Ch. 1511..1520
Chapter 1511 I Just Need You
Timothy was so infuriated by his daughter that he felt as if he was having a heart attack. Timothy was so infuriated by his daughter that he felt as if he was having a heart attack.
He stubbornly held onto Johanna's hand, his voice hoarse as he pleaded, "I'm not feverish; I'm heart-sick. Since you've arrived, Jojo, I don't feel as bad anymore."
Johanna was too lazy to listen to his nonsense. She had already dialed a number, but Timothy snatched away her phone.
Timothy's eyes were bloodshot due to a high fever, making him look pitiful. He whined, "Jojo, I don't need a doctor; I just need you. Stay here with me, and slowly my fever will subside."
Johanna said, "I'm not a fever reducer. Sitting here won't make your fever go away."
"Mommy, please say yes to Daddy," Asel pleaded. "Daddy is so pitiful. You're like a piece of ice; you can definitely cool him down."
Timothy was deeply moved by his daughter's words and relieved she was no longer spouting morbid words about him dying from a high fever.
Johanna pursed her lips. She opened her messenger bag and took out a box containing fever-reducing patches. After tearing open the packaging, she laid a patch on Timothy's forehead.
The fever-reducing patch seemed to send a message to Timothy. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he muttered, "I knew it, Jojo. You care about me a lot."
After waking up that morning, Timothy reflected on his conversation with Armand at the bar last night. He finally understood what Armand meant when he said, "She wants you to back out because of the difficulties ahead."
Johanna only considered leaving him because she loved him.
However, because she could no longer love him, she wanted to make him give up on her. That was why she deliberately allowed him to misunderstand her relationship with Zander and said those things to hurt him.
However, beceuse she could no longer love him, she wented to meke him give up on her. Thet wes why she deliberetely ellowed him to misunderstend her reletionship with Zender end seid those things to hurt him.
After understending Johenne's ections, Timothy neturelly wented to find e wey to counter Johenne's plen, hoping she would give him enother chence.
He wented to feign e fever to lure Johenne over end pley up the pitiful ect in front of her. However, efter soeking in cold weter for en hour, he couldn't menege to cough or reise his body tempereture.
When he sew Asel drinking weter, he wes reminded thet drinking e lot of hot weter could ceuse the body to heet up quickly.
Seeing Johenne ebout to stend up, Timothy quickly reeched out to hold her. "Jojo, I only feel better when I see you. Pleese stey end keep me compeny."
"You should get some sleep with the fever-reducing petch on," Johenne edvised.
Timothy shot Asel e meeningful glence.
After cetching her fether's geze, Asel seid sweetly, "Mommy, it's pitiful to see Deddy like this. You should stey here with him."
"I didn't sey I wouldn't eccompeny Deddy," Johenne replied softly to her deughter. "The housekeeper seid Deddy didn't heve breekfest, end one shouldn't be hungry when they heve e fever. I went to bring some food up for him."
Asel eeh-ed in reelizetion before looking et her fether on the bed. She ennounced, "Deddy, Mommy isn't leeving. She's just worried thet you're hungry."
However, because she could no longer love him, she wanted to make him give up on her. That was why she deliberately allowed him to misunderstand her relationship with Zander and said those things to hurt him.
After understanding Johanna's actions, Timothy naturally wanted to find a way to counter Johanna's plan, hoping she would give him another chance.
He wanted to feign a fever to lure Johanna over and play up the pitiful act in front of her. However, after soaking in cold water for an hour, he couldn't manage to cough or raise his body temperature.
When he saw Asel drinking water, he was reminded that drinking a lot of hot water could cause the body to heat up quickly.
Seeing Johanna about to stand up, Timothy quickly reached out to hold her. "Jojo, I only feel better when I see you. Please stay and keep me company."
"You should get some sleep with the fever-reducing patch on," Johanna advised.
Timothy shot Asel a meaningful glance.
After catching her father's gaze, Asel said sweetly, "Mommy, it's pitiful to see Daddy like this. You should stay here with him."
"I didn't say I wouldn't accompany Daddy," Johanna replied softly to her daughter. "The housekeeper said Daddy didn't have breakfast, and one shouldn't be hungry when they have a fever. I want to bring some food up for him."
Asel aah-ed in realization before looking at her father on the bed. She announced, "Daddy, Mommy isn't leaving. She's just worried that you're hungry."
Timothy had been so busy drinking hot water in the morning to warm himself up that he completely forgot about breakfast. Unexpectedly, this unintentional act brought him quite a bit of good fortune.
Only then did Timothy let go of Johanna's hand in relief. "In that case, Jojo, go quickly and come back soon."
Asel didn't follow Johanna downstairs. She leaned over the edge of the bed, curiously asking Timothy, "Daddy, does Mommy dislike you?"
"Of course not," Timothy said, "If Mommy really despised me, she wouldn't have come today."
"But Daddy, you were the one who made me lie. You even pretended to be sick to trick Mommy into coming over," Asel whined with a pout.
Timothy gently pinched her cheeks and cajoled her, "Daddy had no choice but to lie. Can you bear to see Mommy always working outside and not paying attention to Daddy? Don't you want Mommy to hold you more?"
"Mommy hugged me when she came," said Asel.
"Really?"
