Built His Empire Then Watched It Burn When He Cheated novel Chapter 504

Anneliese grew even more flustered. “Jonathan!”

The man’s voice came back low and rough, trying to hide his glee. “Turn on the camera. I want to see you.”

“Not a chance! You’re just trying to sweet–talk your way out of guilt. You wish!”

“Of course, baby.” His tone softened, coaxing but sincere. “For that maiden flight, India wasn’t the original copilot. It was supposed to be another senior colleague, but his pregnant wife had a bad fall, so they swapped him out at the last minute. I didn’t have time to tell you beforehand.

“As for those photos, they were taken from really bad angles. In that one where I’m holding her arm, a kid ran past and bumped into her. I was only helping her to steady herself. If it bothers you, I’ll stay far away from her next time.”

“And?” Anneliese asked, her tone still guarded, though her face had softened a little without her realizing it.

“There’s a time difference. When I saw your messages, it was the middle of the night for you, and I didn’t want to disturb you. The next day got ridiculously busy, and I only just saw the photos you sent. I’m sorry for making you worry, and for making you so jealous.”

She could hear the smile in his voice, smug and pleased with himself.

“Jonathan! Are you done yet?” Anneliese hissed through gritted teeth.

Only then did he rein it in, his voice turning gentle again.

“I’ve already gotten Zion to trace that unknown number. Once we know who’s behind it, I’ll make sure you get an explanation. Just block the number, okay? Don’t let them bother you again.”

Anneliese smiled.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, she rubbed her toes against the carpet nonchalantly and said, “I’m not blocking them. Who knows if they’ll tip me off again next time? You want me to block the number because you feel guilty, don’t you?”

As soon as she finished speaking, the line went dead.

She blinked, then glanced at her screen.

Did he just hang up?

Her heart skipped. Was he really that annoyed? Had she pushed it too far?

Wait, why was he the one getting mad?

She was just about to fume when his name flashed again–this time, a video call.

And just like that, her temper fizzled out.

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At that moment, she realized she was done for.

Her emotions were completely tied to this man, and it wasn’t just simple liking anymore.

A nervous flutter rose in her chest, a mix of longing and panic. She stared at the screen for a long moment before finally accepting.

When the video connected, Anneliese was still in a daze until she saw the image on the screen.

Jonathan had just come out of the shower, a towel in hand as he ruffled through his damp, tousled hair.

“Why did it take you so long to pick up? Was my explanation not good enough?”

The man casually tossed the towel aside after wiping his hands twice and sat on the couch.

His gaze into the camera was intense, a teasing smirk playing at the corner of his lips.

It was already dark on her side, but over there, the sunlight was still bright, flooding him in a warm golden glow.

He wore a deep navy silk robe that was loose at the collar. As he lounged in his seat, Jonathan seemed slightly fatigued, giving him a rare softness despite the playfulness.

Anneliese could even see the water droplets clinging to his neck, tracing over the pale, slightly flushed skin of his throat, where a small black mole stood out clearly.

“Did you just end work?” Anneliese blinked, asking dryly.

Jonathan had indeed just wrapped up.

After returning to the hotel, he realized his phone was dead.

He quickly plugged it in before going straight to the bathroom.

When he came out and realized the gravity of the situation, he immediately called Anneliese.

He raised a brow. “Looks like my baby still doesn’t believe me. Guess that leaves me with no choice…”

Before Anneliese could make his words out, he lifted his hands to untie his robe.

In an instant, the robe fell open, revealing his sculpted collarbones and well–defined chest.

He stretched his arms to adjust his position, the camera panning down to show his toned abs, the sharp V- cut of his obliques, and the lines flowing into the loose waistband of his pajama pants.

“Ah! What are you doing?”

Anneliese’s ears flushed red, and she instinctively looked away.

She had seen his body before, but never through a screen with such sexual tension.

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Her heart raced uncontrollably, a mix of embarrassment and flustered excitement.

If Jessica walked in now, she would definitely think Anneliese was watching explicit content.

Jonathan’s gaze darkened as he watched the little girl tilt her head, lashes fluttering, cheeks burning pink.

Even from across the ocean, the way she looked stirred something deep in him, like a tide of longing he could no longer hold back.