Chapter 770 Lola: Does It Really Not Affect You?
Lola pulled up to Johnny's mansion.
It was already evening.
The sky was overcast, and a drizzle created a misty, ethereal atmosphere.
The mansion was enormous. The gatekeeper recognized her and opened the gate without a word, even giving her a gesture of encouragement. Lola guessed he was an old servant who had served her before.
She smiled and drove in, circling a fountain before parking in the driveway.
The rain continued to fall steadily.
It wasn't the best weather to be out, nor to try to please someone, but Lola had chosen to come and pick up Johnny anyway. She knew he wouldn't leave with her.
It didn't matter; her goal was simply to let him know she was there.
Lola didn't use an umbrella as she got out of the car, and her clothes quickly became damp. A familiar servant approached with an umbrella, looking a bit troubled. "Mrs. Flores, you should go back."
She glanced towards the mansion and said softly, "Is Ms. Jenkins here?"
Lola guessed they were referring to Tracy. She wasn't surprised but was a bit annoyed. The old Lola might have turned around and left, but if she truly wanted something, not even ten Tracys could stop her.
Lola smiled faintly. "Where is he?"
Seeing her determination, the servant led her into the mansion, explaining as they walked, "Mr. Flores is upstairs reading. The rain makes his leg hurt."
Lola smiled slightly, then saw Tracy standing in the mansion's foyer.
Tracy stood there like the lady of the house, scrutinizing Lola.
The servant, unsure of what to do, said awkwardly, "Ms. Jenkins, Mrs. Flores is here to see Mr. Flores."
Tracy didn't respond immediately. She stared at Lola for a long moment before telling the servant, "You can go. I'll take care of Ms. Hawkins. And she's not Mrs. Flores anymore; they've divorced."
The servant, though wary of Tracy, didn't like her words. She retorted, "They say a couple's bond lasts a hundred days for every night spent together. Besides, Mr. Flores and Mrs. Flores have three children together. And Ms. Jenkins, you haven't married Mr. Flores, have you?"
Tracy was visibly displeased.
Lola, however, remained gracious. She told the servant, "Please make me a cup of coffee."
The servant responded naturally, "Sure, I'll make your favorite."
Their familiarity annoyed Tracy.
Johnny had hired her to play a role, not because he had genuine feelings for her. But Tracy believed that as long as she could stay close to Johnny, she still had a chance to marry into a wealthy family.
Tracy didn't want to miss this golden opportunity.
Once the servant left, Tracy sneered at Lola. "Johnny doesn't want to see you! Why make a fool of yourself? Ms. Hawkins, you're a public figure. Chasing after a man like this doesn't look good."
Lola sat on the sofa, brushing her damp hair aside. After a moment, she looked up. "I enjoy it. Is there a problem, Ms. Jenkins?"
As a lawyer, Lola wasn't one to be easily outmaneuvered. Tracy sneered again. "If he wanted to see you, he'd be down here by now. He doesn't want to be with you anymore. Can't you see that? Ms. Hawkins, you shouldn't be so confident. Feelings fade over time; no one loves someone forever."
At that moment, the servant brought the coffee.
Lola didn't drink it. She smiled slightly and said, "You're right, no one loves someone forever. But Ms. Jenkins, if Johnny loved you, he would have given you a title by now, wouldn't he? You wouldn't have to act like Mrs. Flores while still being single, making me look like the other woman."
Tracy's face turned red. She wanted to retort but couldn't find the words.
The servant almost laughed out loud.
Lola didn't intend to stay long. She took the towel the servant handed her and wiped her face. "Tell Mr. Flores I was here. If it's inconvenient, I'll come back another time."
The servant was touched and didn't know what to say.
Lola stood up and walked towards the door without lingering.
Behind her, Tracy's frustrated voice called out, "He won't change his mind. He doesn't love you anymore."
Lola paused.
After a moment, she asked, "How much did Johnny pay you?"
Tracy's face turned pale.
She opened her mouth to say something, but Lola had already left the mansion. Soon, the sound of a car engine started.
Lola was gone.
Johnny stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, quietly watching the car disappear.
Tracy came in to report.
She entered the study and saw a book titled "Willpower" lying haphazardly on the sofa. The book's owner stood by the window, lost in thought.
