A Heartless Man

Even without turning to look at him, she had made her meaning clear. How could he not understand?

Lin Mo's eye twitched. Could her acting get any worse?

When Joanna still didn't hear him call her back, she stopped outside his bedroom door and let out a soft, long sigh.

"Just as I thought."

Lin Mo: "?"

"You don't love me anymore."

Lin Mo nearly choked on his own spit.

"Where did you get that idea?"

Joanna kept her back to him, her voice mournful.

"You never used to send me away. Now you're grown up and you find me annoying. Maybe someday there'll be someone else, and you won't even let me stay in the room next door."

Lin Mo felt a headache coming on. Every word was more ridiculous than the last.

"Stop."

He cut in quickly.

"Don't put words in my mouth."

Joanna turned around.

"Then let me sleep here."

"No."

"See?"

She immediately said, "You don't love me anymore."

Lin Mo covered his face with one hand.

His head really did hurt. Last night had already proved that this girl couldn't sleep without tossing around.

Calling it sleep was generous. She had spent half the night rolling back and forth.

One moment she leaned into him, the next she draped an arm over him. Lin Mo had barely slept at all.

After all, with her lying beside him—and with the two of them no longer children—it would have been stranger if he felt nothing.

But that only made Lin Mo more certain that some things couldn't be left to chance. Not now, at least. He'd pay for it.

So there was no room for negotiation.

"Go back to your room."

Lin Mo repeated himself. Joanna stared at him for a long while, apparently realized he wasn't