Chapter: 225
"That's your father! He's the chairman of Bates Group!" Bethany couldn't help but emphasize, feeling the weight of his authority.
"It seems you still don't trust me," Jonathan said with a frown.
“Before I left, I promised to handle this situation and provide you with a satisfactory resolution.”
Bethany frowned, tempted to argue but held back.
Who said she didn't trust him?
She wanted to trust him, truly.
But with the internal announcement already made, how could she simply take his word for it?
"Mr. Bates, I appreciate your willingness to give me a fair chance. That's enough. I'll handle this myself," Bethany stated firmly.
Jonathan felt a twinge of discomfort hearing her address him so formally. “Bethany, we're husband and wife.”
Bethany remained silent.
Jonathan observed her quietly, his feelings a complex mix of frustration and concern.
They held each other's gaze for a prolonged moment. Finally, Bethany broke the silence. "There's a huge gap between us."
“I'm willing to bridge that gap," Jonathan responded earnestly.
Bethany shook her head. “Can you truly defy your parents for my sake?"
Jonathan's lips pressed tightly together, his desire to respond clashing with the weight of his unspoken commitments.
At that moment, Bethany's phone rang.
She glanced at the caller ID and saw it was from her mother.
Quickly, she answered, and Marie's anxious voice came through. “You told me the person you married was Jayson. So why did a woman named Francine Bates visit today, warning me to keep my daughter away from her son?"
Bethany felt a chill run through her. "Mom.."
“Come here right now." Marie ended the call abruptly, leaving no opportunity for discussion Bethany could no longer sit and dine with Jonathan. Her expression hardened as she rose from her seat.
Jonathan, sensing the urgency, stood up to follow her. “I'll come with you."
Bethany turned to face him. “Your mother went the hospital to see mine. Mr. Bates, I just want my mother to have peace. Please, ask Maddie and your mother not to push us any further."
With those words, she exited the restaurant.
In that moment, Jonathan fully grasped the depth of the "gap" Bethany referred to.