Chapter 343: Paying the Price

Chapter 343: Chapter 342: Paying the Price

“…” Howard Thorne narrowed his eyes and faced Jasper Sinclair. “What are you trying to do?”

“Don’t be so tense. I don’t mean anything by it. I just find it strange,” Jasper Sinclair said, his fingertips tapping on his wheelchair, his tone quizzical. “If you like her, why would you give her up to someone else?”

Howard Thorne’s expression darkened, and he said nothing.

Jasper Sinclair leaned back, calm and composed, and smiled. “I can help you get Joanna Kennedy.”

‘He can help me get Joanna Kennedy?’ Howard Thorne didn’t know where Jasper Sinclair got the confidence to say something like that, as if Joanna Kennedy were some object easy to obtain.

Jasper Sinclair was still waiting for his answer, a look of absolute confidence on his face. Howard Thorne raised an eyebrow. “You’ll help me?”

“That’s right,” Jasper Sinclair said. “Doesn’t Young Master Thorne believe me?”

“It’s not that,” Howard Thorne chuckled, his tone intriguing. “Simon Lockwood is your brother. Is First Young Master Sinclair going to help me steal his own brother’s girl?”

Howard Thorne’s directness made Jasper Sinclair’s expression falter for a moment, but he quickly composed himself. Instead of answering the question directly, he said, “His last name is Lockwood.”

The statement fit perfectly with Howard Thorne’s stereotype of Jasper Sinclair—utterly sanctimonious.

Howard Thorne stopped smiling. He took two steps back, his displeasure clear on his face, and his voice turned impatient. “Thank you for the kind offer, First Young Master Sinclair, but I don’t have a habit of stealing other people’s girlfriends.”

“Things are always better when the feelings are mutual. What’s the point of taking something by force?” Howard Thorne delivered the devastating blow. “Don’t you agree, First Young Master Sinclair?”

“…”

Jasper Sinclair’s jaw tightened, and he ground out between his teeth, “Young Master Thorne is truly a man of noble character.”

Howard Thorne naturally caught the sarcasm, but he didn’t get angry. He didn’t consider himself a good person, but compared to Jasper Sinclair, he felt his own moral compass was far more normal.

He was blunt. “But of course. This young master is naturally a man of noble character.” Howard Thorne narrowed his eyes, his tone unreadable. “Instead of worrying about others, First Young Master Sinclair, you should probably worry more about yourself.”

Jasper Sinclair assumed Howard Thorne was mocking his legs, and his gaze turned sinister. Howard Thorne just shrugged, offering no explanation.

‘No need to explain,’ he thought. ‘Once the authorities bring him in for questioning, Jasper Sinclair will naturally understand.’

Of all the people to provoke, he just had to go after Joanna Kennedy and Simon Lockwood. One was the queen of holding a grudge, and the other was a ruthless man hiding behind a placid facade. Howard Thorne sighed, silently lighting a metaphorical candle for Jasper Sinclair in his heart.

「The snows came late to Jornheim. The surrounding cities were already blanketed, but Jornheim was only just beginning to see a miserly dusting of flakes.」

On the top floor of a bar, a group of second-generation rich kids and heirs were partying. When a crowd gets together, it’s inevitable that the latest hot topic in their circle would come up.

“Hey, did you see the trending topics? Something’s happened to the Sinclair Family.”

“It’s such a huge mess, how could anyone miss it? My dad was telling me to suck up to that Crown Prince of the Sinclair Family before. Good thing I didn’t.”

“Hahaha, you should have gone! Maybe you could have made a fortune with Jasper Sinclair!”

That’s how it is with black-market industries—high risk, high reward. It would be a lie to say they weren’t envious, but no matter how important money is, it’s not more important than your own neck.

“I wouldn’t dare. The Sinclair Family’s foundation is so deep, but wasn’t Jasper Sinclair still brought in for questioning? He might even face jail time. If something like this happened to my family, we’d probably have gone bankrupt long ago.”

“True.” An heir sitting nearby swirled the wine in his glass, his tone unreadable. “I just wonder who was bold enough to expose the Sinclair Family.”

