Ch. 71..80
Chapter 71
Bonnie said casually, “You’ll stay away from me and Ivor for the duration of our agreement if I win. You’re annoying ”
She looked at Rowena and added, “That means you, too.”
“Sure!” Halle gritted her teeth. “What happens if you lose?”
“Then I lose,” Bonnie said softly.
“Why, you! Shouldn’t you have to pay a price if you lose? You’re such a cheater. Looks like you know just how to take advantage of someone else!”
Bonnie leaned on a pillar nonchalantly and raised her brows. “We can just forget about this competition if you don’t like the deal.”
Damn that Bonnie! Both Halle and Rowena were so pissed they wanted to pounce on her. Bonnie had the high ground, and they could think of nothing to say to her!
Floyd stood by Ivor’s side and muttered, “Ms. Bonnie’s kind of tough.”
“How long did it take for you to figure that out?”
Floyd turned to look at Ivor and saw that he seemed very proud of her.
The competition started when all the materials for flower arranging had been prepared.
“Wait,” said Bonnie.
Halle crossed her arms and said, “What’s the matter? Are you regretting your decision? Are you going to give up because you know what’s good for you?”
“I’m not one to admit defeat. I just have a question. How are we going to decide who wins?”
Flower arranging wasn’t the same as chess. You could tell a clear victor in a chess match. On the other hand, flower arranging was a visual art. It depended on whether it was pleasing to the viewer, which meant it could be very subjective.
Since Bonnie was at the Knight family’s party, she worried that the viewers here would appreciate Halle’s work more when they were both done.
“Don’t worry about that. I’ve asked someone to bring in an expert in the art of flower arranging. I’ll make sure you’ll accept your loss!” Halle was prepared for this.
“I have no more questions, then. Let’s begin.”
Time passed as guests gathered around Bonnie. Some guests gathered around Rowena at first, but when they noticed a crowd congregating around Bonnie, they were curious, so they went over to see
her work too.
“How wonderful! It’s so visually pleasing! She’s like an expert herself!”
“Look at that last stalk of silver ragwort. It was so well done!”
“You can see the flowers hanging both high and low, and she has just the right amount of densely packed and loosely strewn flowers. The abstract and the real have been blended together in perfect harmony, and each layer is wonderfully done. It’s a feast for the eyes!”
“It’s elegant and graceful, but it’s also evoking some deep thought. I could stand here looking at it all day.”
Rowena was irritated as she heard the guests showering Bonnie with compliments.
“Hey! Why are all of you focusing on Bonnie? Rowena’s done with her arrangement too! Why aren’t you looking at her flowers?” Halle stomped her feet in anger.
But nobody turned around even after she yelled at them. They continued to appreciate Bonnie’s flower arrangement.
Was it really that good?
Halle squeezed into the crowd and looked at the flowers on the table. She couldn’t help but exclaim,” Wow! That’s amazing!” She quickly covered her mouth as her face turned red.
Rowena made her way there too. She squeezed into the crowd, displeased, but all she could do after seeing Bonnie’s flowers was lower her head.
Bonnie looked at Halle. “Where’s the expert?”
Halle and Rowena’s faces turned very red at that.
Bonnie frowned and asked, “Why aren’t you saying anything?”
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“Hmph! I’ll give it to you, Bonnie. You got lucky and won the competition, but there’s no need to be so pushy!” Halle wished she could hide somewhere now. It was clear that Bonnie had triumphed over Rowena. There was no need for the expert’s evaluation.
“When was I being pushy?” Bonnie was puzzled.
“Just admit it. Your flower arranging skills match that of an expert, but you still decided to have the competition with us. Isn’t it obvious you wanted to humiliate us?” Rowena was on the brink of tears.
“Don’t judge me like that. I’ve never studied flower arranging in my life. I just looked through some books in the library when I was bored,” Bonnie said truthfully.
Was that all she had done? Was she just good at it?
Halle and Rowena didn’t buy what she said. If that was true, did that mean she was a genius? No way. She would be the mother of all geniuses. A freak of nature!
After that, Halle and Rowena left the venue, wailing.
Ivor looked at Bonnie curiously and asked, “When did you study flower arranging?” She had demonstrated impeccable skill. Could she also have learned it while she was young, like kickboxing? Just how many skills did she possess? She showed great mastery over each one!
