Chapter 41

Jonathan released Cynthia and strode away. Cynthia felt even more exhausted. After arguing with Filip at the Yates residence, she’d had a fight with Jonathan. She understood a man's possessiveness to some extent, but she hadn't broken any agreements. Appeasement would be too tiring. Men were merely toys for her happiness, and she didn't want to fall for any of them again.

Cynthia slept half the day. When her phone finally charged, she saw a screen full of missed calls—all from Jonathan, including one at 4:00 a.m. He'd waited up all night. She sighed, feeling an inexplicable emotion. In truth, she wasn't as carefree as she seemed.

When Filip returned home, she broke up with Jonathan because she'd developed feelings for Filip ("Pretty Boy"). She couldn't allow herself to fall in love, so she ended things completely. She hadn't anticipated Jonathan's influence in Betrico. The situation had reversed; she couldn't end things on her terms. The initiative was in Jonathan's hands. As long as he wasn't finished with her, she was stuck. Deep down, she didn't want to be entangled with him; he was more dangerous than Filip. If their relationship soured and he let her go, it might not be bad.

As expected, Jonathan didn't return to Greenfield Villa for several days. She didn't contact him. Each night, she wondered if their relationship was truly over. As the days passed, the weight on her heart lifted, and she felt she'd escaped someone she shouldn't have been involved with. Relief washed over her, yet she felt a lingering disappointment.

Cynthia's vacation was ending. As she considered resigning, Freddie called, asking her to host the 7:00 p.m. prime-time news the next day. Cynthia was puzzled; Freddie wouldn't return the position for no reason. As she suspected, online news revealed several developments regarding the earlier post:

• Dennis had a gambling addiction and a history of abuse.
• Someone claiming to be a champion for justice defended Rachel, calling her kind and loving.
• Several families Rachel had worked for as a nanny vouched for her good character, denying rumors that she was a cruel killer.
• A neighbor witnessed Dennis abusing Rachel the day he died, suggesting she might have acted in excessive self-defense.

Rumors also circulated that Cynthia, the prime-time host, had been switched at birth and was the daughter of the Jones family, who owned the Jones Group. The internet exploded. Skepticism surrounded Rachel's case, with calls for a new investigation and retrial. Another focus was the story of the Jones family's true and false daughters. Shirley's identity was also exposed. Both Cynthia and Shirley were trending.

Online comments included:

• "[Poor Rachel; after being abused by her husband for twenty years, she accidentally kills her abuser during her only act of defiance and now faces life imprisonment.]"
• "[I hate the term domestic violence; it’s clearly assault. If Rachel hadn’t resisted that day, would it have just been defined as another family dispute?]"
• "[Ms. Jones shouldn’t be affected by this; she grew up as the daughter of the Jones family. While everyone is criticizing her, she could easily distance herself from her birth mother, but she hasn’t denied her at all.]"
• "[Is it really possible for babies to be switched at birth? That real daughter of the Jones family, Shirley, is also pitiful, growing up in such a horrible family.]"

Public sentiment had shifted dramatically, with many calling for Cynthia's return to prime-time news. Her Twitter following skyrocketed from around 100,000 to three million overnight. Freddie likely saw this as the reason to bring her back.

Cynthia didn't believe the online narrative changed so quickly without manipulation. Rachel's situation had been thoroughly investigated, and public opinion swayed—not something an ordinary person could accomplish. Was it Jonathan? For the first time, Cynthia felt conflicted. She considered calling him.

That evening, her phone rang—it was Jonathan. Cynthia stared at her phone before answering. Silence hung in the air until Jonathan's deep voice said, "Is it true that if I don't reach out to you, you'll never contact me?"

Cynthia replied, "Did you have anything to do with what's been going on online?" She knew the rumors would fade, but addressing the issue would require immense resources. She'd planned to let it pass.

"Yeah, it cost me a lot of money. How are you going to thank me?" Jonathan said.

Cynthia chuckled. "How about I treat you to dinner tonight?"

They agreed to meet at Cloudtop Restaurant. Cynthia arrived first and chose a window seat. Suddenly, she heard Shirley's voice. "Cynthia, are you having dinner here, too? What a coincidence."

Cynthia looked up to see Shirley with Selena and Justin. She stood and greeted them, calling Selena and Justin "Dad" and "Mom." Selena gave her a cold glance, but Justin explained, "We're here to check out the venue. Next Sunday is Shirley's birthday, and we plan to throw a big party in the banquet hall."

Before Cynthia could respond, Shirley said, "Next Sunday is also your birthday, Cynthia. Since we share the same birthday, why don't we celebrate together?"

Cynthia had spent the past three birthdays with the Yates family. She replied, "No, I don't want to overshadow you. I'll let you be the one and only little princess."

Shirley scoffed, "You really think you can overshadow me?" Noticing Justin and Selena, she changed her tone, wrapping her arm around Selena. "Mom, even though Cynthia is married now, she is still part of the Jones family. We shouldn't let others think we treat her poorly. I'd love to celebrate my birthday with her, to…"