LM
CHAPTERS 897 - 903
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To talk about it, Janell Joy Carter was already in Nathaniel Cooper's heart since a long time ago. It was indeed Serene Silas who took over the position that should have belonged to Janell Joy.
Serene knew clearly that Nathaniel had someone in his heart. If she had not been driven into a corner by the Silas family, she would never have gotten into contractual engagement with Nathaniel.
She thought that it was due to her incompetence that she had no choice but to do so.
This made her think of the time how she was imprisoned by that man in Misty Mountain, being forced to do what she didn't want and yet she couldn't fight back.
Thinking of everything that had happened the past year, Serene could still feel the pain, as if she was being torn apart alive. It was like she had lived in hell and couldn‘t extricate herself from it.
Most of the time, she couldn‘t remember who she was, she felt like a wandering soul. She had no home and no one to rely on.
She only had herself. She could only endure and keep herself going, hoping that the person she had missed so much could come back to her side.
Today, she heard that the man she had looked forward to see every day was still alive and he had came back alive. She was obviously very happy, as if she had found the soul she had lost.
However, this excitement was quickly overwhelmed by the fear in her heart.
She was no longer the clean and pure Serene of the past, how could she have the audacity to face Jackie Leves?
So she asked Janell Joy to help her escape and so that she could buy some time to think about it. Then maybe she could think of a way to save herself.
"Sister Serene, you don't have to say that. If we continue like this, it would take us the whole night."
Janell Joy took Serene's hand and said, "Sister Serene, let's not talk about this in the future. Let's forget about the terrible past and live a good life together."
"Okay." Serene nodded heavily, but her heart felt extremely heavy. Even if Jackie was still alive, even if he had really came back, could she really forget about the past and live a good life with him?
She didn't know.
Her mind was in a mess and she didn't know how she could live her life in the future.
"Jackie, can we really be together?" Serene asked in silence. She was asking him, but actually, she was asking herself.
She was still entangled in her emotional trauma. Even if Jackie wouldn't mind what had happened to her, she still wouldn't be able to be with Jackie like she used to.
Seeing that Serene was not in good spirits, Janell Joy added, "Sister Serene, get some rest first, I'll wake you up later."
"Okay. Janell Joy, thank you very much!" If it weren't for Janell Joy, she might have died in Misty Mountain. If she didn't die, it was very likely that she would be taken back to that horrible place.
"Sister Serene, just make yourself at home." Janell Joy took Serene's glass from her and helped her lie down. She covered Serene with the quilt and went out once Serene had fallen asleep.
As soon as she arrived at the living room, there was a phone call from Brother Lucas. Janell Joy answered it quickly. Before she could speak, she heard Brother Lucas ask anxiously, "Janell, I didn't see you in the hospital. Where have you been?"
"Brother Lucas, I'm home." Janell Joy answered as she scratched her head. "Brother Lucas, did you found Jackie? Have you met him?"
"Where's Serene?" Nathaniel asked, completely ignoring Janell Joy's question.
"Isn't Sister Serene at the hospital?" Janell Joy knew that she shouldn't have asked the White family for help to avoid Brother Lucas's men from noticing that she was taking Serene home. But since she had done it, she must hold on to it, she mustn't betray Serene.
"Janell Joy Carter, I'm asking you, answer me properly." From his voice, she could feel that Nathaniel was very anxious, that was why he called her by her full name.
After realizing that Nathaniel was so angry, Janell Joy was also anxious. "Nathaniel, were you looking for me or Serene at the hospital?"
Knowing that he had gone too far, Nathaniel softened his voice and said, "Janell, please don't fool around!"
Janell Joy twitched her mouth and said with a little grievance, "When you are in a good mood, you will call me Janell. When you are in a bad mood, you will call me Janell Joy Carter. What are you talking about? Who is fooling around with you? Do you think I am a three year old child? Do you think if you tried to be good to me then I will be that obedient child who would listen to everything you ask me to do?"
