Chapter 100

At that moment, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. They couldn't believe Jonathan had another girlfriend. While not public, Jonathan's loyalty to Nina was well-known. No other woman had ever stood a chance, so the possibility hadn't been considered.

If anyone wanted to get close to the Bennett family, they knew they had to focus on Nina. However, if Jonathan had found someone else, all their years of effort would have been wasted. Some even thought, "If there's another woman besides Nina, why can't it be me?"

No one wanted the beautiful woman before them to be Jonathan's girlfriend; only then could they feel at ease. Celine, however, was different. As the daughter of one of the four most prominent families, she'd been spoiled from a young age. Her family adored her and was close to the Bennetts, so she didn't hold back.

Celine scoffed. "Jonathan, are you too afraid to admit it in front of Nina?" Before Jonathan could answer, Cynthia suddenly laughed.

"Ms. Sexton, you've misunderstood," Cynthia said, having already decided on her course of action the moment Jonathan spoke.

Celine glared. "What do you mean?"

"That day, I ran into Mr. Bennett by accident," Cynthia replied calmly. "He helped me with something and then asked for a favor in return. So, I followed him into the private room and played along. Don't you get it, Ms. Sexton?"

Celine was stunned. "Played along?"

"Mr. Bennett asked me to pretend to be his girlfriend to get rid of you," Cynthia said, glancing at Jonathan. A faint smile played on her lips. "Mr. Bennett and I aren't close at all."

Jonathan's expression darkened; he was desperately trying to control himself. His hand, clenched into a fist in his pocket, betrayed his inner turmoil. He thought, No matter what, I can't show my emotions now. There are many of Whitney's people at the banquet.

Celine was on the verge of tears. "Jonathan, is what she's saying true? Did you find some random woman to get rid of me? Do you really hate me that much?"

Jonathan's gaze was icy. "Celine, I think I've made myself clear. I don't like you, and I never will. The Bennett family will never marry into the Sexton family. As a daughter of the Sexton family, you should know better than to cling to me like this."

Someone nearby muttered, "Honestly, does Mr. Bennett really need to spell it out like that? Celine should know better."

Another added, "He'd rather find a random woman to act as his girlfriend than give Celine any hope. He must really dislike her."

Celine finally broke down, bursting into tears. "You're all so cruel! Just wait!" she yelled, storming away, but the murmuring continued.

One person said, "Mr. Bennett is devoted to Nina. He's lucky he didn't fall for Celine's tricks."

Another remarked, "Celine is so annoying. Nina is all grown up now, Mr. Bennett. You should marry her soon."

Someone else added, "Yeah, we all know you've been waiting for her to grow up. It's been six years."

"Shut up!" Jonathan snapped, his voice icy and menacing. His foul mood was evident.

Some people thought, It's all Celine's fault for ruining Mr. Bennett's mood. Now he's taking it out on us!

No one dared to speak further. Only Nina slowly approached. She gently tugged on Jonathan's sleeve, looked up at him, and asked, "Mr. Bennett, are you okay?"

Jonathan blinked, seeming to return to the present. His gaze softened as he looked down at her. "I'm fine. If Celine bothers you again, just call me," he replied.

Nina nodded, but her gaze shifted to Cynthia. "Is she a friend you brought along?" she asked.

Nina didn't recognize Cynthia, and her name wasn't on the guest list. Having been with Jonathan at Roncrity, Nina assumed Jonathan had brought her. Just then, Naomi stepped forward and put an arm around Cynthia's shoulders. "She's my friend. She's here with me today."

"Oh, so she's your friend," Nina remarked, visibly relieved. She glanced at Cynthia. "Sorry I didn't greet you earlier."

Naomi replied, "It's okay. She didn't come for you anyway." She turned to Cynthia. "Come on, Cyn. Let's not worry about them. How about we go upstairs and have some fun?"

Naomi was tall, and even in heels, Cynthia was shorter. From behind, they almost looked like a couple. Cynthia smiled. "It's getting late. I should leave now."

She briefly turned to Nina. "Ms. Nina Sullivan, happy birthday. I'll be leaving now." With that, Cynthia turned to leave.

"I'll give you a ride, Cyn," Naomi said, immediately following her. Together, they headed out to the courtyard.

As they left, the gossip resumed. One person said, "They seem to be more than just friends."

Another added, "Naomi always dresses in a way that's neither masculine nor feminine. I wonder if she might be into women. And Ms. Jones is so beautiful. Is she Naomi's girlfriend?"

Someone said, "I'm straight, yet even I am smitten by Cynthia's beauty."

Nina cut in. "Let's not talk about Naomi, okay?"

The group quickly changed the subject. "Nina, let's cut the cake. You and Mr. Bennett may cut it together," someone suggested.

Nina turned to Jonathan, her face filled with expectation. "Is that okay, Mr. Bennett?"

Jonathan nodded. "Okay."

Meanwhile, Naomi drove Cynthia back to her hotel. Cynthia sat quietly, staring out at the city lights. Her earlier carefree attitude had vanished; she slumped in her seat, exhausted.

"Are you okay?" Naomi asked.

Cynthia leaned against the window. "I'm fine," she replied.

"What's going on, Cyn? How did you end up with Jonathan?" Naomi asked.

Cynthia suddenly smiled and turned to her. "He's my toy boy. I've been supporting him for three years."

Naomi nearly swerved the car. "Wait… What? He's the toy boy you've been talking about?"

Naomi had been out of the country but had kept in touch with Cynthia, so she'd heard snippets of her life. Cynthia chuckled. "Impressive, isn't it?"

Naomi gave her a thumbs-up. "Damn! You just picked a toy boy, and it turns out to be Mr. Bennett—the one from the Bennett family."

Cynthia laughed, but Naomi sensed something was off. "Cynthia, are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm fine. It's just a toy boy. We broke up, so what? It's not the end of the world. He's not worth that much," Cynthia replied, her tone calm but distant.

Chapter 101