Next Man, Better Plan novel Chapter 193

Those were founder’s shares in Ironhold Investment Group, not something you could just buy with money.

Owning those shares meant having a say in the company, and Jonathan had given them all to Stephanie?

Quennel suddenly found he couldn't understand him at all. What was Jonathan playing at? Using founder’s shares as bait to lure a woman? That seemed unlikely.

Could it be that he really… felt something for Stephanie?

In a daze, a memory surfaced in Quennel’s mind.

Of course, it couldn’t be a coincidence. The moment his relationship with her hit the rocks, Jonathan swooped in and managed to marry her within a month.

Quennel was suddenly reminded of the motorcycle race back in high school.

He and Jonathan had both competed. In the final lap, they were neck and neck in first and second place. Quennel was in the lead, just a breath away from victory.

But on the final turn, Jonathan made a death-defying move, cutting him off from the inside of the curve.

There was hardly enough space to overtake, and at that speed, a sideways flip could have been fatal. Yet Jonathan used that reckless maneuver to beat him.

Quennel couldn’t understand it. It was just a race. Did he really need to be so serious?

Afterward, he angrily confronted Jonathan.

“You’re a madman!” Quennel had yelled. “If you want to kill yourself, fine, but a stunt like that could have taken me with you!”

But Jonathan just shrugged. “What’s the matter? Can’t handle losing?”

At the time, Stephanie was at the finish line, part of the cheerleading squad, cheering for the racers.

As Jonathan spoke, Quennel vaguely noticed his gaze linger on Stephanie for a few seconds.

“Who says I don’t? I’ve had a crush on him for a long time.”

Quennel was stunned. “What did you say?”

In truth, Stephanie wouldn't say she loved Jonathan, but she couldn't let Quennel use that as a weapon against him.

Jonathan was innocent in all this and had done nothing to wrong her. Whatever happened between them at home, as his wife, it was her duty to protect his pride in public.

Her tone was calm and soft. After a few seconds of silence, she said quietly, “At that motorcycle race all those years ago… the image of him in his racing suit, his tall, athletic figure, his hair windswept… it’s been deeply etched in my mind ever since.”

Stephanie’s knowledge of Jonathan was actually quite limited. In those few seconds, the only memory she could grasp was that motorcycle race.

Just outside the door, Jonathan, who had just arrived, felt his deep-set eyes suddenly light up.