Filed to story: A Second Chance with My Billionaire Love
Leia watched Jessanna leave, looking troubled.
“Are you okay?” Xavier walked over and asked in concern.
“I’m fine.” Leia shook her head absently and looked at Xavier. “Where’s Halston? Where did he go? Does he know that Flossie’s been waiting for him to come back? Flossie needs him the most right now, so where is he hiding?” “Let’s go back. I need to talk to you about that in detail.” Xavier glanced at Jovan pointedly.
However, Leia couldn’t just leave like that. She walked to Jovan.
“What else do you want from me?’ Jovan took a step back in fear, covering his bitten arm. “I’ll make you suffer if you go crazy again.” “I know now that Flossie is at your place. I can’t just ignore that, so make a choice-are you going to drive her home, or do you want me to barge into your house and take her?” Leia demanded aggressively.
Jovan frowned and contemplated it for a while. “I can’t decide for Flossie, but I can guarantee one thing- if she wants to leave when you come to pick her up in a week, I’ll let her go. However, if she’s unwilling, you can’t force her to.” “Why do I need to wait another week?” “You’ll know by then.” “Then, can you promise that she’ll be fine this week? You won’t force her to do anything, right?” Leia had imagined countless scenes while talking and linking them with how extreme Jovan was… They were not anywhere close to PG-13. 1
Jovan rolled his eyes. “I’m not as twisted as you think. Even if I wanted to force her, do you think I could? Besides… If I could force her, I would have done it ages ago. I gave up my blood and eyes for her, but I can’t even hold her hand.” The more he spoke about it, the more bitter Jovan felt. He sounded very pitiful as he complained to Leia, but since she was Flossie’s best friend, he hoped she would throw in a good word for him.
“Yeah, you’re right…” Leia dwelled on it and realized that Jovan had not done any heinous things. “Okay, you promised. I’ll go to your place to pick her up in a week then.”
Margaret, Adie, and Abby were worried sick about Flossie’s safety in Ellsworth Manor. Margaret finally put Adie and Abby to bed with much difficulty before she went downstairs to welcome Leia and Xavier. “What’s going on? Ms. Flossie and Mr. Guajardo aren’t back yet, and the two kids eagerly wait for them every day. I feel very sorry for them!” Margaret had not wanted to say it, but the emotions she had been suppressing overwhelmed her when she saw Leia and Xavier. She had been working hard to comfort the children to ease their worry, but they were not stupid. They no longer believed the same excuse.
“Mr. Stuart, Ms. Lei, do you have any news about them? Do you know when they’ll come home? If they don’t come home, I’m afraid Adie will make a scene,” Margaret asked in worry. Adie was different from other children. He had realized that Flossie and Halston’s disappearances were not that simple, and told Margaret that he would find them using his own means after listening to Margaret’s lousy excuses.
However, Adie was just a child. The consequences would be very serious regardless of how good he was. Margaret didn’t want anything bad to happen to him, and she wouldn’t know how to help him if something did.
“Just tell them not to worry…” Leia patted Margaret’s shoulders and reassured her. “If everything goes smoothly, Flossie can come back in a week.” “That’s great. It’s alright if she travels, as long as she’s okay. I’ll take good care of the kids.” Margaret heaved a sigh of relief. She didn’t ask where Flossie was-she was just happy to hear that she was safe. After a brief pause, Margaret looked at Xavier carefully. “Umm… What about Mr. Guajardo?” “Halston…” Xavier clenched his fists and told a white lie. “He’s developing a sightseeing project there and can’t come home yet.” “Is he safe?” “Yeah, he’s safe.” Xavier took a deep breath, sounding like he was trying to convince himself more than anything. “I’m sure Halston will be safe!” “That’s good. The kids can rest easy then. I’ll tell them the good news tomorrow morning.” Margaret’s joy was obvious. She could rest well after hearing this too.
At night, Xavier and Leia made peace. It was a rare sight to see.
