Chapter 233 Surprise
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Anneliese lifted her gaze and felt her breath falter, her heart stumbling as if it had lost its rhythm.
The chair across from her, still holding the warmth of Jackson’s presence just minutes ago, no longer belonged to him. Someone else had taken that place.
Her lips parted and words tumbled out in a rush. “You… you’re here too? What a strange coincidence.”
Jonathan leaned back with a quiet grace, his calm eyes locked onto hers.
“You sound surprised. Were you expecting someone else?” he asked, his brow arching ever so slightly.
A weight pressed against his chest, sharp and heavy.
The way her expression shifted made it look as if she felt disappointed by Jackson’s sudden absence.
Anneliese’s lips trembled as though an answer waited there, but before she could release it, Jonathan’s voice slid in again.
“Are you really this surprised to see me here? I thought you already knew I was meeting
someone.”
Heat surged across her face, breaking down her composure until she felt stripped bare.
She grabbed her glass and took a hurried sip, letting the cool water soothe the panic racing inside her. Only then did she lift her eyes back to his.
“I’m just having dinner with a classmate,” she said quickly. “He’s helped me a lot with schoolwork.”
She avoided the sharp edge of his earlier question, choosing not to answer it.
Zion might have revealed something by accident, but she refused to let him take the blame.
Bringing Jackson here, knowing what she knew, was something she couldn’t explain away. It would make her look like some sort of woman who wanted to make the guy she liked jealous.
Jonathan pressed no further.
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Chapter 233 Surprise
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He only nodded with steady ease and said, “That classmate of yours had something come up at home. He wanted you to know.”
Her eyes widened in shock. “What?”
The world felt turned upside down. A trip to the restroom had unraveled everything so quickly.
“What happened? Was it serious?”
Jonathan lifted his glass and let his fingers tap lightly against the rim.
“You seem awfully concerned about him.”
His sharp look caught her off guard, leaving her unsettled.
She answered before thinking, her words tumbling fast. “I’m not really. I’m just asking out of courtesy. If someone rushes out, it usually means something important happened.” At least that much felt safe to say.
Jonathan’s thoughts quieted. He told himself she couldn’t truly be interested in Jackson. She wasn’t reckless enough to make the same mistake twice.
His tone softened. “It wasn’t anything serious.”
Her brows drew together. Jackson had left in such a hurry, yet Jonathan spoke as if he knew for
certain.
“You know Jackson?” she asked carefully.
“His older brother is Zane Shayman. You might not remember, but when you got into trouble at the hotel, he was the one with Ms. Sweeting who cleaned things up.”
Her chest tightened as the memory stirred, uneasy and sharp.
The world suddenly felt too small.
Oh, it was too small indeed.
If Jonathan and Zane were friends, then Jackson’s family carried its own weight.
“Jackson comes from quite a family,” she said lightly. “But he stays quiet about it.”
Jonathan inclined his head. “The Shaymans built their legacy in law and politics. Their children almost never stray from that road. Even in marriage, they choose from the same
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Chapter 233 Surprise
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Anneliese’s eyes lit with sudden understanding. “That explains it. He said his major was law
when we first met.”
“He’s the youngest son. They spoiled him. When he wanted to switch majors, they gave in. His career might bend to his will, but his marriage will not. That will be bound by tighter chains.”
Jonathan’s thoughts sharpened. Jackson was young, and he did not keep his interest hidden.
The way he looked at Anneliese had carried more than casual interest.
Jonathan had noticed it the instant they sat down. Years ago, Jackson had shaken his family when he demanded a transfer, and Zane had complained often about his stubborn streak.
Seeing Jackson with Anneliese made everything fall into place. That reckless transfer had been because of her.
The thought brought Jonathan no comfort. Jackson was no harmless boy.
He could cut closer to Anneliese’s heart than Zacharias ever could.
So, Jonathan resolved himself. He would guard against him.
In matters of the heart, honor was a useless burden.
Anneliese was not surprised. Families rooted in law carried complications as heavy as any dynasty, and they held alliances and power even tighter.
She smiled faintly. “I understand.”
Jonathan studied her with quiet care. Her face did not shift, her voice carried only polite distance.
The corner of his mouth curved almost imperceptibly, then smoothed away.
He rose and gave a slight nod, ready to return to his own table.
Anneliese turned her head, her eyes drifting instinctively toward Amanda’s empty seat.
Amanda still had not returned. The thought of what she might have overheard flashed through her mind. And without thinking, as Jonathan walked past, Anneliese reached out and caught his arm.
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