Chapter 519 Lola, I Want to Live with You 2
Lola shot him a look. "In your dreams!"
She headed back to her room, freshened up, and changed into another outfit—still professional, but definitely more eye-catching.
While she was munching on her breakfast, Johnny was busy moving boxes into her bedroom.
"Are you seriously planning to stay here?"
Johnny's tone was super chill. "Yep!"
Lola ignored him, sipping her milk and nibbling her sandwich, wondering how he managed with just one hand. After finishing, she got ready for work.
She walked into the bedroom and leaned against the dressing room door, silently watching Johnny hang clothes in the closet, separating the formal stuff from the casual.
Lola watched his awkward one-handed movements but didn't lift a finger to help.
"Let's get one thing straight, you can stay for, like, two weeks max. Then you're out." she said.
Johnny's movements slowed a bit.
He turned to look at her and said softly, "You obviously have feelings for me, so why not just accept it?"
Lola laughed. "Just because I have feelings, I should marry you? I have feelings for the Labrador next door too, should I marry a dog?"
She gave him a look like he was a total idiot.
Lola headed out for work, tossing Johnny an access card before she left.
He could go wherever he wanted; she was done playing chauffeur.
Once she was gone, Johnny ditched the cast, quickly organized the clothes, and cleaned up the bedroom. Lola didn't seem like the type who enjoyed housework; the bed was still a mess from last night.
Johnny took care of everything.
After he was done, he made himself a cup of coffee and opened his laptop for a video call.
A company executive asked, "Where are you?"
Johnny took a sip of his black coffee and replied calmly, "At my girlfriend's place. You know her, Ms. Hawkins from Wise Counsel Law Firm."
So it was Lola.
They were shocked. Johnny was really playing with fire, messing with Lola!
Johnny casually let everyone know about his relationship with Lola. The upper circles in Seattle were small; word would get around soon enough.
Lola had no clue. That day, she was busy with a trial and spent the afternoon handling other matters.
Near the end of the day, her assistant came in, looking hesitant. "Mr. Flores is here!"
Lola didn't react immediately. "Which Mr. Flores?"
As she spoke, Johnny was already at the door, dressed in casual clothes, looking sharp.
The young women at the firm were losing their minds!
Johnny looked at her with affection. "I'm here to pick you up from work!"
Lola put down her pen and leaned back. "A one-handed guy picking someone up from work, are you kidding me?"
Johnny was super chill. He walked over and pulled Lola up. "Alright, enough joking around. The fridge is empty, and we need some household stuff! Let's hit the grocery store."
The assistant at the door was thrilled. They were living together, officially a couple, and they looked so perfect together!
Lola felt pretty helpless. She dismissed the assistant, and once the door was closed, she asked Johnny, "What's the deal? Do you have to broadcast this to everyone? I'm just letting you crash for a few days, don't get too full of yourself!"
Johnny looked at her. After a long pause, he suddenly asked, "Why did you want to sleep with me the first night?"
Hearing what he said, Lola almost spat out her water! She glared at Johnny for a long moment, then put down her glass. "Alright, fine. Let's go to the store."
They walked out, one after the other.
Lola wore sunglasses, and the secretaries didn't dare say much.
Once in the car, she took off her sunglasses.
Johnny fastened his seatbelt. "Am I that embarrassing?"
Lola laughed. "How would I know how many people you've been with?"
Johnny looked at her for a couple of seconds, didn't respond, and just stared ahead.
They were both adults; constantly talking about regretful and sentimental things would make him look down on himself. As a man, he was more focused on their future together.
Lola had a prickly personality that sometimes hurt him. But no matter how much it hurt, he had to endure it.
The atmosphere in the car was a bit gloomy, so Lola turned on some music. The soothing tunes lifted their spirits.
Half an hour later, Lola parked the car.
After sitting for a moment, she turned her head and softly said, "Let's not bring up the past anymore."
