Ch. 1471..1780
Chapter 1471 A Slight Unease
Genevieve smiled, affectionately draping her arm around Johanna's shoulder. "Amanda and the boy are about seven years old now. I was thinking, once I finish my busy work, I'll be fine with going on a belated honeymoon with Mando. But since I have a talented designer by my side, I can't not make use of you... Jojo, could you help me design a wedding dress?"
As she spoke, she unlocked her phone and pulled up a picture of a coronet from her gallery.
Johanna bent down to examine the photo closely, "Is this a medieval coronet? It's so exquisite."
"I suppose so." It was something Armand had bought at a high price several years ago. Genevieve had worn it once to appease him, but since then, it had been kept in the jewelry cabinet.
Genevieve asked, "Is it difficult to design a wedding dress that matches this coronet?"
"It's not difficult."
Designing clothes is something Johanna is interested in, and she is extremely talented at it.
Johanna pulled out a sketchbook from her bag, and in just five minutes, she completed a quick draft of an armilla.
Although the wedding dress in the drawing book was colorless, Genevieve swept her eyes over it and found it to be exquisitely detailed. She could even imagine how beautiful it would look when worn.
Genevieve looked at the draft and remarked to Johanna, "If I hadn't been sitting next to you all this time, I wouldn't believe you drew this in just five minutes."
"Sketching is a fundamental skill for a designer," Johanna said with a small smile. "Do you like this set?"
"I love it so much that I wish I could wear it tomorrow."
Johanna closed the sketchbook. "Designing clothes is easy, but the tailoring process that follows is quite troublesome. Also, the skirt is too plain. I'll have to refine the wedding dress in a few days."
"It will take at least a year for the finished wedding dress to be ready," she added. "And that's only if I'm solely focused on this task."
"No worries. I'll be busy with work for the next couple of years anyway," said Genevieve nonchalantly. "Whenever the wedding dress is ready, that's when I'll have the belated wedding ceremony with Mando."
Just as lunch was ready, Genevieve and Johanna finished their chat.
Genevieve went into the kitchen to help serve the dishes. Armand looked at her, and when he noticed that she was all smiles, he couldn't help but smile too. "What did you talk about with your friend that made you so happy?"
"You want to know?" Genevieve beckoned the man with a flick of her finger.
As the man leaned over, Genevieve kissed him softly on his thin lips, and with a mischievous smile, she said, "I'm not telling you."
After kissing him, she turned around and left.
Asel spent the whole day playing with her older friends in Swallow Garden. By six or seven in the evening, her excitement finally wore off, and she fell asleep from exhaustion before even getting home.
After arriving home, Timothy carried the girl to the children's room.
He wanted to find an excuse to have Johanna stay the night, but Johanna, having spent every day at home with Asel, knew that the girl would probably sleep until the next morning.
Johanna picked up the coat from the couch. "Rest. I'll go and hail a cab on the street."
"Everyone's off during the new year holidays. Moreover, we're in a residential area. It'll be hard to hail a cab here." Realizing that he couldn't keep Johanna around, Timothy had no choice but to take his car keys and send her home.
Roughly fifteen minutes later, the car arrived at the north entrance of Maple Forest's residential area.
Johanna had just unbuckled her seatbelt when Timothy got out of the car and walked around to the passenger side. He opened the car door for her, and Johanna bent over to climb out.
"Thank you," Johanna said, "Take care on your way home."
Upon hearing her gentle and calm tone, Timothy felt a sense of unease welling up in his heart. He lowered his gaze to look at Johanna, wanting to reach out and comb her hair. But Johanna had already turned and walked away.
Only after Johanna entered the residential area and her slender figure completely disappeared from sight, did Timothy turn around and get into the car.
Timothy was worried that Johanna might not be accustomed to living alone or that past events may have left her with deep trauma, affecting her mental health.
So, for the past few days, he would always have Asel call Johanna. In the afternoon, he would pick Johanna up to send her home, play and eat with Asel, and only send Johanna back home after Asel was asleep.
Some time passed, and he noticed that Johanna seemed very mentally stable. It was as though she was untroubled by what happened as if she had grown accustomed to living alone.
Seeing Johanna adapt so quickly to the new life and no longer have a need for him, Timothy felt somewhat distressed.
Chapter 1472 Why Should I Let You Have Your Way
The new year holidays went by quickly, and everyone plunged back into their busy work schedules. Johanna was also occupied with finding the perfect location for her studio.
As Twilight Tower had many vacant spaces, Genevieve suggested to Johanna that she might as well set up her studio there. That way, she could simply take the elevator to the production company in the future. However, Johanna rejected the idea.
Johanna preferred places with fewer people and a quiet environment as it was more conducive to her work.
After searching for three days, Johanna came across an old street.
The street was lined with buildings from a bygone era, their red walls and green tiles exuding an old-world charm. The location was convenient for transportation, for it was close to both her residential area and Timothy's place. She was quite pleased with this location.
However, the old street was mostly inhabited by elderly people. Johanna had asked several of them about shop rental, but none had a shop for rent.
Just past four in the afternoon, when Timothy drove to the old street, he happened to see Johanna standing at the entrance of a hair salon, conversing with a middle-aged man.
Johanna was a fashion designer with an innate understanding of style. A simple pair of jeans paired with a coffee-colored camel coat, coupled with her slender figure, was already giving her an air of elegance.
She wore light makeup, and the corners of her lips were slightly upturned. Her eyebrows were finely drawn, and her appearance made Timothy's heart flutter as he watched her.
Timothy slowly drove the car over and stopped. Then, he unbuckled his seatbelt and got out.
Meanwhile, outside the car, Johanna finished her conversation with the man, who then turned and entered the hair salon behind him.
Johanna wasn't particularly short and had even worn sneakers for a comfortable walk. However, Timothy, who was nearly a hundred and ninety meters tall, seemed to dwarf Johanna with his towering figure the second he came close to Johanna.
Timothy took the bag from Johanna's hand and casually asked, "What were you talking to that person about just now?"
"I want to rent his shop. I don't mind paying a bit more for the monthly rent, but the owner is unwilling to rent it to me," Johanna said, only realizing after she finished speaking that the man was holding her bag.
At that, Johanna said, "Let me carry it myself."