"I'm sorry! I shouldn't have yelled at you." Nathaniel apologized. It was indeed his fault, because he was anxious about Jackie not being able to see Serene, that was why he yelled at Janell Joy.
"You, don‘t yell at me anymore, I'll forgive you this time." Janell Joy made a mistake, she was not being persistent enough. Once Brother Lucas had admitted his mistake, she forgave him immediately.
"Where did you take Serene?" Nathaniel asked again.
Although there was no evidence that Janell Joy took Serene, Nathaniel was almost certain that Serene was taken away by Janell Joy.
The White family was the best at being unnoticeable. To take away a living person with so many bodyguards keeping a watchful eye on them, Nathaniel could only think of the White family.
"isn't sister Serene in the hospital?" Janell Joy opened her mouth widely, acted as if she was very surprised. "Her injuries have not recovered completely so she wouldn't have been discharged from the hospital yet, will she?"
Yes, fortunately, she had been learning some acting skills from her Little Aunt ever since she was a child. Sometimes, she would be a cameo in her Little Aunt's drama. Her acting skills were quite commendable these years.
She thought that Brother Lucas would not be able to tell that she was lying.
"Janell Joy Carter!"
"Nathaniel, you're yelling at me again."
"Be obedient, then I won't yell at you."
Janell Joy said in a hurry, "Nathaniel, what you want is an obedient girlfriend isn't it? Then you can find a doll, dolls are obedient. You can do whatever you want to it. Besides, I'm not your girlfriend. Why should I listen to you?"
"Janell Joy, what nonsense are you talking about?" This little girl really deserved to be punished, Nathaniel thought as he clenched his fists.
"I'm talking nonsense, but what does it have to do with you?" As soon as she finished speaking, Janell Joy hung up the phone.
D*mn it!
D*mn it!
Brother Lucas dared to yell at her again. This time, she would not forgive him easily.
Hearing the disconnect tone, Nathaniel glanced around and finally looked at his personal bodyguard, Horatio.
Horatio was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat. He did follow Mr. President to Misty Mountain, but Miss Silas' disappearance had nothing to do with him, why did the President stare at him like that?
In his heart, he was begging that the President would not look at him like that. It was really scary, he thought.
Just as Horatio was feeling extremely uneasy, Nathaniel looked away, turned around and left, which made Horatio let out a breath of relief.
As soon as Nathaniel left, Horatio swept across the row of bodyguards like how Nathaniel would always do. "Mr. President sent you here to take care of Miss Silas. Miss Silas had went missing, and none of you knew anything about it. Tell me, how should I deal with all of you?"
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Several bodyguards lowered their heads, and no one dared to answer.
Serene Silas, a living person, was taken away under their noses, but they did not realize it at all. This could be a serious matter.
These people were the bodyguards who were selected to protect the President. They were responsible for the safety and the security of the President, which would directly affect the safety of their country.
If the person in the ward today was not Serene, but their President... In this case, for someone to take away a person without them noticing would be something unforgivable.
Everyone knew how serious the matter was, so when Horatio looked at them, they could only lower their heads and remained silent. They could only put up with whatever punishment they will receive.
The dissatisfaction in his heart subsided a little when he saw that everyone's attitude was acceptable. He continued, "Accept your punishments and make sure to keep your guards up. If something like this ever happens again, Mr. President will not let it slide so easily."
"Yes." the bodyguards answered in unison.
After receiving a satisfactory answer, Horatio immediately went after their President. As the personal bodyguard of the President, he must follow him at all times, unless the President ordered him not to.
On the way to Moon Bay, Nathaniel kept a calm face and did not utter a word. The atmosphere in the car was very depressing.
Nathaniel remained silent. His driver, Jamie, and his bodyguard, Horatio, did not dare to ask. Whenever the president was like that, it was better for them to just do their own jobs.
