Next Man, Better Plan novel Chapter 24

Stephanie shot Jonathan a resentful look. "Thank you for your help, but you're taking your jokes too far."

Jonathan sat down in a chair. "Didn't you want me to acquire Meridian Consortium? Why haven't you contacted me since that day? I recall giving you my card."

You know damn well why, Stephanie thought. Acting so self-righteous. It would be insane for me to contact you after you forced a kiss on me.

Just as Jonathan was about to say something, his phone rang.

He glanced at the caller ID, his brow instantly furrowing. He stepped outside the room to answer. "Grandma."

Mrs. Vasquez Sr.'s voice boomed through the phone. "Jonathan, if you don't get married soon, I'm going to hang myself in your room tomorrow! You can come and collect my body!"

"…"

"Don't you play deaf with me, I know you're listening!" Mrs. Vasquez Sr. ranted. "That old man next door is already holding his second great-grandchild! And you haven't even brought a girl home! I'm not asking for much anymore, just as long as it's a woman…"

Jonathan chuckled. "Alright, I'll bring one home in a couple of days."

"Don't think I can't tell you're just trying to placate me! You think this old lady is that easy to fool?" Mrs. Vasquez Sr. exclaimed. "I don't care! You're going on a blind date tomorrow!"

Recently, rumors had been circulating in Veridian that Jonathan spent all his time with Tobias because he was actually gay.

After hearing this, Mrs. Vasquez Sr. had been so upset she couldn't eat for a whole day.

She suddenly recalled that her grandson was indeed always with Tobias, often not returning until the middle of the night.

She had boasted to her friends that her grandson would bring home a wife within a month.

Mrs. Vasquez Sr. declared, "I'm going to Aeterna Abbey tomorrow to pray for your marriage! And you must go on that blind date!"

Jonathan said, "I'm hanging up."

Mrs. Vasquez Sr. shot back, "Wait, are you with Tobias right now?"

Jonathan hung up the phone and returned to the hospital room.

On the bed, Stephanie had curled into a ball and fallen asleep.

She had arrived late the previous night as an emergency case, and with hospital resources stretched thin, there were no private rooms available, so she had to stay in a semi-private room.

Stephanie asked, "What about the old man?"

The nurse smiled. "He's a sound sleeper; he snored in the hallway all night. This morning, your boyfriend had him moved to a VIP room."

The nurse reminded her, "Your soup is getting cold. You should eat something. An empty stomach is the worst thing for gastritis. The doctor will be by for rounds soon."

Only then did she notice a bowl of warm soup on the bedside table.

"Did my…" Stephanie hesitated, "…boyfriend buy this too?"

The nurse nodded.

After the nurse left, Stephanie picked up the bowl and took a spoonful of the soup. A comforting warmth spread from her throat throughout her entire body.

Jonathan... what kind of person was he really?