Chapter 850: Taking Renny for a walk.

SCREECH!

Their vehicle screeched as it made an abrupt turn on the empty street of an exclusive subdivision. Tire tracks instantly appeared on the asphalt. Due to the panther’s weight and its sudden landing on the roof, it created a hollow on top, leaving a large crack in one of the side windows where the black panther had landed.

As soon as the car made the turn, the panther quickly jumped off and landed on the sidewalk.

Renny turned his head in the direction of the car, watching it stop several meters away. The tires were producing thin smoke, but that didn’t faze it. A growl escaped him as he sauntered toward the vehicle, drooling as he went.

During their journey for this "walk," Zoren kept telling him about someone taunting his mother. Zoren repeated it with a heavy heart, explaining how sad Penny had been earlier. He had to console her, which was why they came home late.

That explained the growing rage building inside Renny, directed at the person who had taunted his mother.

How dare he?!

Meanwhile, inside the vehicle, Jonathan covered his head with his hand, grabbing anything he could to reduce the impact with the other. It took him a moment to realize it was over, panting heavily from the turn of events.

"Jonathan?" he heard the woman on the phone call out, but he ignored it.

Jonathan looked around the car, his eyes falling on the driver. The airbag was pressing against the driver’s chest.

"Are you okay?" Jonathan asked with a jagged breath, only to hear the driver grunt in response.

"Ye-yes, sir," the driver winced. "I was just surprised, but I’m okay. Are you alright, sir?"

Aside from hitting his body against the door, Jonathan was fine. He touched the side of his head and felt liquid trickling down. When he checked his hand, he saw red staining his fingertips.

"This..." he hissed, gazing up at the windshield. He saw several cars stopped several meters away from them. Then, a panther jumped onto the hood of their car, making both Jonathan and the driver jolt in surprise.

"What the..." the driver trailed off, his heart pounding at the sight of the large black panther on the hood. "How did a black panther get here— ihhh!"

The driver squealed when the panther suddenly slammed its paw onto the windshield, scratching its sharp claws across the glass.

Jonathan’s face twisted, staring at the black panther blocking their view. The panther was large enough to completely cover their windshield. However, Jonathan didn’t need to wonder whose panther this was. There was only one panther he knew, and that was Zoren’s pet.

"Jonathan, is everything okay?" he heard the woman’s voice again from the phone.

This time, Jonathan picked up the phone and blurted out, "I’m fine." After saying that, he ended the call as quickly as he could. The second he did, he heard a familiar, cold yet faint voice from outside.

"Renny, come back here."

The black panther looked away and jumped off the hood of the car. As soon as it did, Jonathan and the driver saw Zoren casually standing on the sidewalk with a white cat in his arms.

"Hah," Jonathan hissed, wiping the blood from his temple, which only smeared it. Despite the panther’s presence, Jonathan unhesitatingly jumped out of the backseat. But before he did, he paused at the crack in the window, which had remnants of blood on it.

His eyes glinted malevolently as he pushed the door open. As soon as he stepped out, his expression changed slightly. Despite the smile he wore, his irritation was clear enough.

"Brother!" Jonathan called, watching as Zoren slowly turned his head toward him. "What a surprise to see you here!"

Jonathan studied Zoren’s figure. He was dressed in casual indoor clothes as though ready for bed, though Jonathan knew that where he lived was at least thirty minutes away from Skyline Plaza.

"Same," Zoren replied flatly while stroking Chunchun’s fur. "I didn’t expect to see you here, either."

"..." Jonathan tried to maintain his smile. "You didn’t... expect to see me?"

"Mhm," Zoren nodded. "I’m only out, taking Renny for a walk."

Jonathan’s face twisted, displeased with how Zoren casually lied without even trying to make it believable. Out for a walk, thirty minutes away from his home? But then again, this was one of Zoren’s most annoying antics — to lie and make others know he was lying.

"You’re taking your pets for a walk..." Jonathan laughed airily, nodding. When he snapped his eyes up again, he saw Zoren walking toward him. The panther followed, making Jonathan freeze on the spot.

A part of Jonathan’s instinct urged him to jump back into the car for safety, but his pride wouldn’t allow it.

Stopping in front of Jonathan, Zoren’s eyes scanned him. Meanwhile, Chunchun quickly hissed at Jonathan, making the latter gaze down at it.

"I’m sorry about that," he remarked indifferently, handing Jonathan a folded handkerchief. "Here’s the handkerchief. Wipe that off."

Zoren jerked his chin toward Jonathan’s temple, prompting Jonathan to scoff at him. Without accepting the handkerchief, Jonathan wiped the blood from his temple with the back of his hand.

"Thanks, but it’s fine," Jonathan said. "And don’t worry about the car. I’m sure it wasn’t intentional."

"I’m not worried about the car; I can pay for it. However, I’m glad I don’t have to," Zoren smiled slightly. "Anyway, it’s nice seeing you here."

With that, Zoren casually turned his back on Jonathan, showing no trace of remorse. He whistled, calling for Renny, who had been drooling around Jonathan’s leg.

"Renny, let’s go. Time to go home," Zoren said, making the panther jump away from Jonathan to follow him. But then Zoren stopped and looked back at Jonathan. "By the way, your car... isn’t bulletproof. That’s interesting."

The corner of his lips curled into a sinister smirk. "It’s bold of you to drive around in a car like that, right after teasing my wife. If I had known..." He paused and smiled at Jonathan. "Good night, Jonathan."

With that, Zoren resumed walking toward the van not far from them. Jonathan, on the other hand, noticed several men standing nearby, all their attention focused on Zoren.

These were the only men Jonathan could see, but he was certain that Zoren had more people watching from the shadows.

’He came all the way down here just to warn me because of the little gift I sent his wife?’ Jonathan mentally scoffed, his eyes glinting. ’I guess Zoren and Penelope Bennet’s relationship isn’t what I thought it was, but then again, even in the past...’

"Oh, Penelope," he whispered in ridicule. "You were a headache in the past, and still are, even after death. Who would have thought you’d be an even bigger problem now?"