Chapter 428

After making that promise to Michael, Teresa said nothing else. The next day, she was getting ready to leave Shaville. She’d actually bought a ticket to return to Nareigh the day before, but a thunderstorm forced her to reschedule her flight. Jonathan drove her to the airport. His phone rang incessantly, but after answering once and saying he’d deal with work later, he hung up and silenced his phone.

“If you’ve got work to do, go ahead. I’ll be fine here on my own,” Teresa said.

“Let me know when you arrive. I’m in the middle of an international project, so I’ll have to stay in Shaville for a couple more days,” Jonathan replied.

Teresa nodded. “If you finish up the day after tomorrow, could you come to Nareigh? There’s something I want to talk to you about.”

Jonathan looked at her for a moment. “Why can’t you just tell me now?”

“It’s better if we talk in Nareigh. Honestly, I don’t even know how to start.” She wanted to wait for Michael’s birthday to finally tell Jonathan the secret she’d kept for so long, right in front of “their” son.

Jonathan glanced at his phone. “The day after tomorrow—the 24th?”

“Yeah.” Michael’s birthday was July 25th, but Teresa figured it was better to explain things a day early, so at least Jonathan could spend the next day with Michael. She’d already spent many sleepless nights thinking about the fallout. The people who would be most affected were herself, Jennifer, Sherry, and Christian. Jennifer was already engaged to Donald, who would definitely protect her. Christian’s mother was in the advanced stages of cancer and had been turned away by the hospital. Knowing Jonathan, Teresa was sure he probably wouldn’t hold it against them.

As for her own responsibility, if Jonathan wanted to hold her accountable, she’d take it all. That’s what Teresa thought.

“I’ll do my best to make it back,” Jonathan said, still completely unaware of Teresa’s plans.

“Alright, see you in two days then.”

Just as Teresa was about to board, Jonathan called out to her, sighed, and pulled her into a hug. “I just want you to know, I’m not seeing anyone. There’s no one else.”

“I know.” After all, he had searched for her in the pouring rain for over an hour and kissed her the second he saw her at the hotel.

“I don’t get it. Every time I’m on a business trip, we end up in bed together.”

“You just have this kind of pull—one minute I hate you and want nothing to do with you, the next I regret it, feel bad for you, and want you in the most basic way.”

“Let me ask you—do you still have feelings for me? After everything, after being husband and wife, do I really mean nothing to you?”

Every time they slept together, he’d make her say things he wanted to hear in bed. He’d be satisfied, but the next morning, he’d act like he was the one who’d been left behind.

Teresa was silent for a couple of seconds. “I’ll tell you when you come back to Nareigh.”

Jonathan shook his head, helpless. “You really have me wrapped around your finger.” He had a ton of work waiting for him, so he reminded Teresa several times to text him when she got back to Nareigh before he left.

After he left, Teresa transferred six hundred thousand dollars to Jonathan. She knew that if she tried to give it to him in person, he’d never take it.

She texted: "I just sent you the money I owed. Thanks for all the resources and clients you introduced me to. I’ve learned a lot from you, and I’ll try to be more patient and learn to be savvier in business. Hopefully, I’ll catch up to you and become a billionaire one day." After sending the message, Teresa turned off her phone.