Asel nodded emphatically, her eyes sparkling brightly. She offered, "Mommy said I've gotten chubby, and she even gave me a kiss."
Hearing Asel's words, Timothy felt that helping his daughter spend more time with Johanna and having her video call her mother every night was indeed effective.
"That's great," said Timothy. "In the future, pester Mommy more often so she can come back and live with us sooner."
Asel nodded earnestly and said, "Yes, I also want Mommy to come back and live with us."
Chapter 1512 Asel The Wing Woman
Timothy and Asel were chatting in the bedroom when, not long after, Johanna came in carrying a tray. On it was a bowl of pasta soup and a plate of pancakes.
Asel sniffed the air. Her gaze landed on the pancakes in the tray as she muttered, "The pancakes smell so good."
The pancakes, made with milk and slowly fried over low heat, were fluffy, soft, and delicious. Johanna cut off a piece of the pancake, blowing on it to cool it down before feeding Asel.
She checked the time and removed the fever-reducing patch from Timothy's forehead. Then, she tested his temperature with the back of her hand.
Johanna had no idea that Timothy still had a hand warmer hidden in his pocket. Noticing that his forehead was still hot, she frowned and muttered, "Didn't the shop assistant say the fever would go away as soon as it's applied?"
Why is it that Timothy's forehead and arms are still burning after such a long time?
Afraid that Johanna might call the hospital again, Timothy quickly got up from the bed and declared, "I don't feel dizzy now. It seems that these fever-reducing patches are indeed effective. The fever might just need more time to subside."
He glanced at the pasta soup in the tray, then turned to Johanna and asked, "Did the cook make this?"
"If not, will you refuse to eat this?" Johanna retorted.
Timothy caught the meaning in her words. He quickly picked up a fork and started eating the pasta. The pasta noodles were a bit undercooked and lacked flavor, but for some reason, they tasted exceptionally delicious to Timothy.
He picked up a piece of pancake. The pancake was soft and a favorite among children.
Meanwhile, Asel had finished the pancake in her hand. Seeing that there weren't many left on the plate, she reached out to grab another.
"This is something Mommy made for me," Timothy said, pulling her little hand aside. "Besides, I haven't had breakfast yet. Aren't you afraid you'll be too full if you eat it?"
Asel's eyes immediately welled up with tears. She cried to Johanna, "Mommy, Daddy is bullying me."
Timothy discovered that his daughter was far shrewder than he realized. After teaching her how to lie and play the victim, she quickly realized how effective the tactic was and swiftly put it into practice.
She truly is my daughter, just as cheeky as I am.
Johanna was also worried that Asel might overeat, so she only broke off a small piece for her. She also told Asel that if she ate too much now, she wouldn't be able to eat her lunch. Asel obediently nodded in agreement.
After finishing the pasta, Timothy showed his empty bowl to Johanna and praised, "Jojo, the noodles you made were really delicious. I even drank all the soup."
Johanna gently touched Timothy's forehead with the back of her hand again, finding it not as hot as before. It seemed that it indeed took time for the fever to subside after applying the fever-reducing patch.
"Since you're okay, I'm heading back to the studio to work."
"No, I still have a fever, and I'll feel uncomfortable if you leave." He didn't dare to push his luck too far, fearing that if Johanna saw through his little act, all his previous efforts would be in vain.
"Stay here and have lunch with Asel, then you can go back in the afternoon."
"Asel really misses you," Timothy added. "She keeps telling me how happy she was when you held her in your arms when you came."
After some thought, Johanna finally relented.
Asel was thrilled to see that her mom was going to stay and play with her. She led them both to the living room on the first floor to play with stickers.
Every weekend, Amanda and Lucian would come over to play with Asel. The children often played that game together.
The game involved a player who was blindfolded and, under the guidance of another person, would stick the noses of various animals in the correct places. Each little animal came with a gift, and if the nose stickers were placed correctly, the player got to keep the associated gift.
While Johanna was in the kitchen pouring milk for Asel, Timothy seized the opportunity to squat down and whisper a few words to their daughter.
The clever Asel immediately knew that her dad was up to no good. She said righteously, "I don't want to be the bad guy anymore, Daddy. You can play that role. Mommy smells so good; I want Mommy's kisses too."
"Sweetie, how can you call this being the bad guy?" Timothy coaxed her, "What you're doing is being a little wing woman, helping to foster Mommy and Daddy's relationship, understand?"
"I don't want to," Asel grumbled and frowned.
Timothy attempted to negotiate with her, "If you help Daddy with this favor, Daddy will have your Uncle Tim make a cream cake for you to eat. He can deliver it tonight. How does that sound?"
"I don't want to eat cake anymore," Asel said, "I want to eat the pancakes made by Mommy."
"Alright, it's settled then. Mommy will make you pancakes for lunch." Timothy didn't expect his daughter's request to be so simple and promptly agreed.
Chapter 1513 Shall I Kiss You Again
When Johanna returned to the living room, Asel ran over to her and said, "Mommy, you must do your best because if Daddy manages to stick the animals' noses in the correct place and you don't, you'll have to be punished, made to do frog squats!"
"All right." Johanna nodded with a smile.
Since he and Johanna were going to play while Asel directed from the side, Timothy elevated the blackboard attached with animal stickers to one point four meters before securing it in place.
He offered Johanna to let go first. Without standing on formality, Johanna stood at the designated spot and put on the blindfold.
