Next Man, Better Plan novel Chapter 224

A flicker of surprise crossed Jonathan’s eyes.

He never imagined Stephanie would throw herself in front of him at the critical moment.

It seemed like a primal instinct, a desperate need to protect him from harm.

No one had ever protected him like this before.

Jonathan’s gaze wavered, and his throat tightened as he looked at Stephanie with a burning intensity.

Fearing York might accidentally hit her, he reacted instantly, pulling Stephanie behind him and spinning around, using his own broad back to shield her from the cane.

With Jonathan's back exposed, York’s raised hand finally fell.

But the sharp crack that followed was the sound of the cane hitting the floorboards.

Stephanie, seeing the danger, had pulled Jonathan aside just in time.

“Please calm down,” Stephanie said hurriedly. “There’s more to this story!”

Fearing York would strike again, Stephanie grabbed Jonathan’s wrist and pulled him back behind her.

Jonathan narrowed his eyes. From his vantage point, all he could see was the smooth skin of her neck.

Though her frame was delicate, her back was ramrod straight as she stood between him and York, exuding an incredible resilience.

She truly was his wife.

He liked her so much.

So much that he wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her senseless.

York’s chest heaved. “What more is there to it?”

Stephanie’s voice was firm. “You only know that Jonathan transferred his shares to me, but did you know that I gave him Meridian Consortium?”

Cora finally lowered her silk fan, exclaiming, “What did you say?”

Everyone looked at her, and Cora realized her reaction had been too dramatic.

At that, Patricia laughed. “Wow, so you’re using Vasquez family assets to patch up the holes in your Jackson family business?”

Stephanie smiled back. “That’s not quite right, Patricia. Meridian has always been profitable, so there are no holes to patch. In this particular sector, Meridian is arguably the stronger player, so it’s more like we’re giving Ironhold a boost.”

“Besides, does it really matter which family’s name is on the door, as long as we’re making money? By consolidating two sets of expenses into one, we can double our profits…”

“I wouldn’t expect a layperson like you to understand these economic principles, but a successful businessman like Father certainly understands them better than any of us.”

“And does the name on the brand really matter? Jonathan and I are married. What’s mine is his, isn’t it?”

“Moreover… I’ve only been part of the family for a few days. If Ironhold were to swallow Meridian’s business and scrap its branding, imagine the rumors that would spread. People would say the Vasquez family is bullying a lone orphan girl…”

“Even the Gonzalez family, who managed Meridian all these years, never suggested getting rid of the Meridian name.”

Patricia was speechless.

She had to hand it to Stephanie. She was truly impressed by her sharp tongue.

absolutely impressed!