Her words were vague, but Johnny understood her. The past wasn't pleasant for Lola, so she didn't want to recall it.
His heart ached, and he nodded.
They got out of the car and walked silently together. After a while, Johnny brought over a small cart. Walking side by side, they looked like a well-matched couple.
Unexpectedly, they ran into their former high school physics teacher, Hector Torres. Johnny was the physics class representative, and Lola had good grades. Hector remembered them well.
After many years, Hector had aged significantly. He looked at Johnny for a long time before saying, "Is that you, Johnny?"
Johnny had a good memory and recognized him immediately.
He was successful in business and naturally good at socializing.
He chatted smoothly with Hector, who then looked at Lola and smiled with satisfaction. "I didn't expect you two to still be together! Very nice! You two are quite devoted."
Lola gave a faint smile.
Johnny glanced at her and told Hector, "Yep! We're still together!"
After Hector left, Johnny looked at Lola. "Shall we go in?"
Lola just became much quieter than before. Johnny knew she was thinking about the past.
He hadn't finished his senior year in high school and went abroad, leaving Lola alone.
While Lola was picking out food, she only chose some expensive fruits and basic ingredients like eggs and noodles, nothing else.
"How can you just eat these?" Then Johnny added a lot of meat and vegetables to the cart.
Lola said indifferently, "I mostly eat out! Besides, I'm going on a business trip for a week the day after tomorrow."
"What about me?"
Lola snorted. "Should I find you a cook?"
Johnny looked deeply into her eyes. "I want to go on the business trip with you!"
Lola stopped and looked at him. "Johnny! Do you really think just because Hector said we're together, we really are? You know how you've been living these years. If you had any regard for our relationship, you wouldn't have brought your girlfriend back then! What were you thinking when you brought her back? To show my dad how successful you've become, or to show me that you don't need me, that you can leave the Hawkins Family and still have plenty of people wanting you, that you can live an exciting life without me?"
Johnny's face turned pale.
Lola's tone softened. "Alright, there's no point in saying all this! The truth is, you shouldn't have come to my house, and I shouldn't have taken you in!"
She no longer felt like shopping. So she went out first and got into the car.
Johnny loaded the groceries into the car. When he sat next to her, he smelled a faint scent of smoke.
Lola had been smoking?
Johnny often felt powerless; he didn't know how to win her back.
Lola could have anything she wanted, even men, if she wished. It all depended on her mood.
Unexpectedly, Lola lowered her stance for the first time
Her voice carried a hint of fatigue. "Johnny, I shouldn't have said those things! It's all in the past. You're right; I still have feelings for you, but I really can't find a reason for us to be together! We're both adults, let's be mature and generous. I don't want to deceive you, nor do I have any intention of getting back at you! Johnny, I just want to live a better life! Apart from you, I have my parents and my siblings!"
Johnny's face grew even paler, and he said urgently, "But I only have you!"
"Who caused that?" Lola gave a bitter smile and turned her head. "Let's not blame each other! After this half month, you should move out. Let's pretend nothing ever happened between us; it's the best choice for both of us."
Johnny remained silent.
Back home, Lola locked herself in the study. She sat behind the desk, opened a drawer, and took out a photo. It was of 16-year-old Johnny and Lola. He was sitting on the grass, and Lola was hugging his neck from behind, with him holding her hands. They were smiling radiantly! She hadn't dared to look at this photo for a long time because every time she did, she would hate Johnny even more.
If he didn't love her, he should have just left her.
Now they could still be like family, even go to bars together without any ulterior motives, but he didn't. He played around and then came back to her asking for love.
In the dim study, Lola silently wept, but she didn't wipe her tears.
She lit a slender cigarette, took a couple of puffs, and let it burn between her fingers, lost in thought.
Johnny finished cooking and gently knocked on the study door. "Lola, dinner's ready!"
About five minutes later, she came out of the study, her expression very calm.