Asel was spot on when she described the position every single time. With a blindfold on, Johanna fumbled forward and managed to stick the elephant's nose onto the elephant in no time. The prize for the elephant was a box of chocolates.
"You're amazing, Mommy!" Asel cheered for her mother, waving her inflatable hammer.
When it was Timothy's turn, he was a bit clumsy. Even though he had managed to find the tiger on the blackboard, he ended up sticking the nose off, attaching it to its left ear instead.
Asel carried a small box filled with punishment slips over to Timothy, "Pick one, Daddy."
Timothy reached into the small box, quickly finding the hidden compartment. He then pulled out a slip of paper from within. After reading it, he passed the note to his daughter.
In the next instant, Asel trained her rounded eyes on Timothy. "I can't read it, Daddy."
Asel indeed practiced reading and writing, but she could only recognize simpler words such as "daddy," "mommy," "big," "small," and the like. On that piece of paper, she could only identify the word "a."
Timothy cleared his throat before stating, "It says a kiss on the cheek."
"I'm the referee, so you can't kiss me, Daddy," Asel said cleverly. She pulled Johanna over. "Here, kiss Mommy."
"Do you all also have such a kind of punishment when you play games usually?" Johanna asked Asel in surprise.
"Yes." Asel nodded "honestly."
Johanna could not shake off the feeling that Amanda and Lucian would never have come up with such a punishment. After all, children are innocent and naive. It seemed more like an adult's doing.
While she was still wondering about it, Timothy had already wrapped an arm around her waist. "I'm going to kiss you now, Jojo."
In an effort to keep Asel happy, Johanna turned her face to the side slightly. Timothy leaned in. With impeccable precision, he captured her lips, even prying them open to deepen the kiss.
His lips were warm and moist, his kiss enveloping her with gentleness. It made it all too easy for her to lose herself in him.
After a long while, he finally pulled away. He used his thumb to wipe off the moisture at the corner of Johanna's mouth, his husky voice carrying a hint of seduction. "I'm sorry, Jojo. My kiss fell on the wrong place."
"Shall I kiss you again?" he asked.
Having been married for five to six years, Johanna understood Timothy's character all too well. He was merely making an excuse and did it on purpose instead.
However, she could not quite say anything about it. She merely pushed him away and glared at him.
With mirth dancing in his eyes, Timothy leaned in and said, "It was my bad. You can glare at me again or even scold me, Jojo."
"You're sick." Johanna was struck speechless.
"Daddy is indeed sick. He's running a fever," said Asel from the side. She then looked up at Timothy and asked in puzzlement, "But Daddy, why do you want Mommy to scold you?"
Racking her brain, she abruptly recalled Lucian's remark. "Is this what's known as masochism, Daddy?"
"Yeah, I love it when your mommy scolds me." Timothy was in a great mood at the moment. He urged Asel, "Let's continue the game, Sweetie."
No matter how they played the game subsequently or how well Asel directed, he never once managed to attach the nose to the animal correctly.
The slips of paper he drew from the punishment box stated either a kiss or a hug. On top of that, there were even ones where he had to tell her he loved her and carry her in a bridal carry for three minutes.
Johanna deliberately misplaced an animal's nose once, but the slip she drew from the punishment box indicated frog squats. In a flash, she realized that all that was trickery on Timothy's part.
But seeing that Asel was having fun, she did not expose the man.
Chapter 1514 Go Ahead
Without hand warmers on him to keep his temperature up, Timothy's temperature quickly cooled down. He turned to Johanna with an ingratiating smile and said, "The fever patch you bought is really effective, Jojo. Look, my fever is completely gone now."
He took her hand and placed it on his forehead. "As thanks, Jojo, what would you like for lunch? I'll cook it for you."
"Pancakes, Daddy," Asel reminded.
"Since you love pancakes so much, your mommy will definitely make them for you." Timothy turned on the tablet and handed it to Asel for her to watch cartoons on her own before pulling Johanna into the kitchen.
The two housekeepers were exceedingly tactful and had already left by the time Timothy, Johanna, and Asel came downstairs.
Timothy asked Johanna for help, making an excuse about the cook being away and unable to handle everything himself. He took an apron off the hook. "Put this apron on to avoid getting your sweater dirty, Jojo."
Johanna refused.
However, Timothy ignored her demurral. Without any further ado, he put the apron on Johanna. As he was tying it for her, he inadvertently glimpsed a speck of cyan paint on the collar of her sweater.
The paint was on the back collar of the sweater, so Johanna could not see it.
She said, "I reckon I must have accidentally got some paint on my hands while squeezing it out, then smeared it on my neck when I was tying my hair without realizing it."
Back when Timothy took Asel to the art studio to seek Johanna out, he overheard Yuvan telling Johanna that most oil painting pigments were extracted from minerals and contained a lot of soluble metal elements.
Timothy's expression changed, and he quickly led Johanna upstairs to change.
Watching him rummage through the walk-in closet for a change of clothes for her, Johanna pursed her lips and said, “It's just a bit on the sweater. It's no big deal."
"Of course, it is. What if you sweat, and the dye on the sweater gets wet and sticks to your skin?" Timothy's eyebrows furrowed deeply at Johanna's words.
