Chapter 19

The divorce agreement was Jonathan's final gift to Anna, a way to sever ties completely. Ironically, the only thing he had to remember Anna by was the divorce agreement. He examined the agreement, knowing this was the only way he could endure looking at it several times a day.

“Anna, where are you? Finally, I know I was wrong. I’m not asking for your forgiveness, just for a chance to see you again!”

“Anna, everyone who has hurt you has paid the price, even with torment, both physical and mental. Please, just look at me once, please!”

Jonathan muttered these words, unaware how long he'd been speaking, before collapsing unconscious.

His former friends’ families, the Texas family, didn't find reconciliation as easy as expected. Following Jonathan and Anna's marriage implosion, countless people declared they no longer believed in love. There had been so many fans of their "couple pairing" ("C") that, in their admiration, they became loyal customers of the Texas conglomerate. But news of their marriage's collapse quickly turned these same people against them. The Texans, Jonathan, and the Texas conglomerate became targets of public condemnation.

Photos and details about Jonathan and Isabella's relationship came to light from insiders. Many people stopped supporting Jonathan and Anna's love, publicly denouncing them. They went so far as to criticize the Texas conglomerate's official social media. As a result, the Texas conglomerate's stock price plummeted, and even their jewelry line, "AAA," was ridiculed. The once-symbol of true love, "AYANA," was now being boycotted and devalued. Jewelry collectors, upon hearing the news, were so furious that they quickly sold off their pieces at a loss. They had initially bought them because of Jonathan and Anna's fairy-tale romance, only to see it miscarry.

Jonathan bought back the "Love Anna" jewels at a low price. As he held the sparkling gem, he seemed to see Anna's beautiful face again. He still remembered pouring all his love into its creation, from selecting the materials to the design sketches. He personally oversaw everything before handing it over to the world’s top jewelry designers for refinement. After countless discussions, the unique piece was completed. He named it "AVANNA," symbolizing his deep affection for her. He would rather have remained lost in this love. But how did it end up like this?

Jonathan pressed the necklace to his chest, trying to feel Anna’s warmth again. The jewelry felt cold. Even under a collector's care, polished to perfection, it didn't carry the faintest trace of Anna’s scent. Jonathan was on the brink of despair. What could he do to find Anna? It seemed like an unsolvable problem. Suddenly, he had an idea. He could use the internet! No matter where Anna was, as long as she was still online and someone could provide information, he would be able to find her!

Jonathan quickly posted a missing person's notice online. Anyone providing valid information on Anna's whereabouts, including leaving the country, would receive a $100,000 reward. If they provided a recent photo of Anna, the reward would be $500,000.

As soon as the notice was posted, many netizens began to mock it. "He cheated, the Texas conglomerate's stock must have dropped like crazy. Now he's trying this method to cover his losses. What a marketing genius!" "Yeah, all those declarations of love for Anna were probably just marketing. A man's soul, his wife cheats on him, and she has to cooperate with this publicity stunt." "If I can readily get the money, I'll even change my last name to Jonathan's!"

Chapter 20

Although many mocked him, others, curious or determined, deliberately provided false information and deceit. But someone provided valid information. Seeing that they might really earn the money, many netizens went wild, trying to help.

Anna didn't care about the flood of people finding out her whereabouts. Instead, she was a bit annoyed. Her dating apps had been deleted—wasn't that enough of a sign of her determination? Anna knew she wasn't the type to back down; she had never intended to forgive him from the start. Jonathan's apology felt almost laughable. If he knew he was wrong, then why did he continue pretending nothing had happened? Many times, she had wished he would plainly tell her that he had changed his mind and fallen in love with someone else. That way, they could part amicably. But to her surprise, his body and his heart were separate. His body enjoyed Isabella's love, while his heart kept saying he loved her. Was lying some kind of game? If so, she would play along.

Anna deliberately provided photos and her whereabouts to a few people, instructing them to give the information to Jonathan. She smirked, calculating the time, and boarded a plane to the UK ahead of him.

On the other side of the ocean, Jonathan received the clear photos along with the detailed location. His hands trembled with excitement. "Anna plans to forgive me, doesn't she? She's waiting for me to find her, right?" Without hesitation, he booked the next available flight to France and rushed to the bed and breakfast.

