A knock on the door interrupts her from the notebook that she's reading.

"Yes?" She raised her head to the door.

The door opened as Conrad peaked.

"Hey, your mom said that the dinner is ready. Come out because I'm starving!" He complained. She sighed and nodded.

She put the diary back in her drawer as she removed the towel from her hair and tossed it to the laundry basket. She combed her hair and went to the kitchen. Conrad was already sitting as Karmina told him to eat. Johanna sat down as she reached the rice and watched as Conrad started digging on the food.

"I think I should ask Mr. De Alegre to extend my contract. Your cooking is great, Mrs. Del Carlo."

"You can visit anytime even though your contract was dismissed, Conrad."

"Uh, I can't do that," Conrad said. "But I can sneak some food, right?"

Karmina laughed as Johanna stayed poker face while eating the delicious food that her adoptive mother made.

"Johanna is already twenty-eight. I wish that she'll marry a man that can protect her as you do."

From what Karmina said, the piece of rice went to the wrong pipe as she started coughing. She took the table napkin and covered her mouth as she left her seat and went to the kitchen toward the sink as she kept on laughing.

"I am sure that she'll find someone," Conrad said. "But not as handsome and not as sexy as me." He laughed together with the maids and Karmina.

Johanna rubbed her chest and washed her mouth.

"Narcissist." She went back to the table and gulped on the water.

"So, what do you think, Jo? Should I help you find a man who could protect you?" Conrad asked with those charming playful grins.

"No, thank you." She said coldly and continued on her food.

"You can just marry me, you know," Conrad said. Johanna glared at him.

"I'm not interested in a playboy like you." She said coldly.

"Ouch," Conrad said dramatically. "Anyway, your mom is worried that you are getting old." Conrad snickered. Johanna stared at him for a while.

"You are older than me." She stated and Conrad looked at her nonchalantly. "You are thirty. Am I right?"

Conrad nudged her foot under the table and she raised her brows and smirked.

Karmina was watching the two interact and they are perfect for each other. The way they tease each other is too friendly. People would think that they knew each other for a very long time.

"It seemed like I am not getting any younger," Conrad said and looked at Karmina. "Can you let me marry your daughter?"

"Sure," Karmina said without even having a second thought.

Johanna started having her headache again. It is because of the way Conrad jokes about marriage and she won't get married. She will protect Karmina and Keira no matter what. After their dinner, Karmina served them tea instead of alcohol.

"Mom, aren't you tired?" Johanna asked.

"Not really. I just finished decorating your sister's study room and I think I need to work out more" She stood and looked at the television that is now playing with news about Bonnie, Louise Madison's assistant. "I also set up a guest room for you there. You can visit the mansion anytime and it's what Alex wanted to do."

"So, you don't plan on going back to the villa?" Johanna asked.

"Louise shut it down for a while," Karmina said and her face turned grim as she thought of Holly, the one who played on her daughter. "Since that bitch kept showing up."

"Hmm, too bad." Johanna shrugged. "She visited the company three days ago. But we were busy with some stuff."

"Do not let her touch your sister or that bastard who played on her," Karmina said coldly.

"Yes, of course, mother," Johanna said. "I'm going to bed." She put down her tea as she stood and went to her room. She opened the drawer to make sure that the dairy is there.

She took it out and went to her table and turned on the lights. She continued reading Bonnie's diary.

August 14, 2019

Louise felt happy with her composition and she told me that she can't wait for her recording. She also transferred a bonus to my account. Fifty thousand! I didn't expect that she'll transfer it from her old account.

Louise mentioned to me that it's her savings from her job years before she became part of the music industry. A man always sent her money because he liked her. She never touched the account because she didn't want it. But finally, she said to me that there's a use of the money and it's to help me.

I never felt so happy in my life. A little money could give me happiness. So, my sister and my family won't have to suffer anymore.

Johanna was in deep thought. The door opened as Karmina entered.

"You aren't asleep yet?" Karmina asked. She hugged her from behind and kissed her temple. "You looked so tired."

"I'm fine, mom. You should sleep now. Did you already drink your medicine?"

"I already did and I'm sleepy."

"I'll sleep with you."

Johanna and Karmina share the same bed. Karmina fell asleep quickly and she wished that she had that without overthinking. She kissed Karmina's forehead. She couldn't sleep and her mother needed to rest. She slipped off from the bed gently and pulled the duvet over Karmina's chest. Then, she took the diary from her table and left her room.

She settled on the living room and turned on the lamp. She continued reading Bonnie's diary to get hints. However, she didn't read it all but only the last parts. Bonnie was receiving threats from Nancy and feeling guilty. That she's the reason why Louise died. Somehow, Johanna felt bad for her.

"Boo."

Her hair stood up as she felt Conrad blowing on her neck. She almost grabbed him. But she stood and jumped on him to the back of the sofa and started pulling his hair.

"Ow!" Conrad wrestled her on the sofa and grinned at her. She frowned at him. "So, why did you sneak out?" he whispered and leaned on the sofa as he looked down at her.

Johanna sat up and fixed her pajama dress and sighed.

"I was reading Bonnie's diary. I won't read further."

"You can sleep in my room though." He shrugged.

"I'm not interested in you, Conrad."

"I was meaning to sleep here anyway," Conrad said as he glanced at the open curtains. "Their people were looking for you." He patted her head. "You should watch over your head now, Johanna. I don't want you to get involved but you can't just lay back."

"I am doing this to protect my family." She said coldly.

"Hmm, if you say so. But you are making them worried."

She reached the diary and gave it to him.

"Don't snoop too much of the girl's diary."

"I won't." He sat up straight. "Don't you want to sleep?"

"I'm staying up a little late."

She reached the blanket and turned on the television. She placed it on her lap as she stayed on the other corner of the sofa while Conrad was on the other. She watched the series that she felt like watching.

<><><>

Conrad is a man and he takes a lot of self-control including two lesbians making out in front of him. But never did he feel attracted like a teenage boy as he watched Johanna sleeping and her skin was showing. Mostly those fair legs.

He put away the notebook as he stood and reached the blanket. He unfolded it and placed it to her quickly. He didn't want to see anything seductive tonight. Guarding her was enough seduction.

He reached the remote to change the channel but the next channel was a couple making love. Eyes Wide Shut. He frowned. The movie was known to be lewd with lots of naked people participating in orgy and the main lead is Tom Cruise.

"Are you watching porn?" Johanna asked and rubbed her eyes. He chuckled and shook his head.

"It just happened to be there." He moved closer to her. "So, wanna watch porn?"

"Not interested." She mumbled.

"Are you a lesbian?" He suddenly asked. "A tomboy?"

She glared at him and pulled the blanket to her chest.

"It's none of your business. So, what did you find in the notebook?"

"Bonnie had a crush on Louise." He said. "I think she loves her."

"I don't need details." She mumbled.

"You haven't fallen in love. Do you?" He asked again.

"Why do you care about my love life?" She asked as she yawned.

"Nothing." He grinned. "I'll discuss this with you tomorrow." Conrad rolled his eyes to his left where someone seemed to be checking on them.

"Come." Conrad patted the pillow next to him. "Sleep here."

Johanna was too lazy and too sleepy to go to her bed so she lay on the pillow and pulled the blanket over her. Oddly, she felt safer with him. Back in her room, every time she sleeps, she always has a short nightmare that someone was strangling her. She's afraid of being alone and she just realized it until he came.

"You need to sleep a lot, Jo. You can't get sick. Or else, you might not be able to protect your mom and sister."

He patted her head. She closed her eyes and fell asleep as she slowly drifted into a beautiful dream.