LM
CHAPTERS 1039 - 1044
CHAPTER 1039
It had been two weeks since the Carter family returned to New York.
Two weeks passed as quickly as a blink of an eye. Just like that, there was only a week left before the New Year. In the past, during this period, every family member of the Carter family would return to Jiangbei and celebrate together with their friends back home.
However, due to Andrew's condition, no one in the Carter family mentioned about going back to Jiangbei for celebrations. Even Angela, who lived in Jiangbei, came to New York with her son, Levi.
On this day, Janell Joy got up as early as she did since she returned to New York. She went to the hospital early to take care of Andrew. “Brother, I’m here.”
Every time she stepped into the ward, she would say this. She didn’t mind if Andrew could hear her or not, but she would assume that he was awake and that he could hear it anyway.
Janell Joy put down her backpack, removed the old flowers from the vase, and placed some new flowers into the vase. “Brother, I have brought some fresh red carnations for you today.”
Red carnations represented health and longevity, and it also symbolized family affection. Thus, Janell Joy bought this flower routinely and placed them in Andrew's ward.
She was very adamant in ensuring that Andrew knew her and the family’s affection and care. She hoped that their love could help wake him up.
It felt kind of odd too. Andrew's health had always been good, and the doctors even said that he was recovering very well, but there was no sign of him waking from his coma yet.
“Brother, I heard that Shengtian was giving out the year-end bonuses yesterday. The outstanding managers all received new houses, cars, or company shares. I secretly enquired about yours and I was shocked by your performance. Dad has transferred all the shares of the companies that you’re managing to your name. I’m sure this must be because of your commitment and hard work!”
“Of course, I understand Dad’s intentions too. He doesn’t want you to be too comfortable and slack off. He transferred the shares of these companies to you because he hopes that you can get better soon and share some workload with him. These days, when you are sick in bed, Dad is much busier. As you can see, you’re actually his right hand man.”
“Brother, two days ago, Little Precious teacher sent a message to us and said that he completed another grade in advance, again. It seems that Julien will have to skip a grade next semester. We are used to him skipping grades, but there is a girl who sent him flowers and said that she likes him. He is not yet nine years old but he has girls pursuing him! Wow, don’t you think the children of the Carter family are doing quite well?”
Janell Joy would update Andrew on such trivial matters every day. When she mentioned stories about Little Precious, she sounded very proud of him.
She had such an adorable, sensible, and smart little brother. Janell Joy felt pride and joy swelling within her.
If she had known that her Julien would turn out to be this considerate, kind, and sweet, she would have asked her parents to give birth to more younger siblings in the past.
Janell Joy spoke a lot, but she had never gotten Andrew's response. She was disappointed, but she never gave up. “Brother, if you think I’m annoying, then you could wake up and say it to me. If not, I'll stay by your side and disturb you every day.”
Perhaps, this was life. When Andrew was by her side and cared deeply for her in the past, Janell Joy wasn’t happy about it. Now that Andrew was in a coma and couldn’t talk at all, she came here to see him and yearned for his care.
“Miss..” Blake, who had always been very sensible, suddenly rushed into the room. His anxious eyes fell on Janell Joy.
“What’s wrong?” Blake had always been calm. His anxiousness made Janell Joy feel uneasy, but she didn’t want to think negatively.
“Haven’t you seen the news?” Blake was worried that she would not be able to handle the impact of the news, so he barged in the room without a care.
“What news?” Janell Joy’s heart dropped. She subconsciously glanced at her phone on the bedside table.
“Miss, the President. Nathaniel Cooper.. he passed away suddenly three days ago.” Blake didn’t know how to lie, so he just repeated whatever he heard on the news.
“It could possibly be fake news.” Perhaps the news was too shocking and terrible that Janell Joy could not believe it therefore, she convinced herself that it was fake news.
“This news was issued by the North Palace of Country A. The spokesperson for the President, Jason Lesley, has stepped forward to confirm this matter. And the next candidate to assume office has also been elected and announced that he will take office soon. I don’t think that they are trying to draw an enemy out this time. This news should be true.” Blake said cautiously.
“Blake, just do whatever you need to. Don’t waste your time on such nonsense, and sensationalize fake news!” Janell Joy still remembered Nathaniel’s fake death previously, thus, she regarded this news as fake news too.
“Miss…”
“Blake, am I not being clear enough?” Janell Joy smiled at him and continued, “Go now, go dating or shopping, just don’t disturb me.”
Janell Joy’s reaction was too calm, so calm that it was a little scary. Blake was taken aback by her reaction, so he just stood there in the room and did not move.
“Blake, I still have to chat with my brother. Move along now!” Janell Joy waved her hand impatiently and seemed a little annoyed.
