Chapter 8 Kicked To The Ground
The candy was as clear and sparkling as a gem, utterly captivating with its girlish charm. Josephine couldn’t resist; she picked up a lollipop, unwrapped it, and popped it into her mouth.
The lemon-flavored candy was a mix of sour and sweet.
Just then, a figure approached the car window, and the sound of the car door opening could be heard.
Oh no!
After cursing herself inwardly for her momentary lapse in attention, Josephine immediately turned and made for the window, intending to jump.
However, several bodyguards from the Jaywalker family had noticed her. They swiftly dashed over, positioning themselves by the window with remarkable agility.
From behind, there came a chilling, deep voice.
“How dare you steal from me?”
Josephine turned her head, and her pupils reflected a magnified, handsome face.
Leaning against the car door, Michael held a cigarette in one hand. The sunlight streamed from above, casting a half-lit, half-shadowed glow on his prominent features, making them even more striking. His cold gaze was fixed on her as he rested one hand on the car door. Clad in a black suit paired with a matching fine silk shirt, he looked like a noble gentleman, exuding an aura of power, prestige, and extraordinary elegance.
A subtle scent of wood wafted toward her.
The faint scent in the car was his lingering fragrance.
Josephine glanced up at him, and with a sudden moment of determination, she bit into her lollipop and began to feign ignorance.
“Yummy…”
Michael’s face was as cold as ice, radiating an aura of gloom.
It’s her?
However, he was surprised upon seeing the person in front of him.
“So, you were here all along.”
The first time they met in the narrow alley, she had bit his finger to express her desire for a lollipop.
When he came this time, he specifically brought a box of lollipops for her.
Josephine was sucking on the lollipop when she saw his face swiftly shift from icy cold to warm. He even flashed her a light smile, leaving her momentarily stunned.
Why is he smiling on our first meeting?
Is he really twisted?
Several thoughts flashed through her mind.
Although Michael was smiling, there was an unmistakable aura of danger around him. Particularly, his eyes were unfathomable, giving nothing away.
He’s a dangerous person. I can’t stay here!
Unsure of his intentions, Josephine immediately leaned over, trying to slip away.
Michael gripped her arm firmly.
Josephine winced in pain, struggling against his grip that made her arm throb with discomfort.
“Let go of me! My hand hurts!”
Michael relaxed his grip, yet he firmly pressed down on her shoulders, keeping her securely in the car seat as he leaned in close to her ear.
“Stop fidgeting. Come home with me.”
The warm, musky scent of wood wafted toward Josephine’s earlobe, making her cheeks flush. However, when she clearly heard his words, she was left stunned.
He’s taking me home?
Whose home?
Did he discover my identity?
Seeing the “I don’t understand” expression on Josephine’s face, Michael simply bent down, scooped her up in his arms, and settled into the car.
Given her lack of understanding, he conveyed his feelings through his actions.
Josephine’s face flushed, and she immediately began to resist.
“Stop it,” Michael rebuked, firmly trapping her within his embrace.
Josephine felt as if she was under a binding spell, rendered completely immobile.
Beneath his shirt, the subtle outline of his eight-pack abs was visible, suggesting he had martial arts training. Michael was incredibly strong, capable of restraining her with the greatest of ease.
Jorvan, who was by the car, let out a sigh of relief and asked, “Mr. Jaywalker, should we inform Mr. Sommer that we’ve found her?”
Caiden was not far behind, but his view of what was happening in the car was obstructed by the bodyguards.
Michael glanced down at Josephine in his arms, who was sucking on a lollipop.
How long has the Sommer family left her starving that she had to resort to stealing candies from my car?
“No, the Sommer family has treated my bride so harshly. It’s only fair that Caiden gets a taste of his own medicine. Tell him, if he doesn’t find her in three days, his entire family can either leave Junbert or stay and beg on the streets.”
Having said that, he picked up the contract, tore it into pieces, and tossed it out the car window.
Caiden had sought the Jaywalker family with it yesterday. He intended to present it as a betrothal gift.
Jorvan bowed respectfully, closed the car door, and went off to relay the message to Caiden.
A pallor spread across Caiden’s face. As he glanced at the torn pieces of the contract scattered on the ground, he felt as if his world had collapsed.
He could never have imagined that Michael would want to marry his youngest daughter.
The most prestigious man in the entire city actually wanted to marry a fool.
Caiden was overwhelmed with regret. He slapped himself, thinking that if he had known things would turn out this way, he would have personally taken care of Josephine and delivered her to the Jaywalker residence.
Eunice, standing nearby, also had a distressed look on her face. She was so upset that her fingernails dug into her palm.
She had meticulously raised her two daughters, especially Yves, grooming them to marry into elite families like the Jaywalkers.
But now, all her efforts had been in vain.
Michael didn’t even glance at Yves’ photo and chose to marry Josephine.
A deep sense of defeat swelled within Eunice, causing her to grit her teeth in frustration.
She had been competitive all her life, yet despite her best efforts, she could never surpass Myla Josell, Josephine’s late mother. Now, she was stunned to find herself unable to even outshine Josephine.
Winry was also thrown into a panic. She hastily got up, her eyes swollen from crying.
“Mom, what do we do? Why does that fool get to marry Michael?”
“Shut up!” Caiden was seething with pent-up rage, with no outlet for it. The instant he saw Winry, his anger exploded uncontrollably. “I told you not to cause trouble. How dare you go behind my back and lock up Josephine!”
Winry shivered in fear. “Dad, I…”
Seeing that Caiden was genuinely angry, Eunice quickly jumped in to defend her daughter. “Caiden, Winry was only worried that Josephine would do something foolish, say something inappropriate, and embarrass our family.”
This time, Caiden didn’t hold back. He harshly rebuked, “How do you even discipline your daughter? You’ve angered Mr. Jaywalker, and now my contract is gone. You can forget about having a comfortable life from now on!”
The contract that was laid out before Michael was now torn apart. Michael even threatened that there would be consequences if he didn’t find Josephine within three days.
Caiden was overwhelmed by a surge of intense fury.
He shot Winry a glare. In his anger, he kicked her, causing her to fall to the ground.
She lay there, slumped, too terrified to even cry.