Playing the Villainess, He Fell for Me

After mentioning the birthday celebration once more, Sean Grant hurriedly departed.

Only the two of them remained at the dining table. The silence was almost unsettling, broken only by the clinking of chopsticks against plates.

Joanna Kennedy couldn’t resist speaking up. "I worked so hard to make this from a recipe, and you haven’t said a thing..."

Her voice was a little stifled, laced with a barely perceptible hint of hurt.

Simon Lockwood glanced up at her, then quickly looked away. Trying to recall his old self, he mulled over what he should say. After a long moment, he said, "You’re the best."

Even though Simon Lockwood’s words were nearly the same as before, Joanna Kennedy couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. It sounded incredibly awkward.

She frowned. "Did something happen today? You’re acting so strange..."

Joanna Kennedy couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but she felt as if Simon Lockwood was deliberately hiding something from her.

’Did something happen?’

’I got her message, went to the parking garage, drove home, and ate dinner.’

’Everything seemed perfectly normal.’ Simon Lockwood shook his head. "No, I’m probably just a little tired."

’That must be it. Sean Grant mentioned that Simon has been working late the past few days; he must be exhausted. Besides, doesn’t everyone say that long hours can put you in a bad mood? That’s probably what’s happening with him.’

Understanding now, Joanna Kennedy sighed in relief, her voice softening. "Well, you should take a hot bath in a little while and get some rest."

Simon Lockwood responded with a quiet hum of agreement.

He never once met her eyes, so naturally, Joanna Kennedy failed to see the coldness that had been there from the very beginning.

「A spacious downtown apartment.」

With a dark look in his eyes, Charles Jennings listened to his secretary on the other end of the phone, struggling to maintain his gentle facade.

"Quite a few shareholders have already sold their shares at a high price to a mysterious buyer. We can’t find out exactly how much that buyer has acquired, but it’s definitely not a small amount," the secretary said, his voice laced with resignation.

The secretary also found it bizarre. The Jennings Group’s stock was in freefall, so what could this mysterious buyer possibly be after? To pay such a high price for shares... it was as if they were willing to lose money just for the sake of toppling the company.

He spoke diplomatically, but both men knew the truth: if Charles Jennings couldn’t find a solution, the moment the mysterious buyer’s stake surpassed his own, the Jennings Company would have a new owner.

Charles Jennings hung up, his grip on his phone tightening.

’Didn’t Serena Sutton already make her move? Why is Simon Lockwood still hounding me?!’ Charles Jennings demanded through gritted teeth.

Just this afternoon, the system had used Serena Sutton’s body, siphoning the heroine’s energy to use the "Emotional Reversal" ability on Simon Lockwood.

’Simon Lockwood is only targeting the Jennings Group because of Joanna Kennedy. If the "Emotional Reversal" was successful, why hasn’t he stopped?’

The system was also shocked. ’How is that possible? It was definitely used.’

The system’s perception was different from a human’s; it could see a person’s emotional core.

It had watched with its own "eyes" as Simon Lockwood’s emotions were snuffed out bit by bit. As the heroine, Serena Sutton’s energy was too weak, while Simon Lockwood was far too powerful; it was impossible to erase his emotions completely.

Just as his emotions were about to drop to zero, the heroine passed out.

’Could that... be why?’

’No, that can’t be right. The system clearly indicated that the ability’s use was complete.’

Right now, the heroine was still unconscious in bed, her energy field so weak it was even feebler than that of Charles Jennings, who was just a supporting male character.

Charles Jennings had no desire to waste any more words with it. He snatched his suit jacket from the sofa and strode out, preparing to return to the company.

He didn’t care if the company lived or died. The Jennings Group could be destroyed, but not now, and certainly not at the hands of Simon Lockwood.

A strong wind picked up that night, gusting into the bedroom and sweeping a finished math test from the desk onto the floor.

Joanna Kennedy picked up the math test, tucked it under a book, and then got up to close all the windows in the bedroom, shutting out the sound of the wind and the rustling leaves.

Since there were no suitable scripts for her at the moment, her agent had given her a few days off. Thus, she had resumed her life as a student. Today, she had one last comprehensive science exam to finish.

Joanna Kennedy was agonizing over the final major physics problem, her teeth unconsciously clamping down on her pen cap. She didn’t even hear the bathroom door open.

She only reacted when the searing heat of a man’s body pressed against her from behind. A hot flush crept up her cheeks. She was about to turn her head when his hand clamped around the nape of her neck, holding her still.

Joanna Kennedy’s eyelashes trembled and her face flushed an even deeper red. With her back to him, she felt completely vulnerable. "I... I have to finish my work. Let me go."

Her voice was delicate and soft, but Simon Lockwood remained expressionless. As he stared at the fair, slender nape of her neck, his eyes held nothing but pure desire.

’Joanna Kennedy is mine,’ he thought. ’I can do whatever I want.’

The scene from that other night surfaced in his memory: the pampered, coddled young lady, raised in opulence, perfect in every inch. The delicate pinks and pale whites of her skin...

"Joanna Kennedy..." Simon Lockwood’s voice was distant, with an unreadable rasp. "You’re beautiful."

Long, slender fingers unfastened the buttons of her cotton pajamas one by one. The air slowly grew warmer. Joanna Kennedy’s breathing hitched, and she hurriedly pressed his hand down, her voice small. "Aren’t you... tired?"

"I’m rested now," Simon Lockwood said coolly.

Joanna Kennedy’s eyelashes trembled violently as she held his hand, refusing to let go.

Simon Lockwood frowned, his eyes cold. "You don’t like this?"

His blunt question made Joanna Kennedy’s ears burn. She bit her lip and mumbled, "You... you take too long. It’s uncomfortable for me..."

The last time, her legs had been shaking for days. She was genuinely afraid.

Simon Lockwood seemed surprised by her reason. "Hm," he said dismissively. "I understand."

’What does he mean, he understands?’

Before Joanna Kennedy could figure out what he meant, he swept her up into his arms. The world spun, and in the next moment, she was placed on the bed. Joanna instinctively tried to get up, only to be pressed back down by his body.

Her gaze crashed into his emotionless eyes, and she froze for a moment. Then, her vision went black as his large, dry hand covered her eyes.

Startled, Joanna Kennedy struggled instinctively, but her meager strength was nothing in his eyes.

Her wrists were bound together with a necktie, not so tight as to be painful, but too tight to struggle out of. Joanna Kennedy was truly starting to feel scared now. Unable to see anything, she could only let him do as he pleased.

Simon Lockwood was like a tireless beast, going on and on. No matter how much she begged, it was useless. Eventually, he just covered her mouth, too.

Perhaps sensing she had no energy left, the man showed a sliver of "mercy" and untied her wrists, only to retie the necktie over her eyes.

A moment before she lost consciousness, the necktie came loose during the violent motions. She managed to force her eyes open, her gaze meeting his deep, dark ones.

For a second, she thought she must be seeing things. Those once-calm black eyes were now filled with a bone-chilling desire, cold and indifferent. Beyond that, she could see no other emotion.

It felt as if a hand had squeezed her heart. Joanna couldn’t take it anymore and passed out.