Chapter 296

Jonathan said, “I’m pretty sure I had a few drinks that night, too. I didn’t think I’d see you in the elevator—and you were the one who made the first move. I couldn’t even push you away.”

“Don’t act like you didn’t enjoy it.”

Teresa’s face turned crimson. She couldn’t help but kick him hard. “Are you crazy?”

Jonathan took out his phone, retrieved a piece of hair hidden behind the case, and said, “Here’s proof. Still, you’re all flustered and yelling at me.”

“You’re crazy! Why are you keeping my hair? Seriously, what’s wrong with you?” She kicked him again, but her flat boots didn’t deliver the same impact as her old heels.

After kicking him, she tried to leave, but Jonathan held her wrist firmly. No matter what she said, he wasn’t letting go.

He said, “Let’s talk. Either get in the car, or we can talk right here on the street. If you’re fine discussing everything that happened that night out here, I’m good with it.”

Teresa took a deep breath and decided to get in the car. Jonathan smiled happily as he pulled her inside. Once she was seated, she removed his jacket and threw it back at him—she wasn’t cold.

Jonathan’s face darkened when he saw Teresa was only wearing a bra under her jacket. His voice was low and rough. “Keep my jacket on.”

He started the car. “So, where are you staying?”

“I’m not sure yet. Just here in Everport for a trip,” Teresa said.

“So, you’re at a hotel?”

“Yeah.” Teresa avoided his gaze, letting him assume she was staying at a hotel.

Jonathan turned onto a busy street, looking at her with a faint smile. “You went to Silvar, then Jarisburg. Looks like we keep running into each other.”

Teresa froze, confused. She wondered, How did he know I had been to Silvar?

Jonathan said, “We stayed at the same hotel. You left before I could find you—I checked the guest records. By then, you were already back in Nareigh.”

Back in Silvar, Michael kept saying he saw Jonathan, even claiming she smelled like him. Jonathan really was there, staying at the same hotel.

She didn’t know what to say. After all those close calls, he never noticed the child with her.

She couldn’t tell him the truth about Michael. She had already decided to say Michael was Sherry’s child, but now, traveling with Michael in Everport was becoming increasingly difficult to explain.

“What brings you to Everport?” Teresa asked, changing the subject and looking at Jonathan.

“Just here for a little sightseeing,” he replied coolly.

The truth was, he had a business dinner that day. As he was leaving the hotel restaurant, he saw someone whose face looked just like hers. He saw her walking into a karaoke bar. After saying goodbye to his clients, he quickly crossed the street to the karaoke bar, but when he looked around, she was gone. He thought he was just seeing things.

He never thought he’d actually run into her in the men’s restroom. Jonathan thought, If I told Benny about this, Benny wouldn’t believe me.

The car stopped in front of a department store that was still open. “Wait here,” Jonathan said as he got out, locking the doors so Teresa couldn’t escape.

Teresa was speechless. While Jonathan was gone, she took out her phone and called Michael. She told him she’d be home late that night, and if he got sleepy, he should just go to bed first.

“Mommy, I’ll wait for you to come back before I sleep,” Michael said, yawning slightly.

Teresa said, “You really don’t have to wait for me. Just go to bed. I won’t be back until after midnight.”

“No way. I can’t sleep unless you’re home,” he said stubbornly.

“I’ll try to come back as early as I can,” Teresa said, hanging up.

She tried the car door, but it was locked. She couldn’t open the window, so she just had to wait. When Jonathan returned, he was holding a large bouquet of roses and a shopping bag containing a woman’s shirt.

He gave both to Teresa. Teresa felt the weight in her arms and asked, “What are you trying to do?”

Jonathan said, “I’m just trying to impress you.”

“Come on, we’re exes. There’s really no need for this.”

“Then just pretend I didn’t mean anything by it,” Jonathan said.

Teresa looked at him. “You are ridiculous.”

Jonathan said nothing, driving the car to a secluded road.

“Change,” he said, turning off the engine. One hand on the steering wheel, he looked away. “I won’t watch.”

Teresa, wearing two jackets, felt uncomfortable. She removed both and changed into the shirt, finally feeling much better.

Jonathan said he wouldn’t watch, but he could clearly see her reflection in the window. When she finished changing, his voice was a little rough. “I just remembered something.”

He asked, “Did I not use protection?”

Teresa’s hands paused as she buttoned her jacket. “You did.”

Jonathan turned to look at her, his eyes fixed on hers. “I don’t remember bringing any condoms.”