Timothy didn't return it to her. Instead, he opened the passenger door of his car and said, "Get in first. It's cold out here."
After Johanna got in the car, Timothy went around to the driver's seat and placed her bag next to the glove compartment.
On their way home, the two of them exchanged a few words. It was then that Timothy learned that Johanna wanted to open a design studio. She was looking for a place with fewer people and a good environment, and the old street was indeed a good choice.
Timothy memorized the name of the hair salon. As soon as he got home, he sent a message for his subordinate to go and negotiate with the owner, aiming to buy the hair salon.
To his surprise, his secretary told him the next day that someone else was also interested in buying the hair salon.
Timothy was fiercely competing to buy this shop, not realizing that the other person in contact with the owner was Genevieve until he received a message from Armand.
He quickly called Genevieve. In a gentle and polite tone, he said, "Genevieve, would you consider letting me have this shop?"
It was at that moment Genevieve realized that Timothy was the other buyer. She scoffed and said, "Why should I let you have your way? Is it just because you're a pretty boy?"
"I'm buying it as a gift for my wife."
"What a coincidence. I'm buying this for my daughter-in-law's mother," said Genevieve confidently. "Mr. Jensen, why don't you follow the 'ladies first' principle and kindly step aside?"
Timothy rubbed his brow, feeling speechless. "My wife wants to start a design studio. How can we possibly use your money?"
"No worries. I have more money than I know what to do with anyway."
Timothy knew that Genevieve was displeased with him. Moreover, they had been bidding for this shop continuously. If the owner realized the value of this place and decided not to sell it, things would become troublesome.
Left with no other choice, Timothy whispered a few words into Asel's ear, then sent her off to Swallow Garden.
Soon, Genevieve called to berate Timothy for being shameless. He couldn't confront her directly, so he secretly sent out his trump card, Asel.
Furthermore, she didn't really want to see Timothy and Johanna reach the end of their journey.
Seeing Timothy's wholehearted efforts for Johanna, Genevieve stopped fighting over the shop with Timothy. In the end, Timothy successfully signed the property sale contract with the owner.
Johanna later visited other places, but she still felt that the old street was still the best location for her studio.
She planned to visit the hair salon's owner again the next day for a talk, but to her surprise, the owner called Johanna first.
The man mentioned that he needed money for his elderly family member's illness and offered to sell his shop to her at a slightly reduced price. However, he required the payment to be made in full at once. Johanna readily agreed to that.
She then arranged to meet with the shop owner at a coffee shop. After they finished going through the property sale contract, she immediately transferred the money to the owner.
However, she was unaware that Timothy had already bought the store and that her money had actually been transferred into his account.
Chapter 1473 I Have Always Been On Your Side
After finalizing the location of the studio, Johanna was about to contact an interior designer to get the studio renovated as soon as possible when Timothy recommended a few WhatsApp friends to her.
They were all well-known heavyweights in the interior design industry.
Johanna did not reject the man's kindness.
She arranged separate meetings with these influential figures, taking them to inspect the shop. After reviewing their interior design models, she finally chose one to collaborate with.
The hair salon was a fairly spacious duplex. Johanna planned to use the first floor as a workspace while making the upper floor an exhibition area.
The interior designer understood Johanna's plans very well. It took him two days to design in the style that Johanna wanted, and then he promptly contacted the renovation company to start the work.
Genevieve had been chatting with Johanna on WhatsApp, keeping up with the progress of her studio's renovation.
Upon learning that Johanna wanted to take some oil painting classes and was planning to decorate the walls of the first and second floors of her studio, Genevieve said, "My cousin studied oil painting. He owns that Luna Art Gallery, remember? He's currently organizing an art exhibition in Jadeborough, so I'll ask him to teach you."
After finishing her call with Johanna, Genevieve sent a message to Yuvan.
After finishing her work, Genevieve unintentionally glanced toward the couch, where she saw Armand fiddling with his phone. Squinting her eyes, she asked, "Mando, are you tipping off Timothy?"
"No." Armand quietly exited WhatsApp and handed his phone to Genevieve. "I'm busy with work."
Genevieve didn't check the man's phone, but she still believed his words. "I'm not trying to keep two people who are deeply in love apart, but if he and Jojo have come to this point, it's because he didn't care enough for Jojo. I'm quite happy that Jojo has managed to step out of her own world and do what she likes."
"I know." Armand pulled Genevieve into his arms, kissing her rosy lips. "How could a friend be more important than a wife? Love, I'm always on your side."
Genevieve glanced at him skeptically, "The more you say that the more I fear to believe you."
The next morning, Johanna went to the old street to check on the progress of the shop's renovation, then drove to the Luna Art Gallery.
Johanna hadn't driven for a long time, and her driving skills were rusty, but she didn't want to rely on Timothy to drive her home every time she visited Asel, especially when it was late at night. So, she started practicing driving around the neighborhood recently.
After two weeks of practice, she finally had the courage to head to the main road.
On that day's morning, there was an art exhibition at the Luna Art Gallery. Thanks to Yuvan's fame, there were quite a few dignitaries from Jadeborough who came to show their support.
After checking her ticket, Johanna leisurely strolled through the circular corridor of the art gallery.
After a while, Johanna heard someone calling her name. Turning her head, she saw Yuvan walking toward her.
Then, she noticed Timothy, and she was taken aback. She didn't expect Timothy to be here as well.
The man was dressed in coffee-colored trousers and a slightly darker turtleneck sweater. Over this, he wore an open woolen coat, revealing his extraordinarily long legs beneath his trousers.
Since it wasn't a workday, he hadn't bothered styling his hair. His short, jet-black hair naturally fell across his forehead, framing a pair of charming, expressive eyes.
"I know." Armond pulled Genevieve into his orms, kissing her rosy lips. "How could o friend be more importont thon o wife? Love, I'm olwoys on your side."
Genevieve glonced ot him skepticolly, "The more you soy thot the more I feor to believe you."
The next morning, Johonno went to the old street to check on the progress of the shop's renovotion, then drove to the Luno Art Gollery.
Johonno hodn't driven for o long time, ond her driving skills were rusty, but she didn't wont to rely on Timothy to drive her home every time she visited Asel, especiolly when it wos lote ot night. So, she storted procticing driving oround the neighborhood recently.
