Chapter 10: This Man Is Too Frightening

As Jonathan Sanders scrutinized Theodore Davis, Theodore Davis was also examining Jonathan Sanders.

The two men stood in a standoff at Isabella Gomez's doorstep for a full two minutes.

Theodore Davis was shocked to find that there was actually a man in Isabella Gomez's home!

He remembered her mentioning before that she lived alone.

What was even more unsettling was the way this man in the wheelchair had a "this is my territory" expression, as if he were completely at ease in his own home.

"May I ask who you are?" Theodore Davis couldn't hold back any longer and spoke first. It was late at night, and the thought of Isabella Gomez being alone with a man was too much to ignore.

"And who are you?" Jonathan Sanders did not answer Theodore Davis's question but instead asked him.

Theodore Davis had hoped the other would state his identity first, as he had initiated the conversation. However, Jonathan Sanders just stared at him coldly, exuding an overwhelming aura, and Theodore Davis found himself involuntarily intimidated.

"I'm the deputy editor-in-chief at Isabella Gomez's workplace. My surname is Chen. Nice to meet you." Theodore Davis decided to introduce himself first and forced himself to be polite, thinking that perhaps this man was Isabella Gomez's brother or some relative, and it wouldn't do well to offend him.

"I am not her brother, nor any relative of hers," Jonathan Sanders suddenly said.

He could read minds! Theodore Davis was stunned, staring at Jonathan Sanders, feeling extremely awkward.

This man's insight was terrifying.

At that moment, Isabella Gomez came out of the bathroom. She had assumed that anyone knocking on her door this late must be a neighbor, but it turned out to be Theodore Davis, who had returned.

"Editor, didn't you go back already?" Isabella Gomez looked at Jonathan Sanders, glancing between the two men.

It was clear they had already "met" properly.

Theodore Davis then raised the umbrella in his hand, "Isabella, you left your umbrella in my car. I figured you might still be awake, so I brought it up. But it seems... not very convenient?" He glanced at Jonathan Sanders, his words carrying a double meaning.

Isabella Gomez understood, but she couldn't explain her relationship with Jonathan Sanders clearly at the moment.

Moreover, Isabella Gomez was still feeling down and had no energy to explain much to Theodore Davis.

"Indeed, not very convenient," Jonathan Sanders answered for her.

"What are you saying?" Isabella Gomez glared at Jonathan Sanders. Not only did he not help, but he was also adding fuel to the fire, seemingly unafraid of making things worse.

But it was clear that Theodore Davis had already jumped to conclusions.

He circled around Isabella Gomez, suddenly spitting.

He was naturally short-tempered, though he was good at hiding it, and had never shown his temper in front of Isabella Gomez.

His ex-wife had divorced him because of domestic violence.

"Isabella Gomez, I never expected you to be this kind of woman! I should have known that women who have been in prison aren't any good. You hid it well, keeping a man in your home while pretending to be virtuous. No wonder you didn't let me come upstairs; there's a story up there, isn't there!"

Theodore Davis, with his obsessive personality, was so angry his mouth twisted. As he berated Isabella Gomez, he kept glancing at Jonathan Sanders. When he met Jonathan Sanders's sharp gaze, he quickly averted his eyes, but soon glared back, "What are you looking at? A cripple like you can't do anything to me. If you have the guts, stand up and fight me!"

Facing Theodore Davis's provocation, Jonathan Sanders's eyes turned icy, and he reached for the fruit knife on the table.

Theodore Davis had angered him.

But before he could pick up the knife, he noticed Isabella Gomez's overly pale face out of the corner of his eye.

Her complexion was even worse than when she first entered, and she looked at Theodore Davis in disbelief, "Editor, what did you say?"

Isabella Gomez hadn't expected that Theodore Davis, who had just sworn he didn't care about her past, would turn on her so quickly, tearing open old wounds.

Isabella Gomez clutched her heart, memories flooding her mind. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead, and she struggled to support herself by leaning on the sofa.

"Stop acting, like you're so pitiful. I just stated the facts. Is that necessary? Being in jail is a fact, and you can't handle it when someone mentions it? Now I understand why no one at the company dared to pursue you. Isabella Gomez, you're a psychologically dark, promiscuous freak!"

Theodore Davis felt that all his efforts to win over Isabella Gomez had been in vain. Narrow-minded, he wanted to use words to regain some sense of justice, and he regretted ever having feelings for a woman like her.

Isabella Gomez's face grew even paler, unable to bear Theodore Davis's insults. She looked up at him, tears welling in her eyes.

But she had long learned to hold back her tears. She knew that with Theodore Davis's position at the manga company, if she confronted him, he could find a hundred reasons to get her work pulled from publication.

"Disappear from her sight in three seconds," Jonathan Sanders, seeing enough of Isabella Gomez's distress, picked up the fruit knife.

Theodore Davis had initially thought Jonathan Sanders was just a freeloader living off Isabella Gomez, appearing strong on the outside but weak inside. Now, seeing him with the fruit knife, his eyes widened.

Theodore Davis's first reaction was, "Hilarious, a cripple living off a woman thinks he can scare me with a fruit knife?"

With a swift "clang," Jonathan Sanders threw the knife at Theodore Davis, hitting his toe dead-on!

"Aaaaaaah!"

Theodore Davis's hiking boots were immediately stained with blood, and he fell to the floor, writhing in pain and howling.

"Oh my God! Murder! Someone's trying to kill me!" Theodore Davis had never seen someone throw a knife so casually. Frightened and indignant, he realized he had been bested by a cripple.

"The words you used to scold and insult Isabella Gomez have been recorded on my phone. If you continue to shout, I will call 911 and let the police see who the real criminal is," Jonathan Sanders said sternly, his gaze sharp and commanding.

Hearing that he had been recorded, Theodore Davis, in a panic, tried to grab the phone, but Jonathan Sanders had already picked up the fruit knife again.

"You... Fine, Isabella Gomez, the man you keep is quite capable!" Knowing he couldn't win against Jonathan Sanders tonight, Theodore Davis, unwilling to admit defeat, pointed at Isabella Gomez as he left, "Isabella Gomez, you'll pay for this!"

As Theodore Davis left and the door closed, Isabella Gomez collapsed onto the sofa, too weak to support herself.

Jonathan Sanders sat in front of her, observing her pale face, his heart tightening.

This woman, who lived a simple life, looked especially pitiful now, with her head bowed and a stubborn expression on her face, making him want to gently touch her scars.

Jonathan Sanders did just that, reaching out and slowly caressing her face.