Filed to story: A Second Chance with My Billionaire Love
“Why aren’t you saying anything? Did I scare you?” Flossie smiled and asked him calmly. “It’s disgusting, isn’t it? They say that eyes are the key to one’s soul, but… I’ve lost mine. Can you bear to see such a thing when you kiss me?” Flossie had seen Jovan when he had lost his eyes, so she knew how frightening it would look. Any normal person would get scared looking at it, and some might even have run away by now. She had done it on purpose to get rid of Jovan.
“Yes, it’s horrible,” Jovan nodded and admitted. “I also looked this terrible back then, but you stayed close to me and took care of me for such a long time. You didn’t despise me back then, so of course I won’t do that to you now either.” “It wasn’t like that! I was just trying to repay you for Halston’s sake. If you hadn’t saved Halston, I would have run away for sure,” Flossie said bluntly, trying to make Jovan hate her.
“Really?” Jovan’s gaze turned cold. “You could bear it even if you didn’t love me, and I… Well, of course I can take it since I love you so much.” Then, before Flossie could say anything, he leaned down and kissed her.
“Mmph!” Flossie tensed. She never thought Jovan would be this bold, and punched his shoulders, trying to push him away. However, instead of letting her go, he tried to deepen the kiss. Flossie squeaked and bit his lip, making him pull away with a hiss of pain. Flossie wiped her lips and cursed him fiercely. “Are you out of your mind, Jovan? You said you wouldn’t touch me without my permission. How could you break your word?” It was humiliating kissing a man she repulsed, but more than that… she felt guilty. Halston had risked his life to save her, and his whereabouts were still unknown, but Flossie had just kissed his enemy. She felt like killing herself.
Slowly, Jovan wiped away the blood on his lips, a satisfied smile on his face. “It doesn’t count since I was just kissing you as a friend. Besides, weren’t you the one who asked for it?” “When did I do that?” “You said I wouldn’t be able to bear the sight of your eyes when I kiss you, so… I just proved it to you. I can take it, and I enjoyed it.” Jovan approached Flossie and stared at the scars around her eyes. “It’s fine once the initial shock wears off. In fact, they look pretty cute.” “You’re shameless! How can you say such a thing, Jovan?” “Don’t be mad; I just wanted you to know that I only want you. I don’t care if you have a pair of pretty eyes or not, or if you’re disabled-it won’t affect my feelings for you.” Jovan smirked and added, “So there’s no point in trying to disgust me or make me hate you. It won’t work.” “You’re really…” Flossie spread her hands helplessly. “You got me.” There was no point in struggling since she was trapped here. Besides, it was impossible to talk some sense into this crazy man.
Lisa came forward and said respectfully, “Master Jovan, the person you’re looking for is here. Should I bring her here?” “Take her upstairs.” “Okay.”
After a while, Lisa brought a woman to the balcony where Flossie was. It was none other than Jessanna. She was still wearing a mask, but looked more relaxed and calm. She looked at Flossie, and when she saw that Flossie had lost her eyes, her face lit up with a wicked glee. “It’s been a while, Flossie.” “You…
You are?” Flossie flinched when she heard Jessanna’s voice. She had an idea of who it was, but couldn’t accept it. She didn’t want to face her.
“Don’t you know who I am?”
Jessanna sneered. “Oh, I forgot. You’re blind now, and I’m wearing a mask. You don’t know who I am.”
Flossie clenched her fists, her lips tightly pursed. She knew she had guessed right, and she had no choice but to face her, no matter how afraid she was to do it.
“You remember?” Jessanna saw Flossie’s expression, and her gaze slowly turned fierce and hateful. “You pushed me down the cliff, and I was crushed. I was in so much pain that I wanted to die, but I managed to crawl out of that hell because I told myself that I shouldn’t be defeated that easily. No matter what, I had to take you down with me. Well, it certainly looks like I made the right choice.” Jessanna sized Flossie up, smirking when she saw Flossie’s empty and scarred eye sockets. “If I didn’t hold on back then, I wouldn’t have been able to see you turn this ugly and miserable! Not so smug now, are we?” “Ms. Ximenez, watch your tongue.” Jovan shot Jessanna a cold glance and warned her. “I didn’t bring you here to hurt her.” “It’s okay.” Flossie took a deep breath, her expression calm. “I did mistreat her, so it’s okay if she hates me. But I want to say that I didn’t push you off that cliff on purpose-it was an accident because I was trying to protect myself.” She could still remember that scene vividly. Jessanna had aggressively forced Flossie to the edge of the cliff, and if Flossie hadn’t fought back, she would have fallen off it. Even if she could reverse time, Flossie would still make the same choice because she couldn’t bear to leave behind all the people she loved.
