Chapter 1231: Didn’t know he couldn’t take a joke.

Hearing that Dean had his fun while everyone was away brought ease to Finn’s heart. Dean might not have known the depths of it, but Finn was simply glad that Dean was being... just Dean.

On his way out, Finn hadn’t planned to linger until he noticed someone in the department.

Stopping, he took a step back and caught sight of Jonathan holding a stack of papers as he walked out. Finn blinked, humming a short tune as he rocked his head slightly. His gaze lingered on Jonathan’s figure before he decided to follow him toward the copy machines.

"Tch." Jonathan clicked his tongue quietly as he had to make a few copies of the documents in his hands. He needed ten copies of each page, which meant it would take a while.

"Having fun?"

Jonathan suddenly heard Finn’s voice from behind him. When he looked back, Finn was already approaching.

Standing beside the copy machine, Finn was in awe. "Jonathan Pierson, doing some light work in the Pierson Corporation. That’s... kind of new, isn’t it?"

"I see. So you came here to mock me?"

"No, I came here to see you and mock you." Finn smiled, now understanding Dean’s joy. "It’s quite a sight to behold. I bet you didn’t see this coming when you introduced yourself as a Pierson."

Jonathan’s eyes sharpened, his face devoid of anything but darkness. "I guess one accident wasn’t enough to set you back, hmm?"

"Why? Are you going to orchestrate another accident?"

"Careful what you accuse others of, Mr. Davis. I might be here now, but you and I both know this isn’t where I belong."

"Haha." Finn chuckled, but this time, his smile didn’t reach his eyes. "Jon, stop it while you can."

"Stop?" Jonathan let out a bitter laugh as he irritably placed a hand atop the documents he was copying. "Can’t you see what I’m doing right now? It’s not me who should stop, but those going against me."

"The only person against you is you." Finn straightened his back, his eyes locked on Jonathan. "I didn’t live long enough to see what happened to you, but what I can assure you is that whatever plan you have is bound to fail."

Finn took a step closer. "I’m saying this for the first and last time—this lifetime... we shouldn’t follow the same course of action we did before. It’s still not too late. Otherwise, you’ll end up regretting your choices in this life as well."

"I’m saying this as your old friend," he added, stepping back.

Silence lingered between them before Finn slowly turned to leave. He knew this was probably the last time he’d be able to talk to Jonathan like this. Call it a futile attempt at choosing peace over violence, but ever since the accident, Finn had wished for only one thing—

That in this life, things wouldn’t veer back to the tangled path everyone had taken. He didn’t want to reclaim the friendship he had with Jonathan because that had long since ended. But he still wished it didn’t have to be so extreme.

As Finn walked away, Jonathan spoke.

"Who said I regretted anything back then?"

Jonathan’s words made Finn stop in his tracks. Looking back at him, he saw Jonathan sneer.

"I regretted nothing, Finn. Everything I did, I did for a reason. Back then and now. Besides, you’re right. We don’t need to follow what happened before."

Jonathan paused, a glint flickering in his eyes. His next words were quiet, yet loud enough for Finn to hear.

"I’m not letting that woman kill me in this lifetime, Finn."

Deep lines formed between Finn’s brows as he looked at Jonathan.

"That look on your face..." Jonathan chuckled, nodding. "That’s right, Finn. She—the woman you now call yours—is the one who ended it all for me. She might not know what she did, but I do. I remember everything. I will never forget nor forgive. Even if I fail in other things, ending her is something I will never fail at."

"You—" Finn’s vision blurred with rage at the threat against Nina’s life. He grabbed Jonathan by the collar. "The accident? I let that slide, considering it as us settling scores. But say that again, and I’ll end you before you even get the chance."

"Haha." Jonathan laughed, relishing the look on Finn’s face. "Ah, Finn. Do you really think if I die, nothing will happen to her?"

Finn’s grip on Jonathan’s collar tightened, his eyes burning.

"The day I woke up was the day I started planning how to settle scores with her," Jonathan said, his tone slow and deliberate. "So, even if I die, her fate is already sealed. Nothing can stop what’s coming for her. That’s for sure. And you know what? I don’t even mind letting the Bennets go. After all, they were just cannon fodder."

He paused and leaned in closer. "But Penelope Bennet changed her. So now, since they’re important to her, she’ll get a taste of losing the people she cares about—one by one—before I break her bit by bit."

Whatever else Jonathan wanted to say died in his throat the moment Finn’s fist connected with his face. Finn yanked him forward by the collar, his teeth clenched, eyes ablaze, his fist ready for another strike. But before he could launch it, Dean’s voice cut through the tension.

"What’s going on here?"

Dean furrowed his brows, darting his eyes between Jonathan—whose mouth was bleeding—and Finn, who still had his fist raised. "Finn, let him go."

But Finn didn’t. Instead, he clenched Jonathan’s collar even tighter.

"Finn," Dean called again, his tone more insistent. "Let him go."

"If you didn’t feel even a little regret in the past, then I’ll make sure you learn what it feels like in this life," Finn seethed. "Mark my words."

With that, he released Jonathan, shoving him away. Tugging down his suit, Finn stormed past Dean. He briefly paused beside him but didn’t say a word before walking off.

Jonathan, meanwhile, touched the corner of his mouth, glancing in Finn’s direction. When he met Dean’s gaze, he only shrugged.

"Mr. Davis has quite the temper," he joked. "Didn’t know he couldn’t take a joke."

Dean let out a deep breath, his eyes trailing after Finn. "Make a hundred copies of those. I want them in my office when I get back," he ordered before walking away, following Finn and leaving Jonathan behind.

"A hundred..." Jonathan scoffed, watching Dean follow Finn to console him. He sneered but didn’t mind the irrational order, smirking as he got back to work.

"Regret... huh."

If there was one thing Jonathan regretted in his past life, it was letting Nina live and giving her the chance to do what she did to him.

Nothing more. Nothing less.