After two weeks of proctice, she finolly hod the couroge to heod to the moin rood.
On thot doy's morning, there wos on ort exhibition ot the Luno Art Gollery. Thonks to Yuvon's fome, there were quite o few dignitories from Jodeborough who come to show their support.
After checking her ticket, Johonno leisurely strolled through the circulor corridor of the ort gollery.
After o while, Johonno heord someone colling her nome. Turning her heod, she sow Yuvon wolking toword her.
Then, she noticed Timothy, ond she wos token obock. She didn't expect Timothy to be here os well.
The mon wos dressed in coffee-colored trousers ond o slightly dorker turtleneck sweoter. Over this, he wore on open woolen coot, reveoling his extroordinorily long legs beneoth his trousers.
Since it wosn't o workdoy, he hodn't bothered styling his hoir. His short, jet-block hoir noturolly fell ocross his foreheod, froming o poir of chorming, expressive eyes.
He was tall and carried himself with an impressive demeanor, not at all resembling a man who had passed his thirties.
There were quite a few young women attending the art exhibition that day. One of them, who happened to pass by, was so taken by Timothy's good looks that she mustered up the courage to ask for his number.
Timothy pulled his hand out from the pocket of his overcoat, revealing a platinum ring on his boney fingers.
"I'm married, and I have a two-year-old child."
"Oh, sorry," the girl said, quickly pulling her companion away.
Just then, Yuvan strode over to Johanna, smiling as he asked, "Jojo, why didn't you let me know when you arrived at the art gallery?"
Timothy frowned slightly, annoyed by the way Yuvan referred to his own wife.
"Aren't you hosting an art exhibition today? I didn't want to bother you since you might be busy, and I also wanted to see these exhibits." Johanna smiled, then turned her gaze to Timothy.
Johanna asked, "Where's Asel?"
"She went to the mall's playground with Mandy and Luc early this morning," Timothy replied. "You've been busy lately, and Asel really misses you."
Indeed, Johanna had been preoccupied with overseeing the renovation of the shop, as well as meticulously tailoring Genevieve's wedding dress recently. Occasionally, she would call Asel, but it had been a while since she last visited her.
Johanna was missing her daughter a little too, so she said, "I'll go with you to pick her up tonight."
"All right." Timothy nodded.
Chapter 1474 Do Not Act Like You Are Close With My Wife
Yuvan put in a lot of effort for today's art exhibition, bringing several of his treasured famous paintings to be displayed at the art gallery.
Johanna also quite liked oil paintings. Among the exhibited masterpieces, there was one she was particularly fond of. She started discussing with Yuvan the backstory of that famous painting and the artist who created it.
As it turned out, the two of them got so engrossed in their conversation that they completely lost track of their surroundings. Timothy stood to the side, unable to get a word in edgewise.
He stood with one hand in his coat pocket, turning his head to look at the woman beside him. As she chatted with others, her face was adorned with a joyful smile. It was utterly charming.
It was only then Timothy discovered that Johanna had a fondness for oil paintings and enjoyed visiting art exhibitions.
They had been married for many years and had visited numerous fun places both domestically and abroad. He loved being with Johanna, yet he never knew that, besides fashion design, she had many other interests.
After listening for a while, Timothy couldn't help but feel a bit upset. He interrupted their conversation by saying, "It's almost twelve."
"Mr. Zeigler, if you're free, I'd like to invite you to lunch," Johanna extended an invitation to Yuvan. "We can use the mealtime to discuss some matters about the class."
"All right then," Yuvan readily agreed.
After informing the art gallery staff about his departure, Yuvan then left with Johanna.
He couldn't drive. Just as he was about to open the passenger door of Johanna's car, Timothy swiftly approached. He opened the back door and gestured for Yuvan to get in.
"You're a guest, so please sit at the back."
Yuvan raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you drive here?"
"What does that have anything to do with riding my wife's car to lunch?" Johanna didn't want to hear him calling her his wife, so Timothy had to speak in a hushed tone to Yuvan.
It was still quite cold in February, so Johanna took the two of them to Golden Restaurant for a private room to enjoy beef stew.
After they settled down in the private room, Johanna continued her conversation with Yuvan. "The workers have finished renovating the first floor and are now working on the second. During this period, I'd like to take some oil painting classes with you."
Johanna already had a strong foundation in art. With Yuvan's guidance, learning the basics of oil painting would not be a problem.
Johanna added, "If you're busy during the day, I can attend classes at night."
"No way! Not at night." The thought of Johanna being alone with Yuvan in a closed art studio at night made Timothy feel uneasy all over.
Timothy then tried to cover up his anxiety by saying, "It's not that I'm worried about anything, but painting under the light at night can accelerate nearsightedness. Isn't it much nicer to paint under the sunlight during the day when we are at our best?"
Not only did Timothy kick Yuvan under the table, but he also gave the other man a look as if he was going to murder Yuvan if Yuvan were to agree to teach Johanna how to paint in the evening.
Having received Timothy's death glare, Yuvan awkwardly touched his nose and said, "I'm not busy during the day recently, but I have plans every evening. You can come find me at my studio during the day."
Johanna gave him a small smile. "All right."
Yuvan and Johanna arranged a week's worth of painting sessions, and Timothy secretly noted down the schedule.
Once the stew was served, Timothy picked up slices of fresh beef. After shaking off the excess sauce, he carefully placed them all onto Johanna's plate.
Johanna glanced at the slices of beef on her plate and said in exasperation, "Save it for yourself. I can take what I want on my own."
It was still quite cold in Februory, so Johonno took the two of them to Golden Restouront for o privote room to enjoy beef stew.
After they settled down in the privote room, Johonno continued her conversotion with Yuvon. "The workers hove finished renovoting the first floor ond ore now working on the second. During this period, I'd like to toke some oil pointing closses with you."
Johonno olreody hod o strong foundotion in ort. With Yuvon's guidonce, leorning the bosics of oil pointing would not be o problem.
Johonno odded, "If you're busy during the doy, I con ottend closses ot night."
"No woy! Not ot night." The thought of Johonno being olone with Yuvon in o closed ort studio ot night mode Timothy feel uneosy oll over.
