Irene still had that photo of Jonathan with a stranger saved on her phone. She sent it to him, warning, “You need to watch yourself. Do you even know who that person is? For all you know, they could be criminals!”
Jonathan glanced at the photo and suddenly pieced it together. “You showed this photo to Teresa, didn’t you?”
“I was just looking out for you,” Irene replied. “If this photo gets out, people will say the CEO of Horizonlead Group is cozying up to criminals. And what if they twist the story and claim you’re one of them?” Her tone was sharp and accusatory.
Jonathan flicked the photo onto the table, his long fingers tapping lightly on the surface. “You think a photo like this can shake me? If I let something so trivial affect me, I wouldn’t have made it this far.”
But Irene wasn’t done. Her voice grew harsher, her frustration spilling over. “It’s all Teresa’s fault. Ever since you got involved with her, your life’s been a mess. Look at how much better you’ve done since you left her behind.”
“Enough,” Jonathan leaned forward, his gaze locking onto Irene’s with icy precision. “I’ll ask you one thing. Did you use this photo to threaten her?”
Irene’s gaze flickered as she tried to avoid Jonathan’s eyes. When he kept pressing her, she finally snapped, “She left on her own. It has nothing to do with me.”
Jonathan’s tone sharpened. “What I’m asking is, did you take this photo to her? Did you say things like, ‘She ruined me’ or ‘She’s been dragging me down’?”
Irene pressed her lips together, her silence confirming Jonathan’s suspicions. His brows furrowed deeply.
“Why did you go to her? I’ve told you before, my relationship with her is none of your business. You’re not her mother-in-law anymore, so you shouldn’t have gone.”
“But I’m your mother!” Irene shot back. “I don’t know who sent me this photo. They said they’d expose you, and I panicked. I was scared it would ruin your reputation, so I went to Teresa. I don’t want her dragging you down anymore.”
“She’s never dragged me down,” Jonathan said firmly.
“Really? Hasn’t she caused you enough trouble already?” Irene retorted, her eyes full of disdain for Teresa.
Jonathan’s clenched fists loosened weakly. “You’re my mother, the one who raised me, and she’s the woman I love most. You’re both the most important people in my life. Why can’t you accept her?”
“What’s so great about her? I just can’t stand her! I don’t want a daughter-in-law like her,” Irene cried, hitting Jonathan’s chest repeatedly. “I worked so hard to pull you out of that mess, and now you’re throwing yourself back in.”
Jonathan’s determination solidified. He finally had the reason he needed to go to Fernlandia and find Teresa. He reached out to Miriam for Teresa’s exact location.
The sprawling landscapes of Fernlandia stretched out endlessly as Jonathan’s car pulled up to the villa where Teresa had been staying. He had traveled all this way to find her, but the person who greeted him at the door was Evelyn.
Evelyn raised an eyebrow. “Jonathan, what brings you here?”
Jonathan gave a slight nod, though his gaze couldn’t help but dart past Evelyn, searching for any sign of Teresa. “Evelyn, sorry to bother you. I’m here to see Teresa.”
Evelyn’s brows furrowed slightly, her tone turning cold. “Teresa isn’t here.”
Jonathan’s voice remained respectful, though there was a hint of urgency. “I just need to say a few words to her. There’s something I need to explain.”
“She’s really not here. I’m not trying to stop you,” Evelyn replied, her voice tinged with exasperation. “We had an argument, and she left. I have no idea where she went. That stubborn girl refused to tell me anything.”
Seeing the doubt in Jonathan’s expression, Evelyn stepped aside, gesturing for him to come in. “If you don’t believe me, feel free to look for yourself.”
Jonathan stepped inside, his eyes scanning the room. There was no sign of Teresa. He made his way to her room, only to find it empty. His gaze swept over every corner, searching desperately for any clue she might have left behind.
Jonathan had been trying to call Teresa, but her phone had been unreachable for a long time. It wasn’t just him; Evelyn hadn’t been able to get through to her either.
Jonathan’s worry was written all over his face. “She’s not here anymore, and she doesn’t have anywhere else to go. Where could she be staying?”
“Maybe she went back to Rosary Estates. That’s the only house she owns,” Evelyn said, her tone uncertain.
Seeing no other leads, Jonathan prepared to leave. Evelyn stopped him and said, “If you see her at Rosary Estates, let her know I’m worried. It would give me some peace of mind.”
Jonathan nodded in agreement, his gaze briefly falling on the little girl sitting on the sofa, wearing a diaper and clutching a stuffed doll. That must be Isabel, Teresa’s little sister.
The toddler, barely a year old, let out cheerful babble as she played with her doll. Evelyn walked over, picked Isabel up, and gently cradled her before stepping outside to see Jonathan off.
Before leaving, Jonathan turned back and said, “Teresa loves you deeply. Whenever you were in the hospital, she was always the one who worried the most.” With that, he finally departed.
Jonathan was restless on the flight back, his thoughts tangled in worry. He wondered if Teresa had returned to Rosary Estates. If she had, she would have told Miriam.
The moment he landed, he rushed to Rosary Estates, holding onto a sliver of hope. But when he arrived, there was no sign of Teresa. That faint hope quickly turned into unease and anxiety.
Jonathan couldn’t stop worrying about Teresa’s living situation. After their divorce, he had offered her the house in Luviston Estates, but she turned it down. That left her with only the house her grandparents had left her.
Jonathan reached out to Miriam, who was just as concerned. “Teresa left Fernlandia? She didn’t even tell me, her best friend?” Miriam said, disbelief written all over her face.
Miriam tried contacting Teresa but couldn’t get through. “Oh, wait. She sent me a message a few days ago,” Miriam said.
[Miriam, I’ll need you to handle the company matters for me. The signal here isn’t great, so if you need anything, just email me. I’ll reply as soon as I see it. Don’t worry about me. I’m doing fine.]
After reading the message, Jonathan asked Miriam for Teresa’s email address. “If she contacts you, let me know. It’ll help me keep track of things,” he said.
“Alright, I will,” Miriam replied.
Jonathan logged into his email and composed a message to Teresa.
[Where are you? Do you have enough money? Stop being so stubborn and come back to Nareigh. I know my mom approached you before you left and tried to threaten you. It won’t affect me in any way. Please don’t let it weigh on you.]
He didn’t sign the email with his full name, leaving only the letter “J” as the sender. After hitting send, the email showed as delivered. Yet, by the end of the day, Jonathan still hadn’t received a reply from Teresa.