weak again, and she mumbled a quiet refusal. "That’s... not really necessary..."

Unfortunately, her voice was too soft for Simon Lockwood to hear. Taking her silence as agreement, he almost lost control. He bit the back of her neck, barely managing to relieve some of the heat burning inside him.

"Be careful on the road. Remember to use a blanket if you sleep in the car, and don’t forget your coat when you get out." Simon Lockwood nagged her thoughtfully, like a worried father. "Got it?"

Joanna Kennedy rubbed the back of her neck where he had bitten her. She wanted to be stubborn and not answer, but the thought of being apart for so long made her heart ache. "I know..."

After she spoke, they both fell silent. They just looked at each other, neither willing to be the first to bring up her departure. In the blink of an eye, another two minutes passed.

’It’s only half a month, not half a year. Stop being so dramatic,’ Joanna Kennedy thought. She took a deep breath and feigned a relaxed tone. "Alright, I really have to go now. Tina has been waiting for a long time."

"Mm..." Simon Lockwood replied, his gaze lowered and his voice a bit soft.

There was no obvious emotion in the man’s voice, yet Joanna Kennedy somehow heard a hint of reluctance. She awkwardly tried to comfort him. "I’ll be back in half a month."

"Simon Lockwood, you have to wait for me obediently at home," Joanna Kennedy ordered, feigning arrogance. Then, afraid he would misunderstand, she quickly added, "It’s not that you can’t go out. I’m not restricting your personal freedom or anything."

"But you have to report to me, and you have to reply to my messages right away," Joanna Kennedy added.

’My demands are a bit much,’ she thought, ’but Simon Lockwood manages me the same way. I can’t be the only one who’s completely under his thumb, right?’

Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t see the flicker of unease in the man’s eyes. Simon Lockwood nodded, his voice soft and slow. "I’ll reply to your messages right away."

He had selectively avoided promising to the first part of her demand, but Joanna Kennedy didn’t notice. She nodded in satisfaction and let Simon Lockwood walk her downstairs.

As the Porsche drove away, the man’s figure in the rearview mirror grew increasingly blurry. Joanna Kennedy reluctantly tore her gaze away. "Sigh, I don’t want to go to work..."

Joanna Kennedy’s mournful voice echoed in the car. Her assistant snuck a peek at the back seat just as Joanna took off her mask, revealing her swollen red lips, which were even more noticeable than they had been upstairs.

"AHEM, AHEM..." The assistant choked on her own saliva, her face turning red. She quickly averted her gaze. When Joanna Kennedy asked if she was okay, she hastily replied, "I’m fine, I’m fine!"