Chapter 341: So Early

Chapter 341: Chapter 340: So Early

Joanna had always assumed Jasper Sinclair was behind the whole trending topic fiasco. She was surprised to hear that someone had actually sold the story to the media.

“Can I see the photos?”

Her thoughts had been completely consumed by Simon Lockwood. She’d spent the last few days at the hospital taking care of him and hadn’t been in any mood to check the trending topics. As a result, she still had no idea what was happening online.

Howard Thorne unlocked his phone and handed it to her. “Most of the posts have been taken down, but I saved these few photos. See if you notice anything.”

There were four photos in total. One was blurry, taken in the stairwell that day when Simon Lockwood was helping her with her clothes.

Another one was crowded with people, but from a moderate distance, she was captured gazing intently at Simon Lockwood, who happened to be looking right back at her. The atmosphere between them was clearly different from everyone else around them.

There was another from that night in the classroom when they were looking for clues. Their faces weren’t clear in the darkness, but you could faintly make out their clasped hands.

The first few photos weren’t exactly incriminating; they could be explained away if necessary. But the last one was undeniable. She was holding Simon Lockwood’s hand, limply letting him half-carry, half-pull her along. Her profile was clear as day as she smiled softly up at him.

Seeing this photo, Joanna felt a little embarrassed. ‘Am I really that delicate? Surely not.’

‘It must be the angle.’

The photo’s background was the hotel’s fifth-floor corridor. Staff rarely came up here, so only a guest staying on the fifth floor could have taken a picture like this. She recalled that aside from her and Simon Lockwood, only one other person had returned early that day.

“It was Sophia.” Joanna’s eyes went cold. ‘No wonder she suggested I team up with Simon Lockwood back in the classroom.’

Howard Thorne frowned. “The other regular contestant from the show?”

“Yeah.”

“Damn it, she must be insane for money.” Howard Thorne looked even angrier than Joanna. “She sold these photos for over two million! That’s more than she got paid for being on the show!”

Two million was certainly not a small sum—enough for an ordinary person to live worry-free. Joanna knew she had no right to expect someone to keep her secret. After all, she and Sophia were just partners on a show, not even friends.

But she had to admit, knowing it was Sophia who betrayed her still stung.

It was a done deal—the photos were out, and the money had been paid. Knowing it was Sophia didn’t really change anything. The most they could do now was condemn her actions.

That was why Howard Thorne was so angry. They had to swallow the loss without any recourse.

“It’s my fault for not being careful enough.” Joanna composed herself. “It’s her own skill that she managed to get those shots.”

‘Men die in pursuit of wealth, just as birds die in pursuit of food. It’s just the way of the world.’

Joanna appeared perfectly calm, as if she wasn’t angry at all. But the moment Howard Thorne left, her expression soured.

“Why do you think she did it?” Joanna asked, sounding dejected. “I never did anything to offend her, did I?”

If Sophia had used the photos to blackmail her for money instead of selling them directly to the media, Joanna wouldn’t have been this upset.

The fact that Sophia had sold her out without a second thought, all while acting friendly to her face, was what Joanna found so hard to accept.

“It has nothing to do with you offending her.” Simon Lockwood tucked a stray strand of hair behind Joanna’s ear. “She just made the choice she felt was right for her. She chose to sacrifice you.”

And the only reason to sacrifice someone is that you simply don’t care about them.

Simon Lockwood understood this, and so did Joanna. But understanding something intellectually is one thing; accepting it emotionally is another.

Joanna hung her head, looking utterly dejected.

The normally carefree Joanie was moping over a girl she’d known for only a few days. A sour feeling stirred in Simon Lockwood’s chest, but his concern for her quickly won out. He moved to pull Joanna into a comforting embrace, but his arms froze mid-air.

“Anna is still the best,” Joanna said, her voice muffled. “I miss Anna…”

‘Anna… Anna Yates. Why would Joanna mention her?’

Simon Lockwood’s heart began to race uncontrollably. His voice trembled as he asked, “What did you just say?”

“I said I miss Anna.” Joanna, completely oblivious to his strange reaction, repeated herself.

“…”

Overwhelmed by a wave of intense emotion, Simon Lockwood coughed a few times uncontrollably. Just as Joanna moved to check on him, he grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her into a tight embrace.

“You remember, don’t you?” His voice was low and hoarse, and if one listened closely, they could hear a subtle, choked sob. “Joanie, answer me.”

His reaction was so intense. His arms around Joanna were trembling, making her nervous as well. “I… didn’t I tell you?” she asked uncertainly.

Simon Lockwood: “…”

A bitter, painful feeling washed over Simon Lockwood. It felt as if a giant hand were squeezing his heart, making it difficult to breathe.

He was afraid he was reading too much into it, terrified that it was all just false hope.

Truthfully, Simon Lockwood had mostly stopped obsessing over whether Joanna would ever remember the past. ‘As long as she’s by my side,’ he had thought, ‘I’ll be satisfied. I won’t ask for anything more.’

But now that Joanna had mentioned someone from their past, Simon Lockwood realized he had never truly let go.

He buried his face in the crook of Joanna’s neck. His ragged breaths made her flinch, but he only held her tighter.

Simon Lockwood sounded like he was about to cry, and Joanna couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt. “I… I remember telling you…”

“No,” Simon Lockwood’s voice was muffled. “You didn’t.”

“Joanna, you didn’t say a thing.”

The string of denials was enough to show the depth of Simon Lockwood’s resentment. Joanna swallowed hard and softened her voice to placate him. “Okay, okay… I forgot, alright…?”

‘How could she forget something like this? If I hadn’t asked, would she have just never told me?’

Simon Lockwood asked, clearly annoyed, “When did you remember?”

Joanna was a little afraid to say. When Simon Lockwood asked again, she gave up and blurted out, “The night of the accident.”

Simon Lockwood: “…”

Simon Lockwood was momentarily speechless with anger. It took him a long moment to compose himself, but his voice was still strained. “That long ago.”

“Yup,” Joanna admitted meekly.

Simon Lockwood closed his eyes, a firestorm of anger raging within him. Forgetting his own strength, his hand tightened, pinching the soft flesh of her waist.

The sudden pain in her waist made Joanna yelp, “Ow!” Tears sprang to her eyes. On any other day, she would have thrown a fit at Simon Lockwood, but right now, she felt too guilty.

Joanna endured the pain and continued to placate him. “I’m sorry, okay? I promise I’ll tell you right away next time.”

“…” Simon Lockwood took a deep breath. “Next time?”

Joanna: “…”

“Okay, okay, no next time,” Joanna quickly backtracked.

Simon Lockwood didn’t say anything, but began rubbing her waist, his touch neither too light nor too heavy. The gentle massage felt good, and the pain began to subside. She ventured tentatively, “You’re not mad anymore, are you?”