Chapter 33
<Chapter> Chapter Thirty-Three: Furrowed Brows </Chapter>
Felix's eyes flashed with anger as he coldly inquired, “The car you were in before belonged to Jonah?”
‘No wonder Sophia came up empty.’
After encountering Jonah, he had Sophia dig into him, but aside from Jonah's public record, nothing could be found.
The investigators only revealed connections between Jonah and the formidable Thundertop family, a network as entangled and impenetrable as Dawnridge itself; finding details on someone was like reaching for the stars. Felix hadn't pursued it further.
Gianna, momentarily caught off guard by Jonah's arrival, quickly regained her composure. "This seems to be none of Felix's concern."
She hurried over to Jonah. Seeing Gianna get into the car without turning back, Felix seemed noticeably cold.
"Drive!"
After Gianna got into the car, she shot Jonah a puzzled glance. "I called Faith. How come you're the one showing up?"
Jonah grinned. "Well, Faith and I were grabbing dinner together when your call came in. She was tied up with something, so here I am."
A flicker of surprise crossed Gianna's eyes. Back when she managed him, Faith would often drop by to hang out, and that's how Faith and Jonah got to know each other well.
"And how come you two are suddenly having dinner together? Aren't you swamped with work these days?"
A gleam of delight danced in his eyes as he teased, "How do you know my schedule? Keeping tabs on me? Want me to autograph something for you?"
Gianna couldn't help but laugh. "Your chicken scratch? If it hadn't been for me sitting you down to practice your handwriting, would anyone be able to read it?"
That comment brought back memories of those handwriting sessions, and Jonah couldn't help but feel a pang of nostalgia.
"You weren't just there for me, come on. You sat down with all the talent you managed and made practice a group activity."
Back then, besides him, Gianna had several other artists under her wing. She insisted they improve their scrawl, so she had everyone practice writing every night from eight to nine.
Jonah wanted to spend more time with her, so he deliberately made his handwriting atrocious. It gave me a reason to see her every evening.
Of course, he never told Gianna that.
A few seconds of silence passed, and the smile on Gianna's face faded slightly. "Do you still keep in touch with any of the others?"
"Not much anymore."
Each artist Gianna managed had a unique personality. Without her, it would have been unlikely for any of us to cross paths as often. Still, everyone she guided was doing pretty well now.
Jonah dropped Gianna off at the Villa in North Town, and she hesitated before speaking up. "I don't live here anymore. Let me drive you back, and then I'll head home."
Jonah’s eyes shimmered, and he murmured, "You moved back?"
She nodded softly. "Yeah, I haven't sorted things out with my husband yet."
His grip tightened on the steering wheel, knuckles turning a shade paler.
“If you need any help, I can…”
But before he could finish, she cut him off.
“No need. This is between him and me, and I don’t want others getting involved.”
A hurt look flitted across his eyes.
‘So, to her, I was just an outsider.’
"Gianna... I always thought we were friends."
She detected the disappointment in his tone and offered him a faint smile. "It's precise because we're friends that I don't want to trouble you with this. Let's drop it, okay? I’ll drive you back."
After dropping Jonah off at the hotel, Gianna returned to the Villa.
Unbeknownst to her, after she left, Jonah's agent had driven over to pick him up and had taken him back to his villa in North Town.
As Jonah gazed upon the dimly lit villa next door, a somber shadow seemed to fall over him.
The agent, aware of his secret crush on Gianna, couldn't help but ask, "Why didn't you tell her you bought the villa next to hers?"
Jonah simply shook his head, "The time's not right."
He had to wait until she had settled things with Felix before he could reveal his true feelings to her; otherwise, he'd just add to her troubles.
The agent couldn't resist a jab, "Man, I've never seen anyone hold back like you. Keep it up, and you're going to turn into a real-life Ninja Turtle."
Initially, Jonah had no standing, and the agent disapproved of his feelings for Gianna.
But once Jonah unexpectedly became a member of the influential Thundertop family, and with their backing, the agent stopped objecting to his affection for Gianna.
"All right, head home. Come back to pick me up in the morning."
When Jonah got back to his villa, he turned on the lights. Inside, everything looked just like Gianna's villa, right down to her favorite books that he had worked hard to find, including some that were rare.
Yet, despite the replicated familiarity of his own villa, Jonah found solace in Gianna's home, where her essence lingered. There, amidst the echoes of her presence, he yearned to one day reveal the depth of his affection to her directly, hoping for that moment of connection.
As Jonah sat down on the couch with a book, he received a call from the Thundertop family butler.
"The Old Master's illness has worsened. He keeps asking for you," the butler said with urgency.
Jonah's breathing grew heavier, and after a moment, he replied coolly, "He's surrounded by people who care. He doesn't need me."
The butler's voice held a trace of pleading, "The Old Master regrets his past mistakes... He wants to leave Thundertop to you—"
Jonah interrupted him instantly, "I want nothing to do with it. Don't call me again."
With that, Jonah hung up.
His grip on the book tightened involuntarily, and it was only after some time that he slowly closed his eyes to shut out the bitterness within.
Gianna got home after ten in the evening.
As she stepped into the living room, Felix was there, staring at her.
"You remember how to come back?!" he shouted.
Ignoring Felix's heated words, Gianna maintained her composure and headed straight upstairs.
"Stop right there!"
She paused at the foot of the stairs and turned to look at Felix.
"Felix, is there something you need?"
"Don't you dare associate with Jonah ever again!"
Gianna scoffed. "Sorry, I can't do that."
Felix sneered back, his anger on edge. "Gianna, it seems you won't learn unless you're taught a lesson."
She looked at him, her gaze icy and unyielding.
"What do you plan to do?"
Felix's eyes were frosty, his aura exuding intimidation.
"Nothing much, just cancel a couple of Jonah's projects and make sure the films he's already shot never see the light of day."
Gianna's expression finally shifted as she bit back with clenched teeth, "Felix, I never thought you could stoop so low!"
"You're calling me despicable over some fling? Gianna, I'm your husband!"
Gianna's look was filled with scorn. "A husband who finds mistresses, lets them scheme against me, shields them? A husband who never really cared? Or maybe the kind that's self-centered, imposing his will on me?"