Blake did not want to irk her. After pondering about it, he obeyed Janell Joy’s orders and left the room. However, he stood guard at the door just in case of an emergency. He would be able to intervene at once.
The last time, when Janell Joy was kidnapped, Blake blamed himself very much. He could not afford to make the same mistake again.
After the last incident, since Blake did not protect Janell Joy well, Edwin wanted to remove Blake from his position as her bodyguard. It was Janell Joy who wanted Blake to stay, so that explained why Blake was very loyal towards her now.
After Blake left, Janell Joy still chatted with Andrew as if nothing happened. “Brother, Blake must be learning some nonsense from others. I don’t know how he got the courage to share this fake news to me.”
In fact, Janell Joy could confirm the news if she just turned on her phone, but she did not have the courage to face this reality.
Janell Joy knew Blake’s character very well. Blake was very honest. He never lied, nor would he lie to her. Hence, she didn’t dare to pick up her phone to read the news.
Janell Joy thought that as long as she didn’t look at her phone, as long as she couldn’t see the news, she could avoid learning about the bad news and remain in denial.
She understood that this was a very cowardly behavior. However, at this moment, she would rather be a coward, and lie to herself.
CHAPTER 1040
“Brother, you must help me teach Blake a lesson when you get better. You must make him understand that he cannot be spreading groundless news!”
“As the President of Country A, Brother Lucas would have regular health check-ups. Why would he die suddenly? Blake must be bullying me because there’s no one around to protect me.”
“Brother Lucas told me that he would protect me for the rest of my life. He said that he would come to New York to visit our family during the New Year. He also said that he would marry me when I grow up! He hasn’t even married me yet, so how could he abandon me?”
“He made so many promises to me and he is a man of his word. He will never break his promises.”
“I’ve always known that he loves me so much that he wants to give me everything in the world. How can he bear to make me sad?”
Janell Joy kept talking. While it looked like she was talking to Andrew, but, in fact, she was talking to herself. She had to think of a way to convince herself that nothing had happened to Nathaniel. But as she was talking, the wall of defense that she set up suddenly broke down, and tears rolled down from her eyes uncontrollably.
She was scared!
She was so scared that her heart was in a panic. In the past, she had lost her Brother Lucas once. Did God have to torment it again?
She didn’t want it!
There was no way!
“Brother, did you hear me? If you heard me, answer me. If you don’t say anything, I will be afraid. Do you know that I am scared of losing you too?”
Janell Joy spoke so much by his bedside, but Andrew was still lying on the bed with his eyes closed, and there was no sign of him waking up at all.
Finally, the volcano of emotions in Janell Joy’s chest erupted, “Andrew Carter! Why don’t you answer me? Are you going to continue sleeping for the rest of your life?”
“The doctor said that your health is in good condition, but it’s already been such a long time, and you still don’t want to wake up. How much do you hate me?”
“If you hate me, then wake up and scold me or hit me. You can do whatever you want after getting up. Do you think you can punish me if you stay asleep like this?”
“Let me tell you, I’m not sad at all. I hope you won’t wake up forever. That way, no one would poke their nose into my business anymore.”
Andrew got injured because of her and had fallen into a coma, and now, Janell Joy received the news of Brother Lucas's death. She was crumbling internally, and could no longer stay strong.
She needed somewhere to vent the frustration in her heart. Otherwise, she felt that she would explode and go crazy.
“Why? Why are you all so cruel? You all want to see me suffer, don’t you?” She roared like a crazy person, “All of you said that you wanted to protect me, but instead, you are bullying me..”
“You guys are bullying me!” She cried and held Andrew's hand tightly.
“Brother, it was my fault in the past. Stop sleeping! Wake up now, can you? I beg you. Wake up now!”
Andrew still did not answer her. But suddenly, his other hand twitched and his eyebrows furrowed slightly. However, Janell Joy, who was immersed in her grief, did not notice it.
Andrew didn’t open his eyes until Janell Joy was exhausted from her crying. She was sobbing at his bedside pitifully.
His lips finally parted and he opened his mouth, then he called out her name softly, “Janell...”
There were two people standing outside the ward, one was a tall man and the other, a petite woman. Of course, they were Edwin Carter and his wife, Jane Ronan.
Hearing Janell Joy crying in the ward, Edwin clenched his fists, but the expression on his face remained indifferent and calm, as if her cries did not affect him at all.
Jane bit her lip hard and controlled herself so that she would not rush into the room to hold her daughter in her arms. After trying to calm down, she turned to look at Edwin and asked, “Edwin, what do you want to do?”
“Didn’t she say that she was already an adult, so let her bear the responsibilities and the burden of an adult. We have to let her know that in this world, besides herself, she cannot rely on anyone else forever.”
