Chapter 195

Coming back to the Ford residence felt like stepping into a different lifetime. It had only been a few months since I’d left, but everything felt distant, unfamiliar. Perhaps it had always been this way. Perhaps I had never truly belonged here to begin with.

We arrived just in time for dinner. As soon as I walked in, I saw Edward sitting at the head of the table. Alicia was seated beside him, dutifully tending to his every need. To be fair, she did take good care of him. Maybe she had given up on winning over Jonathan and decided to win favor from another angle. This time, though, I said nothing. I simply followed Jonathan to our seats and ate quietly.

Edward had clearly expected me to show displeasure. When I remained calm and unusually well-behaved, he paused for a moment but chose not to say anything. Instead, he turned to Jonathan.

“How are things going with the company projects lately?”

“Everything is moving along well,” Jonathan replied. After a beat, he added, “Soon, I’ll be moving out with Elise.”

“What?” Edward slammed his utensils down on the table. His expression turned dark. Then he continued, “She’s already been living away for so long. She just came back. Why are you taking her away again?”

I glanced at Jonathan, surprised. I hadn’t expected him to say that.

He took my hand gently and said in a quiet voice, “I’ve reviewed your medical records. You’re showing signs of improvement. There’s nothing critical to worry about for now.”

At those words, both Edward and Alicia stiffened slightly. Watching their reactions, a suspicion began to form in my mind. Could it be that his illness was never as serious as they claimed? Was the whole thing just a way to bring Alicia into the house?

Jonathan’s expression remained calm. “I only learned recently that your health is still relatively stable. And since Elise and I are married, it’s only natural for us to live on our own. I’ll have someone pack up our things tomorrow.”

Edward’s face shifted between red and pale, and after a long pause, he finally managed to speak. “Even if I’m feeling better now, what happens if I suddenly get worse again? Don’t you plan to take care of me then?”

Jonathan turned toward Alicia. “With her here, I’m sure you’ll be well looked after.”

That did it. Alicia stood up abruptly. “But Mr. Ford Senior would want to see you too. If you never come home, what if he misses you?”

Jonathan looked at her, his expression unreadable. “If he wants to see me, I’ll come. But for now, he has you. That should be enough.” Then he looked at me. “Are you done? If so, let’s go.”

Edward slammed his hand down on the table. “Jonathan, are you really going to defy me for her?”

Jonathan said nothing at first. He stared back with calm, unreadable eyes.

“I don’t like being manipulated,” he finally said. Then he looked at me again. “Have you finished?”

I froze for a moment. The truth was, I hadn’t even eaten much at all. What did he mean, finished? Before I could say anything, he stood up and took my hand, leading me away.

Behind us, Alicia called out twice, “Jon. Jon, wait.” But he didn’t respond. He never paused. He just kept walking, my hand in his, as we left the house.

It wasn’t until we were in the car that I finally looked at him. I was still a little stunned. “So, this was why you brought me back here? To confront them?”