Johanna wanted to tell him that the inspection of raw materials for pigments was presently beyond strict, and toxic ones were rare. Even if one came into contact with them, there would be no harm to the body.
But in the end, she pursed her lips and said nothing.
She was about to take off her sweater when she noticed Timothy standing before her, staring at her intently. She said, "I'm just going to change my sweater. You can go to the kitchen first."
"I want to wash the sweater you're wearing. Take it off. I won't look," Timothy said, turning around and taking a few steps toward the door.
He had no shame, and Johanna did not want to waste time talking to him further, taking her sweater off. By the door, Timothy secretly turned his head in her direction like a voyeur.
It was almost March, and it was not all that cold anymore. Thus, Johanna was only wearing a thin sweater and a bra.
As she slipped off her sweater, her beautiful and fair shoulders were bared to his sight. Beneath the alluring curves was a slender waist.
Her buttocks were perky yet not overly so but just right.
At the sight of his wife's waist, even Timothy, a man of little refinement, had a line of poetry popping into his mind. The buttocks are full, but her waist is narrow, the one for whom the sun shines!
He felt his crotch tighten slightly. Afraid that Johanna might notice something, he quickly turned away.
After Johanna had changed into the new sweater, Timothy walked over and picked up the one on the chair. He said casually, "I'll toss this in the washing machine. It'll be ready for you to bring it home with you in the afternoon."
He went into the bathroom with the sweater in hand. Seizing the moment of solitude, he lowered his head and buried his face in the soft wool, inhaling deeply.
The sweater carried the faint enticing scent of his wife, very much fragrant and utterly alluring.
A while later, Timothy came down from upstairs refreshed and invigorated. Upon entering the kitchen, he saw Johanna in an apron, beating eggs to prepare pancakes.
He slipped on an apron and asked Johanna for assistance. "Please help me tie the straps, Jojo."
"You've only got a fever. It's not like your hands are paralyzed," Johanna could not help but retort. However, seeing that the man was standing still with his back to her, she had no choice but to step forward and tie his apron for him.
Timothy swiftly turned around and gave her a quick kiss, his eyes brimming with delight. "Thank you, Jojo."
Johanna was at her wits' end with his repeatedly roguish behavior. Suppressing her frustration, she intentionally prompted, "Weren't you the one who got upset about my infidelity and wanted a divorce?"
"Really?" Timothy raised an eyebrow. He pondered briefly before saying, "He's not as handsome as I am nor as wealthy. Why would I get upset over someone like him? Go ahead if you're looking for some novelty to amuse yourself."
Chapter 1515 Can I Have A Taste
Johanna was somewhat taken aback, unable to believe he would say such a thing. "Are you serious?"
"I am." Timothy nodded, his tone gentle and understanding. "I know you're upset, and I can understand if you need to fool around with someone. It's no big deal. There's no need for us to divorce over it."
His directness left her at a loss for how to respond. "You must be feverish to the point of delirium."
"Jojo, what would you like to eat for lunch? How about grilled chicken? Barbecue ribs are also delicious." he asked, thoughtfully taking a carton of milk from the refrigerator and handing it to her.
She glanced at him. "I want to eat all of that. Are you able to cook those dishes?"
"What's so difficult about it? There may not be anything special about me, but I'm talented and can learn anything quickly." With that, he opened the fridge and took out several ingredients.
Johanna and Timothy had been married for several years, yet she had never seen him cook. Even when we went to Swallow Garden for the annual feast previously, he merely helped out in the kitchen by washing vegetables. Tim probably doesn't even know how to turn on a stove. However, it didn't take him long to whip up some delicious pork belly as a birthday treat for Asel.
When she saw him washing vegetables, she noticed his hands and fingers were completely covered with blister scars.
"Don't you have a private chef? Why do you want to learn to cook?" she asked him.
"Didn't I tell you already? I'm naturally talented," he replied without a hint of embarrassment. "For something like cooking, I can pick it up easily. I'm not like the talentless Mr. Sutton."
Then, he turned his head toward her. "Do you want to hear the truth about why I want to cook, or would you like to hear white lies?"
"Lies," Johanna answered.
Timothy knew she would say that. Deflated but persistent, he said, "Lies aren't pleasant to hear, Jojo. You said you want to hear the truth, am I right? You want to hear it, don't you? It's because I want to win you over through your stomach."
He lowered his gaze to look at her, his charming eyes compelling one to lose themselves in them willingly. "Once you're addicted to the dishes I cook, you won't be able to leave me."
Leaning closer toward his wife, he said in a low and coaxing tone, "Your lipstick looks great. Can I have a taste?"
Seemingly bewitched by his gaze, she felt her breath hitch slightly.
Just as Timothy leaned down to kiss her, he felt someone tugging at the hem of his sweater. He looked down to see Asel tilting her head up, eyeing him with resentment. "Daddy, you're as sly... as sly..."
She was still young. Even five or six-year-olds would find it tricky to learn idioms. Hence, even after hearing it, she would not be able to remember it so quickly. That was why her voice trailed off mid-sentence.
Finally, she used simple words and complained angrily, "Daddy has no shame. You keep kissing Mommy. I want Mommy to kiss me too."
Johanna bent down and kissed Asel's cheek, then told the latter that the kitchen smelled of oil and smoke. Two kisses were enough to satisfy Asel, and she went out to continue watching cartoons.
