Filed to story: The Regretful Billionaire: An Unpredicted Reunion
Besides, she wasn’t even a celebrity. Was there a need for those paparazzi to keep an eye on her every single day?
Not long after, James called her, first apologizing and then asking her not to worry because he would handle it. Danika agreed as she believed that James was more than capable of handling this trivial matter on his own. She needn’t get involved if James would take care of it.
After hanging up, Danika left the hospital. She didn’t bother to explain herself to others, nor did she care what they thought of her.
Before Danika reached Zellweger Castle, her phone rang again. Thinking it might be Evan or Eustace calling, she glanced at her phone screen only to find out it was neither.
“Melissa?” Danika was puzzled. Since Melissa took over as the bar manager, she rarely called her unless it was important.
“Boss, we have a big problem!” Melissa’s voice sounded extremely anxious on the phone.
Danika had previously asked Melissa to call her by her name, but Melissa insisted on calling her Boss,” saying that it showed respect. Danika was speechless about it, but she decided to let her be. After all, it was just Melissa’s way of addressing her.
Hearing Melissa’s urgent tone, Danika also became nervous in turn. “Calm down and take it slow. Tell me what’s wrong.”
“Where are you? I’ll come to you in person and tell you.” Melissa’s tone was still urgent as if she wished she could teleport to where Danika was.
Danika thought for a moment and said, “I’m coming to the bar to find you now. I’ll be there soon.”
“Okay, I’ll wait for you at the bar.” With that, Melissa hung up the phone and waited for Danika to arrive.
Soon, a cab stopped right in front of a bar. Danika glanced up at the name of the bar-Iridescence. She had chosen the name herself, inspired by the line “Had I the heavens’ embroidered cloths, enwrought with golden and silver light,” which she liked. Without much thought, she walked in.
It seemed Melissa had already made arrangements because as soon as Danika entered, someone immediately led her to the room where Melissa was. Danika had never revealed her connection to the bar to anyone else and rarely came there on regular days. She didn’t want anyone to suspect her involvement with the place, as it would jeopardize the confidentiality of any information shared there.
“You finally showed up,” Melissa said as soon as Danika stepped into the office. At the sight of her, Melissa got up and walked over. Danika looked at Melissa in her professional attire. She looked completely different from when they first met; Alfred was indeed skilled in grooming people. “Tell me what’s the matter,” Danika said, wasting no time.
Will He Kill Me?
Upon seeing Danika in person, Melissa wasn’t as anxious as before. She asked someone to get
Danika a cup of coffee. She waited for the coffee to be served to Danika before saying, “My senior, Flint Stauder, is here.”
“Your senior?” Danika was puzzled and didn’t quite understand what it had to do with the matter at hand.
“Alicia sought him out,” Melissa explained.
As soon as she said that, Danika understood. After she had saved Alicia, the young woman hadn’t given up on seeking revenge. She found Melissa’s senior, who was most likely Jonathan’s senior.
Danika sighed. She didn’t understand why Alicia was so persistent. Couldn’t she just live her own life peacefully? Why bother with such meaningless revenge?
“How skilled is your senior compared to you?” Danika asked. Since the man had come for her specifically, she needed to be prepared.
Melissa thought for a moment, then answered, “Let’s put it this way-you won’t be able to beat him with your skills.”
She knew how skilled her senior was, and she also knew how skilled Danika was. Comparing the two, she had no doubt her senior was the superior one among them.
Danika felt uneasy when she heard that. If he was more skilled than her, he would be difficult to deal with, so she needed help.
“But don’t worry. If we join forces, he won’t be a match for us.” Melissa guaranteed with a few pats on her chest to look convincing.
Danika was naturally skeptical and didn’t quite believe her. “Really? You’re helping me deal with him?
“What’s the big deal? As long as we don’t hurt him fatally, what’s wrong with giving him a beating?” Melissa had wanted to beat up Flint for a while now, and the good opportunity had come knocking on her door.
Danika didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She asked, “Are you all free to do as you wish? It seems you all can exact revenge on whomever you please. Won’t your master step in and keep you guys in line?”
“She doesn’t have the energy to care about these things. Ever since she said we’re on our own, she hasn’t cared about us much. She has told us that we must solve things ourselves in the future, and she won’t help.” To put it simply, she was leaving them to their own devices.
Thinking of that, Danika felt that her master was indeed the best. She believed that if she encountered difficulties and asked for help, her master would definitely come to her rescue.
Worried that Danika didn’t want her help as she was silent, Melissa quickly added, “Boss, you can’t be careless. Flint is very skillful. You must take it seriously.”
“I know.” Danika knew what Melissa was capable of. Since Flint was more skilled than her, Danika wouldn’t be able to defeat him on her own. Naturally, she wouldn’t be foolish enough to insist on fighting alone.
“Do you know when he will come to find me?”
“I don’t know about that.” Melissa shook her head.
Danika nodded and didn’t ask any more questions. “Alright, I got it. When I need help, I’ll give you a call.”
“Boss, by the time you call me, I won’t have enough time to rush over.” Melissa hurriedly got up to follow her.
Danika frowned. “So, what do you suggest?”
“Let someone else take care of the bar for the next few days. I’ll stay by your side, so no matter when he shows up, I can protect you,” Melissa said. Now that Danika was her boss, she wanted to take good care of her. Otherwise, where else would she find such a good boss if something happened to Danika?
Danika couldn’t help but laugh at Melissa’s solemn expression and asked, “Is that really necessary? He won’t be thinking of killing me, will he?”
