Chapter 234 - 233: Don’t Hate Me
As he boarded the plane to America, Simon Lockwood had thought, ’If she doesn’t want me, then I don’t want her, either. No one in this world can’t live without someone else.’
He and Joanna Kennedy were two parallel lines that should have never crossed. If the Kennedy family hadn’t gone bankrupt, perhaps she would have gone her separate way long ago.
But that’s just how people are. The more you try to forget, the more clearly you remember. When he received his first major earnings and was dubbed a "rising star of Argent Street," his first thought was— ’Will Joanna Kennedy regret it?’
’If she knew about his achievements now, would Joanna Kennedy regret leaving him back then? Would she regret giving up on him so soon?’
’The pampered heiress, whose grades improved but whose mind didn’t grow at all, had abandoned him. So, did she get what she wanted?’
After returning to the country, Simon Lockwood suddenly felt a strong desire to know how Joanna Kennedy was doing. So, he hired someone to investigate. The private investigator was fast, unearthing every detail of Joanna’s life over the past few years in just one week.
A nine-to-five job at a library, a damp and narrow rented room......
In one photo, the girl, who had lost her baby fat and now had a sharp chin, was sitting at a roadside stall, eating and crying over some unknown grievance. She was eating the cheapest egg noodles, dressed in a generic, long black padded coat.
Joanna Kennedy was not doing well. Not well at all.
Simon Lockwood thought he would be happy to see this. But in reality, he just felt an immense sadness. An overwhelming sense of suffocation made it hard for him to breathe.
’Did she leave him just to live this kind of life? Stupid and foolish, with no improvement at all. And on top of that, she’s heartless and ungrateful. It’s like she was born to be bullied.’
This was all Joanna Kennedy’s own doing. Simon Lockwood’s grip on the photo tightened as he repeated to himself over and over— ’Joanna brought this suffering on herself. She deserves it.’
’An ending like this was a perfect match for a pampered heiress who carelessly trampled on other people’s feelings.’
’He would absolutely not go back... to find her.’
After seeing the photos of Joanna Kennedy, after learning about her past few years, he threw himself into his work even more frantically, trying to numb himself. But the photos from the private investigator kept arriving on his desk.
Joanna Kennedy’s role was stolen. Joanna Kennedy was bullied. Joanna Kennedy cried again today. Joanna Kennedy fought back. Joanna Kennedy learned to protect herself. Joanna Kennedy... had grown up.
On his shoulder, the girl was still crying, her slender, pale arms wrapped tightly around his neck. But Simon Lockwood felt no pain. He turned his head and kissed her tear-streaked cheek, his voice low. "Joanie... don’t hate me......"
He just... didn’t know how to tell Joanna Kennedy.
"Then, are you still hiding anything from me?" Joanna Kennedy managed to choke back her sobs. "Tell me everything. Right now."
’She really couldn’t take crying like this every time.’
Simon Lockwood seemed to be thinking it over seriously. After a long moment, he slowly said, "There’s nothing else......"
"R-Really?"
"Really." Simon Lockwood soothed her by stroking her back. His Adam’s apple bobbed. "Joanna Kennedy, don’t cry anymore. You’ll get dehydrated......"
Joanna Kennedy was a little embarrassed by what he said. She wiped her tears away vigorously and mumbled, "Mhm......"
Simon Lockwood gently helped the girl sit up a bit, his tone worried. "Does your heart still hurt?"
"......A little." Joanna Kennedy didn’t let go. Instead, she fell back into his arms and snuggled against him dependently.
His warm, pleasant scent enveloped her completely. Joanna Kennedy felt her emotions calm a little, and she finally had the presence of mind to look at the photos on the wall.
After looking around, she pursed her lips. "Why did you... hang up photos of everything?"
Hanging up photos of her crying was one thing, but there was even one of her sitting by the road eating a scallion pancake, her face completely distorted in the shot. It wasn’t flattering at all.
Joanna Kennedy was not happy. The more she looked, the more embarrassed she felt. The thought that Simon Lockwood had looked at these countless times made her feel like she had completely lost face. "You’d better take these down later!"
"Why?" Simon Lockwood was a little bewildered. "No one else will see them. If you don’t like it, I’ll lock the attic."
Joanna Kennedy: "........."
’Was that what she meant?!’
’She didn’t want these embarrassing photos to be in front of Simon Lockwood’s eyes anymore, not for him to lock them away!’
Joanna Kennedy didn’t understand. "And after you lock it? You won’t come in to look at them?"
Simon Lockwood didn’t reply. His silence made it obvious: he would still come in.
Joanna Kennedy was frustrated and tried to persuade him. "Take these photos down, and then hang up pictures of me now, and photos of the two of us together. Wouldn’t that look so much better?"
"......Let’s go out," Simon Lockwood finally managed to say after a long pause.
Joanna Kennedy: "........."
Joanna Kennedy was angry. She glared at him with eyes swollen like peach pits, but when her gaze met the man’s deep, dark irises, all her anger vanished. Defeated, she said, "Fine, do whatever you want......"
’When it came to Simon Lockwood, her image was a lost cause anyway!’
That night, for the first time, Joanna Kennedy was incredibly clingy. Like an octopus, she clung to Simon Lockwood and wouldn’t let go, kissing and nibbling on him.
Simon Lockwood indulged her completely, not resisting in the slightest. He would occasionally whisper a few sweet nothings, which only seemed to energize Joanna Kennedy more.
The result was that the next morning, Simon Lockwood’s neck was ringed with red marks, a faint bite mark was visible on his chin, and a small hickey had been left on his cheek.
Paired with his cold and noble face, he was the very picture of an untouchable ice prince who had been thoroughly ravaged.
At the breakfast table, as the housekeeper’s eyes darted furtively between the two of them for the third time, Joanna Kennedy finally couldn’t take it anymore. With her face flushed beet red, she said, "I’m done eating."
She was about to get up and go upstairs, but the man grabbed her wrist with an undeniable firmness. Simon Lockwood frowned. "Finish your soy milk."
Joanna Kennedy’s gaze met his, saw something, and then quickly darted away. Her face grew even redder as she said demurely, "I’m full......"
"Half a bowl of soy milk and one sweet potato bun, and you’re telling me you’re full?" Simon Lockwood sounded like a teacher scolding a student, his expression dead serious. "If you ask me, maybe one-third of your stomach is full."
The comment was merciless and hit the nail right on the head.
Joanna Kennedy: "???"
"Pfft—" The housekeeper couldn’t help but let out a laugh, then tried to cover it up by saying, "I’ll go check if Mimi has finished her cat food."
Joanna Kennedy: "........."
Once the housekeeper was out of earshot, Joanna Kennedy couldn’t hold it in any longer, her embarrassment turning to anger. "Simon Lockwood!"
’She was angry. She was really angry. What did he mean, ’one-third of your stomach is full’?! Was her appetite really that big?! Not at all, okay!’
The girl was fuming, but Simon Lockwood didn’t seem to realize what she was angry about. He simply picked up a few shrimp dumplings with his chopsticks and placed them on her plate. "Hurry and eat."
Looking at the plate now full of shrimp dumplings, Joanna Kennedy was speechless and even angrier, glaring at him with wide eyes.
She glared until her eyes ached, but Simon Lockwood remained completely unmoved. She waged an internal war for a moment but ultimately couldn’t resist the temptation of the delicious food. She silently ate the shrimp dumplings. After she was done, she licked her lips, a little embarrassed. "Simon Lockwood, I want some more......"
Simon Lockwood: "........."