Playing the Villainess, He Fell for Me

The pink Maybach was outrageously conspicuous on the small town’s streets, drawing stares wherever it went.

’Must be another rich person checking out the area,’ thought the residents chatting on the street.

The Maybach drove down a relatively wide avenue, then turned onto a small lane, finally stopping in front of a hotel.

Sean Grant poked his head out, glanced at his phone, then at the hotel’s name. Confirming this was the place he was looking for, he immediately turned to wake Joanna Kennedy, who was asleep in the back seat.

”Joanna, we’re here! Wake up, wake up! You can sleep in the hotel.”

His voice was loud, jolting Joanna awake. The moment she moved, a sharp pain shot through her neck, and she couldn’t help but frown.

’I’ve never felt this sore after sleeping in a car before. Why is it so bad this time? It must be Sean Grant’s terrible driving.’

Joanna stretched her neck and got out of the car. Before her was a hotel that wasn’t particularly large—it looked to be only three or four stories tall, resembling an old residential building.

Stepping inside, she found it to be reasonably clean and bright. A young woman was at the front desk.

The young front desk clerk was busy at her computer when she heard the hotel door open and immediately looked up.

The man who walked in was tall and fashionably dressed. His stylish silver-ash hair, paired with his fair, handsome face, was enough to make one’s heart flutter.

Although the girl behind him wore a mask and a hat, you could tell from her figure and aura that she had to be a great beauty too.

’Good heavens, what a lucky day! Why are all the guests checking in lately so ridiculously good-looking?’

She couldn’t help but marvel. In the past, she would have been completely flustered by such an onslaught of good looks, but she had built up some resistance. She did her best to appear calm. ”Hello, welcome. How may I help you?”

”Hey there, miss, help me look up a few people.” Sean Grant grinned, revealing two cute canine teeth. He was the very picture of a handsome, fresh-faced youth, utterly disarming.

The young clerk, however, was no longer in the mood to admire him. She paused for a moment, then, remembering her professional duties, said, ”I’m sorry, sir, but we can’t disclose guest information.”

’A handsome man and a beautiful woman coming to a hotel to look for someone? What’s this all about?’

The front desk clerk had seen her fair share of things. A line like that was usually the opening move for someone trying to catch a cheating partner.

’But neither of these two looked like they were here to catch a cheater...’

Before she could figure it out, the man leaned in closer, his tall frame resting against the counter. Sean Grant smiled. ”Miss, do you have a boyfriend?”

The man’s sudden proximity, his handsome face unexpectedly close, and the abrupt change of topic made the young clerk’s face instantly turn beet red. She stammered, ”N-No.”

”So, do you want one?”

”Huh...?”

Seeing the girl’s face was red enough to fry an egg on, Joanna Kennedy couldn’t take it anymore. She grabbed the scruff of a certain someone’s neck and dragged him back, growling through clenched teeth, ”Sean. Grant. Get. Out. Here.”

”Why? Hey, hey, don’t pull me!”

Sean Grant was dragged right back into the car. He wasn’t mad, even though his collar was all wrinkled, but he complained, ”Joanna, honestly. I was just about to get the info, and you had to go and stop me.”

’Just about to get the info, my ass.’ Joanna’s head throbbed with anger. She never should have believed Sean Grant’s nonsense. She would have been better off just contacting Simon Lockwood directly.

”I’m texting Simon Lockwood right now,” she said.

Sean Grant panicked. ”Hey, no, no, no! Joanna, my dear sister-in-law, my good sister, please, give me a break! If JJ knows I’m here, he’ll definitely ditch this hotel!”

Sean Grant pleaded and tried to snatch her phone. Joanna took a deep breath, fighting the urge to hit him. ”Then what’s the plan now?”

They couldn’t get in, and they had no idea when Simon Lockwood and Jack Warren would be back. Were they supposed to just stake the place out?

”How about... we go get something to eat first?” Sean Grant suggested tentatively.

Joanna: ”...”

”I got that girl’s WeChat just now. She’ll keep an eye out for us...” Sean Grant muttered.

Joanna: ”...”

As the car pulled away from the hotel, Joanna glanced outside unconsciously. A man in a white sweater was just walking into the hotel. He was a bit far away, so she could only see a blurry silhouette of his back, but Joanna’s brow furrowed tightly.

’Did I see that wrong? Why did that person look a little like... Charles Jennings?’

Joanna had never really gotten a good look at Charles Jennings, let alone his back. It was just a fleeting resemblance. Coming back to her senses, she shook her head, convinced she must have been mistaken.

’Charles Jennings can’t escape Marinus.’ Simon Lockwood had said so himself, and she trusted him.

With that in mind, Joanna was still a bit distracted during their meal. When her phone rang, she answered it automatically. A handsome man’s face appeared on the screen, and Joanna froze for a second.

”Not at home?” Simon Lockwood’s voice came through clearly from the cold screen of her phone.

Just as Joanna was about to answer, she saw Sean Grant frantically waving his hands at her from across the table.

Joanna: ”...”

”Oh... yeah, I’m out eating...”

Her tone was feignedly casual, her eyes darting about.

Simon Lockwood narrowed his eyes. His voice betrayed no emotion. ”Eating...”

”With whom? Where?” The man’s words were rapid-fire, his voice cold. ”Joanna, speak.”

Joanna: ”...”

「Twenty minutes later.」

Gazing at the man getting out of a car outside the restaurant, Joanna shot a fierce glare at the culprit, Sean Grant, before walking out dejectedly.

The man stood there, motionless. Joanna took a deep breath, forced a smile the moment she looked up, and said in a breezy voice, ”Wow, Simon Lockwood, you’re so smart! How did you know I was lying to you!”

Simon Lockwood: ”...”

Sean Grant, behind her: ”...”

Simon Lockwood’s expression remained unchanged, his voice cool and detached. ”Get in the car.”

Like a deflated ball, Joanna mumbled, ”Okay...”

Sean Grant looked around but didn’t see any familiar faces. He couldn’t care less that Simon Lockwood was still angry and hurriedly asked, ”Simon, where’s Jack Warren?”

Simon Lockwood frowned but answered anyway, ”At the hotel. You’d better get over there quickly.”

Any later, and he wouldn’t even catch a glimpse of him.

Sean Grant’s face changed. The pink Maybach nearly crashed into a tree on the corner, a testament to the driver’s panic.

Joanna pouted. Once Simon Lockwood was in the car, she immediately sat up straight, her posture as prim and proper as a schoolgirl awaiting a lecture from the dean.

After waiting a while without being scolded, Joanna found it unsettling. She felt even more guilty for some reason and broke the silence, saying dryly, ”Boss Grant threatened me. He told me not to tell you. I didn’t mean to hide it from you.”

Simon Lockwood remained silent, his eyes lowered as he deftly fastened his seatbelt.