Chapter 546
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Teresa pressed her lips together , her eyes showing more concern . She asked , “ Are you okay ? ”
Jonathan muttered , “ I’m not . Not okay at all . ” With that , he staggered to his feet , swaying unsteadily as he made for the exit .
Teresa couldn’t hold back and hurried over to support him . “ Let me take you home , ” she offered .
Jonathan gently pushed her hand away .
Teresa frowned and grabbed his arm again . She said , “ Okay , fine , I did come all this way just to check on you . Now , why on earth did you drink so much ? ”
Jonathan’s intoxicated eyes lingered on Teresa’s face . Unable to resist , he reached out and gently caressed her cheek . “ Thank you , ” he murmured , then collapsed into Teresa’s arms .
Teresa’s back pressed against the wall as she came to her senses . When she tried to push Jonathan away , she found he’d already passed out .
It took Teresa quite a bit of effort to get Jonathan into a cab and bring him back to his villa . With the taxi driver’s help , she half – carried , half – dragged Jonathan out of the car and into his room .
The driver asked , “ Miss , how come your husband drank so much ? ”
Teresa looked away , murmuring , “ I’m not his wife anymore . ”
The driver looked surprised . He exclaimed , “ Wait , didn’t he keep calling you honey the whole ride ? ”
Teresa didn’t explain further , instead handing the driver an extra 33 dollars for his trouble .
The driver took the money and left .
Gently , Teresa removed Jonathan’s shoes and socks , loosened his tie , tucked him in , and then softly wiped his face with a towel .
Teresa couldn’t remember the last time she’d taken care of Jonathan like this . Maybe it was back when they were still married – he’d come home wasted from business dinners , collapse into her arms , and cling to her until he fell asleep .
Teresa gazed tenderly at Jonathan’s face , her hand coming to rest on his furrowed brow as she gently smoothed it out .
Seemingly comforted by her touch , Jonathan’s furrowed brow relaxed , and he drifted into a deep , peaceful sleep .
Teresa gazed at him for a long moment . Finally , she turned and walked away .
The next morning , Jonathan awoke to find himself alone . He glanced at the blanket covering him and thought , ‘ Guess Benny isn’t such a bad friend after all . He made sure I got home safe .’
Hayden contacted Jonathan , but Jonathan wasn’t in the mood to see him . Growing anxious , Hayden showed up at his doorstep unannounced .
Jonathan had just gotten out of bed and showered , but he gave Hayden the cold shoulder .
Hayden sighed and said , “ I know you’re angry and feel wronged , because I asked you to let Sanford go and even took his side without considering your feelings . ”
Jonathan kept a straight face and said , “ You won’t be needing annual physicals anymore . ”
Hayden blinked in surprise . He asked , “ What do you mean ? ”
Jonathan said coolly , “ You seem remarkably fit . Your mind and speech are as clear as ever , certainly no sign of dementia . ”
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Hayden choked on his words for a moment , then said , “ If you want to scold me , just say it straight . Why beat around the bush ? ”
Jonathan replied , “ You’re my grandfather . How could 1 possibly scold you ? ” With that , he headed to the walk – in closet to change , then made to leave
Hayden quickened his pace to catch up with Jonathan . He said , “ Just hear me out first . gone for so long . How could I bring myself to turn away his child ?
I did this because Sanford is your dad’s son . Your dad has been
“ If it were someone else’s kid , say , Werner’s , I wouldn’t care so much . But this is your father’s flesh and blood . Jonathan , I know you don’t understand why I’m asking you to let Sanford go .
“ The mistakes were made by the previous generation ; Sanford is just an innocent child . I can’t bear to see you two at each other’s throats .
“ Jonathan , you grew up without a father . How could I not ache for you ? My heart aches for you , and for Sanford , too . He’s your father’s son , fatherless just like you .”
AD