Chapter 630

“Jonathan, could you lend me 1 million dollars?” Donald finally managed to say. “I’ll pay you back gradually.”

Jonathan asked Donald what he needed all that money for.

Donald said, “I want to buy my mom a home in Soronfield.”

Werner and Cathy had divorced. Cathy insisted on living alone, and though Donald tried to persuade her to move in with him and Jennifer, she firmly refused.

Cathy had once told Donald she loved Soronfield, saying how wonderful it would be to buy a cozy little villa there if she had the money. So he wanted to help Cathy fulfill her wish by buying her a move-in-ready villa with a courtyard.

Donald pleaded, “Jonathan, my mom just wants a place to recover from the divorce. I want her to live out her golden years in peace, but I simply don’t have the means right now. I don’t have that kind of money.”

Jonathan understood what Donald was getting at. He lowered his gaze, took a sip of coffee, and said calmly, “If your mom is living alone, the place doesn’t need to be too big. About 1,000 square feet should be enough.”

Donald’s head snapped up. Jonathan’s expression remained calm. What was a trivial amount to him was a fortune in his eyes.

“Jonathan, rest assured. This is a loan from you, and I’ll pay you back gradually. I swear I’ll repay every cent within my lifetime.”

“Alright.” Jonathan gazed into Donald’s tear-filled eyes and couldn’t help but chuckle. “I thought you had some huge problem. It’s just a loan, no big deal.”

Jonathan stood up and walked into his study. He wrote out a check for 1 million dollars and handed it to Donald. Seeing Donald so moved he was about to be grounded, Jonathan stopped him just in time.

Donald was so overwhelmed with emotion he could barely speak. “Jonathan, from now on, I swear you’re my hero and my unwavering faith. If you ever need anything, just tell me. I may not have money, but I can put in the work for you.”

Jonathan gave Donald’s shoulder a reassuring pat. “It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

Donald choked up and said, “No, Jonathan, this means the world to me. Honestly, I’d work my fingers to the bone for you. Having a cousin as wonderful as you is the greatest blessing Cheryl and I could ever ask for.”

After all, Donald was in desperate need of money, and few were willing to offer timely help in his hour of need. Yet Jonathan readily came through for him. Donald was deeply moved.

As Donald was leaving, Jonathan said meaningfully, “I just hope our relationship never ends up like my father and uncle’s. No matter what happens in the future, promise me you’ll never stab me in the back.”

Donald raised his hand, swearing an oath. He’d never become someone like Werner. He’d never be two-faced or say one thing and do another. Neither would he betray Jonathan nor do something against his conscience.

Donald said, “Jonathan, you can trust me with your life.”

Jonathan didn’t say anything more. He just gave Donald’s shoulder another reassuring pat and told him to go home.

At Nareigh General Hospital, Teresa was ready to be discharged, with the doctor confirming she could leave that afternoon.

Miriam called Teresa and said, “Jonathan just called me out of the blue, frantically asking which hospital you were in.”

Teresa froze for a second. “You told Jonathan about me, didn’t you?”

“I didn’t. I have no idea who told him. It wasn’t Jennifer, was it?”

Teresa thought for a moment. The people who knew she was hospitalized, besides Jennifer, there was also Sanford. Yesterday, just before hanging up, Sanford asked her if she was hospitalized.

Teresa said, “Miriam, don’t tell Jonathan. I’m being discharged today anyway. It’s nothing serious.”

“Um… I already told him you’re at Nareigh General Hospital. He should be arriving soon.”

Teresa didn’t say anything.

Moments later, voices drifted in from the hallway.

To her surprise, Jonathan showed up so soon. Teresa quickly pulled the covers over herself and lay down, pretending to be asleep.

The door swung open. She heard a ringtone she knew all too well, and Jonathan’s deep, familiar voice. Her heart skipped a beat. She’d recognize that voice anywhere.

Jonathan said on the phone, “I won’t be in the office today. Just push back anything that’s not urgent. That’s all.”

Teresa’s eyelids fluttered slightly, her long lashes trembling. She felt a cool, calming presence settle beside her, enveloping her.

Jonathan reached out and gently stroked Teresa’s cheek, his hand lingering there.

Teresa couldn’t resist. She cracked her eyes open just a slit, only to see Jonathan standing there, his brows deeply furrowed as he stared intently at her.

Teresa knew she could no longer keep up the pretense and had to put on a calm front. “What are you doing here?”

Jonathan frowned again at the sight of her pale complexion. “You’re in the hospital and didn’t tell me?”

“It’s nothing serious, just mild gastroenteritis. I’ll be discharged this afternoon. So who told you I was in the hospital?”

“Sanford. He’s changed his name to Gary now.”

“Oh. I figured it was him who told you.”

Jonathan let out a frustrated sigh and said, “Honestly, Teresa, you’re impossible. I don’t even want to talk to you right now.”

Teresa arched an eyebrow. “What did I do wrong?”

Jonathan complained, “Why would you tell him about your hospitalization, but not me? Am I always the last to know when something happens to you?”

Teresa pursed her lips and suddenly remembered something. She fell silent for a few seconds. She didn’t tell Sanford she was in the hospital. He figured it out. So technically, she didn’t tell anyone she was in the hospital.

Jonathan sighed in exasperation. “Let’s drop it. What did you eat that made you sick?”

“Nothing much.”

“How could you mess up your health like this? Don’t I know you too well? You love spicy food.”

Teresa said, “I just had some barbecue.” She couldn’t resist her craving and had a little spicy food. Not being able to drink alcohol was making her crazy. “You really expect me to believe it was just a little? Did you order the extra spicy kind again? Now look, you’ve completely messed up your own body.”

Teresa had the sudden urge to throw off the covers and hop around, just to show Jonathan she was perfectly fine. But then she realized that she was in a hospital gown and she was pregnant. So she sat still and said nothing.

Jonathan glanced at her with concern. “Aren’t you hot, all bundled up like that?”

“No. The AC’s on.”

“Don’t set it so low.” Jonathan adjusted the AC and gave Teresa a resigned look. Just then, his phone rang again. He answered the phone and then ordered a premium nutrition meal to be delivered within half an hour.

Teresa watched as Jonathan paced back and forth, dialing one number after another. She waited until Jonathan was no longer busy before asking, “So, what exactly did you get for me?”

“Anything you want.”