Edwin was much taller than Jane was. At this moment, he stood extremely straight and raised his head coldly as he spoke. Jane could not see his expression.
Edwin appeared ignorant, but actually, he didn’t want Jane to see how sad he felt for Janell Joy. The child in the ward was about to have a mental breakdown. She was a child that he raised lovingly, so how could he bear to see her sad?
Jane then responded, “She can rely on Nathaniel Cooper.”
Edwin replied coldly, “A woman should never rely solely on a man. What if the man has a change of heart or stopped caring for the woman?”
Jane could not understand Edwin at all. He was open to every other matter, but why was he so stubbornly against Nathaniel?
Jane was really anxious, so she argued with him, “I see. So you want me to rely on myself, and you don’t want me to rely too much on you.”
Edwin raised his eyebrows and clarified, “We are talking about the child, why are you talking about us?”
Jane really liked to speak out of the topic, yet he couldn’t do anything about it. Jane said unreasonably, “I was also very innocent before I married you. Besides, who knows if you will change your mind in the future? How would I know if I can rely on you for the rest of my life?”
“You..” Edwin was speechless. This woman actually turned his words against him.
Jane was still rational even though she was angry. They were husband and wife for so many years, yet it was rare for them to fight with each other. Hence, she analyzed rationally with him.
“Edwin, you don’t want Janell to leave. You’re worried to entrust her to another person. I can understand what you feel, but why can’t you look at Nathaniel with an open heart? Don’t be so biased. Try to understand him again.”
Jane's voice was warm and gentle, which made Edwin feel much better as he feels at home with her. He sighed and held her in his arms, “I really don’t trust that guy.”
Jane asked, “Why don’t you trust him?”
Edwin replied, “Do I need a reason to not trust him?”
Jane was confused again, “Don’t you need a reason to not trust a person?”
Edwin just looked away and said, “No reason.”
No reason!
He really replied that!
Jane shook her head and said, “Forget it. I won’t talk to you about Nathaniel anymore. If you can’t figure it out yourself, anything I say would be useless anyway.”
Edwin could be really stubborn when he wanted to. This was also the only thing that Jane couldn’t do much about over the years.
Jane took two steps forward and was about to enter the ward, but Edwin pulled her back and said, “Jane, are you mad at me?”
Knowing that she might be mad was progress on his end. Jane appeared very satisfied with his answer as she smiled at him, “I’m not mad at you.”
Edwin asked, “Then why won’t you talk to me about him?”
Chairman Carter, please!
If she continued to discuss this issue with him, she would probably be angry soon.
CHAPTER 1041
Well, was it really that Edwin Carter was a stubborn man?
If he were a stubborn man who’d never listen to Jane Ronan, then he would not have shown up here at this moment to meet a person who made him very dissatisfied.
The tall and strong man standing before Edwin was about thirty years old. He was young and lively. Judging from his appearance, he seemed to be an excellent young man. However, the longer Edwin looked at him, the more discontented he was.
Edwin would never look at him in a different way just because the man had changed his usual style of wearing exquisitely tailored suits to casual clothes.
The man arrived earlier than Edwin, but he did not sit down. He was standing as he waited for Edwin. When he saw Edwin, he greeted him politely, “Chairman Carter!”
Chairman Carter?
Edwin didn’t like it when the man addressed him this way, but he didn’t show any dissatisfaction on his face. He only glanced at the man with his usual cold gaze and said nothing.
The man addressed him as Chairman Carter, which meant that this person was not here to talk about private affairs with him, and he was here to talk business with him. Naturally, there was no need for Edwin to discuss business with anyone in person.
Whenever Edwin did not speak, someone would speak for him. Luis George, who came with Edwin, quickly stood up and spoke, “Mr. Collins, Helix Inc has cooperated with Shengtian for quite some time already. If you’re here to talk business today, please come with me. I’ll get my colleague who is familiar with Helix Inc to assist you.”
Luis had been by Edwin's side for decades, and the longer he worked with him, the smarter he got. What Luis said sounded courteous, but in fact, he was indirectly telling Mr. Collins that their Chairman would not attend to such trivial matters personally.
How could Mr. Collins not know what Luis meant implicitly? Yet, he was not annoyed as he said, “I’m not here to talk business, I’m here to talk about personal matters with Chairman Carter.”
Luis glanced at his master and saw that Edwin had no intention of replying to Mr. Collins. Luis then said, “Mr. Collins, Chairman Carter is a very busy person, he might even be busier than the President of your nation, so he may not have time to talk about personal matters with a stranger.”
“Uncle Edwin, since you’re already here, why won’t you talk to me? I’ve done the things you asked me to do within a year’s time, just as promised.”