She answered sternly, “Honestly, I’ve never studied flower arranging in my life. I wasn’t lying to
them.”
It wasn’t every day that Ivor was so surprised he let it show on his face, but that happened today. After a pause, he said, “Do you mean to tell me you picked up flower arranging just by flipping through a few pages in the library? You really seemed like a master!”
She looked at her flowers and said, “I think it’s just okay. It’s nothing to write home about.”
Ivor drew in a sharp breath and cast a compassionate gaze at Halle and Rowena. He finally understood why Grandpa had been adamant about getting them together, He was trying to secure an extraordinary woman for him!
As Ivor was lost in thought, Bonnie said wearily, “It’s exhausting to be your fiancé. There are so many problems for me to untangle. It’s a good thing there’s only a few days left on the clock”
Ivor’s expression shifted and grew cold.
“They just served some chocolate. I’m going to grab some.” With that, she left.
Floyd inhaled sharply and said, “Ms. Bonnie almost makes me feel bad about how ordinary I am.” Then, he noticed Tim, who was secretly Jim, getting closer to Bonnie.
“Tim’s doing his job really well. He’s still protecting her at a close distance on an occasion like this.”
Ivor also noticed what Jim was doing. He stopped when he was about six feet away from her and
leaned on the wall, protecting her in silence. The whole image looked so natural that it felt as if it was Jim’s destiny to keep Bonnie safe.
“Say, do you think they knew each other?
“I’m sorry. Who?” Floyd asked. He caught himself. “Are you talking about Ms. Bonnie and Tim? That’s impossible. I asked Alfred about it. They clearly didn’t know each other the first day they met.
“Huh?” Floyd trained his gaze on Jim
“What’s the matter?” Ivor asked.
“Why do I get the feeling he looks like someone I know? The longer I look at him, the more he seems familiar.”
Ivor was about to ask another question when he saw Flynn, one of his cousins, walking briskly toward
Bonnie.
He approached her, scanned her from top to bottom, and reached out to her. “Hey…” As he was about to introduce himself, Bonnie gave him a piece of chocolate.
“You’re welcome.” She withdrew her hand and moved to take another piece.
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Flynn grinned.
Intriguing.
Jim squinted at him, his face growing darker by the second.
When Bonnie realized the man hadn’t left, she looked at him suspiciously. “Can I help you with something?” Wasn’t he here for the chocolate?
Flynn raised his hand, brushed aside the rogue hair on his forehead, and flashed what he thought was a charming smile at her. “The name’s Flynn. I was there when you were engaged to Ivor, my cousin.”
“Oh. I didn’t seem to notice you,” She said indifferently.
Flynn abruptly stepped closer to her.
She looked at him in alarm and thought he had an ulterior motive. “Is there anything you want from me?”
Ivor’s face turned dark. As he was about to approach them, Ged got in his way, “Why don’t we go for a car ride and have a good time after the party, Ivor? White and the gang have already headed out.”
“You’re blocking my view.”
“Huh?”
Ged was stunned. He turned and followed Ivor’s gaze, seeing Bonnie and Flynn.
“What are they doing together? That cousin of yours has a pretty messy private life. Do you think he’s trying something funny because he thinks your fiancé is hot?”
Ged felt the room grow colder as he said that. When he turned back to Ivor, he saw that his expression
was icy.
“Look at you. You’re getting all worked up. You’ve obviously fallen for Bonnie.
Ivor didn’t say anything about that. Instead, he pursed his lips.
ght Ged.
‘I’ll take his silence as a yes,‘ thought
Flynn was boldly checking Bonnie out. Her skin was as delicate as porcelain, and her exposed shoulders were rosy. Her slender, graceful figure looked as if it was ripe for the picking.
She also had killer supermodel legs that were barely visible underneath her dress. And when Flynn noticed her alluring looks and sparkling eyes, he could barely hold back the primal instinct within
him.
She was one of the most attractive women he had ever seen!
Bonnie’s sharp eyes burned with animosity. “I would gouge your eyes out if you weren’t related to
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212
Grandpa.”
“Hehehe…” Flynn smirked. “Just what I expected from the woman who picked a fight with Aunt
Maisie. You’re so feisty, I love it.”
“You seem like the type who can find trouble anywhere.” Bonnie’s voice grew colder.