Nathaniel went to see Jackie and told Jackie about Serene's whereabouts. Although Jackie did not say that he wanted to come to see Serene, Nathaniel was sure that Jackie would come to the hospital.
Nathaniel went down from Misty Mountain ahead of Jackie. He wanted to explain something to Serene before Jackie could meet with Serene. However, when he arrived at the hospital, he found Serene was already not there.
With Jackie's state of mind, he would definitely think that he had fallen into a trap if he didn't see Serene at the hospital.
If Jackie thought that he had been tricked again, it would be even more difficult for him to trust anyone else in the future.
Therefore, Nathaniel must find Serene before Jackie arrives. At this critical moment, he must not create any more unexpected problems. Otherwise, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Ding-dong!
The doorbell rang.
Janell Joy was delighted and quickly ran to the intercom.
If Brother Lucas is here and apologized to her face to face, she would forgive him.
After all, she liked him so much.
However, the person displaying on the intercom was Andrew Carter.
He stood at the door and stared at her door without blinking his eyes.
At that instant, Janell Joy knew that Andrew had no good intentions.
Ding-dong!
Andrew rang the doorbell again. Janell Joy didn't want to talk to him, but she was afraid that the sound of the doorbell would wake Serene up, so she opened the door.
"Andrew, what do you want?" Janell Joy blocked the entrance of the door and did not intend to invite Andrew into the house.
"Grandma is worried. She wants me to check on you. I intend to move in here and live with you." Andrew's eyes swept across her face and into the house.
"You want to move in here? Don't you even think about it." She knew that he had no good intentions. He even wanted to move into her house. He should stop dreaming, there was no way he could do that!
"Do you think I want to? It's because Grandma is worried about you."
"I will call Grandma. You don't have to worry about it, Young Master Carter." If he moved in with her, it would only be the two of them. She wasn't stupid. What if he bullied her and she couldn't fight against him, what could she do then?
However, Andrew ignored her and stepped into the house. Janell Joy obstructed him, so he simply carried Janell Joy into the house.
Her body was soft and fragrant that he didn't want to let go of her. He wanted to continue to hold her in his arms, so that she could become his and have her all to himself.
"Andrew, what are you doing? Let me go!" She started practicing martial arts earlier than Andrew did, and the coach had always praised her for being smart and making rapid progress, but she couldn't do anything against Andrew.
She could defeat many people, but she had never defeated Andrew once. It seemed that his existence was to suppress her.
"Janell Joy Carter!" Janell Joy was stuck between him and the wall. He lifted her chin and said coldly, "Don't you know what I want to do?"
"Let go of me!" Janell Joy reached out her hands and wanted to hit him. Before her hands could reach him, they were firmly grabbed by Andrew. "Be obedient, otherwise... Even I, won't know what I will do to you."
"Let go!“ Janell Joy gritted her teeth and asked coldly, "Andrew, do you believe that I'll destroy you?"
He was not the only one who was good at threatening others. If Janell Joy wanted to, she could do it too.She might even be better at it compared to him. She just didn't do it often. After all, it would give her a greater sense of accomplishment if she could make others submit to her with just a smile.
"Destroy me? How?" Andrew got closer to her, so close that Janell Joy could feel the warmth of his breath on her face.
" I have thousands of ways to destroy you. If you don't believe me, you can try." Janell Joy raised her head slightly and looked back at him coldly.
From the point of view at the door, it looked like Andrew was kissing Janell Joy. He didn't resist it and seemed to look like he was enjoying it.
Andrew smiled and said, "My Janell, let's try then. We were raised by the same parents, then let's show them whether their biological child or the adopted child is more capable."
Before he could finish his words, a fist was already coming at him. Andrew instinctively wanted to dodge, but he could not. His face was hit heavily by the fist. In that instant, Janell Joy, whom he was holding in his arms, was also taken away.
"Cooper, you-" Andrew glared at Nathaniel, who had suddenly barged in. Nathaniel's eyes had turned red, as if it was going to bleed.
