Chapter 345

Chapter 345: Chapter 344

A neat stack of bank cards was stuffed into Joanna Kennedy’s hands. She couldn’t even react. ‘Wait, was that what she meant??’

She was just kidding! She didn’t actually want Simon Lockwood’s money!

“I—I don’t want them.” Joanna Kennedy tried to give them back as if they were a hot potato. When Simon Lockwood wouldn’t take them, she put them straight on the nightstand. “Why are you giving these all to me? I have my own money.”

“But I want to give them to you,” Simon Lockwood said.

Joanna Kennedy: “…”

‘I’ve never met someone so hopelessly head over heels.’

Joanna Kennedy poked Simon Lockwood’s handsome, expressionless face. He caught her finger and kissed it. “Joanna Kennedy,” he said, “I have more than enough to give you a good life.”

“Whatever you want, I can give it to you.”

His tone was serious, like he was making a promise. ‘Why bring this up out of nowhere?’ Joanna Kennedy found it a little strange. “What’s wrong?”

She furrowed her brow. “Did Old Master Sinclair say something to you?”

Simon Lockwood lowered his gaze. Joanna Kennedy knew she was right. “What did he say?”

“…” After a long silence, Simon Lockwood pressed his lips together and said, “He wanted to transfer shares of the Sinclair Group to me. I refused.”

When the secretary had taken out the file and placed it on the table, Simon Lockwood hadn’t felt the slightest bit of happiness seeing the share transfer agreement. Instead, his brows had knitted together tightly.

Old Master Sinclair’s youngest son was already dead, having passed away abroad. He was only inhabiting the identity of this world’s “Simon Lockwood”; the Sinclair Family’s fortune had nothing to do with him.

Simon Lockwood’s refusal was blunt. Old Master Sinclair flew into a rage and blurted out, “Without the Sinclair Family backing you, how long do you think that little starlet will stick with you?!”

That was just Old Master Sinclair’s prejudice talking. Simon Lockwood didn’t actually take it to heart, because no one knew Joanna Kennedy better than he did.

Joanna Kennedy loved him, regardless of his social status or wealth.

He knew this in his heart, but Simon Lockwood couldn’t help but overthink it. ‘If I accept the Sinclair Group, would Joanna Kennedy have a better life?’ The answer was undoubtedly yes, but doing so would mean he could never sever ties with the Sinclair Family.

“Joanna Kennedy, believe me, I have the ability to give you a very good life,” Simon Lockwood repeated. Joanna Kennedy finally understood and got a little angry. “I’m not with you for your money.”

“I’m already very rich on my own,” Joanna Kennedy said. “We don’t need the Sinclair Family’s peanuts.”

The Sinclair Family, one of the most prominent in all of Jornheim, had been reduced to “peanuts” she didn’t care for. It was a statement heartbreaking enough to make one weep.

The look in Simon Lockwood’s eyes softened. He buried his face in the pale curve of her neck and placed a kiss there. “Mmm…”

They say the lips are the softest part of the human body. Ever since meeting Simon Lockwood, Joanna Kennedy believed it without a doubt. One little red mark after another appeared on her neck from his kisses.

Joanna Kennedy’s cheeks flushed red, and she couldn’t help but try to pull away, only to be caught and playfully bitten. Joanna Kennedy let out a little “Mmph!” her voice unbelievably soft. “What are you doing…”

“The clothes are done washing…” Simon Lockwood’s voice was a bit hoarse.

A hand snuck under her clothes to give her waist a firm squeeze. A mist quickly clouded Joanna Kennedy’s eyes. Not understanding what Simon Lockwood meant by that, she stammered tentatively, “S-So, you did a good job?”

“Mhm,” Simon Lockwood replied. Still holding Joanna Kennedy from behind, he reached out and pulled the curtains shut, blocking out the light from outside.

The blackout curtains worked very well, and the bright room was plunged into dimness. Joanna Kennedy’s head felt fuzzy. She didn’t quite understand how things had suddenly turned out this way.