“Don’t be like that. I don’t mean you any harm. Anyway, Ivor’s probably the one who’s been giving you trouble. You’ve spent quite some time with him. Wouldn’t you say you’ve taken the brunt of his temper?
“That’s how he’s always been. He’s not a man who treats women well. None of the women who approached him was his cup of tea. The way I see it, he either can’t get it up at all, or he has no interest in women.”
“What exactly are you trying to tell me?”
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“I think I’m being clear enough. Nothing good will come from your relationship with him. Anyway, your engagement is ending soon. You’ll go back to being a nobody once the clock runs out on your little agreement.
“There’s no way I’ll let you go back to your old life and suffer. You’d be better off with me. You can buy all sorts of bags and jewelry. And let’s get something out of the way. I’ll never marry you. After all, you’re from a humble background. My parents would never agree to it anyway.”
“Is that all?” Bonnie was getting annoyed.
Flynn thought he had given her the best terms possible. There was no way Bonnie would turn him down now. He was feeling good about himself and didn’t notice the disdain on her face.
“That’s all I have to say. What do you think? I bet you can’t wait to jump at the offer.”
She clenched her fist and said, “Not really, but I do have a strong urge to beat you to a pulp.”
Flynn was stunned.
“Get out of my sight. I’m losing my appetite just looking at you.
“Why, you little…!” Flynn was about to get mad when he thought of something and smirked. “Oh, I know. Did you turn me down because you were worried someone might have heard what I said? It’s okay. We’re kind of far away from everyone else. No one will know about this.”
Bonnie no longer wanted to talk to him. She treated him like he was invisible and let him ramble on.
Flynn noticed she was quiet and took her silence as a yes. He looked at her figure and checked to see if there was anyone around him before reaching out to touch her.
He asked for this! Jim lifted his leg to kick Flynn.
Bonnie noticed and realized she probably shouldn’t let Jim hurt one of the Knight family members. It would be difficult to clean up that mess, and his real identity could be exposed.
So, she moved faster and swung her leg at Flynn’s groin.
“Ouch!” Flynn yelled out in pain. He closed his legs and took several steps back. His face turned red and he started sweating profusely.
“Flynn!” His mother, Sydney Zimmerman, ran over in concern. “Are you okay?”
“Owww. It hurts, Mom.”
“Damn you, you bitch! How dare you kick my son?!” Sydney roared.
Bonnie looked at them condescendingly. “He had it coming.”
“You’re really full of yourself. How dare you say that when you kicked him, you hick!”
“Full of myself? Me? Why don’t you ask your dear son what he did?”
Ivor walked over to them as she spoke and stood by Bonnie. He didn’t say or do anything, but it was clear that he was there to support Bonnie.
Gunnar Knight, Flynn’s father, heard the ruckus and came over. When he saw his son holding his groin, he asked, “What on earth happened here?“.
Flynn spoke through the pain. “It’s her. She wanted to seduce me, so I let her have it. Then she hit me out of spite.”
Several party guests threw disdainful glances at Bonnie when they heard that.
“Did that really happen? Was Bonnie trying to seduce Flynn?”
“Didn’t you hear what he said? Bonnie and Ivor’s engagement is ending, so I’m guessing she wasn’t willing to go back to her old life because she got used to the high life. Maybe that was why she tried to seduce him?”
“You have a point.‘
“You’re shameless!” Sydney yelled. “I’ve seen a lot of hicks, but I’ve never seen a whore as shameless as you!”
Bonnie took a step forward and slapped Sydney right across the face.
‘Slap!‘ With that, the busy party was thrown into an eerie silence.
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Nobody thought Bonnie would slap Sydney so savagely.
Sydney covered her face and stared daggers at Bonnie. “H–How dare you slap me? I can’t believe you did that!”
Why can’t I slap you? You called me a hick and a whore. You were born into a wealthy family, and I’m sure you’ve been very well educated since you were young-
“Is this how you repay your parents for that? You insulted someone when you didn’t even know the truth about what happened.” Bonnie stared at her coldly, and the animosity coming off of her was unmistakable.
Never in Sydney’s wildest dreams did she think she would be lectured by a young woman. She had lived like a princess ever since she was young. No one had ever slapped her, and even her doted on her as if she were the most precious treasure in the world.
ting me!”