Nathaniel ignored Andrew and held Janell Joy in his arms to check on her. "Janell..."
Janell Joy flung off his hand and said, "Who is your Janell? My name is Janell Joy Carter. Don't call me so intimately."
"Yes, don't call her Janell! This is our family's Janell. She has nothing to do with you, you outsider." Andrew curled his lips and with a faint smile on his face joined the battle between Janell Joy and Nathaniel.
"Andrew, go back. It's none of your business." Although Janell Joy was still angry at Nathaniel for what he had done, it was still between the two of them. What was that b*stard Andrew trying to do by making things even worse?
"Are you sure you want me to go? Aren't you afraid that someone will take the opportunity to bully you when no one is here to protect you?" Andrew said with a confusing smile on his face.
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Looking at Andrew Carter's arrogant look, Janell Joy Carter gritted her teeth in anger. "If he wants to bully me, I'll let him bully me. What does it have to do with you?"
“Very good then! You really are the biological child of our parents. Your personality is different from ordinary people." Andrew smiled gently and said, "I hope you can always be so firm and confident. I believe that the man who you like is the best in the world. But keep in mind that not every man can love his own woman like how our Dad dotes on Mom. You have to prepare yourself for that."
Janell Joy stared at Andrew and asked, "Andrew, make yourself clear. What do you mean?"
"It doesn‘t mean anything. l just wish the two of you can be together as soon as possible. When the day comes, I will definitely give you both a huge gift to show my blessings.“ Andrew turned to look at Nathaniel who was next to Janell Joy and smiled again. "Mr. President, look after your treasure carefully. Don't start crying if someone steals it." Andrew said sarcastically.
"Thank you for your reminder, Mr. Carter! Of course I will look after my girl. Anyone who wants to steal her from me, can stop thinking about it." Nathaniel looked directly into Andrew's eyes and said calmly, as if Andrew's provocation didn't affect him at all.
"Okay, I believe that you will look after your girl well, Mr. President." Andrew looked at Janell Joy again and said, "Janell, remember to eat well and sleep well. Gain a bit more weight so that your family won't worry about you."
"Andrew..." Janell Joy felt like there was something in Andrew's words, but she didn't know what was it. She wanted to ask, but Andrew had left.
"He is your brother..." a deep voice said as her hand was grabbed by someone. The next moment, she was forcefully held in Nathaniel's arms. "Janell Joy, you are my girl. I will get angry if you think about other men in front of me."
Janell Joy struggled. "Who's your girl..."
Nathaniel, "Hmm?"
He only snorted softly, and his gaze at Janell Joy was particularly sharp. Janell Joy's voice became softer, and before she could finish her words, she lowered her head in fear.
Nathaniel said in a deep voice, "Why did you stop talking?"
Janell Joy: "..."
She knew that she had made him angry, and if she went on like this, he would definitely punish her. Janell Joy was not stupid, so she dared not say anything.
Janell Joy did not speak, and Nathaniel did not intend to let her go. He pinched her chin and forced her to look up at him. "Did you say 'who's your girl?‘ Hmm?"
Because of his anger, Nathaniel's action was not very gentle, The strength that he had used to pinch Janell Joy's chin was a little too strong that it almost felt like he was going to pinch her chin off her face.
"Nathaniel, you're hurting me!" Janell Joy was in pain. She suddenly raised her head and wanted to push off his hand, but she saw the bruise at Nathaniel's face and asked "Brother Lucas, what's wrong with your face?“
Her anger gradually subsided as she was saying these words. She could no longer be angry at him.
Nathaniel looked at her with his dim eyes and said nothing.
"Brother Lucas, what's wrong with your face?" Janell Joy repeated her question and her hands were trembling. She wanted to touch the bruise on Nathaniel's face, but before she could, Nathaniel held her hand in his palm.
He looked at her with his deep eyes and said with his hoarse voice, "Who are you to me? What does anything about me have to do with you?"