‘Weren’t we just discussing the major life issue of “money” a second ago? Oh, right, this is a major life event too.’

Joanna Kennedy’s face was burning, so hot she was practically dazed, but she didn’t forget to give the man’s chest a gentle push, whispering, “Your injuries haven’t healed yet…”

“They’re healed.” An inscrutable look flickered in Simon Lockwood’s eyes, and his every breath was scorching hot. As if to prove his point, he took the girl’s hand and guided it to his injuries.

The newly formed scars felt rough and uneven to the touch. Joanna Kennedy’s heart skipped a beat, and a dull ache rose within her. “Does it hurt?”

“It doesn’t hurt anymore,” Simon Lockwood said.

Joanna Kennedy didn’t believe him. Her heart aching for him, she leaned into his embrace on her own accord. “Liar…”

‘So many scars, how could it not hurt? If it were her, she would have died from the pain long ago. That was just like Simon Lockwood, always lying to her.’

Joanna Kennedy’s chest felt full, overflowing with an emotion called “heartache.” “Your nose will grow if you lie. It won’t be handsome anymore if it gets longer, you know?”

Her soft but slightly fierce threat made Simon Lockwood think of cotton candy—the old-fashioned white kind he’d seen as a child. Sweet, and something you could squish up and devour in one bite.

In the dim light, the look in Simon Lockwood’s eyes grew darker. His Adam’s apple bobbed violently as he barely restrained the desire to “squish her up and devour her.”

“Mm, I know.”

“Such a good boy.” Joanna Kennedy praised him, mimicking Simon Lockwood’s own tone. “Simon Lockwood is so well-behaved…”

“…Simon Lockwood?” Simon Lockwood seemed to chuckle. Joanna Kennedy didn’t quite catch it and lifted her face, wanting to see if he was really laughing, but her hand was guided to touch something.

Joanna Kennedy’s brain short-circuited.

Simon Lockwood’s low, husky voice sounded by her ear. “Is Simon Lockwood a good boy?”

“…”

The scorching temperature nearly burned her. Joanna Kennedy felt as if she’d been placed in a steamer, cooked until she was dizzy and her face was radiating heat.

Simon Lockwood’s deep, pleasant voice was still ringing in her ear, but Joanna Kennedy couldn’t hear a thing. The heat spreading from her palm traveled through her entire body and rushed to her head.

After an unknown amount of time, she deflated, lightly resting her forehead on the man’s shoulder. A muffled, drawn-out voice escaped her lips: “Not a good boy…”

The chandelier on the ceiling swayed back and forth before her eyes. After swaying for who knows how long, it finally stopped. When she opened her eyes again, it was swaying before her once more.

The sun sank in the west, the sunset faded, stars studded the night sky, and a bright moon hung high above.

With the curtains drawn, Joanna Kennedy lost all sense of time. In a daze, she had only one thought: ‘I can never let Simon Lockwood go without for this long ever again.’

‘He could really run a person ragged.’

Joanna Kennedy was drowsy and groggy when she heard someone speaking by her ear, their voice husky with satisfaction. “Are you hungry?”

“I’ll make you some brown sugar and egg tea. Get up and drink it in a little bit, okay?”

Joanna Kennedy wanted to say, ‘Drink my ass,’ but she was completely spent, without even the strength to open her mouth. She could only let the man murmur in her ear.

Joanna Kennedy didn’t even notice her swollen lips being kissed several more times until she almost couldn’t breathe. Only then did she cry out, “Simon Lockwood, I hate you so much!”

She was crying as she cursed him, but she couldn’t even force her eyelids open. They were thin and terribly swollen. Crystalline tears clung to her long, curled lashes, an absolutely heart-wrenching sight.

Simon Lockwood couldn’t resist the wicked impulse to tease her. He gently pressed another kiss to her lips, coaxing her between kisses, “Be good now, don’t cry…”