“Shall we go for a walk?” Leia hesitantly suggested to Xavier.
“Let’s go!” Xavier took a deep breath and mumbled despondently, “It’s been a while since I’ve had a nice walk.”
They walked for a long time under the moonlight in silence. Sometimes, only silence could deepen people’s affection for each other.
“Halston…” Leia paused, then finally asked, “He’s in trouble, isn’t he?” She was not a pessimistic person, but Xavier’s rare silence led her to believe that it wasn’t that simple.
“Halston will be fine!” Xavier sounded agitated. “I believe that he has a plan since he’s still missing.” “But there’s a rumor that he might have fallen off the cliff and got eaten by wild animals,” Leia said carefully.
“It’s impossible that there isn’t any trace of him even if he was. Quinton and I searched the mountains far and wide, but we didn’t even find a strand of his hair, so there can only be one other possibility-he’s alive, but he can’t come back for some reason,” Xavier said decisively.
Leia whispered, “I don’t care what his reason is, he should know that Flossie needs him now. I can’t believe he’s out there hiding somewhere!”
Flossie was rather obedient that night in Jovan’s manor. Not only did she have dinner, but she also stayed in the living room for a long time, waiting for Jovan’s return.
Jovan, who was exhausted, was filled with warmth when he returned and saw her in the living room. “Are you waiting for me?” He walked over to Flossie and sat close to her on the sofa, and the dim lighting made the atmosphere look intimate.
“Are you that surprised?” “I am.” Jovan looked serious. “I’d imagined this scene countless times in my head… but I know you’d only wait for me like this if you needed something from me.”
Flossie smiled. “Is that how you see me? As someone who’s cruel and selfish?” “No, I can only blame myself for not being charming enough. I failed to make you fall in love with me even after pursuing you for such a long time.” Jovan shook his head, a bitter smile on his face. He knew very well how she regarded him and dared not fancy wishful thoughts.
“I do have a favor to ask.” Flossie was wringing her hands nervously, looking quite uncomfortable to have to ask Jovan for a favor.
“What do you want me to help you with?” “I got bored today and asked Lisa to turn on the TV. I listened to the news and learned that it’s chaos out there…” Flossie clenched her fists as she spoke, her body trembling. “The mass media is saying that Halston… is dead. They say he fell off a cliff, and animals ate his corpse. You have full control of Guajardo Enterprise, so… you let Jessanna join the board of directors. Does the fact that you agreed to such a preposterous thing mean that those rumors are true? Is Halston dead?” Flossie figured that Jovan probably knew something he wasn’t letting on, which was why he had done something so reckless.
“If I told you that I don’t know whether Halston is alive or dead, would you believe me?” Jovan looked at Flossie, disappointment clear in his voice. She had actually waited for him to come home… but it was because of Halston. Basically, Jovan had Halston to thank for this privilege.
“I wouldn’t.” Flossie shook her head and said sharply, “If there was a possibility that Halston is alive, you wouldn’t go all out like this. You must have heard something.” “I don’t know where Halston is or how he’s doing. If you don’t believe me, you can ask Xavier or Quinton-they were the ones who went there. It’s better for you to ask them instead of a bad guy like me,” Jovan explained honestly.
“But it’s impossible…” Flossie shook her head, looking confused. “If you don’t know the current situation, and if Guajardo Enterprise hasn’t lost their leader, how could Jessanna join the board of directors? It’s very strange.” “Grandpa agreed to let Jessanna join the board of directors. As for the reason he did it…” After a pause, Jovan said cryptically, “You’ll know in a few days.”
“Grandpa agreed to it?” Flossie’s eyes widened in surprise. “I thought he always hated Jessanna? He knows how cunning she is, so why would he risk letting her join the board of directors? Isn’t he worried that Jessanna might lose control and ruin Guajardo Enterprise?” Doubts started to pop up in Flossie’s mind. Had something really happened to Halston? There was no way he would have agreed to this if he was still the backbone of the company.