Although he didn’t want to address Edwin as “Uncle”, he needed to bring the woman he loved home. So, he was desperate and had to do whatever it took!
“Mr. Collins, do you think Chairman Carter…" Nick spoke confidently, but Edwin suddenly interrupted him. “Luis.”
“Chairman Carter, I’ll excuse myself then.” Luis had been by Edwin's side for decades. He could read Edwin's every expression and cue, and he would know what to do.
As soon as Luis left, Edwin looked at Mr. Collins coldly, saying, “I’ll give you five minutes.”
Edwin gave this man five minutes to impress him. If he could persuade Edwin during these five minutes, then Edwin could spare more time for him.
If the man couldn’t impress Edwin within the five minutes, Edwin would not spend another minute on him. Hence, these five minutes were paramount!
“Uncle Edwin, my name is Lucas Collins. Today, I’ve come to you to ask for your consent to be with your daughter.” Lucas Collins immediately expressed his true intentions without beating around the bush.
After all, he only had five minutes, and he needed to seize the opportunity. Edwin's impression of Lucas within these five minutes would be a deciding factor if Janell Joy and Lucas could become an official couple.
Lucas only said a few words, and then he just stopped speaking. He was waiting for Edwin to speak, and sure enough, Edwin responded, “Lucas Collins? Your name is Lucas Collins?”
“Yes, my name is Lucas Collins.” Lucas nodded respectfully, as he should when speaking to an elder.
Edwin stared at Lucas and looked at him from head to toe. Then, Edwin asked, “What makes you think I would agree to let you be with my daughter?”
Thinking that someone wanted to take Janell Joy away from him, Edwin was very unhappy. However, as he was thinking about Janell Joy’s happiness, he held back his displeasure. If he hadn’t suppressed his emotions, Edwin would have swung his fist to beat Lucas up like how he did previously.
“I will care for her as much as you care for her.” This was Lucas's second sentence in negotiation with Edwin. Every word was sonorous, and every word sounded convincing.
“Can you care for her as much as I do?” Edwin chuckled, and there was a hint of anger in his cold gaze. “Anyone could spout sweet words.”
“Yes.” Lucas nodded. Indeed, anyone could spout sweet words, but talk is cheap. Things were always easier said than done, so Lucas was cautious with his words, and would not make beautiful but empty promises.
In fact, Lucas didn’t need to say any sweet words. What he had done was the best proof of his love for Janell Joy.
“You said, yes’?” Edwin raised his eyebrows, and his face was full of dissatisfaction with Lucas. Edwin felt like he wanted to beat Lucas up again.
Was this the attitude a future son-in-law should have when he met his father-in-law? Edwin finally understood why many would dislike Lucas. It turned out that Lucas was not good with words.
“I agree with you. Anyone can spout sweet words, but things are easier said than done.” Lucas explained his stance so that his future father-in-law wouldn’t misunderstand him.
“Are you the real big boss of Helix Inc?” After pondering for a moment, Edwin no longer mentioned Janell Joy, but instead posed this question to Lucas.
“Yes,” Lucas nodded, but his face was expressionless.
Edwin said again, “I’ll give you another two years. When you successfully double Helix Inc’s current net worth, then we will resume this conversation about you and my daughter.”
Lucas finally became anxious. “Uncle Edwin, you…”
Seeing Lucas getting jittery, Edwin felt satisfied. He said, “But in the two-year time frame, I will not stop you two from having a relationship.”
Edwin was a man who never compromised with others. But for his daughter, he gave up his persistence for the first time.
Of course, this time Edwin was able to put aside his prejudice and get to know this man who wanted to take his daughter away again. However, it was not only because his daughter liked Lucas.
More importantly, Edwin saw a part of himself in Lucas. Through Lucas, he could see how Lucas loved Janell Joy as much as he did.
For a man to give up the position of being a nation’s President for a woman, then to change his name and come to her side as a commoner, Edwin really couldn’t think of any other reason besides true love.
Edwin agreed to allow Lucas and Janell Joy to be in a relationship, and he also set another goal for Lucas. He did not set this goal to ensure that his daughter would marry a rich man with a high net worth, but instead, he wanted to test Lucas's business acumen.
If Lucas could double Helix Inc’s net worth in two years, it would definitely be an incredible feat that very few could achieve. Edwin regarded himself as a person who could reach this goal. So far, he had not met another person who was on par with him.
Edwin would never hand his daughter over that easily. If Lucas wanted to marry his daughter, then he would have to wait patiently and work hard.
Two years later, the results would be revealed!
