Chapter 537
Jonathan begged him to let the Fullbuster family take in Anneliese.
Derek could not bear the thought of his grandson staying guilty and uneasy about this for years and never moving on.
Besides, taking care of one more person was not hard for the Fullbuster family.
For the sake of Frederick saving Jonathan and dying in such a terrible way, Derek was willing to do it.
He nodded.
Jonathan was thrilled and went to ask the housekeeper to prepare a room for Anneliese right away.
He worried she would not adjust, so he picked a room right next to his own bedroom.
He was still a kid and had never taken care of a younger sibling, but he still did everything himself. He looked at many photos and set up a princess room that looked pretty good.
He even told friends and relatives that he was going to have a little sister, never expecting the girl not to show up by the time the room was ready.
They turned him down.
Derek still remembered that the housekeeper went with Jonathan to Baytree. Jonathan went there full of hope and did not even get to see Anneliese.
The housekeeper said Anneliese’s grandmother threw out everything they brought and told them to leave, never to bother them again.
Jonathan talked a lot less after he came back from Baytree, but he refused to let the staff change the princess room back.
Derek always thought Jonathan did all of this because he felt guilty as a teenager. He thought that once the boy grew up, his heart would toughen, and this small thing would fade away.
He never expected Jonathan to hold onto it for so many years and to marry her without saying a word.
Derek frowned. “You wanted her as a sister back then. Now, you married her. What is that supposed to mean p>
Jonathan rarely got embarrassed. His ears warmed up. He lifted his hand and touched his nose without thinking. He looked a bit shy.
“I did not know what feelings were back then. When I think about it now, the girl I wanted as a sister was the girl I liked p>
Derek fell silent.
He could not believe his own grandson said something so shameless.
Jonathan said it to make things clear.
He wanted Derek to understand that his feelings for Anneliese were real and final. He hoped the old man would accept it, so nothing would damage their relationship.
Derek understood that very well. His chest tightened. He grabbed his cane and hit the man on the back a few times.
His voice dropped low. “If not for it being a bad omen to have blood during New Year’s, I’d have made sure you’re punished p>
Jonathan did not dodge.
He even bent down a little to let the old man spare him.
When Derek finally stopped, he smiled and said, “So, you accept your granddaughter-in-law now? Where is the gift you prepared for her? I can take it to her p>
Derek had just calmed down a little, and now the frustration rose again.
Jonathan pushed open the bedroom door and walked in. The woman on the bed was gone Pwas gone He paused and walked toward the bathroom “Anneliese, are you in there p>
He knocked twice on the door.
No one answered.
He pushed the door open.
The bathroom was empty. Anneliese was not there.
A sudden worry hit him. He turned to find someone to ask, but his gaze stopped when it landed on the balcony it was a slim figure.
Standing there in thirr clothes,
looking quiet and cold.
Jonathan frowned and walked toward the balcony. He grabbed a blanket that was
folded on the couch along the way.
“Why are you standing out here alone p>
He kept his voice soft so as not to startle her.
He opened the cashmere blanket and draped it over her shoulders, wrapping her small body. Then, he pulled her into his arms from behind.
Anneliese went still for a moment.
Jonathan found her hands and held them. “Your hands are freezing. Why did you come out here without a jacket p>
He held her cold hands in his warm palms and gently rubbed them.
Before she could react, he turned her around and pulled her into his arms as he walked her back inside.
“Nothing. I just could not sleep and came out to look at the view p>
Once they stepped back into the bedroom, Anneliese tried to pull her hands away. Jonathan did not let go.
One of his hands held hers with ease. His other hand slid the door shut and blocked the cold air outside.
Then, he lifted her hands to his lips. He rubbed them again and breathed warm air onto the red, icy skin to help them warm up faster.