As soon as he said that, everyone fell silent, exchanging glances. Each had their own suspicions.

Who stood to benefit from the Sinclair Family’s fall? Everyone in this room, of course. But how was the evidence of Jasper Sinclair’s involvement in illegal industries obtained?

If the person behind the scenes could release proof of the Sinclair Group’s crimes, might they also have dirt on their own family’s companies? A wave of anxiety and worry passed through the group. After all, when you’re doing business on this scale, it’s impossible to stay completely clean.

The “mastermind” that had Jornheim’s high society buzzing with speculation was, at this very moment, learning how to make soup.

Simon Lockwood had been discharged from the hospital the day before yesterday. His injuries hadn’t fully healed, and technically, he should have stayed a few more days for observation. But the Sinclair Family members were just too annoying, especially Old Master Sinclair. His words were laced with threats toward Joanna Kennedy, demanding she retract the evidence.

Joanna Kennedy didn’t regret releasing the evidence, but she was sick of Old Master Sinclair. Fed up with the threats, Joanna finally snapped, “If you bother Simon Lockwood and me again, what gets released won’t just be evidence of Jasper Sinclair’s overseas financial crimes.”

Old Master Sinclair was struck speechless. He knew the evidence Joanna Kennedy had released was just a small fraction. This batch only proved Jasper Sinclair’s involvement in illegal industries.

If Joanna Kennedy released everything, the Sinclair Group itself would likely be doomed.

To save the group, he couldn’t save Jasper Sinclair. Old Master Sinclair couldn’t catch his breath and, this time, he truly fainted.

Thinking back on the chaotic scene, Joanna Kennedy sighed. She didn’t know if she had done the right thing, but she didn’t regret it.

Jasper Sinclair started it, so he had to bear the consequences. She had only targeted Jasper Sinclair, not the Sinclair Group. Old Master Sinclair should be counting his lucky stars.

Following the recipe Simon Lockwood had given her, Joanna Kennedy first added salt, then a little MSG. Finally, she put the lid on the pot. It should be ready to eat after simmering for a little longer.

Joanna Kennedy walked out of the kitchen and didn’t see Simon Lockwood in the living room. Her gaze swept the area and settled on the balcony. Simon Lockwood was on the phone, his expression placid.

The balcony door had excellent soundproofing. Even with her face pressed against the glass, Joanna Kennedy couldn’t hear anything. She idly breathed on it, her warm breath fogging up the pane.

Simon Lockwood hung up the phone and turned around, only to see Joanna Kennedy inside, with her butt stuck out, earnestly breathing on the glass.

Simon Lockwood: “…”

Simon Lockwood walked over and tapped the glass right where Joanna Kennedy’s forehead was, as if knocking on her head through the pane.

A dull thud sounded. Joanna Kennedy let out another puff of hot air before looking up, giving Simon Lockwood a silly grin. The sight of her smile softened the cool lines of his eyes and brows.

Joanna Kennedy blinked, then used her finger to draw on the small, foggy patch of glass. A plump little heart appeared on the pane.

The chubby heart reflected the girl’s bright, beautiful smile, more brilliant than any spring blossom. Simon Lockwood’s heart skipped a beat.

He felt that Joanna Kennedy hadn’t drawn that heart on the glass, but directly onto his own heart.

「The snow stopped, and the sun came out again.」 The day they learned Jasper Sinclair had been sentenced was a bright and sunny one. Perhaps due to Old Master Sinclair’s influence, the sentence wasn’t heavy: one year and two months.

The always high-and-mighty Old Master Sinclair seemed to have aged several years. When he stood at her door, Joanna Kennedy was stunned for a few seconds.

“Where is Simon Lockwood?” Old Master Sinclair spoke first, his tone still dripping with superiority, not even deigning to look Joanna Kennedy in the eye.

‘So arrogant, and at my own front door.’ Joanna Kennedy couldn’t help but roll her eyes, which only further enraged Old Master Sinclair. “Have him come out and see me! I have something to say to him!”

“He’s doing laundry.”

Before Joanna Kennedy could finish, Old Master Sinclair exploded. “Doing laundry?! You little girl, you’re making a man do laundry?!!”