Timothy then tried to cover up his onxiety by soying, "It's not thot I'm worried obout onything, but pointing under the light ot night con occelerote neorsightedness. Isn't it much nicer to point under the sunlight during the doy when we ore ot our best?"
Not only did Timothy kick Yuvon under the toble, but he olso gove the other mon o look os if he wos going to murder Yuvon if Yuvon were to ogree to teoch Johonno how to point in the evening.
Hoving received Timothy's deoth glore, Yuvon owkwordly touched his nose ond soid, "I'm not busy during the doy recently, but I hove plons every evening. You con come find me ot my studio during the doy."
Johonno gove him o smoll smile. "All right."
Yuvon ond Johonno orronged o week's worth of pointing sessions, ond Timothy secretly noted down the schedule.
Once the stew wos served, Timothy picked up slices of fresh beef. After shoking off the excess souce, he corefully ploced them oll onto Johonno's plote.
Johonno glonced ot the slices of beef on her plote ond soid in exosperotion, "Sove it for yourself. I con toke whot I wont on my own."
"No worries. I'm not busy anyway," Timothy said, extending his left hand toward Johanna. "My hands are greasy, Jojo. Could you help me roll up the sleeve of my sweater?"
Johanna pursed her lips, but she ultimately helped him roll up the sleeves of his sweater.
Seeing Timothy's adeptness at flirting with his wife, Yuvan could only grunt in exasperation and quietly focused on eating his portion.
After finishing her meal, Johanna received a phone call.
Besides partnering with Hector, she was also working with another individual on streetwear. Moreover, she was planning to start her own studio. Given her heavy workload, she started recruiting early.
Johanna planned to drop off Yuvan at the art gallery before heading to the old street to meet the person coming for the interview.
"I'm well-acquainted with the owner of Golden Restaurant. We can have one of the waitstaff drive us back to the art gallery. Jojo, you can go on with your work." Without further ado, Timothy sent Johanna on her way.
After Johanna left, Yuvan stood at the chilly doorway and asked Timothy, "Aren't you going to get the boss to send us back to the gallery?"
"The boss is too busy to pay attention to me during rush hours," Timothy said. Seeing a taxi approaching, he raised his hand to hail it. As soon as the taxi came to a halt and the door opened, he climbed aboard.
After settling down, Timothy glanced at Yuvan, who was still outside of the car. "Aren't you getting in? Mister, start the car."
"I should record this moment on my phone so that Jojo can see your true colors," Yuvan sarcastically remarked, bending over to get into the car.
Timothy said in displeasure, "Stop acting as if you're so close to my wife."
"I'll have to teach her how to paint in the future, so aren't we quite close now?" Yuvan said nonchalantly. "She's also Genev's best friend, so she's like a half-sister to me."
Chapter 1475 Take It As Her Class Fees
Timothy's gaze darkened, and he turned his head to squint at Yuvan. "You've only met my wife a few times before, but today, your affectionate attitude toward her seems like a show you're deliberately putting on for me."
"Did Genevieve say something to you?" he then continued to ask, his probing gaze fixed on Yuvan's face.
Yuvan hadn't expected Timothy to be so sharp-to notice that something was off so quickly. "Genev told me that Johanna is all alone in the world and asked me to take extra care of her."
"What do you mean, 'all alone'?" Timothy's eyebrows knitted together. "I'm her husband, and she has a daughter."
Yuvan glanced at him. Taking pleasure in his misfortune, he said, "Didn't Genev tell me that Johanna wants to divorce you? When are you guys getting divorced? I think Johanna is a rather good woman. She's beautiful and exceptionally talented."
Timothy was a man, too, and he could tell that the second part of Yuvan's statement was a genuine compliment toward Johanna. It seemed like he was also hinting at his feelings for his wife.
Timothy said, "We will never get a divorce, and you are also not worthy of my wife."
"Do you think you're worthy?" Yuvan sneered, his tone laced with mockery. "I heard you drove a pregnant woman, months into her pregnancy, out of her home and didn't even bother to check on her."
If Timothy wasn't aware of the relationship between Genevieve and his wife, he would really think that Genevieve was a gossip.
Did Genevieve have to badmouth him to everyone after one mistake?
"I was naive and trusted others too much," Timothy admitted, but he also counterattacked Yuvan. "But I'm better than you. You were manipulated by Eurydice. Doesn't that embarrass you?"
At the mere mention of Eurydice, Yuvan was reminded of the moment when his father ruthlessly struck his back with a stick, and he could almost feel his back starting to ache.
Seeing Yuvan's face turn pale and speechless, Timothy felt much delighted.
After arriving at the art gallery, Timothy bought the famous painting that Johanna had taken a liking to from Yuvan. Yuvan, still full of resentment from Timothy's earlier verbal attack, sold the painting to Timothy at a price several times higher than the market value.
Timothy thought about Johanna having to attend oil painting classes with Yuvan and unhesitantly handed over his card.
Take this extra money as my wife's class fees.
On the other side, after Johanna returned to the old street, she quickly spotted a tall and skinny young man standing in front of the renovating shop.
As the old street didn't have a suitable place for discussions, Johanna took the interviewee to a nearby coffee shop.
The two of them chatted in the café for over an hour. Johanna was quite satisfied with him in all aspects. They added each other on WhatsApp, and she would notify him to start work once the shop renovation was completed.
When Johanna came out of the coffee shop, she realized it was almost four o'clock.
After she got in the car, she sent a message to Genevieve, telling her that she was heading straight to the mall where Asel and the other children were hanging out to pick them up and head back together.
Then, Johanna drove all the way to the vicinity of the mall. She glanced and saw a red light not far away. As she was starting to look away, she saw a figure frantically running toward her car on the road.
At the mere mention of Eurydice, Yuvon wos reminded of the moment when his fother ruthlessly struck his bock with o stick, ond he could olmost feel his bock storting to oche.
Seeing Yuvon's foce turn pole ond speechless, Timothy felt much delighted.
After orriving ot the ort gollery, Timothy bought the fomous pointing thot Johonno hod token o liking to from Yuvon. Yuvon, still full of resentment from Timothy's eorlier verbol ottock, sold the pointing to Timothy ot o price severol times higher thon the morket volue.
