Back From Prison!

Chapter 17:

“Sure, let’s meet and not return home until we see each other!”

After hanging up the phone, Edgar smirked viciously, muttering: "Jonathan, this newly-fledged kid, on what grounds does he think he can compete with me for the position of General Manager? Just wait to be thrown out!"

At 3 PM, Jonathan left the company with Adela, sparking a flurry of whispers within the M&N Fashion Company. The gossip was primarily about Adela getting her position through the new General Manager’s influence. Their departure together further fueled the rumors, suggesting there was something more between them.

Despite the jealousy and envy from many due to Jonathan's handsome appearance, the fact that he drove a Mercedes Benz S class, which was worth over two million USD, didn't go unnoticed by Adela.

"Is this your car?" she asked, looking at the black Mercedes parked in the company’s parking garage.

"I don’t like to show off, so I'm driving this for now. Get in!" Jonathan said casually as he opened the car door.

Adela felt even more uneasy, thinking that Jonathan was overdoing it with his humility. Driving a luxury Mercedes and claiming not to like showing off?

Once inside the car, Jonathan drove straight to the Sky Cloud kindergarten. This was not a high-end "aristocratic" kindergarten, but a fairly good one in Elite Summit, chosen by Roger following Jonathan's instructions. Jonathan, a father, felt indebted to his daughter but didn't want her to develop a "princess syndrome.' hence choosing a more modest school.

When they parked outside the kindergarten, many parents were already waiting.

At that moment, a figure suddenly approached them: "Brother-in-law!"

It was Harding, Jonathan’s brother-in-law, whose appearance immediately chilled Jonathan's expression: "What are you doing here?"

Jonathan held a grudge against Harding for his role in his past imprisonment. Harding's sister, Orla, had cheated on Jonathan and left him with nothing.

"Carla is studying here, so I came by. And she is…" Harding trailed off as he recognized Adela, looking terrified as if he had seen a ghost. He was sure she was the same jasmine flower he had once wanted to assault but didn't dare to.

If it weren’t for forcing his sister to press charges against Jonathan, Harding would have been implicated. However, now that Adela was ousted from her family and reduced to selling fish in the market, she had become a laughingstock in Elite Summit.

Harding’s expression turned malicious. He saw an opportunity with Adela, now seemingly less significant, thinking he could take advantage of her.

"Hello, I am Harding, the financial director of MIM Architecture Company." he said arrogantly, introducing himself with ulterior motives.

MIM Architecture, the company name Edward and Orla changed to after taking it over from Jonathan.

“I am Adela.' Adela responded coldly.

Harding’s gaze on her was one she had seen on many other men, feigning politeness briefly before she dismissed him and turned away.

She felt Harding’s name was familiar but couldn’t recall where she had seen him before.

Typical, dogs don’t abandon their habits of eating filth!

Knowing Harding’s true nature, Jonathan interjected: "Adela is my daughter’s nanny and an employee in my company!”

Harding's face showed displeasure, but he was surprised: "Brother-in-law, you’ve started a company?”

How could Jonathan have established a company in just a few days since his return?

“Just accepted a job offer from a company. Tell me, what brings you here? To persuade I to divorce with your sister?”

Jonathan had no intention of a deeper conversation, just a cursory remark before probing Harding’s motives.

Divorce!

Adela, standing nearby, heard everything clearly but only felt infuriated.

This scum Jonathan, no woman could possibly like him!

Harding suddenly realized it was just about finding another job.

Then he remembered his purpose, breaking into a smile and pulling out an exquisite box.

“Brother-in-law, what are you talking about? Your affairs with my sister, I have no part in. I’m here to give a small gift to Carla, after all, I’m her uncle. I haven’t given Carla a proper gift in a long time, so I bought a longevity lock for her!”

“A gift?”

Jonathan’s eyes glanced at the solid gold longevity lock in the box, intricately crafted, his voice tinged with mockery: "Must’ve been expensive, huh?”

Since when had Harding become so generous, gifting Carla something worth at least two hundred thousand USD?

“Not expensive, just ten thousand USD! Brother-in-law, you must accept this gift, or I won’t be pleased!” Harding hurriedly said, pushing the gift box into Jonathan’s hands.

“Just ten thousand? Are you deceiving me? Royalty Diamond’s products can’t be bought for just ten thousand USD.”

Jonathan refused to accept it, recognizing the Royalty Diamond logo on the box. As the country's most luxurious jewelry store, nothing from Royalty Diamond was priced below fifty thousand USD.

Harding buying it for ten thousand indicated something was amiss.

“Oh, brother-in-law, this is just a replica! Really not expensive, I couldn’t afford the real thing.”

Harding eagerly tried to hand the longevity lock to Jonathan, who grew more suspicious and refused to take it: “Alright, Harding, I know your true character. Take your gift back, Carla doesn’t need it!”

Harding’s pupils darted anxiously, noticing people starting to look their way. He quickly signaled to a middle-aged woman not far away while trying to shove the gift box into Jonathan’s hands.

“Ah, the longevity lock I just bought from Royalty Diamond got stolen! There goes my two hundred and sixty thousand USD!!”

The middle-aged woman suddenly screamed, pinpointing Jonathan and rushing over to grab his arm: "Everyone, look here, catch the thief. It's him, he stole the life-locket I bought!"

"Someone call the police for me, we must catch this thief, catch him red-handed with the stolen goods!"

Adela was taken aback, she had clearly seen what happened: the life-locket was deliberately planted on Jonathan by his brother-in-law.

Despite her deep hatred for Jonathan, Adela didn't want to see him wrongly accused and took the initiative to clarify: "Ma'am, you might be mistaken, that life-locket was given to him by someone else, by this Harding guy!"

Unexpectedly, Harding immediately turned hostile and denied giving Jonathan the locket.

"What are you talking about? I gave what?"

"Jonathan, this r****t criminal, just got out of jail and is already not behaving, resorting to stealing. Such people deserve to be in jail for life!"