Without a nce back, he pulled off his robe and walked straight into the bathroom.


    "Jess," Anneliese said, clearing her throat, "what''s the matter?"


    Jessica finally spoke again, her voice small and unsure. "So, you really don''t want me to hang up? I can call back in half an hour—or maybe two hours."


    Anneliese rubbed at her warm ear. "He''s in the shower."


    Jessica sucked in a breath. "Oh, that''s bad. You made the big guy switch from autopilot to manual. He''s not gonnae after me, is he? I''m hanging up!"


    Anneliese''s voice carried enough embarrassment to make Jessica quickly switch gears.


    "Melody''s in serious trouble! She got caught hiring a hitman, right there on the spot!" Anneliese''s eyes widened. "How do you even know that?"


    Jessica had just seen the story blowing up online and had been so stunned that she''d called immediately.


    The article only mentioned Melody''s crime, not the reason behind it.


    But from the sound of Anneliese''s reaction, Jessica knew she was already aware. "It''s everywhere! Even the arrest video''s out. What the hell happened?"


    Anneliese gave a quick rundown of what had gone down.


    Jessica went quiet, too shocked to respond at first. Then she muttered, "Honestly, she got off easy. After living so freely all these years? Maybe now your grandma won''t hate Mr. Fullbuster anymore. Maybe she''ll finally stop fighting your rtionship."


    Anneliese sighed softly. "I don''t know. It''ll probably hurt her all over again."


    Jessica knew Anneliese was with Jonathan, so she didn''t press. She hung up soon after.


    Anneliese opened the trending search list and saw Melody''s name buried under a flood of hate. Zacharias and uderias Tech were being dragged into the chaos too, and that finally put her at ease.


    The sound of running water stopped. Momentster, Jonathan came out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped low around his waist.


    Anneliese lifted her phone toward him. "You''re the one behind the trending mess, aren''t you?"


    Jonathan didn''t bother denying it. He rubbed a towel through his damp hair. "Yeah."


    Anneliese nodded slowly. Jonathan studied her face.


    "uderias Tech''s taking the hit for this. You''re not upset about that?"


    "Huh? Why would I be upset?" She blinked, surprised.


    Jonathan sat on the edge of the bed. "You built thatpany with him. It''s like your baby. Thought you''d care a little."


    Anneliese narrowed her eyes. He was absolutely fishing for attention, just to make herfort him.


    She had no proof, but she didn''t need it. Besides, he''d just helped her send her mother''s killer to prison. How could she argue with him now?


    She dropped to her knees on the bed, gazing up at him with wide, innocent eyes.


    "Babe, don''t say stuff like that. What baby?


    However even slept with How could fevere


    We


    ave a baby?


    have kids, it''ll only be with


    She really did know how to handle him.


    Jonathan tossed the towel aside and leaned down, catching her chin between his fingers.


    "Say it again. Only with who?"


    Her ears burned bright red under the weight of his teasing, dark stare.


    Her lips parted slightly. "With you. Only with you."


    Jonathan''s breath hitched. The cold shower he had just taken might as well have been for nothing.


    His voice came out low and rough. "When are we having one?"


    Anneliese froze.


    She couldn''t tell if he meant the process of making a baby or actually having one. Either way, she was in over her head.


    Hershes fluttered as she bent down and picked up the towel he''d thrown aside.


    "Honey, let me dry your hair. You''ll get a headache if you don''t."


    Jonathan pinched her cheek. "You''re always full of sweet talk."


    Annelieseughed and jumped up. She nudged him gently until he sat on the edge


    of the bed, then began drying his hair with the towel.


    "Let''s go see Grandmater, okay? We should tell her about Melody ourselves." "Alright," Jonathan said.


    The old woman barely used the inte, so she probably hadn''t seen anything yet.


    And this wasn''t something she should find out from anyone else.


    Jonathan suddenly winced. "Ow. Baby, who are you thinking about?"


    Anneliese had tugged on his hair too hard.


    She''d drifted off, reying what her grandmother said about the firest night, and her hand had moved on its own.


    Realizing what she''d done, she


    quickly checked his scalp. When she


    saw a faint redness near the roots,


    she nervously brushed his hair back


    into ce. Luckily, it was thick enough to hide it


    Then she looked down at him. "Honey, when your family''s mansion burned down, it was just you and


    your parents there right? Do you know what caused it?"