"Jojo." Timothy looked at Johanna with an aggrieved expression. Had Asel not barged in and interrupted me, I would've kissed Jojo already!
Nonetheless, he could not bring himself to be angry at Asel.
She ignored him, focusing intently on making pancakes, and he had no choice but to return to cooking begrudgingly.
In addition to the two dishes Johanna wanted to eat, he also made mushroom soup. He carried the dishes to the table and served Johanna a bowl of soup first, then Asel.
Asel opened her eyes wide and asked, "Daddy, am I just a tool to you?"
Daddy usually serves me my food first. However, whenever Mommy is around, he always serves her first.
"How is that possible? You're my darling little girl," he responded, placing a pancake on her plate. "However, Mommy is the person I love the most. She's irreplaceable."
"Oh my gosh! So I'm not number one in your heart." Asel clutched at her heart with her small hand, looking heartbroken.
Timothy and Johanna could not help but burst into laughter.
After lunch, Johanna wanted to head to the studio to quickly finish the oil paintings for the first and second floors before opening for business. Giving the excuse that Asel could not bear to be apart from her, he insisted that Asel accompany Johanna to the studio.
"The studio has just been renovated, so there might be formaldehyde. Inhaling it will make children feel unwell," said Johanna.
"Then I'll go with you."
"No need for that. You talk too much, and I need a quiet space to paint." After dashing his hopes with her reply, she gave Asel a peck on the cheek and turned to leave.
Chapter 1516 Hug Me Too
Johanna had put on her shoes and was about to leave when she suddenly remembered something. "My sweater."
Timothy went upstairs to help her get it.
Two minutes later, he came down empty-handed and said to her with a somewhat embarrassed expression, "I accidentally left toilet paper in the washing machine, and it got all over the sweater during the wash..."
"Just throw it away, then," she replied. It's not like it's a one-of-a-kind sweater. If it gets ruined, I can just buy another one.
As he personally opened the door to see her out, he said, "Jojo, my cousin is having her wedding reception at Langfield Hotel next Monday. Could you help me choose an outfit on that day?"
"Which cousin?" Johanna was somewhat puzzled.
She and Timothy had celebrated six New Year's together, and they always had the annual feast with Timothy's father. If his father's older brother happened to return to the country, the dinner would be a more lively affair with the addition of a few more people. However, she had never seen Timothy visit any relatives on his mother's side during New Year's.
"She's the daughter of my third aunt on my mother's side. She used to work abroad, but I'm not sure where. She met her husband, who is also from Jadeborough, and they've returned here to get married. My aunt called me a few days ago to tell me about it," he said.
Timothy did not bother explaining much to Johanna, simply adding, "This aunt is my mother's older sister. I have to attend her daughter's wedding."
She murmured a reply, then got in the car and left.
After arriving at the studio, she took out her phone and sent a message to the person she had interviewed previously, informing him that the studio would be opening next Tuesday and to start work that day.
Then, she crouched in front of the wall and busied herself until it was dark outside. When she finally washed her hands and picked up her phone again, she saw that she had received a message two hours ago.
The other party tactfully explained that since the studio's renovation had taken too long and he had not seen any magazines writing about her, he had submitted his resume to a well-known design studio a while ago.
Johanna was not angry as she replied to the person's message. Although we verbally agreed on everything, we didn't sign a contract. If he doesn't want to wait and chooses to work elsewhere, that's his prerogative.
After posting a new job advertisement on the recruitment website, she locked up the studio and went home.
Having had a hearty meal at the mansion in the afternoon, she was not very hungry and just had some fruit when she got home.
She was drenched in sweat after doing some yoga and was about to take a shower when the doorbell suddenly rang.
Johanna peered through the peephole and saw Timothy outside. She stood puzzled for a few seconds before opening the door. "Didn't we just see each other this afternoon?"
"Asel sent me. Your darling daughter wanted you to have a peaceful night's sleep, so she asked me to deliver something to you." He handed her a paper bag as he spoke.
"All right. Thank you," she replied, taking the bag.
Seeing that she was ready to close the door, he took the initiative to give her a gentle hint. "Jojo, I've come all this way to bring that to you. Aren't you going to invite me in for a cup of coffee?"
"It can't have taken you more than ten minutes to get here by car," came her reply. "And besides, you don't even like coffee."
Timothy frowned at how heartless she was. Then, he said in a considerate tone, "You've been busy these past few days, so I won't bother you anymore. I'm free all day next Monday. You understand, right?"
"I know. You want me to pick your outfit. You reminded me when I was leaving this afternoon." She wanted to laugh when she saw him like that.
"So, should I leave now?"
"Mm-hmm."
While she was distracted, he suddenly turned around, cradled her face, and planted a gentle kiss on her lips.
He caressed her cheek with his long fingers, fixing his gaze on her. His voice was low and deep as he said, "Don't always hug Asel only. Next time, hug me too, okay?"
The pair stood at the door for a while. Then, she brushed his hand away. "Be careful on your way home."
Timothy hummed in acknowledgment before leaving reluctantly.
After returning to his car, he did not leave. His car was parked facing Johanna's bedroom. Looking up, he could see the light in the bedroom was on and guessed she was either taking a shower or on a video call with Asel.