“See-you admitted you pushed me down the cliff! You admitted that you’re a murderer!”
Jessanna fiercely accused Flossie.
Jovan stood in front of Flossie protectively and snapped at Jessanna, “You’re the one who provoked her, so you’ve got no right to blame her. She did it in selfdefense because you were trying to kill her; I don’t think she’s done anything wrong.” “Hmph! Yeah, it might have been self-defense… but why didn’t she come and save me after she pushed me down the cliff? Why didn’t she get help for me? She just let me die, so how can you say she’s not wicked?” Jessanna had hated Flossie before this, but her hatred for her had intensified while she was recovering from falling off the cliff. Even if she had poisoned Flossie and gotten her revenge, she still could not let go of her hatred.
“I don’t know if she’s wicked or not, but you certainly are,” Jovan scoffed.
“Well, I don’t deny that. If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t be working with you,” Jessanna calmed herself down and said meaningfully.
Flossie immediately tensed. “What do you mean? What are you both planning?” “Calm down. Jovan and I are just taking what we need,” Jessanna said smugly.
Jovan looked at Flossie and sighed. “Stop overthinking. I’ll never harm you no matter what I do.” “Jovan, don’t get close to Jessanna…” Flossie clenched her fists and said sharply, “You might seem wicked sometimes, but you can still change. She, however, is a thoroughly vicious person.”
Flossie’s rare praise of Jovan made him feel uneasy, and he shrugged.” Don’t say that. Jessanna and I are the same kind of people-we’ll do whatever it takes to get what we want. So… she and I are now allies, and I’m happy we are.” “You’re stubborn, Jovan. I was wrong about you.” Flossie was angry at Jovan for deciding to work with Jessanna. She didn’t want to talk to Jessanna either, so she stood up and clumsily made her way out.
Jovan didn’t go after her or explain-he just let her sulk, thinking badly of him.
Jessanna crossed her arms and watched as Flossie staggered and nearly fell several times as she walked away. Then, she turned and said to Jovan, “I thought you were a passionate person, but I guess you aren’t that nice either since you didn’t go comfort her or help her when she almost fell. I finally understand why she refuses to let Halston go even though you’ve tried your best to win her over; if it were me, I would have chosen Halston too.”
Jovan glared at Jessanna. “Don’t talk about things you don’t understand. Do you really think we’re friends?” “No, I don’t flatter myself like that.” Hostility gleamed in Jessanna’s eyes as she sneered, “We’re just exchanging profit-you have something I want, and I have something you want. We are the same, and we’re willing to get our hands dirty to get what we want.” “I’m glad you realize it.” Jovan nodded and looked at the sky, then said finally, “So, can I check my goods now?” “You’ve got to show me your sincerity first.” Jessanna was very cautious, and didn’t want to suffer any losses.
Jovan frowned and hesitated briefly. “I’ve not gained a firm foothold in Guajardo Enterprise yet. I’m just the company’s acting president, so I still need to hold a board meeting for votes if I want to make a decision.” “So, I still can’t see your sincerity then?” Jessanna raised her brows. “I can wait.
After all, you’re not in a hurry, so why should I be?” “How about this? I’ll transfer five percent of my shares of Guajardo Enterprise to you. I’m sure that shows enough sincerity on my part.” Jovan owned twenty percent of the shares of Guajardo Enterprise, and was one of the largest shareholders alongside Halston, Halston’s father, and Timothy. If he transferred five percent of his shares to Jessanna, he wouldn’t be the fourth largest shareholder anymore, and would have less power in Guajardo Enterprise as well as Beach City. It was the greatest sincerity he could show.
Jessanna sneered in disdain. “You want to bribe me with a mere five percent of the shares? Am I that worthless to you? Plus, I don’t want money. I would have led a worry-free life as the wife of Halston’s brother if I wanted money. Why would I go through so much trouble?”