CHAPTER 1042
“Miss Carter, Young Master Carter left a letter behind, and then he left.” Janell Joy rushed to the hospital early in the morning. When she arrived, the doctor passed a handwritten letter to her.
“What did you just say?” Janell Joy couldn’t believe it. She rushed into the ward right after hearing the doctor’s words, and sure enough, the ward was empty.
“Brother..” She shouted loudly and walked around the ward anxiously, but she couldn’t find Andrew anywhere.
Andrew, who had been lying in the hospital bed for three weeks, was gone. How could a critically injured patient suddenly disappear?
“Blake, look at the surveillance cameras and see if something happened to him. No matter who took him away, I must save him.”
Perhaps the news of Andrew's disappearance was too shocking, so Janell Joy forgot that she was still holding the letter that the doctor had given her. Then she instinctively thought that Andrew had been kidnapped.
“Miss, Young Master Carter was not taken away. He left voluntarily.” Blake pointed to the letter in Janell Joy’s hand, “That is the letter he left for you. Open it up and have a look.”
“He left voluntarily? Why?” In her anxious daze, Janell Joy slowly opened the letter the doctor passed to her. When she tore open the envelope, familiar handwriting came into her sight.
“Janell, by the time you read this letter, I would have gone. As for where I am going, I don’t know either. The world is humongous, and I can settle down anywhere. I think I should be able to find a place to settle down soon, and I hope you wouldn’t worry about me.”
“I’m not going to tell you where I will go, but I want to tell you this. I hope you can be happy forever. Like the bright sun, you will continue to radiate warmth to the people around you.”
As she read the letter, Janell Joy’s tears were rolling down her face like a flood. She could barely continue to read the rest of the letter.
Brother Lucas was gone, and now, her brother left her behind. Both of them were escaping to avoid her. What had she done wrong?
What was her mistake? If she hurt them, they could just tell her so that she could change her ways. However, the two of them didn’t tell her anything at all and just disappeared quietly.
In the letter, Andrew hoped she would continue to radiate warmth to the people around her. But did he know that she wanted to spread some of her warmth to him too?
She wanted to let him know that he would be a part of their family forever, that he, Andrew Carter, was her, Janell Joy Carter's , brother. But he didn’t give her the chance and just disappeared
“Miss, you…” Looking at Janell Joy’s trembling hand as she was holding the letter, Blake tried to check if she was alright.
“I’m fine.” Janell Joy bit her lip, then she raised her hand and wiped away her tears. She needed to continue reading the rest of the letter.
Andrew also wrote in the letter, “When I was eleven years old, it was your words that allowed them to keep me with the Carter family, and from that day on, I was no longer an orphan. All these years, in order to fit in with this family, I have been working hard.”
"I know that after Mom and Dad took me in as their son, they loved me like their own. They never treated me like an outsider. But I also wanted to prove myself. I didn’t want to embarrass them. I didn’t want to hear others say that the adopted son of the Carter family is not so good. And I am not naturally smart, so I need to put in more effort.”
Andrew would always say that he was not smart enough, but how could a foolish person work as hard as he did?
How could a foolish person rank first at the examinations every semester? How could a foolish person manage so many companies under Shengtian so well?
Andrew was obviously the smartest one around.
“Janell, the Carter family gave me too much, but I can’t give anything back to them. I will ask Simon to return the shares Dad gave to me… I have a lot of things to say to you, but I don’t know what to say to you right now. Janell, take care! If fate permits, we will meet again!”
He was gone!
They had all left Janell Joy behind and expected her to continue life without them, that she would still be a bright little sun, illuminating others around her. Did they really think she was an angel sent by God to save humankind?
No, she was just an ordinary girl. She had a man she loved. She wanted to raise a family with him and live an ordinary happy life like everyone else.
They had no idea what was in her mind, and yet, they abandoned her just like that.
Janell Joy was ill.
Just like what happened more than a decade ago, when Brother Lucas disappeared, Janell Joy missed him so much that her high fever would not subside.
Jane Ronan was so anxious as she looked at her sickly daughter, “Doctor, why won’t her fever subside?”
It had been a whole night, and Janell Joy’s body temperature was still high. If it went on like this, it might cause neural damage. Jane really wanted to bear the pain for her daughter as she felt incredibly helpless watching her suffer.
“Mrs. Carter, Miss Carter is going through severe emotional turmoil. This fever probably stemmed from her depression. Medicine can only help her reduce the symptoms. However, for her to make a recovery, she has to first move out of her depression,” the doctor explained patiently.
“I know.” Jane was very clear about the situation. She knew what needed to be done to make her daughter feel better, but she needed Edwin to agree to it. Else, her poor child could only suffer through the consequences of her father’s negligence.
“Mom, I’m fine. Don’t worry.” Janell Joy’s head was burning with fever, but she still didn’t want her mother to worry about her.
