Chapter 59
Shirley had a nagging suspicion that Jonathan was siding with Cynthia. Do they have a close relationship? she wondered. She recalled that Cynthia had once conducted an exclusive interview with Jonathan. Maybe that was when they got to know each other.
But, Shirley quickly dismissed the thought. After all, Jonathan and Cynthia were probably just friends, Cynthia was Filip’s wife, and Shirley had no reason to be concerned.
To reassure herself further, Shirley took the initiative to confirm with the manager of Cloudtop Restaurant that there were absolutely no surveillance cameras installed on the premises. No one had witnessed what happened, and she doubted any evidence remained.
With that in mind, she felt emboldened to push things further, determined to tarnish Cynthia’s reputation. Shirley said, “Mr. Bennett, you probably don’t know this, but Cynthia and Lillan have a personal grudge. Cynthia pushed Lilian–she tried to kill Lilian’s baby.”
Jonathan’s expression remained cold, and his voice was calm. “From what I know about Ms. Cynthia Jones, she has no reason to do that.”
The crowd murmured. It was becoming increasingly clear that Jonathan had a connection with Cynthia, and his protectiveness toward her was evident. Shirley noticed this too and thought, ‘What does he mean by “what he knows about her? How well do they really know each other?”
Shirley let out a mocking laugh. “Mr. Bennett, you might not be aware, but Cynthia has every reason to act that way. She is in love with Filip, but he loves Lilian, who is pregnant with his child. Cynthia has gone mad with jealousy, and that’s why she lashed out at her.”
The crowd looked as if they had just realized something. It turned out that all the rumors circulating were true. They turned to Filip, the heir to Yates Construction, whose sharp features and commanding presence made it easy to believe someone might lose their mind over him.
If Cynthia really was the biological daughter of the Jones family, she might have been a good match for him. But since she wasn’t–and given her birth family’s troubled reputation–she could not measure up.
“So, are you saying Ms. Cynthia Jones targeted Ms. Sheppard because she’s in love with Mr. Yates and is jealous of her?” Jonathan asked.
Shirley could not admit that Cynthia was actually Filip’s wife and that Lilian was the other woman. She knew Cynthia would not reveal the truth either–Cynthia was too proud for that.
Emboldened, Shirley pressed on. ‘Of course. Filip is exceptional, and Cynthia has been after him for a long time. He and Lilian are in love, but Cynthia keeps trying to come between them.”
At that moment, Shirley didn’t care about the Jones family’s reputation. She was determined to ruin Cynthia in front of Jonathan. Then, Jonathan chuckled and said, “That makes no sense. How could my girlfriend be after another man?”
With that single sentence, the entire room fell silent. Someone thought, “His girlfriend? What does he mean?
Everyone was stunned–even Shirley was at a loss. ‘Cynthia? His girlfriend? How could that be? That’s impossible!” she thought to herself.
Jonathan casually slid his arm around Cynthia’s waist, gazing down at her with affection before turning back to the room. The tenderness in his eyes lingered as he shifted his gaze from her to the crowd. “Don’t we make a good pair?” he asked.
No one had ever witnessed the typically aloof Jonathan display such warmth toward another person. The socialites nearby felt waves of jealousy toward Cynthia as they witnessed this rare occurrence. Meanwhile, Shirley stood frozen, caught completely off guard.
Chapter 59
‘Cynthia? Jonathan’s girlfriend? It’s not adding up! Shirley thought. Her gaze darted to Cynthia, and her anger flared. “Mr. Bennett, you must be mistaken, Cynthia already has a husband, she blurted.
At that moment, Shirley’s thoughts raced. Cynthia was beautiful—it wasn’t a stretch that Jonathan fell for her charms. But, surely he did not know that Cynthia was already married. Confident she had uncovered Cynthia’s lie, Shirley pressed on. determined to expose her.
However, Jonathan didn’t seem the least bit fazed. There was no trace of shock on his face, nor did he get angry like she had expected. Instead, he simply asked with a casual tone, “Oh, really? You’re saying my girlfriend’s married? Then tell me who is her husband?”
up Filip
Shirley froze. She and Lilian had orchestrated the entire story, painting Cynthia as the third wheel trying to break and Lilian. But if the truth came out–that Cynthia and Filip were legally married–it would flip the whole narrative.
Lilian faced the possibility of being exposed as the mistress, with Shirley as her accomplice. The Yates family’s reputation would suffer significantly, and they wouldn’t take it lightly on Shirley. She couldn’t afford to let the truth slip.
Lilian nervously watched Shirley, fear filled her eyes at the thought that Shirley might reveal everything. Thankfully. Shirley still had a bit of clarity left. Meanwhile, Filip furrowed his brow, his expression darkening as he noticed Jonathan’s hand around Cynthia’s waist.
Attempting to prove her point, Shirley said, “Regardless, Cynthin is married. She’s deceiving you–she’s cunning, manipulative, and has a heart full of malice.”
Jonathan’s expression turned icy, his voice cutting and cold. “All you’ve done is slander her and accuse her of things she didn’t do. If there’s anyone here who’s malicious, it is you. You have no decency at all.”
To be publicly labeled as malicious by Jonathan was a humiliating blow. Shirley trembled with rage as whispers and murmurs filled the room. She could feel everyone’s eyes on her their judgment stung like a barrage of slaps. Rage boiled inside her, and she was on the verge of erupting.
Her voice shook as she retorted, “Mr. Bennett, no matter how powerful you are, you can’t throw around accusations without proof. Even if Cynthia is your girlfriend, you can’t ignore the facts just to protect her.
She continued, “She pushed Lilian–we all witnessed it. The fact that she shoved a pregnant woman like that shows just how cold and ruthless she really is
Jonathan smiled coldly. “Are you absolutely sure about what you saw? If not, you’re falsely accusing her. Ms. Shirley Jones, do you really want to face the consequences of framing my girlfriend? Are you willing to swear you’re telling the truth?” His tone was low and dangerous.
Shirley felt the weight of his threat. His cold stare was like a sharp blade, holding a warning she could not ignore. But at that moment, she did not care. Her only focus was on bringing Cynthia down.
“I swear I saw Cynthia push Lilian with my own eyes! If I’m lying, the Jones family will go bankrupt, and I will live in poverty and misery for the rest of my life!” Shirley exclaimed.