She knew he was thinking about Lola, which made Tracy very uncomfortable.
She walked over softly and called out, "Mr. Flores."
Johnny didn't respond.
Tracy couldn't hold back. "If you don't love her anymore, you shouldn't let her into your world. Change the gatekeeper and the servants, and she won't be able to get close."
After speaking, her heart raced.
Although she regretted it, she impulsively blurted out. "Compared to her, I'm single and childless. I'm more suitable to take care of you."
This time, Johnny spoke.
His voice was full of sarcasm. "You mean you're more suitable to take care of a cripple like me?"
Tracy's eyes filled with tears. "I like you."
"Like me?"
Johnny repeated the words mockingly. "Do you like me or my money? Tracy... I hired you to keep Lola away, not to take me for a fool."
Women like her were a dime a dozen in Syeattel.
Maybe he would have looked at her before.
But after the Shirley incident, he wouldn't even glance at them. Even after becoming single again, he had no interest in playing along with them.
He laughed coldly. "You've worked hard to get where you are. You wouldn't want to offend someone and find yourself unable to survive in this industry, or even in Syeattel, would you?"
His words hurt Tracy's pride.
She was a beautiful woman. Even if she hadn't become a wealthy man's wife, every man who had interacted with her had praised her. No one had ever treated her like this.
"Johnny, then why keep me around?"
Johnny's long fingers lightly brushed the curtain. The dark fabric reminded him of Lola's rain-dampened hair, beautiful and misty.
After a long time, he said softly, "No reason, just that you're no different from the others."
Just a random choice.
After saying this, he told Tracy to leave. He had hired her for a job, but she didn't live in the same building.
Tracy lived in a row of houses at the back, where the servants stayed.
Once it was quiet again, Johnny looked out the window. A drop of water fell from the eaves, clear and bright.
He had made up his mind to cut ties with Lola.
He refused to see her, refused to let her into his world. But Lola didn't insist on seeing him. She just visited often, sometimes bringing a book she had read, sometimes bringing two servings of Frederick's homemade beef ravioli, one boiled and one fried. Johnny had loved it since he was a child, with its rich beef filling.
When early autumn arrived, Lola brought Johnny a sweater.
It was handmade by Charlotte.
A deep brown turtleneck, both stylish and warm, was perfect for wearing at home.
Lola pursued Johnny at her own pace. Sometimes she ran into Tracy, who mocked her, but deep down, Tracy envied Lola.
Because Lola was sure Johnny loved her, she dared to persist.
Johnny rejected Lola but didn't refuse the things she brought. He would secretly eat the ravioli and wear the sweater while reading the books she gave him late at night.
Some parts were annotated with love notes.
Sometimes, Johnny would blush unexpectedly.
He would suddenly close the book, feeling he couldn't go on like this. If he did, Lola would eventually win him over.
Late at night, he picked up his phone to call Lola, wanting to make things clear.
Surprisingly, the phone rang a few times before she answered.
Lola's voice was slightly hoarse. She spoke softly, "It's late. If it's important, can we talk tomorrow? I'm..."
Johnny's throat tightened.
He hadn't heard Lola's voice in a long time. Even though she visited the mansion every few days, he never saw her and they didn't call.
Suddenly, he felt a bit nostalgic.
After a moment, he regained his composure and said calmly, "I just wanted to tell you not to send things anymore and not to visit. I said we're over. You don't owe me, and I don't owe you. Lola, we're done."
Lola didn't respond for a while. Johnny couldn't help but prompt, "Lola?"
Lola said, "Okay."
She seemed to consider her words before saying, "Stella is in the hospital with a fever. Can we talk about this later?"
Johnny's hand trembled, and his ears burned. Stella was sick and hospitalized, and he was thinking about these relationship issues. He felt ashamed.
Thinking back, Lola hadn't visited in several days.
Johnny felt guilty and worried. He didn't care about anything else. "Which hospital? I'll come right away."
There was a long silence on the other end.
After a while, Lola asked slowly, "Won't it disturb you and Ms. Jenkins? The last time I came, she said she had anxiety and my visits affected her sleep. Johnny, I don't want Stella's health to affect your relationship."
She had a hidden meaning in her words; how could Johnny not know?
He didn't explain, just said, "Send me the address. I'll be there right away."
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