Playing the Villainess, He Fell for Me

”Once people get rich, their mindset changes. Gender doesn’t matter—it’s all about chasing novelty. There’s no such thing as true love.”

Anna Yates’s tone was matter-of-fact, carrying a naive disdain as if she’d seen through all the rules. Joanna Kennedy suddenly felt that this Anna was a bit of a stranger.

The Anna Yates of the past said whatever was on her mind, but now she had learned to beat around the bush.

”That’s a very realistic take,” Joanna Kennedy said with a smile. ”But you have to believe that a small minority of people are different.”

”And by ’small minority,’ do you mean your Simon Lockwood?” Anna Yates asked with a teasing blink.

Joanna, however, was completely serious. ”I mean everyone who can stay true to themselves.”

Maybe most people played the field and lived recklessly, just as Anna Yates described, but there was always that small minority who held fast to their principles.

Joanna’s expression was so earnest that Anna Yates stared at her for a moment before bursting into laughter. ”Alright, alright, let’s drop it. You helped the Yates Company, so I’m treating you to dinner.”

She knew Joanna hadn’t released the video out of consideration for the damage it would do to her family company’s reputation.

”Okay, what are you in the mood for?” Joanna asked, happy to change the subject.

Anna said she felt like having mutton soup. Joanna was surprised. ”Don’t you hate things with a strong gamy taste?”

Joanna didn’t mind it, but the Anna of the past used to feel sick at just the smell of mutton.

Unexpectedly, Anna looked puzzled. ”Really? I don’t like it?”

Joanna found that even stranger and was about to say something.

Anna Yates shook her head. ”Never mind, never mind. Let’s not have that then.”

They ended up choosing a nearby hot pot restaurant. Although Joanna still felt something was odd, she didn’t dwell on it.

’People’s tastes change as they grow up,’ she thought. ’It’s like how I used to hate the frosting on cake, but now I love it.’

In a private room at the hot pot restaurant, Anna Yates fished out some cooked lamb rolls and said, ”By the way, have you heard? The Jennings family filed for bankruptcy.”

Joanna was a little surprised. ”Charles Jennings?”

”Yep. There’s only one Jennings family in Aethelburg.”

Joanna Kennedy frowned. This was unexpected. ’In the novel’s plot, the Jennings family was supposed to thrive under Charles Jennings. How could they have suddenly gone bankrupt?’

’Is this the punishment for Charles Jennings failing his mission?’

’But this punishment is way too light. I was nearly erased back then. If it weren’t for 166, I would’ve been long dead.’

’How come when it’s his turn, he gets a light slap on the wrist with bankruptcy and that’s it?’

The more Joanna thought about it, the stranger it seemed. She was unconsciously poking at her dipping sauce bowl with her chopsticks and only snapped out of it after Anna called her name several times. ”What’s wrong?”

”I should be asking you what’s wrong. What are you spacing out for?” Anna Yates said, exasperated.

”It’s nothing, I’m just a little surprised,” Joanna said calmly. ”Why did they suddenly file for bankruptcy?”

”You’ll have to ask your Mr. Lockwood about that,” Anna Yates said vaguely.

’What does that have to do with Simon Lockwood?’ Joanna wanted to ask more, but Anna boisterously cut her off. ”Hurry up and eat! The tripe is getting tough!”

Joanna: ”...”

Joanna had no choice but to eat a few pieces of the overcooked tripe. It was, admittedly, very chewy.

At the Jennings Group, the employees’ former workstations had been cleaned out. The entire floor was silent. After taking inventory of the company’s assets, a bank employee handed a document to the man and said, ”President Jennings, you just need to sign here.”

Charles Jennings’s expression was placid, showing none of the gloom and doom of bankruptcy. He signed his name with an elegant flourish and said self-deprecatingly, ”There’s no need to call me President Jennings anymore.”

The bank employee was perceptive and didn’t treat him with any less respect. On the contrary, he smiled even more deferentially. ”Director Jennings, we’ll be counting on your support in the future.”

The smile on Charles Jennings’s lips didn’t waver. ”Of course. We’ll look out for each other.”

The bank employee wanted to schmooze a bit more, but a charming female voice called out from nearby, ”Jennings, are you done yet? Let’s go get some food.”

Hearing this voice, the bank employees’ faces immediately blossomed into smiles as they greeted her warmly.

”Hello, Miss Pemberton.”

”Miss Pemberton...”

The charming woman very naturally looped her arm through the man’s and nodded at the bank employees. ”Mm, you can go about your work now.”

Once everyone was gone, Charles Jennings patted the back of the woman’s hand. ”Mia, what are you doing here?”

Mia Pemberton pouted. ”What, aren’t you happy to see me?”

”Not at all. I was just worried you’d be tired. I could have just come to you for lunch.”

Charles Jennings’s tone was gentle and considerate. His refined, handsome face looked even more pleasant, and Mia Pemberton couldn’t help but blush. ”As long as I get to see you, I’m not tired at all...”

The first time Mia Pemberton saw Charles Jennings was at a Jennings family banquet. He had just been brought back into the family then. Standing in the spotlight with a slight smile, he was like the warm spring sun, and her heart immediately started to race.

At that time, her father wasn’t the bank president yet, just a deputy director in the credit approval department. She could only admire Charles Jennings from afar.

Later, her dad became the president, and her own status rose accordingly. She worked up the courage to talk to Charles, and he was just as gentle and elegant as she had imagined. Even when he rejected her, his tone was soft.

Mia thought she would never have another chance to get close to Charles Jennings. But then, a week ago, she was out with friends and saw him.

The feelings she had suppressed were instantly rekindled. This time, Charles didn’t reject her; he agreed to give it a try.

They had only been dating for a couple of days when she noticed Charles was always quiet. Whenever she asked, he would just say it was nothing. Mia had someone look into it and found out the Jennings family was going bankrupt.

She was immediately going to ask her father to help the Jennings family, but Charles stopped her. He told her not to do it and said he wasn’t with her for her money.

His candid attitude completely won Mia’s heart and also pleased Mr. Pemberton, who immediately arranged a director-level position for him. He also promised that if the two of them got married, everything the Pemberton Family owned would be hers.

The woman pressed close to him, her posture one of complete reliance. Charles Jennings concealed the cold glint in his eyes, his expression remaining as gentle and elegant as ever. He smiled and said, ”You like that Western restaurant in the Northwest District. I’ll have someone make a reservation.”

Mia Pemberton’s face grew even redder when she heard this. ’Jennings even remembers that?’

At this thought, the love in her eyes nearly overflowed. ”Mhm, okay...”

*

Meanwhile, Joanna Kennedy had just finished her hot pot and was walking out. As she adjusted her mask and hat, she saw Simon Lockwood standing under a sycamore tree.

The man was dressed in a serious, sophisticated gray suit, looking like he had just come from some business banquet. His short black hair was styled with gel, giving him the complete image of a mature, steady, overbearing CEO. He drew furtive glances from passersby, turning every head.

Joanna’s eyes lit up. She was about to tell Anna Yates that she didn’t need a ride, but then she saw Anna had already scurried away, looking like a mouse that had just seen a cat.

Joanna couldn’t help but laugh. She jogged over and gave the man a big bear hug, teasing, ”Mr. Lockwood, where did you sneak away from?”