Jonathan flicked Anneliese on the forehead lightly. "Weren''t you being a little coward just moments ago?"


    With Melody making her move tonight, he didn''t feel safe leaving Anneliese alone in an old apartment block.


    The security at The Banyans was tight.


    Anneliese looked at him, feeling irritated. "How dare you!"


    Nheless, she didn''t want him worrying either. She snorted and allowed


    Jonathan to take her back to The Banyans.


    In just a little over ten minutes, the car entered the front courtyard of an elegant vi and stopped beside a ssic fountain.


    "From now on, this will be our home. I meant to show you around personally," Jonathan said with a twinge of regret as he stepped out of the car and opened the door for Anneliese, helping her out of the vehicle.


    He''d seen through the renovations and furnished the ce himself. After all, it was meant to be a surprise for her.


    Unlike Maple Bay, this was their forever home.


    He had imagined carrying her across the threshold, holding her hand as they walked through every room together, then watching her slowly fill the empty spaces and turn the house into something they both loved.


    Who would have thought those ns would fall apart after her grandmother discovered their rtionship?


    He ended up bringing her here in a rush, and he didn''t have time to show her around the ce.


    Anneliese closed her eyes and tilted her head. "I won''t look around, then. I''ll wait for you toe back, then we''ll have a house tour, okay?"


    As she spoke gently, she seemed so obedient it was almost unreal.


    Jonathan suspected she was deliberately trying to make it impossible for him to


    leave. Needless to say, his self-control wa being seriously tested.


    He smiled before lowering himself to give her a kiss. "Deal."


    Anneliese smiled and nodded. "Go on, then."


    While getting back into the car, Jonathan said, "I''ll probably be homete. Don''t wait for me, alright? Go to bed early."


    With that, the car sped away.


    "Greetings, Mrs. Fullbuster. I''m Margot. It''s rather windy outside, so pleasee in. Are you hungry? Should I make you something?"


    Jonathan had already called ahead to inform the housekeepers. Margot hurried over, speaking respectfully.


    Anneliese turned and smiled. "It''s alright. Just tell me where the bedroom is. I can manage myself, and you should get some rest too."


    "You''re so kind and beautiful, Mrs. Fullbuster. No wonder Mr. Fullbuster''s head over heels for you," Margot answered with a smile.


    Anneliese was both surprised and embarrassed. "How do you know that?"


    Seeing her shy reaction, Margot smiled like a proud fangirl shipping her favorite couple.


    "Few nights ago, I got up in the


    middle of the night and spotted Mr. Fullbuster on the couch. Instead of sleeping, he was looking at photos of you on his phone. He gave me a scare, to be honest."


    Anneliese''s cheeks turned pink. "How did you know they were photos of me?"


    Margot said, "I asked him, and he showed me. He''s got a photo of you on his lockscreen too.


    "He even asked if I thought you looked pretty. Now that I''ve seen you in person, photos don''t do you justice!"


    A quiet smile spread across Anneliese''s face. She hadn''t known Jonathan kept photos of her in his phone.


    She imagined him sitting on the couch in the middle of the night, staring at her photo.


    No matter how she pictured it, he looked like a total lovesick fool in her mindpletely at odds with his usual image. The scene was so aut of character that she couldnt even picture it clearly.


    Still, her heart fluttered, as though a tiny flower had opened inside her, rocking gently in the sunlight.


    To make it easier for Melody''s hitmen to make their move,


    Jonathan had chosen an old.


    residentialplex at Silver Spring Estate, where most of the security cameras were broken.


    Roretha had also been arranged to live on the second floor, making it easy to climb


    up from the balcony.


    At 3 a.m., three figures stepped out of a in, unmarked van parked in the shadows.


    They had clearly scouted the ce before. Moving quickly, they avoided the cameras that were still working, kept low, and rushed to the wall, climbing up to the second floor.


    One by one, they jumped onto the balcony effortlessly, taking out the tools they had prepared.


    One of them quickly worked on the balcony door, and the trio slipped inside.


    In the living room, a guard on duty was sleeping on the couch. One of the shadows moved fast, pressing a towel soaked in ether over the guard''s face.


    Just then, the guard''s eyes flew open. He grabbed the masked man''s wrist in one swift motion, springing up like a hunting leopard.


    "Something''s wrong! Run!" shouted one of the hitmen. The other two tried to flee, but the door mmed shut with a bang.


    A brief scuffle followed, ending within two or three minutes.


    When Jonathan walked into the apartment, all three men were already kneeling on the floor.


    They didn''t look seriously injured, but their faces were pale, and their expressions were filled with fear.