“Well, you’ll know in a few days.”
Three days later, Flossie was overwhelmed by anxiety. She knew she had to face the truth. She had thought that Halston would come to her rescue if she waited obediently, but it looked like he might need her to save him instead. Flossie had been imagining that Halston would come to save her like a knight in fairytales, but as time went by, she realized there was no point in hoping and waiting. If she continued like this, she would only be at others’ mercy. Clenching her fists, she announced, “Lisa, I’m tired and want to sleep. You can leave.”
After sending Lisa off, Flossie tried to think of how she could leave the manor. She felt her way to the door and grasped the doorknob, but before she could turn it, her head started to spin. She stumbled slightly, and in a matter of seconds, Flossie blacked out. As she fell forward, someone quickly reached out and caught her.
Jovan held Flossie up as he made a call. “We’re ready. When can the surgery start?’ “Bring her here. Well start the surgery right away.” “Okay, we’ll be right there!” Jovan drove Flossie to the hospital Jessanna told him to go to.
Both Jovan and Jessanna waited outside while the doctor performed the eye surgery for Flossie in the operating room. Jessanna looked like a different person after her glorious comeback-she was dressed professionally, and looked like a capable iron lady even with her mask on. “I had no idea your family was this affectionate. Old Mr. Guajardo, Halston, and even you risked everything for this woman. She might be blind, but I have to admit I’m rather jealous of her. She’s indeed blessed.” Jessanna really was jealous of Flossie, and couldn’t understand how Flossie had defeated her. She had risked her life and done whatever she could to get the things she wanted, but she had never managed to get them. Flossie, however, didn’t have to do anything and people would automatically give her whatever she wanted. The world truly was unfair. Someone like Jessanna was just a nobody placed there to put the hero and heroine in the limelight; No one would see how hard Jessanna tried or be worried about her.
“She would do the same for US. We’re willing to sacrifice ourselves because we know it’s worth it. All you can see is that she’s blind, but you don’t see her kind and strong heart,” Jovan explained sincerely. He himself still wondered why he was willing to sacrifice so much for Flossie. Maybe he felt that she was kind and worthy of his sacrifices.
“Kind?” Jessanna snorted. “If I was born into a rich family like her, I would be kind too.’
Three days later, Flossie woke up feeling like she was floating. “Halston…
Don’t go, Halston!” She muttered, reaching out to grab something. Her hand closed on air, and she immediately woke up.
“You’re finally awake!” Jovan shot to his feet in excitement beside her bed. He had been guarding Flossie for three days. Flossie was supposed to wake up two days ago after the surgery, but she had remained unconscious. The doctor had said that the consequences would be unimaginable if she did not wake up before dawn that day. Jovan had assumed that this was one of Jessanna’s schemes and had snapped at her, even threatening to kill her if anything happened to Flossie. Fortunately, Flossie had woken up in time.
“Where am I?” Flossie was in a daze, and could feel bandages on her eyes. The area around her eyes was hurting too, but it was the odd pain that felt like… there was something there.
“You’re in a ward in the hospital,” Jovan answered honestly, then added eagerly, “You had eye surgery three days ago, and you’re now recovering. You’ll soon be able to see again.” “E-Eye surgery?” Flossie stammered, shocked. “Was this the reason you were so busy lately?” “Yeah!” Jovan shrugged helplessly. “I couldn’t watch you live in the dark since I’d taken your eyes. If not, I wouldn’t have ever had peace of mind.” “I owed it to you, there was no need for you to feel guilty,” Flossie said casually. Surprisingly, she felt fine after learning that she had eye surgery. She didn’t look excited or eager, which confused Jovan.
“You never owed anything to me-it was Halston who did.” Jovan frowned and stared at Flossie, who looked unmoved. He asked carefully, “Are you unhappy?” “No, I’m happy. Thank you very much,” Flossie said sincerely. She figured she would regain her eyesight one day because the people who loved her would not see her live in the dark forever. However, she had assumed it would be Halston who would help her regain her eyesight. She had thought that the first person she’d see would be Halston… but it turned out to be
Jovan who had sacrificed a lot for her. Once her bandages were removed, he would probably be the first thing she saw too.