“My baby Janell... You should get some rest, don’t speak." Jane immediately stretched out her hand and touched her daughter’s forehead. It was still very hot, which made her heart twitch in pain.
“Mom, have you found Brother?” Janell Joy tried to open her eyes wide, but she couldn’t open them no matter how hard she tried. She couldn’t even see her mother’s face clearly.
“Andrew left a message, asking us not to look for him. He wants to explore his own life now. He has also recovered from his injuries, thus, your Dad decided to respect his wishes.” At the mention of her son Andrew, Jane's nose twitched and she almost shed tears.
Although Andrew was not her biological child, Jane raised him like her own for so many years. Now that he suddenly disappeared, how could she not feel hurt?
“As long as Brother is fine.” Janell Joy murmured gently and closed her eyes in a daze. After a while, she frowned again as if she had gone through a nightmare. “Brother Lucas.. Brother Lucas….”
She kept calling the name of the person in her heart, “Brother Lucas… Brother Lucas, you won’t abandon me, will you?”
“No, he has abandoned everything in Country A, and came to look for you. So, why would he abandon you?” Jane held her daughter’s hand to comfort her, but Janell Joy was so ill and weak that she could not hear her mother’s words.
Janell Joy, whose mind was in a daze due to the high fever, gradually fell asleep. She had a dream.. a wonderful dream.
In her dream, her Brother Lucas sat on her bedside. He was holding her hand tightly, looking at her tenderly.
CHAPTER 1043
“Brother Lucas!” Janell Joy shouted his name out loud, hoping that she would keep dreaming and not wake up.
“Janell!” When she heard that he was also calling her name, she instantly became a little more energetic. Besides responding to her, he also looked at her and smiled so genuinely. It was so real that she could feel his physical presence as if he was close to her.
“Brother Lucas, can you hug me?” Even if it was just a dream, she still wanted him to hug her so that she could feel his warmth in her dream.
Before she could finish her question, Brother Lucas leaned over. He did not hug her, but he lowered his head and kissed her forehead. “Janell, I’m sorry! I’m sorry for being late!”
“Brother Lucas, no, you’re not late. You’re not late at all. It’s still daytime, it’s still very early.” He would usually come into her dreams at night. However, he appeared in her dreams so early this time, how could he say that he was late?
“Silly girl, what are you talking about?” When he heard what she was saying, he didn’t know how to respond. He wondered if the fever really damaged her brain.
“Brother Lucas, stay with me for a while longer.” She held his hand tightly to prevent him from escaping. “This dream is too real, it’s as if you’re really with me, so let me dream a little longer.”
It turned out that this girl thought that she was in a dream. Lucas bent over and pulled her into his arms. He hugged her tightly and said, “Silly girl, you’re not dreaming. This is real. I’m here to see you.”
“It’s not a dream?” Janell Joy rubbed her eyes hard. He was still in front of her. “It’s impossible. If it’s not a dream, I won’t possibly be able to see you when I open my eyes.”
These days, she had dreamt of him many times. Every time, he would tell her that he was real. However, when she reached out to grab him, she couldn’t touch him.
She was disappointed and felt very sad after countless letdowns. Hence, she couldn’t believe that he would really appear beside her now.
Lucas rubbed her head gently and said, “You can see me when you open your eyes, and that will prove to you that this is not a dream.”
It seemed that she was really losing her mind. He had been by her side for a day and a night now. Unexpectedly, that was her reaction when she woke up.
However, he could only blame himself for Janell Joy’s lack of emotional security. After all, he didn’t let her know that he would be faking his death again. He must have scared her.
“Brother Lucas, are you saying that I’m not dreaming? Are you really by my side?” She asked cautiously. After asking, she was so nervous that she did not even dare to blink her eyes. She just looked at him quietly, afraid of misreading any signs.
“Janell, you’re not dreaming.” He put her hand on his face. Once again, he has affirmed her, “I’m really by your side.”
Hearing his definite answer, Janell Joy finally relaxed. Tears came rolling down her face again. “Brother Lucas, hang on for a moment, let me calm myself down.”
She explained as she wiped her tears and cried like a baby. “I didn’t want to cry, but I don’t know why I can’t control my tears.”
During this period of time, she might have shed more tears than the past 18 years of her life.
“Janell.” Seeing her in tears, Lucas felt extremely distressed. He lowered his head and gently kissed her tears away, and then he hugged her.
She buried herself in his arms and said, “I’m crying, but I’m not sad. I’m happy. I’m happy that you finally came to find me.”
He sighed and said, “You cry when you’re happy, but you also cry when you’re sad. I guess we have to prepare some pools at home next time, just in case our house gets flooded by your tears.”
