Mr. Billionaire, I'm Back!

Chapter 8: By All Means, Janie Is The One For You!

Joanna knew that Brian wanted to drive her home, but she still refused. She said, "Thank you, but no. I can get myself home."

Brian didn't seem to want to hear what she had to say, and in response, he said, "Don't tell me that. Just give me your address so that I can take you home. I refuse to take no as an answer."

Joanna didn't know what to say that would have the effect she wanted, so she gave him her address: "I live in Green's villa."

Brian tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, paused, and then he started the engine. As he pulled away from the curb, Joanna got the feeling that he was not in a good mood. So, when they arrived at Green's Villa, Joanna thanked him for everything he'd done for her. After that, she jumped out of the car and ran away for no reason – Joanna was running, but she literally had no idea why.

As Joanna walked up the path that led to the villa, she looked up and saw Ken standing at the balcony on the second floor. Ken lifted a goblet that was in his hand and took a sip. Joanna looked at him and looked back at her, and then he looked away. He looked at me as if he barely knew me – Joanna realized – and it seems that he doesn't even care that some other man drove me home!

Joanna smiled wryly. What exactly was I worried about? – she wondered. Judging by Ken's reaction, she had been completely overreacting. Ken didn't even care about her! No matter what you do to win him over – she told herself – it will only annoy him.

Joanna looked away from Ken and walked into the villa. Once she was inside, she saw Mrs. Peck and said hello to her. Mrs. Peck was startled, and she turned around anxiously. She looked at Joanna and said, "Mrs. Green, you are finally back. Mr. Green is in the study. He has been there ever since he got home. I tried to talk to him, but he ignored me!"

Jonna frowned and said, "That means he hasn't had dinner. That's not good. I'll talk to him."

Mrs. Peck: "Okay, I will heat him a plate of leftovers for him."

Joanna checked the time on the phone and saw that it was already half-past ten. She sighed and said, "Forget it. I'll make sure he's fed. You go home now, Mrs. Peck."

Mrs. Peck had a grandson who was a primary school student. Thus, she had to go home every night, and she was not typically required to cook dinner for them. The reason that she had cooked diner this time was that Joanna had returned later than expected, and she didn't want Ken to go hungry. So, when he had refused to come down and eat, it had been very frustrating, and Joanna could sense her frustration from her tone of voice.

Mrs. Peck: "Okay, Mrs. Green. I'm very grateful."

Joanna: "It's okay, Mrs. Peck, go home now."

Mrs. Peck: "Okay."

After Mrs. Peck left, Joanna heated the food and brought it to Ken's study. She knocked on the door several times, and when he didn't reply, she turned and went back downstairs. Not long after that, she tried again. She reheated the food, carried it to Ken's office, knocked on the door, and this time she called out his name.

When Ken still did not reply, she opened the door and walked right in. She looked around, and at first, she thought that the office was empty, but then she saw Ken's shadow on the balcony. She put the food on his desk and said, "Come and eat something. You must be hungry by now. When you're done eating, just set your dishes aside, and I will collect them in the morning. I'm a little tired, and I want to take a rest now."

Ken turned around and wordlessly joined her in the room, pausing only to close the glass doors behind him. He looked at the food, and then he sat behind the desk. Joanna could see that he was in a bad mood, but it didn't occur to her that it might have something to do with seeing her getting out of Brian's car. After a moment, he looked up at her and asked, "How did you get the photos that you sent me yesterday?"

Joanna: "I took them at the bar."

Ken frowned. He glared at Joanna and said, "Joanna, you should be ashamed of yourself? You were the one who had an affair, and you're making up stories about other people cheating! And what for; to hide your own indiscretions? If you think you can deflect the negative opinions people have about you onto someone else, it won't work!"

Joanna sneered. "What the hell?" she exclaimed. "You think I had an affair? Who told you that? Was it Jane Wilson? Believe it or not, Jane is having an affair with a young man. If you think I made it up, look into it yourself. Furthermore, that person you saw just now, he is just a friend. There is nothing nasty going on between us!"

There was a cold smile on Ken's face. "Why must you make a fool of everyone?" he asked. "Do you need everyone's life to be ruined before you can find happiness?"

Joanna couldn't believe what Ken had said to her, and she was so angry that she began to clench and unclench her fists. It seemed that Ken didn't trust her at all. Joana couldn't believe it: The pictures were in front of him, and he still chose to trust Jane, not her. "When did I make a fool of you?" she asked. "Never!"

***

Five years ago, the Green family had experienced a crisis. At that time, there was no one willing to help them. Joanna had still been in the detention center at the time. She's seen Ken in the newspapers, though. She'd never been able to forget his beautiful eyes, and she was able to confirm that he was the person that she'd met in her previous life.

Later, she'd made every effort to contact her grandfather, Mr. Devine, but he was ill – he had suffered a stroke – and had been bedridden for years. Nevertheless, he had still been able to get her out of the detention center anyway – and she had begged him to save the Green family.

From then on, she'd made it her responsibility to protect the Green family.

***

Ken sneered and said, "Don't play dumb with me, Joanna. You know that I've always loved Janie and that I wanted to marry her all along. But you wouldn't allow it, would you? If you hadn't sweet-talked my Father, he never would have forced me to marry you!

"Joanna, do you know what my Father said to me when he was dying? He said, 'Ken, if you don't marry Joanna, the disappointment will kill me long before my physical ailments do!' Joanna, do you even realize how ruthless that is? You used a dying man to ruin my happiness!"

That isn't what happened! - Joanna's eyes were wet, but she refused to let him see her cry. She scowled and said, "If marrying a two-timing slut brings you happiness, then, by all means, Janie is the woman for you!"