"Brother Lucas, don‘t fool with me! Let me see your wound first.“ As soon as she saw the wound on Nathaniei's face, her anger was overcome by her concern for him.
Nathaniel was still holding her hand to prevent her from touching his face. He repeated the same question, "Who am I to you? And who are you to me? What does my injury have to do with you?"
Janell Joy roared, "Then who do you think you are to me? Who do you think i am to you?" She was not angry with him anymore so why was this man still being so stubborn with her?
Janell Joy bit her lips and glared at Nathaniel. She was trying hard to restrain her tears from rolling down her face.
It was Nathaniel who didn't give her a proper identity as his girlfriend, how could he treat her like this. How could he bully her. Did he really think that Janell Joy was just a push-over’?
If she didn't like him, would she just follow him like this?
"You're my Janell. You're the girl I‘m going to marry. You‘re also the girl I'll protect for the rest of my life. Who do you think you are to me? Who am I to you?" He was very angry with this little girl, but when he saw that she was about to cry, his heart softened. He could not help but say these words.
These words have been deeply embedded in his heart for a long time. He had always wanted to say it to her.
Janell Joy pursed her lips and said as if she was wronged, "l, I don't know..."
Nathaniel rubbed her head. “You really don't know?"
“You are my Brother Lucas." Janell Joy took a sniff and crept into his arms. "Let me deal with the wound on your face first. Let's talk about it later."
Nathaniel grabbed her hand and said, "Make it clear first."
Janell Joy was a little confused. "Didn't I already make myself clear?"
Nathaniel shook his head. "That's not enough. That's not what I want to hear."
What he wanted to hear was that he was the man that she wanted to marry and that she had recognized him as the man that she would live with for the rest of her life, and that she didn‘t want anyone else, except for him.
However, Janell Joy, who was usually quick-witted, still hadn't understand the relationship between a man and a woman. She didn't think about it that comprehensively.
Janell Joy scratched her head and blinked her innocent big eyes. "Brother Lucas, what do you want to hear?“
He could just tell her directly. She was willing to tell him whatever he wanted to hear, as long as he would let her treat the wound on his face.
"You really don't know what I want to hear?" Nathaniel asked.
"I don't know.“ Janell Joy shook her head foolishly.
As soon as she finished her words, Nathaniel's warm lips was already on hers. He kissed her pink lips passionately.
Janell Joy‘s mind went blank because of his overwhelming kiss. After coming back to her senses, she realized that they were quarreling the minute before, she didn't know why they had ended up doing what they were doing right now.
After a long time, Nathaniel let go of her and massaged her red and swollen lips. He asked, "Have you recalled what I want to hear already?"
Janell Joy who was still in a daze answered, "You are my Brother Lucas.."
Seeing that Janell Joy still couldn't answer him, the President who looked gentle and elegant, but in actual fact was a wolf in sheep-skin, kissed Janell Joy again.
Since she couldn't tell him who he was to her and what he wanted to hear, this was his way to make her realize so? Janell Joy asked herself.
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He wanted to tell her that in this life, no one could kiss her and love her like this other than him!
However, Janell Joy Carter did not seem to understand. She was struggling hard trying to break free from his embrace, not letting him kiss her as he wished.
However, no matter how hard she struggled, she still couldn't escape from him, she could only let him do anything he wanted to her.
Janell Joy whined in her heart. Was her Brother Lucas treating her like a delicious meal?
She guessed it right!
In the past, whenever Brother Lucas kissed her, he would only kiss her on her lips and neck. Today, he actually went beyond that, he was getting more and more excessive.
Ah...
As Nathaniel Cooper got further down, Janell Joy was frightened and she quickly reached her hand out to push him away and took two steps away from him, trying to keep a distance from him.
She looked at him and saw his bloodshot eyes, it looked terrifying, as if he was going to eat her.
