Built His Empire Then Watched It Burn When He Cheated novel Chapter 548

**Chapter 548: Terrified**

Jonathan’s brow creased in concern, a subtle sign of his unease. He couldn’t see Anneliese’s face, which left him to speculate that perhaps his eagerness to reconnect with her was making him overly anxious. The silence stretched between them, thick with unspoken words and unshed emotions.

His voice, soft and almost hesitant, broke through the tension. “So… have you been thinking about me?”

Anneliese felt her heart flutter at his gentle inquiry, but she bit down on her lip, a reflex to mask the turmoil within. Her throat tightened, constricting under the weight of his affection. “Jess is here. Besides, it’s only been a day since we split,” she replied, her words a careful shield against the vulnerability creeping in.

She didn’t directly answer his question, but the truth lingered unspoken between them—she had missed him profoundly. Even amidst her swirling thoughts, the worst-case scenarios played like a relentless reel in her mind, taunting her with fears of abandonment and heartache.

Jonathan sensed a flicker of frustration at her evasiveness, but he quickly reminded himself of her shy nature. She often struggled to express her feelings openly, and he assumed her reluctance was an attempt to be considerate of Jessica’s presence.

He shifted the topic, attempting to regain control of the conversation. “Jessica’s pregnant? The baby… is it Zane’s?”

Anneliese felt an immediate surge of irritation. It was painfully clear that Zaxton had already spilled the beans to Jonathan, and it felt like a betrayal.

She pressed her lips into a thin line, her voice dripping with scorn and annoyance. “I really don’t know if you sent someone to protect me or just spy on me.”

The coldness in her tone cut through the air, palpable even from a distance. Jonathan could feel the icy anger radiating from her like a winter storm, unexpected and fierce.

Caught off guard by her abrupt shift in tone, Jonathan felt his usual calm demeanor waver for a moment. His striking features momentarily blanked, and his brows knitted tightly together in confusion and concern.

Regaining his composure, he loosened his tie, his voice adopting a gentle timbre as he sought to soothe her. “I sent him to protect you. After what happened with the kidnapping, I couldn’t risk leaving you alone. And Grandma isn’t in the best of health. If something went wrong, you and Jessica would be too vulnerable. Zaxton was there to handle emergencies. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to ruin your New Year. If you’re upset about this, I can apologize. Next time, whatever I do involving you, I’ll tell you in advance. Okay?”

His explanation was patient, but Anneliese felt a wave of irrationality wash over her, as if she were the one being unfair for misinterpreting his intentions.

But the anger simmered beneath her surface, refusing to dissipate. A tumult of shame, anger, and guilt twisted in her chest, making it hard to breathe. She bit down on her lip hard enough to leave pale imprints, a physical manifestation of her inner turmoil.

“Fine, even if that’s true, if it wasn’t spying, why did he tell you about Jessica being pregnant? That has nothing to do with anything,” she challenged, her voice sharper than intended.

In the aftermath of betrayal, she had hoped to emerge stronger and more resolute. Instead, she felt herself crumbling, weaker than before.

When she had overheard the truth outside Zacharias’ office, her heart had burned with a fierce anger, and she had dared to confront it. In that moment, she had made the decisive choice to sever ties and pursue a divorce.

But yesterday, when she stepped into that princess’ room, she hadn’t even had the courage to face the truth.

She had retreated into a web of excuses, convincing herself that her discomfort was due to her body feeling off, that the Fullbusters wasn’t the right place for a confrontation—anything to avoid the reality that terrified her.

She was haunted by the fear that her darkest suspicions—the wretched notion of being a mere replacement—might actually hold weight. Just the thought of it nearly crushed her spirit. If it were true, she couldn’t fathom the pain it would inflict or the reckless, desperate actions she might take against Jonathan in a moment of emotional upheaval.

Never before had she felt this frantic, this helpless, this lost and timid.

Anneliese gritted her teeth, her reflection in the car window revealing almond-shaped eyes glistening with unshed tears, shimmering like two pools of blood, each droplet a testament to her inner conflict.