Built His Empire Then Watched It Burn When He Cheated novel Chapter 556

**Created 556**

**Chapter 556: A Faint Hope**

Anneliese was acutely aware of every single word that fell from Jonathan’s lips. The weight of his confession hung in the air like a fragile thread, ready to snap at any moment.

Her eyelashes trembled as if they were caught in a gentle breeze. Tears, delicate and shimmering, traced a path down her cheeks, and she managed to stifle her sobs, allowing her vision to gradually clear.

There it was—his gaze, unwavering and intense, a mixture of earnestness and vulnerability that tugged at her heart. It was soft, yet there was an undeniable sense of helplessness behind it.

With a deep inhale, she steadied herself, allowing the remnants of her hiccups to fade before she spoke, her voice trembling slightly. “So you’re telling me you’ve never had a first love that truly mattered? But everyone—your friends, your cousin, even your mom—they all insist there’s someone who’s been on your mind for over a decade. I even caught a glimpse of the room you prepared for her. You poured your heart into it…”

As she spoke, Jonathan seemed to sense a shift in her demeanor. Cautiously, he took a small step closer, his large hand gently cradling her tear-streaked face. His thumb brushed against the corners of her eyes, tenderly wiping away the evidence of her distress.

“Even if I had a first love,” he began, his voice steady yet laced with uncertainty, “there’s truly no reason for jealousy or pain, because she—”

Anneliese’s expression darkened at his words, her eyes narrowing sharply. The brief flicker of relief she had felt moments ago evaporated like mist in the morning sun.

Before Jonathan could finish his thought, the elevator doors chimed open with a soft ding. A familiar voice, filled with surprise and concern, echoed from the outside.

“Anne! What on earth are you two doing?”

Startled, Anneliese turned her head sharply, her heart racing as she caught sight of her grandmother, Nishay, standing at the doorway. The older woman’s brows were knitted together in a frown, her eyes scrutinizing the scene before her.

“Grandma? I thought you were asleep!” Anneliese exclaimed, a mixture of surprise and guilt washing over her.

She recalled that Nishay had already retired for the night when she had slipped out of the house.

Of course, Nishay had followed her. Over the past few days, she had sensed something stirring in her granddaughter’s heart, a hint that Anneliese might be experiencing love for the first time.

A peculiar text message that evening had confirmed her suspicions, though Anneliese had chosen not to share it, leaving Nishay with a gnawing worry.

She had slept lightly, her instincts alert, and upon noticing Anneliese’s absence, she had tracked her down, taking another elevator down to search the building and the surrounding area. Finding nothing, she had felt a pang of disappointment, but when she pressed the button to return upstairs, there stood Anneliese.

Late at night, caught in an elevator with a man, their body language unmistakably intimate—the connection between them was palpable.

Nishay’s gaze fell upon Anneliese’s swollen eyes, her frown deepening as she then shifted her focus to Jonathan, who remained blissfully unaware of the tension brewing around him.

“You brought my granddaughter out in the middle of the night and left her in tears like this, right in front of me. Care to explain yourself?” she demanded, her voice sharp and unwavering.

Jonathan felt the tension in his shoulders tighten, his brows knitting together in concern.

Even after more than a decade, the neat, guilty expression of that young man was still etched in her memory, perfectly aligning with the man standing before her.

Yet, in the depths of her heart, she clung to a fragile hope that it was merely a coincidence.

As she observed Nishay’s unreadable, harsh expression, Anneliese felt a surge of panic and rushed to support her grandmother, blurting out,

“Grandma, his name is Jonathan Fullbuster. We’re together. I’m so sorry for keeping it from you…”

“What did you just say?”

Nishay turned sharply to Anneliese, her hand slipping from her granddaughter’s grasp as she shook off the support with unexpected force.

In Nishay’s eyes, Anneliese saw raw hurt, betrayal, and disbelief.

She froze, her lips trembling, utterly stunned, as tears threatened to spill anew.

Nishay, who was usually gentle and understanding, hadn’t snapped at her like this in years. The intensity of her gaze sent Anneliese spiraling back to the traumatic years that had followed her adoptive parents’ tragic accident.

Just as Anneliese stood paralyzed by shock, a protective shadow emerged—Jonathan stepped forward, placing himself firmly between her and her grandmother, ready to face whatever storm lay ahead.