“I told you that there’s no need to thank me. Don’t you know that it hurts me when you do that?” Jovan choked out, feeling disappointed and frustrated. He thought that this would make Flossie let him into her heart, but she was treating him like a stranger. ’I care about you and want to see you cured. I’ve always dreamed of it, and I’m happier than you now that I’ve achieved it. So, maybe I should be the one thanking you.”
Jovan sounded moved.
“Okay, I won’t thank you again…” Flossie nodded and asked, “How did you find these eyes for me then? I’m sure it wasn’t simple. You must have sacrificed a lot for it, right?” She knew that it was very difficult to find a pair of suitable eyes. Previously, Halston had screened people from all over the world but failed to find the right donor for her. However, Jovan had managed to accomplish it. Maybe she was meant to have her sight back, but Jovan had undoubtedly sacrificed a lot to get it.
“No, it wasn’t much,” Jovan explained calmly, “It’s just a bit of money.
Worldly possessions aren’t as important as you getting your eyesight back.” Truth be told, he had spent a lot of money on it. He nearly transferred half of his shares to Jessanna, and Jessanna was now also on the board of directors of Guajardo Enterprise with a lot of shares in her name. In exchange for her newfound glory, she had introduced the candidate with a suitable pair of eyes to Jovan.
“It’s just a hunch but… it’s related to Jessanna, right?” Flossie asked sharply. It wasn’t hard to figure out-the company had suddenly welcomed a cunning stranger as a core member, so Jessanna must have had something important to offer them. However, Flossie hadn’t anticipated that she was this important to Jovan.
“You’re right, Jessanna did find this pair of eyes.” Jovan decided to tell her the truth. “But I wasn’t the one who let Jessanna join the board of directors. I don’t have that kind of power.” “It wasn’t you?” His words made Flossie’s heart skip a beat in anticipation, and she asked urgently, “Who was it?” “I’m sure you know the answer since you’re so smart. Take a guess.” Jovan did not answer her question. He wanted to see who would be the first person she thought of.
“Only Grandpa and Halston have more power than you in Guajardo Enterprise. Halston is missing now, so…” Flossie swallowed and whispered, “Did
Grandpa agree to it?”
“Bingo.” Jovan nodded and said dejectedly, “Grandpa considers you his family, so even though he knew Jessanna was dangerous, he didn’t hesitate to give her the position when she knew she could give you back your sight.”
A long sigh escaped Flossie and she said helplessly, “How could he do such a silly thing? I treated his grandson so badly and nearly killed me, but he’s helped me so much… I don’t know how to repay him.” “He never blamed you, and besides, he doesn’t know what happened between you and Halston. Even if he did, he wouldn’t blame you,” Jovan said honestly. Timothy was crafty and smart, but he was very sincere when it came to Flossie. “Your family was kind to my family, and my grandpa respected yours a lot. He blamed himself when he learned what happened to you, and his health went downhill after that too. You should visit him once you’ve recovered-I’m sure he’ll feel better after seeing you.” Jovan and Halston had fought each other for a long time, but Jovan sincerely cared about Timothy. He wanted Timothy to be healthy and happy for as long as possible.
“Definitely!” Flossie clenched her fists and promised firmly.
Before long, the attending doctor and nurse walked over.
“I heard that the patient is awake. That’s great.” The attending doctor was relieved that Flossie was feeling better. If Flossie was still unconscious, he would need to use some risky techniques to save her. “Mr. Jovan Guajardo was very worried about you, you know. He didn’t leave your side for the past three days, and neither ate nor drank. If you didn’t wake up, I’m afraid he would have starved to death before we could save you!” The attending doctor joked as he did a basic check-up on Flossie.