“Who knows? He’s unpredictable; he used to beat me up frequently,” Melissa grumbled, unable to guarantee Flint wouldn’t try that.
Who Said You Could Leave?
Since Melissa had said so, Danika couldn’t underestimate the impending threat that would soon befall her. “Flint isn’t a fool. If he sees you following me, he’ll know better than to make a move.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll secretly protect you. I just want to inform you that the management of the bar is temporarily handed over to others so that you won’t say I’m incompetent,” Melissa said while playfully sticking out her tongue. She would use this opportunity to give herself a break for two days.
She used to like coming to the bar to have fun, but now that it had become her profession, she didn’t like the place anymore.
Danika nodded without saying anything else. “It’s up to you then.”
With everything arranged and settled, Danika left the bar and returned to Zellweger Castle.
Meanwhile, James finished dealing with the rumors online and returned home. He stepped into his villa only to find that Jolene hadn’t made dinner. Instead, she was dragging a suitcase with her, getting ready to leave.
“You’re back.” Seeing him at long last, some unfamiliar emotions stirred in Jolene’s heart. She couldn’t quite describe what those emotions were, but she felt somewhat melancholic. In fact, she could have left earlier. She just couldn’t bear to leave without saying goodbye to James.
She wasn’t in love with him when she pulled that trick on him; she was only attracted to his status as the head of the Windsors. But after they spent many days together, Jolene knew that she had truly fallen in love with him. However, it didn’t matter because she knew he would never love her back.
She knew that James had been going on blind dates, but he never showed any intention of letting her leave. Because of that, she secretly hoped that James felt a little something for her.
But after seeing the news that day, she realized that James’ heart had always belonged to Danika. As for the reason he didn’t let her leave….it was most likely to keep tormenting her.
She couldn’t stay with him any longer. She used to worry about James canceling their engagement and that she would be kicked out with nowhere to go. But what was there to worry about now?
The engagement had already been canceled, and the Zellwegers’ torch had been passed on to Danika. She no longer had anywhere she could call home in Bardoff City; the only thing she could do was leave.
Coincidentally, Rowena had been in contact with her these days, asking her to leave together and saying they would go abroad to start a new life. Jolene thought it was a good idea. She couldn’t continue living like that forever. It was time to let go.
James didn’t know that Jolene had thought that much in just those brief two minutes. He looked at the empty dining table and then at the suitcase Jolene was holding, furrowing his brow unhappily. “Are you planning to leave?”
“Yeah. Our engagement is over, so I have no reason to stay,” Jolene said with a bitter smile.
Besides, if you meet someone you like, and they find out I’m still living in your villa, it’s bound to cause misunderstandings.”
“Misunderstandings about what? That I like you?” James sneered, not attempting to conceal the contempt in his eyes.
Jolene’s face turned pale, and she held back her tears. “Of course, I know you don’t like me. It’s just that outsiders might misunderstand, and it could hurt you.”
“Hmph, how considerate. Should I thank you for that?” James laughed coldly, his tone and gaze both indifferent.
Jolene opened her mouth to say something but decided against it. “Well…I’ll leave then. Take care of yourself.”
Before she could reach the door, James grabbed her hand. “Who said you could leave?”
“What do you mean?” Jolene looked at her wrist in James’ hold, shocked. There was a hint of disbelief in her eyes.
Of Course, It Isn’t!
At that moment, James felt upset and frustrated. “Why would you think you could leave just because our engagement is over?” he asked, displeased.
“James…”
“Do you think I brought you here so that you would become Mrs. Windsor?” James interrupted Jolene before she could speak, his eyes filled with contempt. Without waiting for Jolene’s. response, he continued, “I brought you here to be a servant! To serve me and to pay for your sins against me!”
Feeling wronged, Jolene couldn’t help but argue, “But I’ve been serving you for so long. Isn’t that enough?”
“No, it isn’t! Of course, it isn’t!” James stared at her fiercely. “Since you dared to plot against me, be prepared to be tormented by me for the rest of your life. Do you think you can leave so easily? Dream on.”
James fumed inwardly, “Who do you take me for? After that despicable trick you pulled on me in the past, do you think you can make up for it with so little effort? How ridiculous!”
Jolene was truly scared now. Did that mean she had to be his servant for the rest of her life? What if James got married and had children in the future? Did it mean not only would she have to serve James, but she would also have to wait on his wife and children?
The thought of it made Jolene tremble with fear. Tears welled up in her eyes as she pleaded desperately, “James, I’ve realized my mistake. Please let me go! I promise I’ll never appear in front of you again.”
“Go to the kitchen and start cooking.” James ignored whatever she said. He walked to the sofa and sat down.
Jolene didn’t move. She looked at James, who was sitting on the sofa, then at the door. Although it was within arm’s reach, she was denied the freedom to leave the villa.
Unwilling to submit, she gritted her teeth, deciding that no matter what James said, she would walk out of that door.
“Jolene! How dare you!” James’ voice came from behind her, but Jolene didn’t stop. She ran toward the exit without even grabbing her luggage.
Once upon a time, she used to be in such a hurry to come to this place, but now she couldn’t wait to leave. Jolene sometimes thought this was the cruel joke fate played on her. If she’d listened to her parents in the first place and not moved in with James so hurriedly, would she have avoided. this torment?
With that thought, tears uncontrollably streamed down her face. Now that her parents were divorced, her mother was about to leave, and her father had completely abandoned her. If she continued to stay in this place, she feared that no one would care, even if James tormented her to death.
James was thoroughly annoyed by her actions, but he didn’t get up to chase after her. This was his territory, and without his consent, not even a mosquito could fly out.