Janell Joy had never seen this look on Nathaniel's face before. She was so scared that she shrank her neck. "Brother Lucas, you... I...“
She stuttered and didn't know what to say. She stopped. Her mind was blank and she couldn't say a thing.
Nathaniel did not say anything. He just looked at her with his deep eyes. After staring at her for a long time, the bloodshot look in his eyes dissipated a little.
"Brother Lucas, I..." Janell Joy was so nervous that she had to swallow before continuing her sentence. In the past, she had never been so timid. It was unbelievable that the person she was afraid of now was her Brother Lucas.
She liked Brother Lucas very much. Whenever she saw him, she wanted to stay with him. But today, she retreated repeatedly, hoping that her Brother Lucas would disappear from her sight as soon as possible.
"Hmm?" Nathaniel said. His expression did not change at all. No one knew what he was thinking.
"Brother Lucas, let me have a look at the wound on your face first." Janell Joy seemed to have forgotten why Brother Lucas had kissed her and why she was afraid of her Brother Lucas, but she still remembered that Brother Lucas's face was injured.
Nathaniel raised his eyebrows. "You still care about me?"
Janell Joy frowned and said “Of course I care about you.“
Nathaniel adjusted his emotions and stared at Janell Joy with a serious look on his face. "Do you know how much trouble it will bring me if you secretly take Serene away from the hospital?"
"I..." She didn't mean it. She couldn't ignore Serene's plead, so she took her out.
Janell Joy really couldn't lie when Nathaniel was constantly staring at her, so she could only keep her mouth shut. After all, Janell Joy had promised Serene that she would not tell anyone where she was, so she couldn't go back on her words.
"Janell, tell me, why did you take Serene away?" Nathaniel stared at her and asked in a softer voice.
Janell Joy was definitely not a girl who was capricious and reckless. She definitely had her reasons and she would have thought of the consequences too.
“Because... because... Brother Lucas, can you not ask me? I don't want to say it.“ Janell Joy lowered her head with her hands clasped together. She was so distressed that she bit her lips tightly.
Nathaniel patiently guided her. "Then tell me, where is Serene? I‘ll send someone to find her.“
It seemed that even if Brother Lucas had no evidence to prove that Janell Joy did it, he was very certain that she was the one who took Serene away. And that was the fact.
Janell Joy took a deep breath, straightened her body and she was ready to let it all out. "Brother Lucas, something happened to Sister Serene. She doesn't want to see Jackie now. I hope you can give her some time to think."
“She doesn't want to see Jackie?" How could that be?
Nathaniel didn‘t quite believe what he heard, but when he thought about it and how Serene was rescued by Janell Joy and the others, he seemed to have understood something.
Perhaps something had happened between Jackie and Serene, but he didn't know exactly what it was. The truth could only come from Jackie and Serene themselves.
"Brother Lucas, just let Jackie know." Janell Joy decided to protect Serene, and would not force her to do what she was unwilling to do. “If he really loves Sister Serene, ask him to give her time. Don't force her."
"Okay, I know what to do." Nathaniel nodded and rubbed Janell Joy's head. “If you ever want to do anything in the future, do let me know, don't make your own decisions again.“
Janell Joy smiled and threw herself into Nathaniel's arms. "Brother Lucas, I will remember it. I will definitely discuss with you first if there is anything in the future. I won't make decisions on my own ever again."
“Then go into the room and ask Serene whether I can go in and talk to her for a bit?" Nathaniel said again.
"Brother Lucas, you knew!" He actually knew that Serene was in the room. She was being so careful and yet Brother Lucas still knew. How did he do that?
"Go ask, I'll wait for you here." Sometimes, this girl was smart but sometimes, not really.
Janell Joy was the one who brought Serene out from the hospital. Serene had nowhere else to go and she couldn't just make Serene stay in anyone's house, so she had decided to let Serene stay in her house. That was the place where Janell Joy thought was the safest for Serene to live in.
"Nathaniel, Janell Joy, I'm so sorry that both of you fought because of me!" Serene's voice suddenly came from behind.