“Brother Lucas, you are making fun of me.” Hmph, she didn’t even know that her Brother Lucas had such a humorous side.
“No, I was just reminding myself.” As he saw how she wiped her tears and smile, he rubbed her head and said, “Janell, I have to introduce myself to you again.”
“Huh?” Janell Joy did not understand what he meant. What did he mean by introducing himself to her again? Was he a fake before this?
Lucas suddenly spoke very seriously, “My name is Lucas Collins. I just turned 30 this year and I'm a new businessman. Miss Carter, if you like, would you be my girlfriend?"
“Lucas Collins?” As she heard this name, Janell Joy understood what it meant immediately. Brother Lucas relinquished his position of power in Country A and had come to be with her!
Lucas Collins!
He took his mother’s family name, and changed his name to Lucas, which was what Janell Joy had always addressed him as.
He came to her side with a brand new identity and was pursuing her as a commoner. Her silence made Nathaniel nervous, “Janell… ”
Janell Joy smiled at him and said, “I thought I was already your girlfriend for a long time before this. Now that you’re asking me formally, I guess I must have thought too much previously.”
“In the past, you were Nathaniel Cooper’s girlfriend. Now, this is Lucas Collins asking, would you want to be his girlfriend?” Lucas insisted on getting her answer.
She used to be his girlfriend. Now that he had a new identity, he wanted her to get to know him again. He wanted her to become Lucas Collins’ girlfriend.
Janell Joy said, “Of course I want to be your girlfriend. Not only do I want to be your girlfriend, but I also want to be your wife, the mother of your children and so much more!”
“Okay, I’ll promise you all of that,” he replied with a wide smile.
And slowly, Lucas broke the tension between them by filling her with kisses.
……..
“Young Master, Miss Carter is alright now,” Simon Banks opened the door to the bedroom, and reported to Andrew. He was standing in front of the window, looking into the distance.
Andrew did not answer him. He looked into the distance quietly. He was looking at a large manor situated a distance away. At the manor, there was a girl he was reluctant to leave behind, but he had to leave her.
Andrew stood there quietly, and so did Simon. Simon stood by him, standing guard silently. After some time, Andrew slowly looked away and said, “Let’s go.”
That man had come, and he was there by her side. That man gave up everything he had and came to her side. Andrew should be happy for her.
However, he could not bring himself to feel happy. As soon as that man arrived, Janell Joy’s fever subsided, which proved that the man held the top spot in her heart. Andrew had always wanted to conquer this spot in her heart, but after more than ten years of hard work, it was to no avail.
As he thought of this sad reality, Andrew felt incredibly uneasy, but he was no longer as jealous as before. He realized that he would give his blessings to her relationship.
He would rather not see a weak and sickly Janell Joy. He preferred to see her youthful and energetic, just like the bright sun.
Now, he could finally leave at ease and go anywhere he wanted. To live a life he wanted, and do whatever he wanted to do.
Perhaps, if fate permitted it, they would meet again.
CHAPTER 1044
Three months later. Spring arrived, and the flowers bloomed.
At the headquarters of Shengtian in Jiangbei.
This was already the 88th day of Janell Joy’s internship at Shengtian.
Although she was the precious daughter of Shengtian's boss, Janell Joy did not take up a high position when she joined the company. Instead, she started from the bottom, as all interns did.
However, as she was around him a lot since she was a child, Edwin Carter had a big influence over her. Besides, she had been learning a lot from Edwin in the past three months. Compared to the others, she made a lot of progress in her business acumen and managerial skills.
After the internship period, she passed the official entry assessment with her hard work. Her results surpassed a large number of interns. She successfully got into the secretarial team of the CEO’s office at Shengtian to begin the second course of her internship.
In the past, she never worried about the future of Shengtian because Andrew was there. This meant that she always had someone to help her share the workload and burdens of the company
However, it was different now. Her brother had left, and Little Precious was only eight years old. She had to help take some load off so that her father would not be exhausted.
“Janell Joy, the two o’clock meeting is about to begin, but I have not prepared the documents that Special Assistant Luis George asked me to prepare, can you help me with that?” One of the experienced employees on Edwin's secretarial team asked.
She was usually very meticulous, but recently, she had made several careless mistakes. This was the third time!
In the last two times, seeing that Secretary Adams was so anxious that she was about to cry, Janell Joy immediately helped her and they prepared the documents together. Fortunately, they were on time and the meeting went on smoothly.
When the secretary asked Janell Joy for help for the third time, she smiled apologetically and said, “Secretary Adams, I'll help you prepare the documents together, but after the meeting, I hope you will consider resigning.”
Secretary Adams was shocked, “Why, why?”