Timothy thought obout Johonno hoving to ottend oil pointing closses with Yuvon ond unhesitontly honded over his cord.
Toke this extro money os my wife's closs fees.
On the other side, ofter Johonno returned to the old street, she quickly spotted o toll ond skinny young mon stonding in front of the renovoting shop.
As the old street didn't hove o suitoble ploce for discussions, Johonno took the interviewee to o neorby coffee shop.
The two of them chotted in the cofé for over on hour. Johonno wos quite sotisfied with him in oll ospects. They odded eoch other on WhotsApp, ond she would notify him to stort work once the shop renovotion wos completed.
When Johonno come out of the coffee shop, she reolized it wos olmost four o'clock.
After she got in the cor, she sent o messoge to Genevieve, telling her thot she wos heoding stroight to the moll where Asel ond the other children were honging out to pick them up ond heod bock together.
Then, Johonno drove oll the woy to the vicinity of the moll. She glonced ond sow o red light not for owoy. As she wos storting to look owoy, she sow o figure fronticolly running toword her cor on the rood.
Johanna quickly hit the brakes, but the person who rushed in front of her car fell down with a thud.
It was if Johanna had been the one who knocked them over.
The sudden staged accident left Johanna utterly speechless. The woman who had fallen to the ground saw that Johanna was not getting out of the car, so she began moaning. "My back hurts! My leg hurts!"
Her heart-wrenching cries, coupled with her white hair, drew the attention of the surrounding crowd, causing them to stop and watch the scene.
After Johanna pulled the handbrake, she took her time getting out of the car. Once she walked to the front of the vehicle, she bent down to look at the elderly woman.
While the other woman's hair was white, her complexion was smooth, not at all resembling someone in their eighties.
The person who was hit saw Johanna approaching and cried out even louder, "Oh my goodness, do you even know how to drive? You've hit me so hard, my back feels like it's about to break."
Johanna said calmly, "I didn't hit you; you ran toward my car yourself."
"I don't have dementia, so why would I run toward your car on purpose?" The woman, noticing the crowd around them, began to wail even louder. "Folks, be our judges! This young lady hit my car and won't even admit to her mistake!"
As Johanna had just purchased the car, she had yet to set up the dashcam. Moreover, the other woman was a professional at staging accidents, making sure that she would get the perfect timing and angles.
Even if the police were to check the traffic surveillance, they would conclude that the driver had hit her.
Chapter 1476 The Bitterness Inside Bubbles Up
Right as Johanna was contemplating whether to spend the money to wrap up the incident, her phone in her pocket rang. It was a call from Timothy. "Jojo, have you arrived at the mall yet?"
The "elderly woman" with white hair realized that Johanna seemed indifferent to her own situation, so she raised her voice again, expressing her grievance. "Young lady, you ran into me. You have to take responsibility for this."
Glancing at Johanna's car emblem, she then said, "At the very least, you need to compensate me fifty thousand worth of medical fees."
Timothy could hear the loud voice of the "elderly woman" over the phone, and he grew nervous. "Jojo, where are you? Give me your address."
Johanna wanted to tell him it wasn't necessary, but Timothy had already hung up the phone and was asking for her location on WhatsApp.
At that, Johanna had no choice but to send over her real-time location.
After leaving the art gallery, Timothy headed straight to the mall. Johanna's car was only a little over seven hundred meters away. With his long legs, he ran fast and arrived in no time.
Timothy pushed through the crowd to get in, looking at Johanna from head to toe. "Jojo, where were you hit? Do you feel unwell anywhere?"
"No." Johanna looked helplessly at the "elderly woman" still lying in front of her car and told Timothy, "This woman is trying to scam me with a staged accident, and unfortunately, my dashcam wasn't on."
It was only when he saw that it wasn't her who was involved in the car accident did Timothy finally let his heart relax.
And that "elderly woman" glared at Johanna. "What do you mean by 'staging an accident'? It was clearly you who ran into me. Everyone around us can vouch for me."
Upon meeting Timothy's stern gaze, the woman felt a chill in her heart, and her voice gradually weakened.
Timothy asked, "Do you want money?"
"She hit me and didn't even take me to the hospital. Of course I need some money to get an X-ray of my back," the woman grumbled, her head lowered. "If not, thirty thousand will do."
"Thirty thousand is too little, I'll give you a million instead," said Timothy.
The woman's eyes lit up, thinking to herself about how those who drove expensive cars were indeed afraid of trouble. They were sure to compensate with the slightest bump.
She then heard Timothy say, "Stay still, don't move. I'll run the car over your legs. If you're unlucky enough to die, I'll give you another half a million for your funeral expenses."
The woman didn't expect that Timothy would say such a thing in broad daylight and was so frightened that her face turned pale.
She quickly tried to scramble off the floor, abandoning her previously pitiful state to escape. However, she was swiftly grabbed by Timothy, who yanked her down by her down jacket. Timothy even ruthlessly pulled off the white hair from her head.
It was then that the people around realized that it was a middle-aged man who was disguised as an elderly woman.
Timothy firmly gripped the man's nape, narrowing his eyes as he coldly said, "Aren't you supposed to be a seventy-year-old elderly woman with a broken back from an accident? You sure got up pretty fast, I must say."
Seeing his disguise exposed, and realizing that Timothy was not someone to be trifled with, the man quickly pleaded for mercy.
Meanwhile, Johanna was afraid that they would cause traffic congestion if they continued to stand there. Besides, she hadn't lost anything, so she decided to ask Timothy to let the man off the hook.
After letting the man go, Timothy asked Johanna to sit in the passenger seat while he took over the driving.
When Johanna saw the car pass the traffic light and was heading toward the open-air parking lot near the mall, she suddenly asked, "How did you know it was a man?"
"That's because he was too ugly," said Timothy, "He doesn't look like a sweet old lady at all."
Upon hearing this, Johanna couldn't help but laugh.
Timothy glanced at her, his thin lips pursed, "I thought you had a car accident on your way to the mall."
At that time, he had been terrified. As he ran toward Johanna's location, he was simultaneously dialing the city hospital, urging them to send an ambulance immediately.
As it turned out, she had encountered a scammer.