Two planes took off at the same time, but their courses and destinations were completely different. Upon arriving in France, Jonathan felt a nervous, almost homesick sensation. He had his assistant check his outfit several times to make sure it was perfect. After straightening himself out, he gathered his thoughts and headed for Anna's bed and breakfast.

The romantic sea breeze brushed against his skin, and Jonathan's heart pounded in anticipation. He was even more nervous than when he had confessed his love to her back then. Would she forgive him? She must, right? After they had loved each other for so many years, how could she give up so easily?

Jonathan tried to convince himself. He subconsciously ignored Anna’s resolute actions. Again and again, he told himself that she still loved him and was simply waiting for an apology. As long as he sincerely apologized, everything would be okay, and they could go back to the way things were.

Jonathan bought a bouquet of sunflowers and arrived at the bed and breakfast. The wind chimes hanging on the door jingled melodiously. The bed and breakfast was decorated romantically, resembling a chic boudoir. But he wasn't in the mood to appreciate it. If he had come here with Anna, perhaps he would have been able to enjoy it.

Knock knock—

Jonathan nervously knocked on the door, already planning his apology. However, no one answered, and after a long while, he still stood there, waiting.

"Maybe she’s asleep and didn’t hear me," he muttered to himself, knocking several more times. Still, there was no response.

Jonathan’s anxiety became apparent, and his palms began to sweat. He had been waiting a long time, but no one came to open the door. In a panic, he nonetheless pushed the door. To his surprise, it was locked tight and wouldn’t budge. On the small blackboard next to the door, it read: "Closed today."

He had originally thought the blackboard meant Anna was waiting to meet him, so she hung up the "Closed" sign to avoid other guests. But now, he understood it was her way of rejecting him. At that moment, Jonathan finally understood Anna had played him. She never intended to meet him. She only wanted to reject him in this way. Everything around him was telling him, "Sorry, I don't plan on forgiving you."

Jonathan stared at the guesthouse in disbelief. They had once talked about opening a guesthouse by the sea when they were together, to occasionally enjoy the sea breeze and embrace each other in simple happiness. Back then, knowing she liked the idea, he had bought several seaside guesthouses in the area and would take her there to relax every now and then. She would always smile happily, and every trip was filled with surprises. Her compliments made his heart feel warm and peaceful. But when did they stop going on these trips together?

Jonathan abominably recalled Since he had been with Isabella, he had spent less and less time with Anna. Those guesthouses were never visited again. Many of the promises he had made to her he had broken. Jonathan felt a growing sense of regret. He hated himself for what he had done. He had worked so hard to win Anna. He knew her family, knew her history, knew they might end up like Anna's parents, but he still gave in. He had refused so many temptations in the past—why couldn't he have just kept going? Now, Jonathan wished he could drag his past self out and beat himself senseless. If he had just stayed true to himself, none of this would have happened.

A blonde woman, dressed provocatively, noticed Jonathan’s impressive presence and became intrigued. It had been a long time since she’d seen such a handsome, charismatic American man. Raising an eyebrow, the blonde woman approached with a flirtatious smile.

“Hey, handsome. Interested in having fun?”

As her pale hand reached for Jonathan’s shoulder, he recoiled as if it were poison. He exuded a chilling aura, but instead of deterring her, it only seemed to excite her. She tried to press closer, using her seductive curves to tempt him. In the next instant, Jonathan shoved her to the ground with disgust, showing no mercy. The force was so strong that it seemed like he was trying to crush her bones. The blonde woman was truly frightened, repeatedly begging for mercy.

“I’m sorry, I won’t do it again, I swear!”

She begged for what felt like an eternity, her voice hoarse in pleading, until Jonathan finally, with a delayed realization, released her.

“Don’t follow me. You disgust me.”

Jonathan felt as if his whole body had been dirtied, a deep sense of discomfort filling him. He booked a room at the nearest hotel. Hot water pounded him, but he felt numb, letting the water wash over him without reaction. His skin was red from the scalding heat, nearly burning the layer off, yet he kept scrubbing his body relentlessly.

“Anna, I’m not dirty, please don’t think I’m dirty.”

“I really know I was wrong. Look, today a woman threw herself at me, and I didn’t hesitate to reject her. Please don’t leave me, okay?” Jonathan muttered over and over again, almost driven to madness.