Playing the Villainess, He Fell for Me

She was furious. The moment the car door unlocked, she got out without a second’s hesitation and strode ahead.

Behind her, Simon Lockwood got out and caught up to her in just a few steps. But once he reached her, he didn’t know what to say and simply followed silently behind.

He kept a fixed distance, not too close and not too far. No matter how fast Joanna Kennedy walked, Simon Lockwood always maintained the same gap, like a somber, gentlemanly knight—as if he hadn’t just committed that roguish act!

’He says he likes me, says he wants to pursue me, yet he lies about not having his keys, follows me, and his confession felt more like coercion. And he was so handsy, with no sense of boundaries! What kind of ”like” is that?!’

The more Joanna Kennedy thought about it, the angrier she got. On impulse, without really thinking, she pulled something from her pocket, spun around, and threw it at him.

”Simon Lockwood, clean up your own family’s mess! I don’t even want to talk about that brother of yours!” Joanna Kennedy’s face was red with anger, her words unfiltered. ”And stay away from me from now on, so I don’t get dragged into it!”

With that, she turned and walked away, leaving the man standing rigidly in place.

A small, black, round object landed on the ground with a soft thud. Simon Lockwood stood frozen, watching her walk into the distance before slowly looking away and picking up the object.

It was an inconspicuous, tiny black disc. If placed in a car or a house, it would be very difficult to find. It was a miniature listening device.

Recalling her words, a cold glint flashed in Simon Lockwood’s eyes, his handsome face turning frosty.

’The real illegitimate son of the Sinclair family in Jornheim, ”Simon Lockwood,” died in a manufactured accident long ago. I’ve only borrowed this world’s ”Simon Lockwood’s” identity.’

’The Sinclair Family has nothing to do with me, and I don’t want anything from them. But if anyone from the Sinclair Family dares to touch Joanna Kennedy, they shouldn’t blame me for being ruthless.’

After unlocking her door with the keypad, Joanna Kennedy subconsciously glanced at the now-closed elevator doors, then immediately looked away.

’Hmph. Let him come up or not, I don’t care. I was just telling the truth. It wasn’t that harsh.’

’It was because of Simon Lockwood that I attracted the attention of that smiling dog, Jasper Sinclair. Besides, my point was that he should solve his family issues and *then* come find me, not... not that he should never come find me again.’

Joanna Kennedy shook her head, trying to banish the image of the man’s tall, lonely, dejected figure from her mind.

Entering her bedroom, she took a glass box from her bag and opened it carefully. Under the light, the Blue Rose shimmered with a dazzling radiance.

It was cool and smooth to the touch. Up close, she could see slightly irregular carved marks along the edge of the Blue Rose.

Joanna Kennedy paused, then unconsciously reached out, her fingertip slowly tracing the marks on the edge.

The cold blue gem seemed to warm up, resting quietly in her palm as if it were always meant to be hers.

「That weekend, at the Sinclair family estate.」

Everyone had arrived before it even got dark. The Sinclairs were a large family; the previous generation had five children. Old Master Sinclair was the eldest, with one younger brother and three younger sisters.

At the moment, the living room was bustling with activity.

”Jasper is getting more and more outstanding! I’ll have to make your cousin learn from you!” The youngest Sinclair aunt’s smile was so wide it crinkled the corners of her eyes. ”Your cousin graduates next year. When he goes to the corporation, we’ll have to trouble you, Jasper.”

The current head of the Sinclair Family was still Old Master Sinclair, but he had started to gradually cede power over the past two years. As the eldest son, almost everyone believed Jasper Sinclair would be the next one in charge.

As soon as the youngest Sinclair aunt said this, the others chimed in, eagerly trying to get their own children positions in the corporation as well—preferably high-ranking ones with money and power.

At the center of the conversation, Jasper Sinclair smiled. ”Aunt, you’re too kind. My cousin still has a while before he graduates. We can talk about it then.”

”It’s not that early, next year he’ll—”

”I’d also like to arrange a position for my cousin as soon as possible,” Jasper Sinclair interrupted the youngest Sinclair aunt unhurriedly. He sighed and said, ”But as you know, Simon just returned to the country. He’s a Sinclair child, after all. I have to consider him.”

’Simon. Simon Lockwood. The illegitimate son the Old Master just brought back.’ The elders exchanged calculating glances.

’How can an illegitimate son be compared to the eldest son of the Sinclair family?’ The family’s youngest uncle was the first to speak up, clearing his throat. ”Hasn’t Big Brother changed his surname back yet?”

”This ’Lockwood’ business... He doesn’t even sound like one of us. Big Brother, this is unacceptable,” Miss Sinclair said deliberately.

An opportunity that should have belonged to her son had been snatched away by some illegitimate child who popped up out of nowhere. Of course she was angry. She directed her resentment at this nephew she had never met, deliberately saying in a loud voice, ”Since he’s already back in the country, why isn’t he here yet? Making all of us elders wait for him—what audacity! He has no manners at all!”

”Exactly. He’s nothing like a child of our Sinclair family. He can’t compare to Jasper at all,” the second aunt of the Sinclair family chimed in.

As they went back and forth, Old Master Sinclair’s face grew darker and darker. The aunt of the Sinclair family frowned and said, ”That’s enough. Lock... Simon just got back. Maybe something held him up. There was no required arrival time, so what’s the rush?”

The authority of the aunt of the Sinclair family was second only to Old Master Sinclair. Once she spoke, the others finally stopped their criticisms and changed the subject.

Although no one said anything more, Old Master Sinclair’s expression was still grim. ”Jasper, didn’t you say you were going to pick up your brother? Why didn’t you?”

Jasper Sinclair detected the accusation in his tone. A coldness flickered in his eyes, but his expression remained pleasant. ”I went, but Simon wasn’t home. I don’t know where he went. He’s not answering his phone, either.”

”You know how it is... Simon... he’s not close to me.” Jasper Sinclair lowered his head, his eyes filled with indifference.

It wasn’t just Jasper Sinclair; Simon Lockwood was estranged from the entire Sinclair Family. At this thought, Old Master Sinclair’s expression soured even more. Beneath his simmering anger, there seemed to be an unconcealable guilt and regret.

The child born from the woman he loved, at the cost of her own life—how could he not dote on him? But circumstances had forced him to send the boy abroad, to change his first and last names. He never expected that now his son would refuse to acknowledge him.

”Bring me a phone. I’ll call him my—”

Before he could finish, the butler hurried in. ”Sir, the young master has returned.”

The moment he finished speaking, everyone instinctively looked toward the entrance.

A tall, well-built man strode in. Unlike the typically gentler features of the Sinclair men, Simon Lockwood’s looks were strikingly aggressive—impeccably handsome and sharp-featured, the kind of person you would spot instantly in a crowd.

Though only in his early twenties, he carried a frosty air. In that instant, the same thought crossed everyone’s mind: the man before them was in no way inferior to Jasper Sinclair, the eldest son who had been groomed for years. In fact, he might even surpass him.

The youngest Sinclair aunt, who had been ready to make a few more snide remarks, immediately clamped her mouth shut under his overwhelming presence.