Under the crystal chandelier, the dining table was neatly set, with a vase holding blue-stemmed roses.
Lola sat down to eat.
Johnny watched her, and she looked up and smiled indifferently. "The food taste good! It must be quite a challenge to cook with one hand, right?"
"If you like it, I'll cook for you for a lifetime!"
"How could I afford Mr. Flores!"
Lola didn't have much of an appetite. After eating, she went back to the study. Johnny cleaned up the house and even took out the trash.
He smoked a cigarette downstairs. While smoking, a black van pulled up, and a distinguished man stepped out. It was Frederick.
Johnny couldn't stay calm; he took the cigarette from his lips and called out, "Frederick!"
Frederick was holding a thermos.
He squinted at Johnny, then looked upstairs, raising his voice. "You're living here?"
Johnny smiled faintly, not denying it.
Frederick placed the thermos on the car roof.
He paced back and forth several times before stopping. "Are you serious, or just playing around?"
Johnny's smile faded. "I'm serious!"
Frederick glared at him. Then he tapped on the car window loudly. "Jared, get down here! Tell me, did you know these they were living together? And today you said Lola wasn't feeling well and wanted some soup! Are you that easily intimidated by them?"
Jared got out of the car, looking dejected.
Frederick glared at him. "If you had told me directly, would I have had them hit you?"
Jared scratched his head. "I was afraid you and Charlotte wouldn't be able to handle it!"
Frederick, exasperated, pointed at Johnny. "Take this and come upstairs with me!"
The two went upstairs.
Frederick went straight to the study to find Lola. When he opened the door, the room was filled with smoke.
They were all stunned.
Lola was smoking?
Lola was the first to react. She opened the window to let out the smoke and said, "I just lit a few."
Frederick stood in the doorway and asked, "You have Johnny living here, how do you explain that?"
Lola leaned against the window.
She smiled. "Johnny hurt his hand, so I'm taking care of him. We're close like siblings; you should be happy!"
Frederick didn't buy it.
He was about to say something when Johnny walked over and picked up a photo on the desk.
It was of him and Lola.
16-year-old Johnny and Lola, their smiles pierced his heart, reminding him how hard it would be to win her back.
The study was silent.
Finally, Frederick spoke, "You two aren't young anymore. If you want to be together, be serious about it. Don't make it awkward; otherwise, we can't even be a family."
He finished, feeling somewhat tired.
Lola was his most cherished daughter, but Johnny had also earned his affection. Watching them torment each other was hard for him.
Lola smiled. "Dad, you're overthinking it! If you're worried, you can take him back now."
Frederick glared at her and then left.
Lola saw him to the door. "Dad, take care!"
Frederick suddenly turned around. He looked at Lola and said softly, "If you really like him, give him a chance! Lola, I don't want to see you tormenting yourself. It's not just that you can't forgive Johnny; you can't forgive your past self either."
Lola's smile faded.
Frederick didn't say more. The kids were grown; as parents, they couldn't interfere too much in their emotional affairs.
Lola returned to the study. She leaned against the doorframe, and Johnny was still holding the photo. His voice came through. "Lola, you still love me, don't you?"
"Maybe." Lola smiled faintly. "You were quite adorable back then!"
She turned to leave, but Johnny hugged her from behind. His hand gently caressed her lower abdomen, slowly and tenderly, as if trying to arouse her desires or simply wanting to tease her. He treated her entirely in a manner meant for a woman. Lola couldn't possibly be unaffected.
Johnny suddenly became urgent. He pressed her against the study wall. She was wearing professional attire, which was inconvenient, but he didn't care. Pressing lightly behind her, he whispered hoarsely and seductively, "You can still refuse me now! Lola, I want to make love to you."
He spoke sweetly, asking for her consent. But as soon as he finished speaking, he couldn't help but take her. Lola slapped him from behind. "Johnny, you bastard! Didn't you hurt your hand? How can you be so rough? You rogue!"
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