Jovan slowly clenched his fists. “I know you want Halston, but I don’t have the ability to make you a member of the board of directors of Guajardo Enterprise. The members of the board of directors are all seniors, including my grandpa and uncle, so they’ll definitely object to it if they learn of your identity.”
Jessanna did not compromise. “I came to you because I knew this wouldn’t be easy to do. After all, what I’m offering is very tempting, right?” Her face was ruined, and she had no power or influence. It was a social death, and even the beggars on the street might despise her. There was no way she could get Halston like this, so she had to make a comeback with a higher status.
Jessanna wanted to become a member of the board of directors of Guajardo Enterprise so she could decide the fate of the company and have the right to suppress Halston.
“I…” It was rare to see Jovan look so defeated, and he kept his head bowed as he muttered, “I can’t do it… at least not right now.” “So, we can’t reach a deal?” Jessanna snorted. Why did you ask me to come here if you can’t do it? You’re wasting my time.”
Jessanna turned to leave, but Jovan stopped her. “I only said that I couldn’t do it now. You have to give me time, or else my smart grandpa won’t agree. If he gets upset, I might even lose my position, and then I won’t be able to help you at all.”
Jessanna paused and contemplated it briefly. She knew she couldn’t push him too hard, so she relented. “Fine, I’ll give you one week. Is that enough?” “I’ll give it a shot.” Jovan knew that getting what he wanted would just remain wishful thinking if his offer to Jessanna wasn’t good enough.
Jovan decided to go to Guajardo Manor to visit Timothy that night.
Timothy’s health was getting worse. He had been lying in bed for a long time because it was hard for him to get up and move around. He was overjoyed to see Jovan, and they played chess and chatted like they used to. “You seem like a carefree guy, but you’re actually quite devoted. You always come and spend time with me.” “Grandpa, please don’t say that. You’re the one who’s spending time with me and giving me advice.” “What advice can I give you? I can share some of my experiences with you because I’ve been playing chess for a long time.” Timothy cleared his throat and moved a chess piece. Instantly, his gameplay became offensive instead of defensive, and he started advancing.
At first, Jovan had the upper hand, but he had no choice but to retreat, and could not make a counterattack. “Grandpa, you’re amazing. I can’t win this one.” Jovan gave up resisting and willingly surrendered.
“Nonsense. As long as the game goes on, there’s always a chance to win,” Timothy said profoundly, trying to give Jovan life advice too. “Sometimes, people are just like chess pieces. Don’t forget yourself when you’re winning, and don’t be downcast when you’re losing… So, tell me-why did you come to me today?” Timothy was smart; he knew that Jovan wasn’t just here to play chess. He was certain Jovan had a favor to ask of him.
“Ah, you really do know me best.” Jovan sighed and decided to come clean.
Jovan smiled helplessly and shrugged. “I know that I’m just a mean little man to you. I can’t hide anything from you.” “No, you’re not-you’re just a boy who hasn’t grown up yet. You’re always so competitive. But… you’re not a boy with any bad ideas,” Timothy said honestly. Although he had stopped meddling in the affairs of Guajardo Enterprise, he knew the issues between Halston and Jovan as they competed for power. Jovan was talented and smart, but grew up in Halston’s shadow. As time went by, he found it more and more unacceptable, and would always find fault with Halston. Even if they both gained a hundred marks in a test, Jovan would complain if his score was not written as nicely as Halston’s. Timothy didn’t mind their fighting as long as Guajardo Enterprise was still owned by their family, so as long as the person managing the company was capable, he would let them be.
“You flatter me.” Jovan was moved as he added, “Everyone thinks I’m crafty and wicked, but you’re the only other person who doesn’t believe that I’m bad. It makes me feel like I’m someone with a conscience and limits.”
Timothy raised his cup of tea to his lips and smiled. “Don’t you have those?” “I might be bad sometimes but… I stop myself from going too far,” Jovan answered sincerely. He had come up with bad ideas many times, but when it came to execution, he had never been able to do them. His cunningness had its limits.
“I’m curious about who that other person is. They must be quite insightful to see the real you,” Timothy said curiously.
“Oh, she… You know her too. I came today to ask for your help, and it’s related to her,” Jovan admitted.
Timothy’s exhaustion ebbed away because of Jovan’s words, and his curiosity grew. “Who is it?” “Do you still remember Flossie, your granddaughter-in-law?” “Oh, Flossie! Of course, I remember her!” Timothy’s calmness turned into agitation when he heard Flossie’s name. “How is she?