“I’m your husband’s aunt. You’ve committed a great sin by hitting
parents
had
“Heh. My husband? I’m only engaged to Ivor. I haven’t married him yet. Don’t try to fool me with something that isn’t even real. Let’s assume you’re right for a second. You would still have deserved that because you don’t know how to carry yourself like a respectable old lady.”
Sydney just couldn’t win. Her sense of helplessness and rage grew by the second. In the end, she threw herself into Gunnar’s arms and wailed.
“She hit me and Flynn, honey. Why are you still just standing here? You need to stand up for us! How will I live, knowing she slapped me at my age? I should just kill myself!”
Gunnar felt annoyed but helpless. He looked at Ivor. “Maybe Bonnie should…”
“Flynn brought this on himself,” said Ivor blankly.
Bonnie looked at him. She thought he would take his relatives‘ side and leverage this situation to call off their agreement and never see her again. She didn’t think he would support her instead.
“H–Hey, Ivor. You can’t…”
“I might have been further away, but I clearly saw Flynn moving in on my wife with bad intentions.”
“Is that true?” Gunnar glared at his son.
Flynn gritted his teeth and said, “That wasn’t what happened, Ivor. I went over there because I wanted to get some food. She was the one who slid up to me and rubbed her body against mine.
“She said she didn’t want to go back to her old life now that your engagement was ending. She even said she’d do anything as long as I accepted her. But there was no way I’d do that.
“Your engagement with her might be ending, but I’ll still think of her as my former cousin -in–law. Anyway, she’s a whore who’s clearly willing to use her body for personal gain. I wouldn’t dream of
touching her even if she were the last woman on Earth.”
Jim almost lost his cool and beat Flynn up when he heard that. Bonnie had secretly given him a look to stop him. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have cared about the circumstances and his real identity. He would have made Flynn regret belittling Bonnie with his lies!
“Listen to him, Ivor! Your fiance is the one who was being inappropriate. She seduced my son. I demand she get down on her knees and apologize!” Sydney hated Bonnie.
Bonnie, on the other hand, smirked. She scanned her surroundings and said, “I won’t kneel and apologize. Isn’t it true you Knights wanted me gone? To be honest, I couldn’t care less about this place. Goodbye.”
She turned and started to leave. But a thick hand covered in calluses, grabbed her arm.
She turned her hand and looked at the hand, following it all the way up to Ivor’s dashing but
bewildered face.
Was he going to tell her to apologize to his relatives? But she had a hunch he wouldn’t make her stay
because of that
Just as she was trying to figure it out, Ivor pulled her into his arms and hugged her tight.
Bonnie and everyone else was confused.
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Jim charged at them, but Bonnie shot him a look.
He couldn’t take it anymore!
When Bonnie realized Jim hadn’t backed down, she frowned and mouthed the words. ‘Wait and see
what happens next.
Jim read her lips and had no choice but, grit his teeth, clench his fists, and stay still.
Ivor swept his cold eyes over the crowd and stopped at Sydney. He said firmly, “Bonnie and I will be married forever. Our unwavering love will stand the test of time!
His strong words hinted at his determination. It also proved to everyone that he wasn’t joking
He was serious about this! Bonnie’s eyes widened as she stared at him, shocked.
Sigmund saw everything from the second floor and was excited at how things had turned out. “Ivor finally sees what I saw!”
Ivor must have uncovered some of Bonnie’s secrets during the time they spent together, Sigmund thought. He just wasn’t sure if Ivor had discovered her identity as Ms. Bonita.
“A–Are you serious?” Sydney stuttered and asked.
Ivor nodded solemnly. “It’s what Grandpa and I both want.”
“Why didn’t you run this by me?” Bonnie whispered.
Ivor met her gaze, deep affection in his dark eyes. “I’m doing it now.”
“I won’t agree to this. Our engagement is about to end. I’ll leave as soon as it’s over. You can have your life, and I can have mine.”
“What does that have to do with me trying to win your heart?”
She frowned and locked eyes with him. The air between them shimmered with tension and chemistry.
Was he putting on an act? Had he just taken it a little too far? She couldn’t figure out what was going
1. on.
They spoke so softly that no one caught what they said, but anyone could tell there was a frisson between them from the way they leaned so close to each other. The guests slowly turned their eyes on Flynn.
