Simon Lockwood seemed to be waiting just for this promise. His tightly furrowed brow relaxed slightly. Seeing the unconcealable heartache deep in her eyes, he finally began to speak, unhurriedly, "They wanted me to enter an arranged marriage. I refused, so now..."
"They kicked me out of the Sinclair family," Simon Lockwood said.
His tone was calm, with almost no fluctuation, as if he were recounting someone else’s story. But Joanna Kennedy could hear the unconcealable sadness beneath his flat tone.
For a moment, the air was silent, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
The young master of the Sinclair family was to be engaged to the Pemberton family’s daughter. Simon Lockwood refused the arranged marriage. Simon Lockwood was kicked out of the Sinclair family. Simon Lockwood... was looking for a job.
Invisible threads seemed to tighten around her chest, making it hard to breathe. After what felt like an eternity, Joanna Kennedy opened her mouth, but her throat was dry and hoarse, and no words came out.
After a long moment, she finally found her voice and murmured, "...Why didn’t you want the arranged marriage?"
In truth, Joanna Kennedy knew the answer but asked anyway. Perhaps it was because, deep down, she was unwilling to believe in the sincere and ardent love Simon Lockwood had shown her. Or perhaps it was guilt, a feeling that she wasn’t worthy of him giving up so much.
But Simon Lockwood would never make things difficult for her. He expressed his feelings openly—clumsily, but with sincerity.
Simon Lockwood reached out, his thumb gently pressing the corner of her eye. He could feel its dampness. A small red mark, like a tiny rose petal, appeared where his thumb had been...
So soft, so damp. With just a little more pressure, he could leave a mark that would never fade...
Unseen by her, a dark glint flashed in his eyes, but his expression remained unchanged. His voice was soft as he consoled her, "Joanna Kennedy, don’t be sad for me..."
"This was my choice. Whatever the consequences, I was prepared to face them."
The man’s voice was very low and soft, his words brushing against her cheek as he spoke. But Joanna Kennedy didn’t notice, her mind completely preoccupied with what Simon Lockwood would do now.
Joanna Kennedy had entered the entertainment industry right after graduating from college. Although she didn’t have much corporate experience, she knew how harsh society could be. Even top graduates from elite universities sometimes struggled to find jobs, let alone someone like Simon Lockwood who hadn’t even gotten his college diploma yet.
Simon Lockwood’s identity was also a huge problem. If the Sinclair family deliberately tried to sabotage him to force him to come back, there would be nothing she could do.
Logically, she should persuade Simon Lockwood to go back. But if he really returned to the Sinclair family, it would mean accepting the arranged marriage—getting engaged to and marrying another woman...
It was as if two little figures were fighting in Joanna Kennedy’s mind. A little devil in black berated her for being too selfish, while a little angel in white said that this was Simon Lockwood’s choice and she should respect it.
But the thought of Simon Lockwood hitting walls while job hunting, possibly being bullied by a boss, and becoming less "impressive," was unbearable for Joanna Kennedy.
"Simon Lockwood, we’re not in a relationship. You... you still have a choice..." Joanna Kennedy said, enduring the sharp, stabbing pain in her heart.
It was understandable for Simon Lockwood to have his head turned by a momentary passion, she thought. He was still young, after all. But she was already 25. She couldn’t be so selfish.
Joanna Kennedy tried to find the best solution amidst her chaotic thoughts, but then she heard Simon Lockwood speak:
"I don’t have a choice anymore. All of my bank cards have been frozen. This apartment will be taken back too."
"..."
’How... could this happen...’
Joanna Kennedy’s face fell, her thoughts a complete mess. She opened her mouth but didn’t know what to say.
Simon Lockwood had closed the distance at some point and was now practically holding her entire body in his arms. He lowered his head slightly, burying his face in the crook of her pale neck, and said in a muffled voice, "Joanna Kennedy, I only have you now. You can’t leave me..."
The tall man rested against her neck, his tone laced with a barely perceptible vulnerability, clinging to her tightly as if she were his last lifeline.
The man’s grip was so tight it made Joanna Kennedy’s arms and waist ache, but she didn’t have the slightest thought of struggling. She just felt that Simon Lockwood was insecure.
The man, who was usually so calm and aloof, was now like a big, soaked dog, looking utterly pathetic. The contrast was huge, but Joanna Kennedy didn’t mind it at all. Instead, a wave of tenderness and affection welled up from the bottom of her heart.
Feeling the arms around her tighten again, Joanna Kennedy immediately replied, "I, I won’t leave you..."
Her tone was placating. Simon Lockwood loosened his grip slightly, his voice dropping even lower, almost to a whisper, "Joanna Kennedy, don’t lie to me, okay?"
Something brushed against her neck—not too hard and not too soft—and it felt warm and damp. Joanna Kennedy thought Simon Lockwood was crying. Her breath caught, and she spoke at once, "I won’t. I won’t lie to you."
Her mind was consumed with the thought that Simon Lockwood was crying. An image of his usually cool and remote face, now broken with sorrow, appeared in her mind’s eye. Her reason flew right out the window, and she was completely unable to assess the situation clearly.
She reached around and soothingly wrapped her arms around the man’s firm waist. A pain shot through her own waist as if he had pinched her. She let out a soft hiss but didn’t move. "Don’t go work odd jobs at a restaurant, and don’t join some talent show."
"Being a trainee is really hard, and people will bully you," Joanna Kennedy analyzed earnestly, trying not to be too blunt for fear of hurting his pride.
Joanna Kennedy realized today that the calm and mature Simon Lockwood she always saw was just a facade. In reality, he was also just a young man who could feel sad and lost.
She shouldn’t always think of Simon Lockwood as being invulnerable, nor should she think of him as being so calculating. He just liked her, that was all. There was nothing wrong with that.
After waiting a long moment without a response, Joanna Kennedy was about to get up again, but she was pressed back down. She was getting anxious. Just as she was about to speak, Simon Lockwood finally spoke, his voice betraying no emotion:
"...If I don’t work, I won’t have a place to live or food to eat..." Simon Lockwood said slowly. If you listened closely, you could hear a hint of bitterness in his voice.
"..."
Joanna Kennedy was at a loss for words. Her large eyes were full of conflict, as if she were making a momentous decision.
Where Joanna Kennedy couldn’t see, the man’s expression was completely calm and untroubled. The usual coldness in his dark eyes was gone, replaced by a deep, swirling desire. His warm lips brushed intermittently against her neck.
After what felt like an eternity, Simon Lockwood’s eyes grew darker. Just as he was about to add more fuel to the fire, the girl finally spoke, steeling herself. "You can stay at my place for now."
"As for work, you can be my bodyguard for now. You can work and finish your studies at the same time." Afraid he would refuse, Joanna Kennedy quickly added, "I was going to hire a bodyguard anyway, so this isn’t me pulling strings for you. Besides, the salary for a bodyguard is quite good."
It was a very considerate explanation, but she didn’t know that the man couldn’t care less about that. Simon Lockwood’s lips slowly curled into a smile. He finally relaxed, resting his chin on her small shoulder. "Okay..."
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