“Ah… Halston let me down. He didn’t treat her well and lost her…” “Can you give me her number if you have it? I think it’s about time for me to talk to her. Every time I think about the past, I remember her. I want to talk to her and play chess with her like old times.” After Halston and Flossie got a divorce many years ago, the Guajardo family hid many things from Timothy because of his old age and heart condition. Hence, Timothy felt that Flossie must be angry at Halston because she had not appeared after a long time or contacted him. She might have even found a new man and led a happy life. Naturally, Timothy felt that he could not disturb her. However, when Jovan mentioned Flossie, Timothy’s memories of her flooded his mind, and he couldn’t stop missing her.
“She’s not very well and is in some kind of trouble. I think you might be the only one who can help her as the chairman of Guajardo Enterprise.” Jovan clenched his fists, sounding serious.
“Me?” Timothy frowned and hurriedly asked, “How is she now? How can I help? I’ll try my best to help her.” “Umm, she… There’s a problem with her eyes, and she’s in urgent need of an eye transplant from a suitable donor. Unfortunately, the condition is that you need to let a woman you hate join the board of directors of Guajardo Enterprise,” Jovan admitted, revealing the deal he had with Jessanna. Simply put, Jessanna had told Jovan that she had found a suitable pair of eyes for Flossie, but the condition was that she be allowed to join the board of directors of Guajardo Enterprise and be a part of the company’s decisionmaking processes and dividends. It was a greedy, tricky offer, but it was because she wanted to make a grand comeback as Jessanna. Jovan was immediately moved when he heard that Jessanna could help cure Flossie’s eyes, and he was even willing to transfer more than half of the shares of the company to Jessanna. Unfortunately, he could not decide on the addition of a new member to the board of directors. Only Timothy, the chairman, had that right, so Jovan decided to tell Timothy everything to gain his support.
“Oh, I see…” Timothy looked bewildered, his mind struggling to process all the things Jovan had told him.
“I’m sorry, Grandpa. I know it’s a ridiculous request. Our family has been working so hard for the company, and we can’t make light of it, but…
there’s nothing else I can do. I can’t see Flossie suffer like this.” Jovan kept his head bowed. He had always been reckless and arrogant, but for the first time, he felt defeated and helpless.
“Flossie… has suffered a lot. I’ll help her. We owe it to her!” Timothy decided to help Flossie without any hesitation.
Night had fallen by the time Jovan returned to his manor. He was silent and gloomy.
“You’re home, Master Jovan.” Lisa always waited in the living room for Jovan every day. She stared at him worriedly, noticing his troubled expression.
Jovan looked up in the direction of Flossie’s room. “Is she asleep?” “She slept early, but… she seems unhappy. She ignored US and didn’t eat anything,” Lisa admitted hesitantly. She knew that Flossie was very important to Jovan, so she always served Flossie carefully. She made many different kinds of tasty food for Flossie every day. Previously, Flossie would have a bite or two, but today, she hadn’t eaten or drank anything at all.
“No, she’s got to eat something. She looks so weak, and she needs nutrition.” Jovan sighed anxiously and instructed Lisa, “Go and make some light supper. I’ll carry it to her.” “Okay.” Lisa nodded and made the dishes very quickly.
Jovan carried the supper upstairs to Flossie’s room.
The lights in Flossie’s room were not lit. To her, it didn’t matter-it was always dark and stressful.
Jovan sighed softly and gently turned on the lights.
Flossie was not asleep. When she heard someone switch on the lights and approach, she could tell by the heavy footsteps that it was Jovan. She remained lying on her side and said grumpily, “Jovan, I’m your sister-in-law, and besides, men and women should keep a polite distance. Isn’t it inappropriate for you to come into my room late at night?” “I’ve already done so many inappropriate things, so it doesn’t matter anyway,” Jovan joked as he placed the tray on the nightstand and pulled a chair over to sit near Flossie’s bed. He tried to persuade her patiently, “I heard from Lisa that you neither ate nor drank today. It’s very silly of you to punish me like this since you’ll be the one suffering in the end. Be good and eat, then you can beat me up or scold me. That way, you can vent your anger and feel better. Wouldn’t it be killing two birds with one stone?”