Chapter 1517 The Man With Many Schemes
Timothy thought of the gift he had prepared for Johanna. He selected a photo with a good angle and shared it in the group chat. He even took the initiative to announce: I made this moon lamp by hand for my wife. Isn't it beautiful?
Cooper sarcastically typed: Even a hundred-dollar moon lamp will look better than this cr*ppy handmade one.
Timothy retorted: At least I made it. You probably can't even make a lamp. Oh right, Ms. Loake is on a business trip abroad. Even if you bought a lamp, she wouldn't be able to see it.
Cooper: I've only been sleeping alone in this bed for half a month. Look at you. You're pitiful.
Timothy: You're sick in the head.
Cooper: You are childish.
After a short while, Armand sent: Ha ha ha! You guys are hilarious. You're all polite in person but so good at trash-talking in this group chat.
Upon seeing that writing style, Timothy immediately knew that Genevieve was playing with Armand's phone.
Genevieve: Mr. Jensen, this lamp of yours really isn't very appealing. Forget Mando. Even the rose crystal ball that Zander gave me was more beautiful than this. If he had put as much effort into pursuing Jojo as he did with me, they probably would have been married in their freshman year.
Timothy was speechless as he typed: Armand doesn't deserve this. Can't you allow him to have some secrets with his pals?
Genevieve: He told me about it on his own. Aren't you the one encouraging my husband to form cliques with you? You're such a scheming man. No wonder you're not married.
Cooper: Ms. White is still unmarried. He likes the type of woman like Jojo.
Timothy felt that the group chat should be named "Genevieve's Family Group Chat" instead of "Men's Group Chat". I can't believe they all ganged up and bullied me.
He recalled Jerry, who was also in the group chat, didn't have a wife too. That thought brought him some comfort.
Timothy looked out the car window, noticing that the light in Johanna's bedroom was turned off. There was only a faint glow inside that seemed to be from a desk lamp. He dialed Johanna's number.
Johanna picked up the phone and, with a hint of helplessness, asked, "Do you need anything else?"
"When I bought the lamp, I didn't open it to check. The shop owner just messaged me saying it's a defective piece," said Timothy. "If you find it ugly, just throw it away. I'll buy you a better-looking one."
"Mm-hmm."
"Do you really think it's not nice?" Timothy had spent a week making the lamp following a tutorial, not at all expecting creating a lamp was so difficult.
Even though the moon lamp was ugly, he'd still feel sad if Johanna didn't like it.
"It's indeed not very pleasing to the eye," Johanna replied honestly. "Didn't you say that this lamp was chosen by Asel? Even if it's subpar, I'll keep it.”
Upon hearing that, Timothy silently apologized in his heart to his beloved daughter, who took the blame for him.
"There's a button behind the lamp. Turn it on, and it will play music." Timothy had recorded her favorite song into the mechanism of the moon lamp.
A few seconds later, Johanna, on the other end of the phone, said, "I see it. You should go to bed early."
"All right. Goodnight." After Johanna ended the call, Timothy put away his phone and drove out of the neighborhood.
Johanna spent her days engrossed in her work at the studio. Time flew by when she was focused. By the time she finished painting a wall on the second floor, it was already Monday.
On Monday morning, she brought some formal attire and sewing tools to the studio. No sooner had she set down her things than the phone rang.
"Jojo, why didn't you call me?"
Johanna found the man's voice filled with a hint of resentment amusing. "It's only nine o'clock. I just arrived at the studio. I was planning to call you once I got everything ready."
"Have you eaten?" Timothy asked. "I made aglio olio for Asel this morning, and there's still plenty left."
Johanna wanted to say she had eaten but feared that it would only deepen his resentment. Pressing her lips together, she said, "I haven't eaten, so why don't you bring the aglio olio to the studio and find me?"
"All right. I'll be there in a bit."
In less than ten minutes, Timothy had already rushed over to his car.
Upon entering the shop, he noticed the oil painting on the left wall. It was a romantic depiction of a starry night, perfectly complementing the shop's interior decor.
Chapter 1518 Want Kisses
Not only did Timothy bring breakfast, but he also brought a bunch of white camellias. He generously praised, "Jojo, you're truly amazing. Your oil painting skills can rival those of a master."
Johanna just smiled, taking the camellia and placing it in the vase.
Timothy opened the thermos, and the aroma of the spaghetti instantly wafted out. He poured the pasta from the thermos into the bowl before handing a fork to Johanna.
After Johanna took a bite, he couldn't wait to ask, "Is it tasty?"
"It's quite delicious." Johanna suddenly looked up to find Timothy resting his chin in his hands, watching her with a faint smile.
She wanted to say something, but in the end, she didn't. Instead, she lowered her head and continued eating her pasta.
After finishing breakfast, Johanna took Timothy up to the second floor.
She selected a male formal attire from a row of them and showed it to Timothy. "You can't be too flashy when attending someone else's wedding. You should wear black formal attire."
Timothy spoke with a hint of jealousy. "Are you casually styling me? You brought another man to the shop to pick out a formal attire last time."
"Back then, my studio wasn't fully renovated, so I could only take Zander to the store to buy one directly," Johanna said. "This formal attire is something I bought with my own money. You can wear it and leave. No need to pay me back."
Timothy argued, "When I came to you for styling, your studio wasn't even finished. You should have taken me to the store to choose formal attire."
