Chapter 436

“What kind of favor?” Jonathan sounded distant, his mood clearly off.

Miriam finally spoke up. “You remember Mike, right? His birthday’s tomorrow, and I just found out he really looks up to you. I was hoping you could join us for his birthday dinner. Just spend a little time with him. Would you do me this favor?”

Jonathan was quiet for a couple of seconds. He really wasn’t in the mood to have dinner with a kid he had nothing to do with, even if the little guy was actually pretty cute and likable. “I might not be free,” he said.

“Oh, come on, just help me out this once. If you do, I’ll tell you something about Teresa. Deal?” Miriam coaxed.

Jonathan’s eyes narrowed a bit. The next moment, he said, enunciating each word, “I’m not interested in anything about her.” He hung up, set his phone aside, and kept driving.

At Rosary Estates, even though Teresa was feeling under the weather, she kept forcing herself to stay up, waiting for Miriam to reply. Miriam finally called, sounding helpless, “Jonathan didn’t really give me a straight answer. He just said he might not be free tomorrow.”

Teresa frowned. “I promised Mike that Jonathan would spend his birthday with him. If I can’t make it happen, he probably won’t even talk to me anymore.”

Miriam let out a sigh. “Well, maybe you should just come clean with him. Honestly, your ex didn’t sound great—he said he’s not interested in your business anymore.”

Teresa suddenly felt a lump in her throat and lowered her head. “I know. He’s completely disappointed in me. I already gave him back our wedding ring.”

“What, the wedding ring?”

Teresa took a deep breath. “My problems are my own, but Mike’s just a kid. I still want Jonathan to be there for his birthday. Miriam, can you help me think of something?”

Teresa could stay out of sight. Just for that one day, she wanted Jonathan to spend time with Michael.

Miriam said, “How about I ask Edward to talk to Jonathan? He’s his cousin, after all.”

“Don’t tell Edward that Mike is my son.”

“Relax, I’m not clueless. I won’t say a word. I’ll just have Edward invite Jonathan out for a meal, and bring Mike along so they can celebrate his birthday together.”

Teresa thought that sounded good. Michael really liked Edward, too. “Thanks, Miriam. And thank Edward for me.” Teresa started coughing.

Miriam sounded worried. “Is your cold still not better? Did you take your medicine? I can make you some soup and bring it over.”

“No need,” Teresa sniffled. “Just let Mike sleep at your place tonight.”

On the one hand, she didn’t want to pass her cold to Michael. But more than that, she was just exhausted. She really needed a good night’s sleep and didn’t have the energy to look after Michael right now.

It was the middle of the night when Benny helped Jonathan out of the noisy bar and into his car. Benny handed him a bottle of water, looking exasperated. “You haven’t called me in ages, and the first thing you do when you get back to Nareigh is drag me out for drinks. Did something happen?”

Jonathan leaned his head back against the seat, closed his eyes, and swallowed hard. “It’s nothing,” he muttered.

Benny sighed. “Is it something with your company, or is it Teresa again? If it’s work, I probably can’t help much. But if it’s her, what happened this time?”

Jonathan turned his face away in silence. “Don’t bring her up. There’s no chance for us anymore,” he said quietly.

Benny chuckled; he’d heard that line more than once. He shook his head. “Honestly, sometimes I regret introducing you two. Maybe you would’ve been better off just as friends.”

Jonathan didn’t respond. What Benny didn’t know was that the first time Jonathan saw Teresa wasn’t at that introduction. Jonathan pressed his forehead against his hand, his voice rough. “Just drop me off at Luviston Estates.”

Benny glanced at him in the rearview mirror, thinking Jonathan might want to stay at Förlisle Rose Estates again, maybe even at the place he and Teresa used to share. But he just did as asked, drove into Luviston Estates, and pulled into the complex.

Benny helped Jonathan out of the car. The cool night air seemed to sober Jonathan up a bit, and he waved Benny off.

Benny said, “Seriously, Jonathan, look at your two cousins. One’s about to get married, the other’s dating Miriam. It’s time for you to start over. Don’t keep holding on.”

Benny wasn’t saying Teresa was a bad person—they were both his friends. But if it wasn’t meant to be, maybe it was time to let go.

Jonathan shot him a look. “With you still single, why should I be in a rush?”

Benny couldn’t help but laugh, and then said confidently, “If I wanted a wife, I could find one in no time.”

Jonathan just snorted and ignored him.

After making sure Jonathan could handle himself, Benny finally drove off.

Jonathan lay alone on the bed in the master bedroom, memories of the past still crystal clear. He pulled the ring from his pocket and quietly slipped it onto his ring finger. It still fit perfectly.

He spread his fingers, staring at the ring for a long time. The moonlight fell across his slender knuckles, cool and silent. At last, he took the ring off, put it back in its box, and tucked it away in the nightstand.

He pulled out his phone and finally noticed the message Edward had sent him two hours ago:

[Hey bro, how about lunch tomorrow? I want to talk to you about working at Horizonlead Group, and there’s something about Teresa, too. I’ll tell you over food.]

Jonathan pressed his lips together, then quietly replied: [Tomorrow at noon. You get one hour.] After sending it, he turned off his phone.

Miriam called Teresa first thing in the morning, practically bursting with excitement as she told her that Jonathan had finally agreed to have lunch with Edward. Edward had already booked a restaurant for noon, and Miriam planned to have Edward bring Michael along, too.

“That’s a load off my mind,” Teresa replied. After a good night’s sleep, she wasn’t as dizzy as yesterday, though her face was still pale. “I’ll swing by your place this afternoon to pick up Mike after they’re done eating.”

“Alright, let’s do that.”

After hanging up, Teresa was startled by a sudden, heavy knock at the door. She frowned, and her good mood instantly vanished when she saw Jennifer standing outside so early.

Teresa opened the door but didn’t let her in, shooting her a look that clearly asked what she was doing there.

Jennifer blurted out anxiously, “Are you really going to talk things out with your ex-husband today? Please, I’m begging you; don’t do this to me. I’m planning to register my marriage with Donald ahead of schedule.”

“Really?” Teresa’s eyes flickered.