“Didn’t he say Bonnie seduced him? He even said Ivor didn’t want anything to do with her. But look at how sweet they are with each other.
“Ivor confessed his love so sweetly. There’s no way she’d give up on him and seduce Flynn instead.”
“You have a point. Looks like Flynn lied. I don’t get it, though. Why would he lie and frame Bonnie?
And why did she kick him in the groin?”
“Isn’t it obvious? Don’t you know that Flynn has a messy private life? He’s a real pervert. He must have had his eye on her, but he didn’t know Ivor loved her and no one else. He tried to steal Ivor’s
fiancé and hit a brick wall instead.”
Flynn was miserable as he heard everyone muttering about him. Clenching his fist, he gritted his teeth and decided to keep lying.
“You have to believe me, Ivor. She did try to seduce me. I was wondering if it was because she felt insecure about her relationship with you and thought of me as the second option.
“I swear I didn’t lie. If I did, may heaven take my life, sever my line of descendants, and let me suffer
a horrible death!”
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The guests heard Flynn’s oath and were swayed again. It was a solemn oath. So, had Flynn lied or not?
Sydney pitted herself against Bonnie furiously and said, “My son has sworn a solemn oath. You can no longer deny that you tried to seduce him!”
Bonnie was very surprised. She couldn’t believe that Flynn had sworn an oath like that. However, she wasn’t going to be deterred by an insufferable jerk.
“What’s the point of a legal system if we rely only on oaths?”
“Why, you! I can’t believe you’re still denying it. Do you think everyone here believes you?” Sydney’s chest heaved as she breathed heavily.
Jim stepped forward. “I hold in my hands the proof that Flynn was trying to take advantage of Ms.
Bonnie.”
Ivor squinted at Jim.
“You have proof? What proof? Show me! Show everyone if you can! My son is innocent. He swore a solemn oath, for heaven’s sake. Let’s see this proof of yours!”
Jim took out his phone and played a recording.
It
It was very clear that Flynn was the one who had tried to hit on Bonnie.
Sydney stopped hollering. Her jaw fell to the floor. Gunnar was so ashamed he wished he could disappear.
Flynn stared daggers at Jim. The bodyguard had thrown a wrench into his plan.
“Ahem!” Sigmund walked over and looked at Flynn. “It’s bad enough you wasted most of your days drinking and fooling around. You even flirted with Ivor’s wife!”
“I’m sorry, Grandpa! Please forgive me. I let it go to my head. Anyway, I thought he didn’t like Bonnie. Didn’t you want her to marry into our family? I’m willing to take her if Ivor doesn’t want to.” Flynn patted himself on the back internally as he spoke.
Ivor’s face grew dark.
Sigmund struck Flynn with his cane. “You bastard! You clearly haven’t seen the error of your ways! I can’t believe you’re saying such nonsense!”
Flynn yelled in pain, but he wasn’t willing to give up.
“You’re playing favorites, Grandpa. I’m your grandson too. Why can’t I marry Bonnie instead of
Ivor?”
“Do you deserve her? Take a look at yourself. I wouldn’t have said what I said if you deserved her in the slightest. If I set her up with you, I’d be ruining her life!”
“How could you say that about your own grandson, Grandpa? She just won the Best Scholar Award. What’s so special about her?” Flynn refused to give in.
“She just won the Best Scholar Award? You know nothing!”
Flynn could see he had really pissed Sigmund off. Things wouldn’t end well if he kept arguing with
him.
Sigmund turned to look at Gunnar and Sydney. “Take him back and make sure he learns some manners. He’s grounded for a month!”
Sydney felt resentful and was about to say something, but her husband stopped her. “Let’s take Flynn home. We’ll talk about it later.”
What a coward! Sydney glared at him. She wouldn’t have let this rest if the bodyguard hadn’t shown. everyone the recording.
The party ended because of this incident.
“Damn it! That bodyguard ruined everything!” Flynn flew into a rage as soon as he was back home.
“Calm down, Mr. Flynn. How about I get a few men to teach him a lesson?” Someone suggested.
“Good idea! Beat him to a pulp. Maim him, even! Remember to find some elite fighters. We can’t afford to underestimate any bodyguard working for Ivor. Wait a minute. We shouldn’t hire bodyguards. This is a job for hitmen!”