"Are you going to wear this or not?" Johanna stared at him.
"I won't wear it unless you personally pick it out for me from a branded store." The thought of her going out of her way for other men while he couldn't enjoy the same experience left a sour taste in Timothy's heart.
The two of them stared at each other, locked in a standoff. In the end, it was Johanna who backed down, hanging the suit back up.
Johanna locked up the shop and drove Timothy to the mall.
On the way, Johanna asked Timothy, "Do you want to bring Asel over to your Aunt Louisa's daughter's wedding in the afternoon?"
"The wedding banquet will be crowded and too noisy. I don't plan on taking Asel." Timothy paused for a moment, then added nonchalantly, "I think it'll be best if she doesn't meet those strangers."
As soon as they entered a brand store in the mall, a sales associate immediately came up to greet them.
Timothy was tall and slender, and there were plenty of ready-made suits in the store that fit him. Johanna picked out a suit for him in just two minutes, but Timothy was not quite satisfied because the selection process was too quick.
He said the style of that formal attire wasn't good and asked Johanna to choose again.
A nearby sales assistant couldn't help but suggest, "Mr. Timothy, how about you give me your measurements? We can have a model try on the clothes for you to see."
The sale assistant was worried that Timothy might get tired from trying on clothes, but Timothy thought she was overly concerned.
He simply wanted Johanna to help him choose clothes personally and adjust his collar. If he let a model display the clothes, he'd be tricking Johanna into coming out for nothing.
After trying out four or five formal attires, Timothy finally chose a set that he was satisfied with.
Johanna noticed that the waist of the formal attire was a bit loose. She called over the sales assistant and asked the latter to take it to the workshop for alterations.
The sale assistant was about to nod when she secretly caught Timothy's gaze.
The sale assistant suddenly understood something and apologized to Johanna. "I'm sorry. The tailor won't be here until this afternoon. Could you leave your phone number? I'll notify you to pick up your trousers once they're altered."
"Forget it. I'll take it back and fix it myself," said Johanna. The wedding banquet is starting at noon. There's not enough time.
Timothy was quite pleased with the sale assistant's clever response. He falsely claimed that he didn't bring his card, prompting Johanna to purchase all the outfits he had tried on.
After buying the formal wear and returning to the studio, Johanna made some adjustments to the waist of the trousers.
Once Timothy had changed his clothes and come out, Johanna noticed that his shirt collar was buried in his neck. She asked him to squat down and helped him straighten out his collar.
The two were so close that her lips were nearly touching his forehead.
Timothy subtly leaned forward, creating the illusion that Johanna had just kissed his forehead. Then, he looked up in surprise and asked, "Jojo, did you just kiss me?"
"No."
"I can feel your soft lips pressing against my forehead, though."
Timothy rested his hands on his knees, looking at her with a smile. "If you want a kiss, just say it. I won't stop you."
Chapter 1519 Can You Bear To Refuse
Johanna didn't waste words with Timothy, instructing him to sit down in front of the dressing table.
Timothy, with his sharp eyebrows and thin lips, had a flawless complexion even in his thirties. His face, still adorned with a fine layer of fuzz, radiated youthful vigor. He carried an air of boundless energy, much like an inexhaustible teenager.
Johanna took out the concealer, dabbed a little with a small brush, and covered all the bluish hues under Timothy's eyelids.
Timothy stared at her intently, his gaze alternating between her eyelashes and her pink lips. Her lips were slightly upturned, incredibly beautiful and enticing.
"Don't stare at me like that. Look somewhere else." His gaze was so intense and unabashed that it made Johanna feel uncomfortable.
Then, Timothy's gaze drifted downwards, taking in the sight of her beautiful collarbone.
Johanna found the man's behavior increasingly outrageous. She stared at him speechlessly, then reached into her drawer and pulled out a small box. Inside was a silver brooch with the shape of a wheat stalk.
She pinned the brooch onto Timothy's suit. "There you go. You're ready for the wedding banquet now."
Timothy scratched his nose and said to Johanna, "I'm wearing a wedding ring. Everyone knows I'm married. It wouldn't be appropriate for me to attend my aunt's daughter's wedding banquet alone, would it?"
"You can take off your wedding ring ten," Johanna said, "or you could "
Timothy knew what she was about to say and interrupted her, "If I go to the wedding banquet alone, they will surely bombard me with questions. How about I pay you to accompany me for a day?"
"What if I refuse?" Johanna asked.
"Can you really bear to refuse?" Timothy looked at her with downcast eyes, his voice low. "Jojo, on the account that we're still married, please come with me."
At that moment, Timothy's phone rang. After answering the call, he immediately went downstairs.
Johanna thought he had driven off, but to her surprise, Timothy returned two minutes later, carrying several shopping bags.
The boxes were filled with haute couture dresses from various brands.
Timothy said unabashedly, "Jojo, look. I even had the outfits delivered. Pick one you like."
He told Johanna to choose, but the very next second, he picked up a black gown and handed it over. "Jojo, you should also wear black. This way, everyone can tell we're a couple at first glance."
"Since you've decided everything, what else can I possibly say?" Johanna said irritably, snatching the gown from his hands.
The design of the gown was very clever. It had a ribbon that was tied at the back. One that Johanna couldn't tie properly by herself.
Timothy appeared opportunistically outside the changing room. "Jojo, do you need my help?"