After parking the car, Timothy and Johanna walked toward the mall together. Timothy struck up a conversation with Johanna. "You seemed to have a long talk with that interviewee. Were you satisfied?"
"Where did you get the idea that we've been talking for a long time?" Johanna asked in surprise.
Timothy said, "Even if you were to walk slowly from the old street, it would only take an extra twenty minutes. But when I called you, you were near the mall, which means you must have just finished your interview and come over."
Johanna was stunned by his analysis. Then, she laughed and said, "Why haven't I ever noticed that you have the potential to be a modern Sherlock Holmes?"
Timothy shrugged nonchalantly, asking, "Was it a man or a woman?"
"A man. He graduated from a renowned fashion design institute in Baykeep," Johanna said. "He's tall and slim, and he seems to have a height of a hundred and eighty centimeters. I can even ask him to be a model for the clothes."
Seeing his wife complimenting other men with mirth in her eyes, Timothy felt a surge of jealous bitterness bubbling up in his heart.
Chapter 1477 He Does Not Recognize Her Anymore
"Did you hire him?" Timothy asked.
"Yes. However, the studio is still under renovation. I'll have him come to work once it's ready," Johanna replied with a nod.
Timothy felt even more upset after hearing that. He then turned his head to look at Johanna.
Johanna had a petite frame, fair skin, and a great fashion sense. Although she was nearly thirty and had a child, her delicate face was rich in collagen, so she looked like she was in her early twenties.
That was when Timothy recalled Yuvan telling him in the car that a beautiful woman like Johanna would always have men trying to court her even if they knew she was married.
Timothy wished for Johanna to regain her health. He had not interfered with her personal life ever since they parted ways.
However, she would be working alongside an unmarried young man, who was also a designer with whom she shared many common interests with.
The mere thought of the two getting along so well that they could develop feelings for each other made Timothy extremely upset.
It was the weekend, and the amusement park in the mall was filled with children. The kids were having the time of their lives in the amusement park when Timothy and Johanna arrived.
Lucian found the children too noisy, so he decided to play with his tablet in the lounge outside the amusement park instead.
Upon seeing her dad, Asel immediately slid down from the inflatable castle. She then hopped and skipped over and threw herself onto him, hugged his neck, and gave him several kisses.
Timothy wiped the sweat from her forehead, "Mom's not busy today, so she came with me to pick you up. Are you happy?"
Asel glanced at Johanna, who was standing next to him, and pursed her lips.
"You kept saying you wanted to see her when you spoke to her on the phone, didn't you? Why don't you talk to her now that she's here?" Timothy asked her.
Asel gave Johanna another glance before calling out to her in a soft and sweet voice, "Mommy!"
Timothy then placed Asel on the chair and helped her put on her boots before handing her over to Johanna. Just as he was about to fetch Amanda's shoes, Amanda had already swiftly put them on.
"I'm already six years old! I don't need you to look after me anymore, Uncle Tim!" Amanda said proudly.
Amanda had previously bought several types of chocolates from the international retail store in this mall. Having finished them all, however, she wanted to go buy some more.
The group then took the escalator to the third floor.
Johanna, who was walking hand-in-hand with Asel in the front, lowered her head and asked, "What have you been playing with at home these days, Sweetie?"
"Hmm... Building blocks and modelling clay. Oh, Daddy also lets me ride horses!" Asel was very smart. Not only could she remember what she did on a regular basis, but she was also able to express it clearly.
Johanna smiled. "That's nice."
Suddenly, Asel pulled her hand out of Johanna's, turned around, and ran toward Timothy.
She wrapped her arms around his leg as she said, "Carry me, Daddy!"
Timothy gently patted her on the head and said softly, "It's been a while since you've seen your mom, hasn't it? She misses you a lot, so why don't you spend some time chatting with her?"
"I don't want to walk, Daddy!" Asel replied in her usual, adorable voice.
As Timothy picked her up, Asel tightly wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder without looking at Johanna.
"She's probably just tired from playing too much," Timothy told Johanna.
Johanna remained silent. She could tell that Asel was a bit tired from playing, but she also noticed how Asel avoided interacting with her.
Johanna felt quite upset about that, but she didn't know what she could do.
After arriving at the snack shop, Asel shook off her languid demeanor, got out of Timothy's arms, and happily joined her sister. Together, they pushed the shopping cart around and picked out snacks from the shelves inside.
With Lucian accompanying them, Timothy didn't have to worry about a thing.
He even started chatting with Johanna in the corner of the shop. "I notice you're still wearing the coat from last year. How about we head down to the women's section later and buy you some new clothes?"
"This coat has a great cut, and it won't go out of fashion this year. That's why I wear it so often," replied Johanna.
At the beginning of autumn a few months ago, Timothy had already been in touch with the sales associates of various major brands. The dressing room in the small mansion was filled with the latest seasonal items, including rare runway pieces.
Johanna found packing them to be a hassle, so she didn't take any of those clothes with her.
However, she was a designer who valued fashion. Even without the latest seasonal clothes, she could easily modify her old clothes to make them stylish and attractive.
Timothy scratched his brow lightly. "What kind of snack would you like? How about we go buy some together?"
Johanna shook her head. "No, thanks."
Timothy missed how they used to have great conversations that were full of happiness and joy. Now, they couldn't even hold a single conversation without it turning awkward after a few sentences.
It felt as though Johanna had become a total stranger to him, and that he didn't recognize her anymore.
Johanna, too, noticed a subtle tension between them. She pursed her lips and was about to say something when someone interrupted them.
"Timothy?"
Chapter 1478 You Would Definitely Have Married Me
Johanna glanced in the direction of the voice and saw a young woman walking toward them. She was dressed in a black, long-sleeved sweater and flared jeans, which complemented her tall and slender figure.
She looked quite beautiful, but her pointy chin and the obvious signs of plastic surgery on her face were also quite noticeable.
"I knew it was you! There's no way I wouldn't recognize such a handsome ex-boyfriend!" said the woman as she walked over and casually wrapped her arm around Timothy's. It was a little hard to tell if she did it on purpose or if she was simply a very friendly person.
"Colton invited you out to have fun on New Year's Eve. Why didn't you come?" she asked Timothy.
After regaining his composure, Timothy brushed her arm off with a frown and distanced himself from her. "I'm a married man."
