Chapter 130 - 129
"Sorry, I had some family matters to take care of," Simon Lockwood said politely as he sat down.
"What kind of matters?" Kenley Kim was a little surprised. He knew a bit about Simon Lockwood’s family background.
’His parents were both gone. The poor guy was all alone. What family matters could he possibly have?’
Heidi was also staring intently at Simon Lockwood, her big eyes blinking, looking quite captivating.
Simon Lockwood, however, acted as if he hadn’t seen her and had no intention of elaborating. Fortunately, a waiter arrived with their food just then, breaking the silence.
Kenley Kim invited them to eat and brought up a few other topics, subtly remarking on how outstanding his sister was and how her feelings for Simon Lockwood hadn’t changed one bit over the years.
He even added that if he hadn’t stopped her, Heidi would have gone to Celestria to find Simon Lockwood long ago.
Heidi wasn’t shy at all. She gazed at the man unabashedly, her eyes filled with undisguised admiration and affection.
She came from a good family, was beautiful and smart. Since she was a child, countless men had been infatuated with her. She started dating in junior high and had seen her fair share of men.
No matter how outstanding or handsome they were, in her eyes, they were just tools to adjust her mood and keep her entertained.
Perhaps because she had seen so many, she started to lose interest as soon as she came of age, feeling that all men were the same and none were particularly special.
One day, when she was bored from skipping class, Heidi secretly bought a plane ticket to Meridia to see her brother. Just as she arrived at his school, she saw him walking toward her.
Her eyes lit up. But before she could call out, she noticed a slender, upright young man with black hair and black eyes standing next to her brother.
Back then, Simon Lockwood still had a touch of youthful immaturity. He was cold as ice, radiating a low-pressure aura that warned strangers to keep their distance.
The young man seemed to sense something and turned his gaze toward her. Heidi was caught off guard, finding herself looking straight into a pair of cold, indifferent black eyes.
Without warning, her heart skipped a beat.
She didn’t know how to describe the flutter she felt in that instant, but she knew for sure that she would never forget it for a long, long time to come.
Unfortunately, this Eastern man was utterly devoid of romantic charm. He wore a cold expression all day and ignored her bold declarations of love.
Heidi even began to wonder if her charm had faded. ’How could any man resist her advances? It’s not logical. I don’t believe it!’
"Lockwood, let’s go out after dinner," Heidi invited boldly.
Kenley chimed in to support her, "Yeah, Heidi’s free anyway. Let her show you around. As soon as I hear back from the professor tomorrow, I’ll let you know immediately."
With an unchanged expression, Simon Lockwood said he still had some work to handle.
Heidi looked disappointed and threw up her hands. "Alright, then tomorrow. Save tomorrow for me."
As if afraid he would refuse, she grabbed her bag and walked away, her high heels CLICK-CLACK-CLICKING on the floor.
Simon Lockwood frowned, his gaze devoid of warmth as he looked at the man across from him.
Kenley shrugged, indicating there was nothing he could do.
*
Joanna Kennedy stood on the balcony for a while, letting the breeze sober her up. The scions of high society inside were discussing something, and she overheard Charles Jennings’s name.
"Tsk, tsk, the Jennings family has had some bad luck lately. I heard Charles Jennings was hospitalized. No idea what happened."
"What else could it be? It must have been Mrs. Jennings. An illegitimate son took over the Jennings Company. Mrs. Jennings has been holding a grudge, so she must have used the company’s downturn as a chance to teach Charles Jennings a lesson."
"Hahaha, that’s very likely."
Joanna Kennedy didn’t listen closely to the rest. The corner of her mouth twitched, and she felt a mix of emotions.
’It feels a little bad, letting someone else take the blame for no reason...’
She kept up the pretense for less than a second before she couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
’Heh heh.’
Just then, Paul Pemberton came over with a glass of honey water and saw the girl laughing happily, her eyes curved into crescents and sparkling brightly.
He froze for a second, then the corners of his lips unconsciously turned up in a smile. "What are you so happy about?"
Joanna Kennedy was still chuckling to herself. Caught off guard by his voice, she jumped, her smile vanishing. "It’s nothing," she said casually.
The private room was still noisy, the music growing louder. Paul Pemberton looked down at her slightly and handed over the glass of honey water, his tone apologetic. "I accidentally gave you a fruit wine earlier. Drink some of this to settle it."
Joanna Kennedy hesitated for a moment before taking it. "Thank you."
"You’re welcome." The smile in Paul Pemberton’s eyes softened as he stared at the girl without blinking.
Joanna Kennedy had beautifully shaped lips, a natural rosy red. As they pressed against the clear glass, they looked inexplicably sensual.
"I wish I hadn’t gone abroad back then," Paul Pemberton said suddenly, gazing at her. The comment seemed to come out of nowhere.
Joanna Kennedy’s expression didn’t change noticeably. "You’re doing great now, though. So impressive."
"Am I...? I don’t really feel that way..." Paul Pemberton shook his head with a wry laugh.
’Tsk, what a humblebrag,’ Joanna Kennedy thought, raising an eyebrow and saying nothing more.
Paul Pemberton continued, "If I hadn’t gone abroad back then, maybe I could have waited for you to come back to Aethelburg."
"Wait for me for what?" Joanna Kennedy asked casually. "It’s not like we know each other that well."
With that one sentence, she tactfully rejected the last vestiges of his youthful crush.
The courage of youth is like the high-noon sun, constantly radiating heat. It needs no encouragement to boldly declare its affections all day long.
But now that he was older, he didn’t dare speak up, resorting instead to testing the waters step by step.
Joanna Kennedy wasn’t going to give him that chance.
Paul Pemberton fell silent, looking somewhat dejected.
The honey water in her hand was still warm. Joanna Kennedy decided to be kind and said tactfully, "You have a bright future. You should look forward."
’I’m shallow when it comes to looks, and I only have eyes for Simon Lockwood’s face. I can’t spare any energy for anyone else.’
After two seconds of silence, Paul Pemberton suddenly smiled. "What about you, then?" he asked. "Why don’t you look forward?"
"What do you mean?" Joanna Kennedy turned her head to look at him, not quite understanding.
Paul Pemberton stared at her intently. "Isn’t Simon Lockwood a road back to the past?"
"........."
Joanna Kennedy’s eyes widened in surprise. For a moment, she was at a loss for words, finding the situation somewhat amusing.
"Jo, Simon Lockwood isn’t right for you. Don’t you feel like you’re not on the same path?" Paul Pemberton’s tone was earnest. "You’re very naive and have been sheltered by your family your whole life. Simon Lockwood is different. He clawed his way up from nothing. To survive in such a harsh environment and then go on to found Southland all on his own... he’s far more formidable than you can imagine. A man like Simon Lockwood is ruthless and will stop at nothing to achieve his goals."
As Paul Pemberton said this, his expression was completely serious, as if he had personally witnessed everything Simon Lockwood had been through, giving him the right to make such a self-assured condemnation.
Paul Pemberton’s background was too privileged. He had always looked down on those born into poverty, assuming they must be despicable, with filthy minds, greedy for fame and fortune. In his eyes, even if a poor person achieved honor and success, it could only have been through unscrupulous methods and cunning schemes.