Chapter 206

Teresa shook her head. “It’s nothing,” she said softly, though her eyes brimmed with countless unspoken words. Jonathan, if you ever find out I had your child, will you feel sorry for me for raising him alone, or will you hate me for keeping it a secret? she wondered. Teresa didn’t know the answer. At first, she didn’t want to tell him. Then, it became something she couldn’t bring herself to say. And now, she was too scared to say it.

Teresa snapped back to reality. There was no way she could carry over a hundred roses by herself. Jonathan had just paid $300 for them all, and she wasn’t about to leave without making the most of it. Spotting a group of young people running roadside stalls nearby, Teresa was inspired. She decided to try her hand at selling the roses.

Mimicking their style, she called out, “Don’t miss out! One rose for just five dollars, and you get a free photo with this handsome guy next to me!”

Jonathan stared at her, dumbfounded. He thought, You’ve got to be kidding me!

Teresa grinned. “Come on. No one here knows us anyway. What’s the harm? Otherwise, we’re just throwing the flowers away. This way, we can at least make some travel money.”

To her surprise, a few girls hesitated, clearly tempted by the offer. They wanted both the roses and the chance to take a photo with Jonathan.

But Jonathan immediately turned his back. “I’m not an attraction. Don’t rope me into your schemes.”

Unfazed, Teresa quickly adjusted her pitch. “Fine. Buy a rose, and you’ll get a free photo with me, the stunning beauty of the day! Don’t miss your chance!”

Jonathan could only look at her in exasperation. He thought, How can she be so shamelessly confident? Though, to be fair, she is indeed stunning. Soon, a few girls approached, bought roses, and eagerly posed for photos with Teresa.

One girl remarked that Teresa looked like her favorite celebrity, while another said she resembled a member of a girl group—someone who must be great at singing and dancing.

Jonathan suddenly interjected, “Don’t let her face fool you. She’s tone-deaf.”

Teresa shot him a glare. “If you’re not going to help, at least don’t sabotage me.”

Jonathan didn’t say another word. He stepped aside, watching Teresa expertly take selfies with the girls. She was a selfie pro, effortlessly finding the best angles to make everyone look their best. The girls were beaming, each happily buying a rose before they went on their way.

More young girls came by just to buy roses without taking photos. Many couldn’t resist complimenting Teresa, saying how beautiful she was and how handsome her husband was.

Teresa explained, “He’s just my partner, not my husband.”

“Really? You two totally look like a couple,” one of them replied, clearly unconvinced.

“Who said we were a couple? We’re just a duo. Nothing more,” Teresa protested.

Jonathan wanted to chime in, but as the crowd around them grew, he decided to let it go. He turned away with his hands stuffed in his pockets, letting Teresa ramble on as she pleased.

Out of nowhere, a slightly chubby man walked up, cheerfully bought ten roses, and asked to take a photo with Teresa. The moment his hand touched Teresa’s shoulder, a long, strong hand swiftly brushed it aside. Jonathan stepped in front of Teresa, his face darkening. “Men take photos with me. Ladies take photos with her. That’s the rule,” he said unhappily.

“Hey, man, I’m straight, okay? Who wants to…” The man suddenly froze, his eyes widening. “Wait… Are you Jonathan, the CEO of Horizonlead Group? The guy who became a legend by building an empire in just over two years?”

Jonathan extended his hand for a handshake. “Hello.”

“Hello.” The man grabbed Jonathan’s hand enthusiastically, refusing to let go. “You’re my idol. Please, let me take a photo with you. I’ll buy all the remaining roses.”

Jonathan didn’t know how to react.

Teresa had to stifle her laughter, clearly noticing the “money” look in Jonathan’s eyes. It reminded her of the time she had to grovel to him when she was just a part-timer.

In less than an hour, all the roses were sold. Jonathan grabbed Teresa’s hand and pulled her toward the car, eager to leave for other scenic spots before he lost the last bit of his dignity.

“Looks like you’ve got quite a few male fans, huh?” Teresa said.

“Thanks for noticing,” Jonathan said, flicking her forehead gently. “Always such a show-off,” he added with a smirk.

“Well, we made about $500,” Teresa said as she opened WhatsApp to transfer the money to him. Her tone was calm, almost businesslike. “That leaves us with a net profit of $200. Should be enough to cover your gas, right?”

Jonathan didn’t respond immediately. Instead of starting the car, he suddenly leaned in and planted a firm kiss on her lips, the sound echoing in the quiet car.

“What the hell, Jonathan? Can you not be so impulsive?” Teresa wiped her lips, glaring at him.

Jonathan fastened her seatbelt with deliberate slowness and then said with a smirk, “And dragging me into photos with strangers isn’t impulsive? Real classy, Teresa.”

At that, Teresa was left speechless.

As the evening sky darkened, Benny checked the time. The results he’d been eagerly waiting for were finally out, and he left the dealership, heading straight for the DNA testing center. Benny drove to pick up the sealed envelope. His friend Frank, noticing his cheerful grin, handed him the package and teased, “What’s got you so happy? Did you hook up with some gorgeous chick?”

Benny replied, “Well, I went for a test drive and got a DNA test done. Scored myself a brand-new Land Rover in the process. Thinking of picking it up tonight.”