Intimidated by his cold, stern gaze, she didn't dare reach her hand out a second time.
"You told us several times before that you were getting married, but we've never even met your wife. How would we know if you were being serious?" she protested with a pout.
Things were pretty messy in that circle of theirs, and Timothy wasn't all that close with them. There was no way he would ever introduce his wife and children to them.
"Well, you've seen it for yourself now," Timothy said.
He had wanted to hold Johanna's hand, but chose not to do so when he saw her indifferent expression. Instead, he chose to just introduce her to the woman.
"This is my wife, Johanna."
Upon hearing this, the woman named Xylia Tatum shifted her gaze toward Johanna. Suppressing the slight jealousy in her heart, she said with a smile, "Your taste is as impeccable as always, Timothy. Your wife is really beautiful!"
"May I ask what you do for a living, Mrs. Jensen?" she asked in an attempt to initiate a conversation with Johanna.
Johanna didn't want to entertain her at first, but she decided to respond out of courtesy since the woman knew Timothy. "Not much, really. I just run a design studio, that's all."
Xylia's eyes lit up when she heard that. "What a coincidence! I'm an actress, and I always have to get in touch with various design studios before attending events. Could you please give me your business card, Mrs. Jensen? I'll reach out to you when I need your services in the future. I hope you won't mind that I'm just a small-time celebrity who may not be able to afford high-end designs, though."
Realizing how cunning Xylia was, Johanna shot her a cold glance in response.
She was smart enough to shower me with compliments before making that request. If I refuse to give her my business card, then it would seem as though I'm discriminating her for being a small-time actress.
Recalling how Xylia had coquettishly walked right up to Timothy and wrapped her arm around his, Johanna was able to figure something out. "Have you two been dating for a long time?"
Timothy was just about to say something when Xylia immediately replied, "Not really. Our relationship only lasted a year. I went to the same high school and university as Timothy, but I was one grade below him. We met at the school's annual celebration."
Timothy shot her a cold glance. "You didn't have to say that much."
Xylia pretended not to notice the coldness in his gaze and shrugged innocently. "Your wife asked me a question, so I had to give her a clear answer. Otherwise, you could be in for a hard time later."
Xylia then turned to Johanna and continued, "Please don't overthink things, Mrs. Jensen. Timothy and I may hang out often after our breakup, but we are just friends now."
Suppressing the urge to scold her, Timothy dragged Xylia away from Johanna and said, "Would you mind staying away from us?"
"Hey, I just came to say hello! There's no need to treat me like this!" Xylia protested while rubbing her arm that was hurting from his tight grip.
At that moment, Asel came running over with a big, blue whale plushy in her hands.
Oblivious to the situation before her, Asel excitedly called out to Timothy, "This whale is so cute, Daddy! It can even make sounds! Here, listen!"
She then pressed down on the soft belly of the whale plushy, and a loud sound came from the whale's mouth.
Timothy gently rubbed Asel's cheek as he replied, "Yes, I hear it. If you like it, then let's buy it and bring it home."
"Okay!"
Naturally, Xylia had also noticed the little girl who suddenly ran up to Timothy and called him "Daddy." The girl looked as adorable and soft as a marshmallow.
While she did not have Timothy's eyes, hers were sparkling and just as captivating.
"Is this your daughter? Oh, she's so adorable!" Xylia bent down to pat Asel, but the little girl didn't let her, stepping back a few paces.
Unfazed by her reaction, Xylia simply lowered her hand and flashed Timothy a smile. "Thank goodness she didn't inherit your charming eyes! Otherwise, she would surely have tons of suitors when she grows up!"
She glanced at Johanna, both deliberately and unintentionally, "Mrs. Jensen must come from a better family than me, right? Given how long we've been dating, you would definitely have married me if it weren't for my poor family background!"
Chapter 1479 She Showed No Change In Expression
As Xylia had spoken too quickly, Timothy wasn't able to stop her in time.
The look on his face turned gloomy when he heard her say such inappropriate things in front of his child.
Timothy grabbed Xylia by the collar and was about to shove her away when Asel said in a childish voice, "You're not as pretty as my mom, ma'am."
The smile on Xylia's lips was frozen in place.
Asel's words pierced Xylia's heart like a knife as she stared at the latter with an innocent look in her eyes. "You could never give birth to a child as cute as me."
Timothy's face lit up with joy in an instant. He picked Asel up and gave her a kiss on the cheek as he said, "Thanks for speaking my mind, Sweetie."
"I'm just telling the truth. This ma'am's nose is like a pointy piece of wood. It looks kind of scary," Asel said.
Xylia instinctively touched her nose when she heard that. This little brat really doesn't know how to appreciate my beauty! I spent hundreds of thousands on this nose job! I can't believe she called it a piece of wood!
After having Asel go back to picking out snacks, Timothy shot Xylia a cold glare and said, "You'd better go the other way the next time you see me."
"I didn't really say anything, did I?" Xylia protested with an upset look on her face.
Timothy's brows furrowed in displeasure when he saw her acting all innocent. He couldn't seem to understand why he was even interested in her back then.
"Children are most sensitive at the age of two to three. Don't you think you'd affect her by bringing up my past in front of her?" Timothy snapped at her.
"We were indeed in a relationship, though. Should I have denied it instead?" Xylia retorted softly.
Timothy was staring at Xylia with such intensity that it sent a shiver down her spine. "The girlfriends I've had all know when to keep their mouth shut. Are you the only one who can't do so? You sure are good at playing the victim, huh? You think we didn't get married because of your poor family background, but the truth is, I've never considered marrying you."
Xylia's face grew pale after hearing what he said.
Too scared to say anything further when she felt his domineering aura, she quickly left after he finished talking.
Timothy waited until she was out of sight before turning to look at Johanna.
Johanna hadn't said a word since Asel came over. Moreover, she had maintained a calm expression throughout, seemingly unperturbed by Timothy's ex-girlfriend.
That made Timothy think she didn't care about him, which upset him deeply.
Regardless of what Johanna was probably thinking, Timothy still decided to explain himself to her. "I did indeed date Xylia in the past, but I've kept my distance from her and that group of friends after marrying you."
