Chapter 42
Teresa replied simply, "Do whatever you want. You don’t need to tell me."
After reading her message, Jonathan didn’t respond, letting the conversation end there.
Simona fell hard for Jonathan at first sight and kept mentioning him to Irene, hoping to meet him again.
Irene tried to talk to Jonathan about it, but he was always avoiding the conversation, either traveling for work or lost in the office, hard to pin down.
Since their divorce, Jonathan had been living solo in his home, filling his nights with work to combat the loneliness, while Irene stayed in the grand villa that he bought for her.
Following Teresa’s message, Irene contacted Jonathan once more. "Is dining with Simona such a challenge! Give me an idea of what kind of woman you’d like, and I’ll find her. I don’t have many wishes these days, but can’t I hope for a grandchild?"
Irene’s words stirred regret in Jonathan for not embracing fatherhood during his marriage. The gravity of Benny’s words—that family should come before work—resonated with him. It seemed he had let slip an opportunity that was now irretrievable.
Jonathan called Irene, his voice resigned. “Arrange the date. I’m ready for it.”
Irene responded with a light laugh, “Got it. I’ll take care of it.”
Simona looked stunningly put-together today, a world apart from her attire at the Lynns’ Thanksgiving dinner. She had adopted Teresa’s elegant look, right down to the subtle hair waves, all to win Jonathan’s admiration.
“Mr. Lynn, I’m Simona Larkin. You can call me Simona,” she introduced herself with a warm smile.
Jonathan, absorbed in his thoughts, hardly noticed her at first. It took a couple of tries for her to get his attention.
Once he did, he sipped his coffee and greeted her calmly, “Hello.”
Simona’s grin widened, his voice striking a pleasant chord within her. She shared more about herself. “I studied at a renowned university overseas and I’m my family’s only child. My father is Steven Larkin. I wondered if you knew him.”
Jonathan brought up in passing, “I’ve had the chance to work with your dad a few times.”
Excitement sparkled in Simona’s eyes. “That’s great! I might be in line to take over my dad’s company someday, and then maybe we could…” Her words dwindled off as she reached out to touch Jonathan’s hand.
With a subtle movement, Jonathan evaded her touch. “There’s something you should know. I’m divorced. Does that bother you?”
“Not really, especially since there are no children involved,” Simona replied casually. “But, if it’s not too personal, may I ask what happened with the divorce?”
Jonathan paused, choosing his words with care. He wasn’t the type to talk trash about his ex. “I was the one at fault,” he said, keeping it brief.
Jonathan’s gaze was steady, his expression blank, showing no trace of emotion for her. “You’re truly remarkable, and I respect your feelings. But I need to be honest. My heart is still with my ex-wife, and I apologize for that,” he said.
Simona felt a pang of disappointment, recalling how he’d defended Teresa during Thanksgiving. “That’s alright,” she murmured. “I can be patient for you.”
Jonathan shook his head, brushing off her insistence. “It’s truly not needed.”
Simona shrugged it off. “No sweat. I just don’t do dating with kids in the mix. Divorce? It’s like a breakup, but worse,” she said, keeping her tone light.
Jonathan’s face tightened, irritation written all over it.
Despite Simona’s persistent attempts to get his WhatsApp details, Jonathan remained firm in his refusal.
Exiting the restaurant, Jonathan felt a sudden, deep desire to have had a child with Teresa. It would have given him a reason to settle down and granted Irene her wish for a grandchild. Yet, he knew Teresa, resolute and cold, would never willingly carry his child.