Chapter 198
Life had changed. Teresa was no longer Jonathan's wife, and he had moved on to a brighter career and future.
Teresa said, “Do you remember how we first met? Benny set us up at his barbecue. Looking back, I really wish I hadn’t added you on WhatsApp.”
“Maybe then we wouldn’t have been stuck in this mess for five years,” Jonathan replied, a faint smirk playing on his lips. “Benny gave me your WhatsApp ages ago, but I didn’t add you right away. I didn’t want to seem too forward and scare you. I waited until after we met.”
Teresa’s eyes widened. “Wait, what? You already knew about me? You wanted to know me even before we met?”
Jonathan just smiled faintly, saying nothing.
Teresa began to piece things together. Is Benny seriously just handing out my WhatsApp to random guys to score favors? And worse, does he slap some ridiculous label on me like ‘Rich Girl Looking for Love’? she wondered.
What drove Teresa crazy about Jonathan was how he always left things half-said. But by now, she’d gotten used to it and didn’t bother pressing him further.
Wrapping her down shawl tighter, she said, “I’m going to take a nap. Wake me up when we get there. Or if you get tired, let me know at a rest stop, and I’ll take over driving.”
“No need. We’ll be there in five hours,” Jonathan replied.
“That quick?” Teresa glanced at the clock—it was just past seven in the evening. “Why leave so early? Couldn’t we have just left in the morning?”
Jonathan chuckled. “Morning? We have an 8 a.m. appointment. What time do you think we’d need to leave? Three in the morning? Do you really think you could get out of bed at that hour?”
Teresa pouted. “Then why not book an afternoon appointment? Do we really have to go so early?”
“Morning pulse readings are more accurate. Come on, don’t argue. After we’re done, I’ll take you to see the ocean,” he said. Chicobar was a coastal city, surrounded by the sea. Back in Nareigh, there were bays and lakes, but no ocean. Teresa had always been too busy with work to visit the sea, and now the thought of finally seeing it filled her with excitement.
“Get some rest,” Jonathan said, adjusting her seat for comfort. Teresa finally closed her eyes and drifted off.
After passing the toll station, Jonathan drove toward their destination—a luxurious seven-star hotel. Teresa was sound asleep, and Jonathan didn’t have the heart to wake her. He turned down the heater slightly, worried that a sudden temperature change might make her catch a cold when she got out of the car.
Teresa woke up just as the car stopped. She glanced around at the towering skyscrapers of the business district. They had arrived at the hotel.
Still half-asleep, Teresa noticed Jonathan had already stepped out. He handed her a down jacket, saying, “Put this on before you get out.”
“Why does it feel colder here than in Nareigh?” Teresa mumbled, pulling the jacket tighter.
“We’re by the sea. The water warms up slower than the land in spring, so it’s always chillier here,” Jonathan replied, casually wrapping an arm around her waist as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Teresa rolled her eyes. Seriously, I didn’t need a weather report. I already know this stuff, she thought.
Jonathan had only booked one room—a luxurious presidential suite. The king-sized bed looked ridiculously soft and spacious. Without hesitation, Teresa flopped onto it, stretching out her long legs.
“So this is what a presidential suite feels like. Way more comfortable than home. No wonder Michael was so eager to—” Teresa’s voice trailed off mid-sentence, suddenly realizing what she was about to say. Feeling a bit guilty, she glanced over at Jonathan, who was busy unpacking and hadn’t caught her slip-up.