Janell Joy said calmly, “Within a month, you couldn’t complete the tasks given by the superiors three times. I don’t think Chairman Carter needs someone like you here.”
Secretary Adams was stunned and immediately explained, “Janell Joy, you know this, it’s not that I don’t work hard, I am just forgetful sometimes.”
Janell Joy continued to speak while helping Secretary Adams prepare the documents, “Secretary Adams, you can explain it to Special Assistant Luis George, it’s pointless if you explain to me.”
Secretary Adams hurriedly said, “Janell Joy, I know I was careless, but please trust me, I will not make the same mistake again.”
Janell Joy looked back at her and said, “Secretary Adams, this is what you told me the first and second time. I believed you. But you can’t fool a person again for the third time, no matter in your personal life or at work.”
Janell Joy’s firm attitude made Secretary Adams anxious, She reached out to hold Janell Joy’s hand and pleaded bitterly, “Janell Joy, I have a family at home, please help me this time. I promise..”
Janell Joy decisively interrupted Secretary Adams and said seriously, “Secretary Adams, there are many employees in Shengtian that have families to look after. Do you know that a tiny mistake from an employee might result in Shengtian losing a contract, which could then cause many employees in Shengtian to lose their jobs? Since we have chosen this career, we should try our best to do our jobs, and we can’t always create excuses for ourselves.”
Secretary Adams was speechless. She lowered her head slightly and couldn’t defend herself anymore. She was defeated by what Janell Joy said.
………
“Chairman Carter, are you satisfied with our daughter’s performance these days?” Jane Ronan knew that her question was a little unnecessary. She knew she could get her answer by just reading his expressions anyway.
She clearly knew that Edwin was very satisfied with Janell Joy’s performance. Jane asked him anyway because she wanted to hear Edwin praise their daughter.
“Yes.” Edwin nodded slightly and didn’t intend to say any other words of praise.
“Just a Yes’?” Jane took a deep breath, and she took another deep breath. After a few more seconds, she felt calmer and could continue the conversation.
“She is my daughter. She is decisive and rational when she is working. Isn’t that how it’s supposed to be? What else can I say?” Edwin closed the blinds in the office so that no one could look into his office.
“You’ve chosen your words wisely.” Finally, after hearing Edwin's praises for Janell Joy, Jane raised her eyebrows and chuckled, “You’ve never been good at talking. You have to know that sometimes, saying nice words will make people around you happy, and they would like you more.”
“I don’t need it.” All he needed was for Jane to like him. As for other people, Edwin really didn’t care about what they think.
“You’re always like this.” Jane was powerless when it came to his personality. She shook her head helplessly. “Sometimes, I wonder if you hadn’t met me, would you have had other pursuers? Perhaps if your personality was a little warmer, you would.”
“No, I wouldn’t!” This time, Edwin answered quickly and surely.
He was not an object put on display for sale, and that others could pick him based on his appearance.
He was at the helm of Shengtian, and it was up to him to decide who he would choose. Jane was the only woman he wanted in his life.
Looking at his affectionate eyes, Jane suddenly felt a little embarrassed. “Alright, go to your meeting. I’ll wait for you in the office. Let me know what you want to eat at night, so I can go home and cook it.”
“You.” Edwin replied with a simple yet groundbreaking word. .
“Edwin, you..” The older this man was, the more playful he was. What did he mean by wanting her for dinner? Other people would definitely misunderstand his words.
Just as she was feeling embarrassed, Edwin said seriously, “Wait for a few more days, l’l bring you away for a short getaway.”
“You don’t have to spare time to accompany me, no matter where we are, as long as I have you by my side, I will be very happy.” Jane helped him adjust his shirt and tie. “Go do your work. Don’t delay your work because of me.”
For Jane, as long as Edwin was there with her, it was enough for her. On the contrary, even if she went to a place as beautiful as Heaven, without Edwin's presence, she would not think that the place was beautiful.
Edwin replied, “Shouldn’t it be that way? That I should get distracted because of you?”
“You’re a sweet talker.” To be honest, Jane had discreetly come here to peek at her daughter at work. However, Edwin captured her and brought her to his office to spend time with him instead.
Since Edwin brought Jane to his office, she couldn’t say she was not here to see him. If she said so, this petty man would probably ignore her for the whole night.
“Jane..”
“Mm?” Why did he suddenly call her name with such a gentle voice?
Edwin spoke seriously. “I’ve told you that I like you, so you don’t have to worry that I'll change my mind.”
Jane was stunned. Why did he suddenly say this? When did she ever need to worry that he would change his mind?
Edwin said again, “Whether you are with me or not, I will take good care of your feelings. Don’t worry about that.”
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