Mr. Billionaire, I'm Back!

Chapter 32: It Happened Over Dinner

Once the dishes had been cleared, Joanna retrieved the divorce agreement. She hadn't intended to eat with Ken, but he'd suggested one last meal, "for old time's sake," and she had been agreeable. Now that it was over, she had to admit - if only to herself - that it had been a pleasant experience, and it had reminded her of "the good old day." At first, she had been hesitant about sharing the chateaubriand, but it had turned out to be one of the most delicious meals she'd had in a long time, and she felt hopeful as she passed the papers across the table.

Ken accepted the papers, gave them a quick read, and when he looked up, he was not happy. "Do you really think that I'll let you walk away from this marriage with ten percent of my company's shares?" he shouted. "Because, if you do, you're dreaming!"

Joanna sighed. She did want the ten percent. The only reason she was asking for them was to protect him from the Gross family. Even though they were separating, she still cared about his well-being. Furthermore, she had promised a dying old man that she would try to protect the Green family. Unfortunately, if she told him this, she didn't think that he would believe her.

"Ten percent is fair," she argued. "Some women ask for fifty percent, and when it goes to court, they get it." Joanna hoped Ken would see things her way. Otherwise, she would have to resort to Plan B. If that were to happen, she would have to stay away from men. This was one of the reasons that she'd shunned Brian. Another reason was that, because Brian was unpredictable, she found it difficult to control herself whenever she was with him.

Ken stood up and glared at Joanna. "If you come after me and my money," he shouted, "you will regret it. You had me fooled, Joanna. I thought you loved me, but it turns out that you were a gold-digging w***e all along!"

Joanna felt a little upset by his words. She said, "You've got this all wrong. Please, reread the papers. You'll see that I'm not trying to take advantage of you. Or the Greens."

Ken sneered. He began to rip the agreement into tiny pieces, and then he threw it into her face. "f**k you!" he growled. "This contract is bunk!"

Joanna's face turned white, and for a second, she looked like a deer that had been caught in the headlights of an on-coming truck. She had never felt so embarrassed in her life, and she was at a complete loss for words.

"Now that I see you for what you are," Ken continued, "you aren't going to get a single cent out of me!"

"Fine." Joanna sighed, and she said, "If that's the way you want to be, I'll see you in court…"

Ken couldn't believe what Joanna had said. She had always been gentle and caring. This was a side of her he'd never seen before. He looked at Joanna in disgust and said, "Joanna, you make me sick!"

Joanna sighed and said, "Ken, you're making a big mistake..."

Ken: "Whatever, I'm out of here."

***

When Brian saw Ken throw the paper into Joanna's face, he thought – That's the last straw! He stood up, and he began to walk towards the table where the couple was arguing. He had no idea what they were fighting about, and he didn't care - Nobody treats my girl that way and gets away with it!

He had only taken a few steps, though, when Ken walked away on his own accord. That's convenient – thought Brian - convenient for him. I'm going to f**k HIM UP!

***

Joanna thought that she was going to cry. She didn't want to make a spectacle, though, so she got up to go to the washroom. She took a few steps towards the back of the restaurant, and she was so absorbed in her thoughts that she nearly walked into Brian.

"Woah, There!" Brian exclaimed as he held out his hands to stop her. "Miss Lincoln? We have to stop meeting like this!"

Joanna was startled, and she looked up, nervously. "Umm… Excuse me," she murmured. "Can I get past you?"

"Why, of course, my lady!" Brian replied, and he stepped back with a flourish, going into a half-bow. "Perhaps, when you return, I can get a moment of your time?"

"P-Perhaps," Joanna stammered as she scurried past him.

When Joanna got to the bathroom, she washed her face with cold water and patted it dry with a paper towel. Then she looked at herself in the mirror and traced the lines on her face. What she saw in her reflection was a tired map of her failures, exhaustion, and fragility. "I am such a weakling," she told herself, and then she began to cry.

Joanna was caught off guard when the door to the bathroom opened, and she was startled to see that the person walking in was Brian. "Come here," he said softly. He had a sympathetic look on his face. His arms were wide open, but she was too confused by his sudden appearance at the restaurant - and in the restroom - to move a muscle.

"It's okay," Brian said. "I'm here to help you." Then, when Joanna didn't go to him, he went to her. He took a step forward, but she took one backward. And they played that game until she was pressed against the wall. Finally, he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly.

"Please let me go," Joanna begged.

Brian ignored her words, and as he ran his hands up and down her back, all of her barriers fell at once. She began to wail, and she turned to putty in his arms. "There, there," he said. "It's okay. I've got you."

Suddenly, Joanna began to pound her fists against his chest. She yelled at Brian to let her go, but he would not. He wanted to be there with her, whether she wanted him or not. After a while, Joanna gave up fighting, and Brian pressed her against the wall. He kissed her until she stopped crying, and then he wiped away her tears and tucked her hair back behind her ears.

Brian: "Joanna, tell me something. Am I bullying you, or are you bullying me?

Joanna: "Obviously, you are bullying me."

Brian laughed and said, "You are a wild copy-cat."