“As you wish, Mr. Flynn. I’ll see to it right now.”
Ivor stopped Jim as he was getting into the car with Bonnie.
“You’re going back home with Floyd.”
Jim glanced at Bonnie, but she just gave him a quiet look.
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Bonnie and Jim had only exchanged a brief look, but a vigilant Ivor caught it.
“Here you go.” Ivor opened the car door for Bonnie.
“Thanks.” Bonnie slid into the passenger’s seat.
Jim watched as the car drove off into the distance. He didn’t avert his gaze until they vanished from his sight completely.
Floyd leaned on his shoulder in a friendly manner and said, “It’s a good thing you were quick. Otherwise, it would have been a mess.”
“I’m Ms. Bonnie’s bodyguard. It’s my duty.”
“The night’s still young. Want to go for some kebabs?” Floyd said to Jim.
“That won’t be necessary.”
“Don’t worry about the money. You’re the new hire. It’s my duty to look after you. You might not know it, but I like you a lot. Come on. Let’s go.” Floyd started to drag Jim away.
All of a sudden, Jim and Floyd stopped in their tracks. Their gazes met.
“Did you sense that too?” Floyd asked.
Jim continued walking. “Don’t give anything away.”
“When did you realize?” Floyd was curious. It felt as if Jim had noticed a second before he did. They were being followed.
“About a minute ago.” Jim knew what was on his mind.
“Do you think they’re here because of you or me?” He asked.
‘Have I pissed anyone off?‘ Jim thought to himself. He had fought in a lot of matches and antagonized
a lot of people.
Could it be his rivals from the international fighting competition?
Jim made his way to a secluded place as he pondered the situation.
“Stop them!” When the hitmen saw that there was no one around, they made themselves seen. Jim swept his eyes across the hitmen and counted fifteen men. They were all strong fighters.
“Looks like they’re hitmen.” Floyd said, his back to Jim.
“Exactly.” Jim could tell as well.
hitmen (
Just as they were talking, the at them. They split into two groups. One of the groups. tried to fend Floyd off while the other one moved in to kill Jim..
“They’re after Tim.‘ Floyd thought to himself. Who in the world wanted Tim dead?
Floyd hadn’t gotten his job as Ivor’s bodyguard by being slow on the uptake. He could guess just who was behind this attack.
“Watch out!” Floyd yelled.
“Pow!” Jim punched one of the hitmen. He fell as if he had been hit by a truck.
“Pfft!” Blood spurted from his mouth.
“Impressive!” Floyd could tell Jim’s punch was more powerful than his.
Jim took care of several hitmen as Floyd looked on admiringly.
What a fight!
At that moment, one of the hitmen jumped out of the bush behind Jim as he was facing two other
opponents.
“Watch out!”
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Floyd yelled.
Shit! Even he would have trouble surviving so many opponents. Tim might end up dead. He seemed to be having trouble shaking off the strong hitmen who surrounded him.
Jim’s eyes contracted and his fighting spirit grew. He seized one out of the three hitmen in front of him and tossed him at the two others. Another hitman snuck behind him and threw a punch to the back of his head.
Reacting swiftly, he bent over, and the hitman’s fist brushed past him. Next, he took a step back with his right foot, gathering momentum, and hurled his fist at his opponent!
It landed right in his opponent’s face, knocking him unconscious and throwing him to the ground. Was that the Soaring Cannon?!
Floyd’s eyes widened as he watched that incredible moment. That was Master Jim’s signature move!
Jim was completely fired up. Cracking his neck and twisting his arms, he wagged a finger at the rest of the hitmen, taunting them.
Floyd was dumbfounded. He had watched the International Fighting Competition not long ago. Master Jim’s opponent had insulted Arvandor right before the semi–final. As a proud Arvandorian, Master Jim didn’t stand idly by. Instead, he wagged his finger at his opponent and taunted him as well.
Tim’s current demeanor and battle spirit were a carbon copy of Master Jim’s!
Jim completely overpowered his opponents and made quick work of them while Floyd tried to recover from the shock. His vanquished foes lay still on the ground.
Floyd’s jaw was still agape as he stared at Jim incredulously.
Jim was having a good time. It had been a long time since he had such an exhilarating fight. He turned to see Floyd’s shocked expression and cursed internally.