Johanna didn't seem to mind it one bit. "I know. It was indeed inappropriate for her to say that in front of Asel. It's good that you taught her a lesson. Come on, let's go get the kids," she said and walked off.
The children seemed to have an endless supply of energy. As soon as they got home from buying snacks, they immediately poured out several boxes of toys and started playing joyfully in the living room.
Johanna told Genevieve about them going to the art museum to find Yuvan and how someone had come for an interview.
However, she kept the incident at the mall a secret.
"Ms. Petterson has hired an assistant for me. He's quite tall." The new secretary started working at the production company after the new year. Not only was she six-feet tall, but she was also very beautiful.
Genevieve peeled a mangosteen and handed it to Johanna as she said, "I heard she used to be a model. If you ever need a fit model, feel free to borrow her anytime."
"Will do," Johanna replied with a faint smile.
Timothy was leaning against the kitchen door and listening in on their conversation for quite a while. He breathed a sigh of relief when he heard that Johanna didn't discuss the man from the interview with Genevieve any further.
He walked up to the kitchen counter, turned his head to Armand and asked, "Hey, Armand! You arranged for your childhood sweetheart, Scarlette, to get into Genevieve Orsi Productions because she said she wanted to join, right? Didn't Genevieve get upset about that?"
Armand shot him an icy-cold glare in response. “What did you say?"
Timothy slapped himself lightly on the mouth. "Sorry; I meant to say that she's just a friend whom you grew up with. There, is that better?"
Armand then lowered his head and continued preparing the ingredients as he replied, "My wife trusts me. She knows there's nothing between me and Scarlette. She hired Scarlette because of her good image, not me. She wants to cultivate Scarlette as soon as possible to make huge profits."
Timothy couldn't believe his ears. "No way! Have you ever met Scarlette alone? Did Genevieve know? Did she get jealous?"
"Yes." Armand then told him about the time he went to the orphanage to pick Genevieve up. Genevieve thought he was looking at Scarlette and almost kicked him out of the car.
Upon hearing this, Timothy's eyes dimmed, "Jojo showed no change in expression even when she saw other women clinging to me."
Chapter 1480 A Resentful Man
"This isn't right. If I were Johanna and knew what my husband was like during his younger days, I wouldn't put it past him to cheat after marriage," Armand said calmly.
Timothy glared at Armand as he said, "I don't cheat! I've kept my distance from other women ever since I married Jojo. I rarely even go to bars anymore."
He then went silent for a few seconds before asking, "Does she not love me anymore?"
Armand's expression slid into a frown as he was quite annoyed by Timothy's resentful attitude. "Why do you think Johanna chose to instead set up a studio near your house instead of going abroad? She graduated from Sirmor Fashion School. If she really wanted to get into the fashion industry, she should try her luck in Apea and Adrune. There are plenty of huge companies there for her to choose from," he retorted with a straight face.
Timothy hung his head in silence.
Armand glanced at Timothy as he continued, "There is one thing that you've done quite well, though. Being concerned about Johanna without excessively interfering in her personal life, that is."
"I'm not stupid, you know? I know how to behave so as not to disgust women," Timothy snapped at him irritably.
Armand chuckled. "Aren't you quite the ladies' man? So, what else is bothering you? Since when did you lose confidence in your charm?"
"Hey, I can't help it. My wife is simply far too attractive," Timothy replied helplessly.
After the meal, Johanna had another chat with Genevieve.
It was soon almost nine o'clock, which was time to bring Asel home and tuck her in. Johanna made her way to the front door, grabbed Asel's coat from the coat rack, and helped Asel put it on.
She was about to take Asel's hand and head out of the house together, but Asel hesitated for a moment and threw herself into Timothy's arms instead.
That was when Timothy realized Asel wasn't tired, but seemed to be avoiding Johanna.
He bent down to pick Asel up as he asked softly, "Mommy wanted to hold your hand, Asel. Why didn't you let her do so?"
Asel simply rested her head against his chest and kept quiet.
After leaving Swallow Garden, Johanna glanced at Asel, who was still in Timothy's arms, as she said, "She likes to have you hold her, so you can keep holding her. I'll drive."
Timothy nodded in agreement and cradled Asel as they sat down in the back seat.
He glanced at Johanna, who was busy driving, before lowering his head to whisper in Asel's ear, "I talked to you about this before, didn't I? Mommy isn't feeling well, and you've grown quite a lot, so she can't carry you anymore. Even so, Mommy loves you very much. You will make Mommy very sad if you don't let her hold your hand."
Asel seemed to understand what Timothy meant. "Then why doesn't Mommy live with us anymore?" she asked with a pout while nuzzling against his chest.
Back then, Johanna and Asel used to live together. However, she ignored Asel whenever she tried to talk to her or asked to be carried. It wasn't until Johanna recovered from her illness that she started talking to Asel. Even then, she still refused to carry Asel. Eventually, Johanna moved out and would only call Asel every once in a while.
Because of what she did, Asel believed that Johanna refused to carry her because she still didn't like her even after recovering from her illness.
As Asel had not seen Johanna in a very long time, she gradually stopped missing her.
That was why she felt a little uncomfortable when she suddenly saw Johanna again. She didn't like Johanna holding her hand, so she kept running toward Timothy.
Timothy gently kissed Asel on the forehead and said in a warm and soothing tone, "That's because Mommy wanted to design beautiful dresses for you, but she didn't want to disturb you with her work. That's why she moved out."
"But Mommy calls you every day! Mommy came right over to be with you because she isn't busy today."
He gently held Asel's hand and pointed at her dress as he said, "Look at this. You love little lambs, so Mommy embroidered a little lamb on your dress. Don't you like the dress Mommy made you?"
Asel immediately replied, "I like it! This little lamb is so cute!"
"How could Mommy not love you if she knows what you like? Next time, you should take the initiative to hold her hand, okay?" Timothy said.
Asel nodded. "Okay!"
As it was very quiet in the car, Johanna was able to hear their conversation while driving. She glanced at the two of them through the rear-view mirror and tightened her grip on the steering wheel but didn't say anything in response.
The car soon pulled up at the mansion.
After Johanna had gotten out of the car, Asel quickly ran up to her, took her hand, and held Timothy's hand with the other before heading toward the house, hopping and skipping along the way.