Chapter 388

Teresa frowned. “What are you mumbling about?”

Sanford rubbed a napkin between his fingers. “Just thinking about my mom. She wasn’t exactly a knockout, but… I mean, for a totally blind man…”

“Wait, your dad’s blind?” Teresa looked confused.

“No.” Sanford chuckled. “I mean, he was a scumbag.”

Teresa nodded. “So you take after your dad.”

Sanford shot her a look. “Do you know why my name is Sanford Thomas?”

“I’m not your mom or dad, how would I know?” Teresa took a sip of water and then put some food on Isabel’s plate.

By the end of the meal, Sanford agreed to help Teresa look after Isabel.

Teresa’s expression softened. “I’ll go pay. This one’s on me.”

Sanford took Isabel from her arms. “Alright, sure.”

He played with the little girl. “So your name’s Isabel, right? Is it Isabel Lynn or Isabel Johnston?”

Isabel didn’t understand and just shook her head.

Sanford sighed. “Poor kid, you really take after your grandma. What a shame. Your mom’s got such good…”

Isabel seemed to realize he was calling her ugly. She grabbed a spoon from the table and gave Sanford’s head a few solid taps.

By the time Teresa returned from paying, Isabel had already been completely won over by the chocolates and candy Sanford gave her. She waved at Teresa and said, “Bye.”

Teresa said, “Take good care of Isabel. If she gets even a scratch while I’m gone, you won’t have to worry about me. Jennifer will beat you up first.”

Sanford nodded. “Don’t worry. I’ll wait for you. But you have to promise to marry me, okay?”

Teresa didn’t answer. After she left, the photographer who had been hiding nearby handed Sanford the photos from dinner.

Sanford looked through the pictures, picking out a few that didn’t show Isabel—just shots of him serving Teresa food or Teresa smiling at him. The photos could easily be misunderstood.

He told the photographer to drop the photos off anonymously at the Horizonlead Group reception, but to be sure to mention Teresa’s name to the receptionist.

Honestly, he could have exposed Isabel right then and there. But he remembered the promise he’d made to Jennifer. He wouldn’t do anything to hurt her or Teresa.

Sanford left with Isabel in his arms and made a call. “Hey, Justin. It’s Sanford, I’m in Nareigh. Are you still working in DNA testing? Double. I need an urgent DNA test.”

Then he put Teresa’s used coffee cup and a lock of Isabel’s hair in the trunk and texted his friend. “I’m doing you a favor. I’ll pay. Can you check if these two are related? I don’t have time to pick up the test report, just mail it to me,” said Sanford.

Chapter 388 (Continued)

Benny spotted Teresa’s latest Facebook post. Right before she boarded her flight, he commented, “Off to Suica? I think Jonathan’s there too.”

Teresa nearly choked on her coffee when she saw that. “No way,” she thought.

She messaged Benny privately, and he replied, “I remember Jonathan went to Strica for work a couple of days ago. He’s probably around Strica Bay. Where are you staying?”

“Not in the same area as him,” Teresa replied. She was headed to Lunavale.

She was only planning to stay in Strica for about three days, but even after getting on the plane, her mind was a mess. Jonathan must be gone by now, she kept telling herself.

When in Nareigh, he’d said he was going to Archule to see Peter, his old boss from Horizonlead Group. Peter had worked in Strica before, so maybe Jonathan was just keeping Peter company, or maybe he had his own plans.

Teresa’s mind was spinning. The flight felt endless, and because of him, she just couldn’t settle down. She pulled a notebook from her bag and started writing.

When she finally snapped out of it, she realized she’d filled an entire page with the name Jonathan, and had even doodled a few limes next to it.

After arriving at her destination, Teresa checked into her hotel for her business trip, sat down her suitcase, and got herself settled. She would meet her client tomorrow.

So she had nothing on her plate tonight. Normally, she’d just stay in, take a bath, and get some sleep. It was already past eight, after all.

But because of what Benny said earlier, she just couldn’t calm down. In the end, she decided to head out for a walk.

It was July, and everyone on the street was in short sleeves. As she wandered through unfamiliar roads, Teresa couldn’t help but laugh at herself, wondering, “What exactly am I so restless about?”

“First off, there’s no way I’d run into Jonathan. Even if he’s still in Strica, it’s not like we’re in the same part of town. With so many people here, if we were really meant to meet, would we keep hurting each other like this?

The odds are basically zero.”

As she walked, Teresa somehow found herself inside a bar. She took a seat at the counter, asked for the menu, and ordered a cup of coffee.

The bartender blinked in surprise. “Coffee? Not in the mood for a drink?”

“I can’t handle alcohol,” Teresa said, feeling a wave of frustration just thinking about it. “Just coffee, please.”

The bartender said, “Sure thing, ma’am. One moment…”

Behind her, as the lights flickered and shadows danced, a tall, striking figure sat in one of the sola booths.

The man was flanked by several women in fancy dresses. The one nearest him poured his drink, her eyes twinkling mischievously. He frowned, leaned back, but let her continue pouring wine.

“Mr. Lynn, you’re one of our boss’s VIPs. The boss told us to take good care of you. The manager said if you want anything extra, it’s on the house,” one of the women said with a practiced smile.

“I’m going to the restroom,” Jonathan said, his tall frame swaying a bit as he stood up. One of the women tried to steady him, but he smoothly dodged her, keeping his distance without making a scene or saying anything rude.

All of a sudden, Teresa felt a chill run down her back. She spun around, but all she saw were people dancing.

Chapter 399

She laughed at herself. She was definitely overthinking it. There was no way Jonathan would be here. He never liked noisy places. He always preferred somewhere quiet and a little romantic. It probably had something to do with those years he spent studying abroad.

“Why am I thinking about him again?” Teresa thought, knocking herself on the head. She calmed herself down, telling herself to stop wandering.

Suddenly, a heavy hand landed on her shoulder. Teresa turned to see a greasy-faced, overweight man, his fingers weighed down by a gold ring.

“Hey, gorgeous, you here alone? Want some company for a drink?” he slurred.

“Have you ever looked in the mirror?” Teresa almost blurted out, but swallowed the words. What if this guy is as petty and sleazy as the principal in Everport?

“Sorry, I need to use the restroom,” Teresa said, getting up from her seat.