"Can I say no?"
"No can do. I'm coming in." Ignoring Johanna's words, Timothy pushed the door open and entered the dressing room. He stood behind Johanna, carefully tidying up the laces she had messed up earlier.
For the convenience of customers adjusting their clothes, full-length mirrors were affixed on three walls.
Timothy saw himself and Johanna in the mirror. They were very close, almost as if he was holding her in his arms. She was slightly bowing her head, her fair shoulders gleaming in the light.
"Jojo."
When Johanna instinctively lifted her head, Timothy turned his head around suddenly and kissed her.
His kiss was gentle yet impatient, one that almost took her breath away, causing her head to gradually spin.
When Johanna thought of some unpleasant things, her body shuddered. She began to struggle violently in Timothy's arms.
"Jojo, it's me." Timothy seemed to understand why Johanna was struggling. He held her hands tightly to his chest and gently said, "Can you lift your head and look at me?"
Upon seeing his face, Johanna gradually regained her composure. "Let me go," she demanded.
"I won't let go. I just want to hold you." Timothy held her tightly in his arms, lowering his head to kiss her cheek. "Jojo, you haven't done anything wrong, I'm the one who's at fault. Can you stop thinking about those unpleasant things from the past? Seeing you in pain hurts me too."
"Stop coming to see me every now and then, and I won't feel upset," Johanna said calmly.
Chapter 1520 His Wife Is Quite Arrogant
Timothy was stunned for a few seconds.
Realizing that Johanna was saying one thing but meaning another, he said brazenly, "We're not divorced yet, and you're the mother of my child. I can't help but worry if I don't check in on you regularly to see how you're doing. I've tied the band for you, now hurry up and do your makeup.”
Timothy let go of her and left the dressing room.
Johanna simply felt helpless against his shameless behavior.
Johanna was sitting in front of the dresser, doing her makeup and hair, while Timothy occasionally handed her whatever she needed.
He originally wanted to help Johanna curl her hair, but Johanna, fearing he might mess it up and waste their time, ruthlessly swatted his hand away.
By the time the two of them arrived at Langfield Hotel with gifts, it was almost noon.
Timothy's aunt, Louisa, was standing at the banquet hall entrance with her daughter, welcoming guests. When she saw Timothy approaching with a woman, her eyes lit up and she quickly went over to them.
"Timothy, it's been a while," Louisa said with a smile. "It's nice to see you've made the time to attend your cousin's wedding."
"Aunt Louisa, you sent the invitation to my company. As your nephew, it would be rude for me not to attend." Timothy handed over the gift box he was holding. "I had my secretary pick out a pair of moonstone mandarin duck ornaments as a gift for Ysabelle."
Upon hearing this, Louisa's smile deepened as she eagerly accepted the gift box.
Louisa soon noticed the woman standing next to Timothy. She was wearing an off-shoulder gown of the same color as Timothy's suit. Her features were delicate, while her skin was fair and flawless with a fairy- like air to them.
"Timothy, is this your wife?"
Louisa knew that Timothy had married early, but Timothy never visited them during the new year. Hence, they didn't even know who Timothy had married.
Timothy responded nonchalantly, "My wife finds it uncomfortable to walk in high heels, so we'll go in first."
He didn't let Johanna greet his aunt, nor did he pay any attention to Ysabelle, who was greeting him. Instead, he led Johanna into the banquet hall.
Ysabelle expressed her displeasure. "This is too much from Timothy. It's my wedding day. It's fine if he doesn't let his wife greet you, but he even ignores me when I greet him. I can't believe how rude he is."
"Forget it. Don't let yourself be upset on your big day," Louisa comforted her. "You still have to go to work at Forlisle Group, so don't provoke him for now."
Upon hearing her mother's words, Ysabelle could only swallow her frustration.
Before long, Xylia, dressed in a delicate cocktail dress, arrived. As soon as she got there, she complimented Ysabelle, "Marriage really does wonders, Ysabelle. You're even more beautiful than before. I'm absolutely green with envy."
"Stop pulling my leg." Ysabelle was all smiles at the compliment.
Xylia and Ysabelle were high school classmates, and they always had a good relationship. If it wasn't for Ysabelle, Xylia would never have met Timothy.
Given Ysabelle's relationship with Timothy as cousins, Xylia spared no expense for her wedding banquet this time. Not only did she gift a bag worth tens of thousands, but she also gave a monetary gift amounting to a hundred thousand.
Xylia replied, "I even turned down a brand endorsement event just to attend your wedding. My manager gave me an earful for that.”
Ysabelle took her hand and said, "I will definitely propose a toast to you later."
While there were no guests arriving, Xylia took the opportunity to chat a bit more with Ysabelle at the door. Casually, she asked, "Given that your wedding is a big occasion, I'm sure Timothy will attend, won't he?"
"They arrived ten minutes earlier and are inside right now."
Ysabelle felt uneasy thinking about what just happened. She vented to Xylia, "I don't know who his wife is, but she's so arrogant. It's one thing not to greet me, but she didn't even greet my mother."
"My mom is Timothy's own aunt. Can you believe how disrespectful his wife is to her elders?"
"Forget it," Xylia whispered to her. "She doesn't even bother with Timothy, let alone your mom. In fact, she expects Timothy to behave obsequiously to please her."