Chapter 330

“Mr. Jean, I must insist you return to your ward and rest immediately,” the nurse warned, playing her final card. “Or I’ll have to call Dr. Jean.”

Ross dropped his eyes, saying nothing as he turned and retreated to the adjacent room.

Inside, Conan noticed Danielle’s smile and asked curiously, “Is that the guy you like?”

“Yep,” she answered.

“You’ve always had a type,” he chuckled. It was uncanny–somehow there really was a man who seemed designed to her specifications, captivating her at every turn.

Danielle’s smile stayed put. “No, it’s just Ross now. I’d like him no matter what.” She’d spent days coming to terms with her growing feelings, but after so many rejections, she was waiting for him to make a move.

At nine that night, Conan finally left. With a cast on her leg, Danielle couldn’t walk him downstairs, only seeing him to the ward door.

The moment Conan was gone, Danielle debated checking on Ross. Before she decided, her phone pinged with a message: [Come here.]

She tucked her phone away, grabbed her crutches, and headed to his room.

Ross was propped up in bed, a book on the nearby nightstand. When she sat down in front of him, he couldn’t hold back. “Who is he?”

“Childhood friend,” Danielle replied, her serene smile turning sly. “My dad loves him. He’s been trying to set us up.”

Though Ross had saved her life, Tim still disliked him because of his past rumors.

Ross frowned, pressing his lips into a tight line.

Danielle rarely saw him like this. Unable to resist, she shuffled closer, fiddling with the buttons on his collar to flirt with him. Unlike the shyness of days before, she was a different person now.

“Ross, are you jealous?” she murmured, her fingers brushing his Adam’s apple as she toyed with his buttons. The softness in her voice made his chest tighten.

Ross didn’t flinch. He caught her hand and said flatly, “Yes. I am.”

“What’s there to do? You’re not my boyfriend, so you can’t be jealous.”

Ross felt a sharp pang. He wanted that title. “Danielle, let me be your boyfriend. Okay?” His warm voice dropped to a husky murmur as if luring her into a trance.

Danielle nearly nodded yes but caught herself just in time. Inside, she was ecstatic. Ross had finally made a move.

“Next time I want to kiss you, will you still push me away?” she asked.

Ross shook his head. The rejections before? He’d only held back because she tempted him too much. “Danielle, I’d love it if you kissed me.”

She pressed on. “If I want you, will you give yourself to me?”

“Once I heal, whatever you want is yours.”

‘Fair enough,’ Danielle thought. She blushed but recovered quickly.

She’d always been flirty with Ross. Earlier shyness was just because her feelings had grown too strong, leaving her tongue tied.

“Stay put,” she smiled. “I’m kissing you.”

“Go ahead.”

Danielle leaned in, pressing her lips to his. The kiss was messy, but Ross wasn’t a saint. And Danielle’s boldness? It drove him wild.

When she pulled back, satisfied, she licked her lips.

Ross, ready to kiss her back, was left dazed–overheated, itching to drag her into his arms and keep kissing until he’d had his fill.

“Danielle,” he breathed, gripping her hand–clear intent to keep going.

She pecked the corner of his mouth, half–teasing, “Don’t move. We can’t risk your stitches.”

Ross thought, ‘She’s cruel–stirring me up and then leaving me hanging.’

The company gave Jameson just three days to repay the embezzled funds. He had no choice but to sell off part of his shares, several properties, cars, and valuable collectibles, barely scraping together five billion dollars to cover the shortfall.

Now, aside from his unsold shares, his net worth tanked, with liquid assets of less than 300 thousand dollars.

Still, he faced pending lawsuits from Tim and Ross. In just over a week, he looked a decade older.

Even though Natalie called him a failure behind his back, she was still his woman and the mother of his son. He couldn’t lose Ruth and then Natalie too. That would be a total disaster.

But after the allergic reaction, Natalie’s dark scars wouldn’t fade, and her temper grew increasingly volatile. She often lashed out at him, and now, simply because she didn’t get the food she wanted, she started hitting and cursing him.

Jameson had never tolerated such abuse from anyone except Ruth. He snapped, “Natalie, are you done yet?” His face turned icy as he slapped her back.

“How dare you hit me?” Natalie roared.

“Stop throwing baseless tantrums.”

“Don’t you realize I’m the one keeping this family afloat now? With those measly shares, do you really think you can bounce back?” Natalie yelled.

Jameson grabbed her hair and snarled, “That money came from me in the first place. How dare you talk back using my own cash? Who do you think you are? Look at yourself. If you keep this up, don’t blame me for getting rough.”

When Jason came home to the chaotic scene of shouting and destruction, he couldn’t stand it and stormed out again.

Thanksgiving arrived quickly–a time meant for family reunions.

Jameson tried to return to Jean Villa, but Janice turned him away, saying she’d never let him set foot inside unless he cut all ties with Natalie.

After weighing his options, he still couldn’t bring himself to abandon Natalie and Jason. They’d spent so many years together. Even with their relationship in shambles, his feelings for them lingered.

Then he received a document out of the blue–records of Natalie’s gender reassignment surgery at 18 in Moranta. The truth hit him like a punch. The woman he’d left his family for was transgender.

Instantly, nausea flooded his body.

Jameson felt a rush of heat to his head, his vision swam, and he collapsed at home.

When Ruth learned Jameson had seen the files about Natalie’s surgery, the bitterness in her heart finally lifted.

Richard thought Jameson got exactly what he deserved - no sympathy needed. After confirming that even if Ruth regained her memory and held affection for Jameson, he finally relaxed.

At York Residence, Joshua was helping Shermaine pack. She was departing for Ustrana at dawn to attend a math conference. He wanted to join her, but work obligations kept him rooted.

Right now, Shermaine had just wrapped up a video conference in the study. After debriefing her team, she started to head to her room for a shower, only to have Joshua enter before she could stand. He scooped her into his arms and set her on the desk.

Resting his forehead against hers, he whispered a question in her ear.