He had let his battle lust take over and forgot to keep his fighting skills in check. Had he made Floyd suspicious?
“What’s wrong, Floyd?” He asked as he walked over.
Floyd finally recovered from his shock and asked, “D–Did you just use the Soaring Cannon?”
So, he recognized it.
Jim smiled gingerly. “Don’t you know I’m a fan of Master Jim? I watched his matches and copied him.”
“That’s his signature move! No one can copy that! Not even I have been able to recreate it faithfully!
Floyd wasn’t exaggerating. Master Jim was the only one who could use that move to its full destructive power. Other fighters might have been able to imitate it in look, but never in essence.
“It’s not that hard, actually. Maybe I just have a knack for it,” Jim responded lightly.
Floyd thought about what Jim said and figured it was a sound reason.
20
Maybe Tim did have a knack for the Soaring Cannon. It still didn’t sound right to him, but he couldn’t. find another reason to explain what he had just seen.
Could Tim really be Master Jim? They didn’t look alike, though! Had Master Jim changed his appearance to disguise himself?
But Master Jim was Ms. Bonita’s personal bodyguard!
Jim watched Floyd’s reaction closely and decided that he believed his story.
“Come on. Let’s go have some kebabs.”
Floyd grunted and followed Jim.
Jim was acting naturally. Maybe he was just reading too much into it.
Bonnie and Ivor’s car stopped at a traffic light. Bonnie turned to look at Ivor.
“There’s a dock right up front. Should we go for a walk?”
Ivor was a little surprised, but responded, “Sure.”
He pulled over and walked on the dock with Bonnie. The breeze blew in the chill from the ocean.
Ivor took off his suit jacket and gave it to Bonnie.
“It’s a little cold. Take this.”
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“It’s not that cold. You can put it back on.”
Ivor ignored her and put the suit jacket over Bonnie’s shoulders. His warmth lingered in the suit jacket, and it warmed up not just her body, but her heart as well.
“Thank you for helping me back at the party, but you shouldn’t have said what you said. It was my personal affair and what you said will just lead to a misunderstanding. Everyone probably thinks we’re a real couple now.”
Ivor’s lips curled into a smile and he looked at Bonnie lovingly. “Let them be.”
“Don’t you care?” She raised her
r brow.
“So
what? I think it’s good that they think that.”
Huh? Bonnie’s eyes widened and she proceeded to scan Ivor. She was a smart woman. She could gauge just how truthful he was being.
After a brief pause, she asked, “Do you have a real crush on me?” It was the same question she had asked him before. He had denied it back then..
“Bingo.” He nodded.
He had answered her question so casually that she wasn’t sure if he was being serious. She was still thinking it over when he suddenly lowered his head and kissed her forehead.
Bonnie was dazed, surprised, and couldn’t believe what just happened. She whipped her head back and saw Ivor meet her gaze firmly, smiling faintly.
After a few seconds, Bonnie abruptly took several steps back.
“Are you serious? Or is this some kind of joke?”
It was refreshing to see Bonnie panic. Ivor loved it. He couldn’t help himself and decided to tease her a
little.
“Take a guess.
Bonnie rolled her eyes, turned, and left.
“Hey. Are you mad?”
Bonnie didn’t respond.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have teased you.”
Still unwilling to look at him, she continued to walk away and brushed past his car. She had decided to
call a cab home.
Ivor realized what she was doing and walked over to grab her hand. He pulled her to his side, gripped.
her shoulder, and said seriously, “I mean it. There are eight days and twenty–two hours left on the clock. Our engagement is ending soon. You’ll know how serious I am by then.”
She scanned him meticulously and decided that she couldn’t read his mind.
“You just love to act all mysterious.”
He could tell she was no longer mad at him, Smiling, he said, “Let’s go home.”
Ivor tracked down Floyd the moment he arrived home.
“Did you do what I asked?”
“They’re working on the engagement ring you reserved. It’ll be ready before your engagement ends. I’ve also finalized setting up the venue.”
“Okay. Well done. You can go.” Ivor could barely wait to get this done. It would be the memory of a
lifetime for Bonnie.
It took him several seconds to realize that Floyd hadn’t left.
“Is there anything else?”
Floyd was still thinking about Tim. He could no longer bear it.
“There’s more to Tim than meets the eye, Mr. Ivor.