They looked back and saw Serene standing at the door of the guest room. She stood there quietly, she looked so weak as if a slow breeze could blow her away. It was sad to look at her.
"Sister Serene, your wounds haven't healed completely. You can't get out of the bed and walk around yet. Hurry up and lie down." Janell Joy rushed over to help Serene.
"I'm fine.“ Serene held Janell Joy's hand and patted it gently. "Can you let me talk to Nathaniel?"
"Okay." Janell Joy was very sensible. She left the living room and went back to her room.
She returned to the room but she was curious about the conversation between Serene and Nathaniel, so she left the door ajar and stood behind the door to eavesdrop.
"Nathaniel..." Serene called out to Nathaniel's name, and then took off the ring that was on the middle finger of her left hand. "Please give this ring to Jackie for me. I think he will understand."
"Serene, what happened between the two of you?“ Nathaniel did not ask why Serene was doing this, but he went straight to the point and asked Serene what had happened to her during that period of time.
"What?" Serene's face turned pale, and her voice was trembling.
She thought that no one else knew what she had gone through during that period of time. How did Nathaniel know about it?
Nathaniel and Jackie were so close with each other, if Nathaniel knew, that would probably mean that Jackie knew about it too.
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"What happened between you and Jackie?" Nathaniel Cooper did not know what Serene Silas was worried about, so he repeated the question.
Serene said, "I..."
She looked at Nathaniel and felt puzzled. She didn‘t know if Nathaniel knew that she had been imprisoned and even raped while held in captivity.
Serene hoped that no one would know about this unspeakable thing, but she knew that would be impossible.
There were so many people under Nathaniel's command, hence she believed that the news would get to him eventually. Naturally, Jackie would know about it too.
She didn't care what others think. The only thing she cared about was how Jackie would think of her if he knew about it.
Nathaniel sighed and said, "Serene, I‘m afraid that both of us can't even imagine what Jackie has suffered this past year. If he does something unfathomable, let's refrain our judgements and not blame him."
"How could I blame him? I'm just..." She blamed herself for being unable to protect herself and present her best self to Jackie.
Nathaniel continued, "We are the only family Jackie has in this world. If we don't help him get rid of the trauma in his heart, who can he count on?"
Serene took some time to digest his words, and she may have understood his implied meaning. "Nathaniel, what's happened to Jackie? What did he go through? Since he didn‘t find us this year, he must have his reasons."
“You don't know?" Nathaniel asked. As soon as he asked, he soon figured out the key to the problem.
Serene hid away and didn‘t want to see Jackie because she didn't know of Jackie's real identity, not because something happened between them.
"Nathaniel, what on earth has Jackie been through? Please tell me, okay?" Thinking of the suffering Jackie had gone through, Serene was blaming herself so much that she really felt like stabbing herself with a knife.
"A year ago, Jackie was seriously injured... But fortunately, he was lucky enough to have come back alive.“ Nathaniel said lightly so Serene could
remain calm.
After all, those things were in the past. Jackie was alive now, hence they should move on instead of dwelling in the past.
Even if Jackie had changed his face, he was still their Jackie, a person who was closer to them than their real family.
“He must be very sad." Serene had a hunch that he was injured and was in hiding, but it was still painful to hear his explanation. Serene's heart ached so much she could barely breathe.
"He is fine, and you don't have to worry. Take some time to think thoroughly, then maybe you can see him after." Nathaniel hoped that Serene could be braver. "After such a long period of time, the person he wants to see the most must be you."
"I want to see him!" She could disregard the fact that she couldn’t present her best self to him as she was desperate to see him.
She wanted to see with her own eyes that Jackie was still alive. She needed to know that he returned to their side.
"Serene, I'm not forcing you to do what you don't want to do. You don't have to make a decision so soon." If Jackie didn't see Serene, he might be suspicious again. But Nathaniel would find a way to explain to him anyway, so he still hoped that Serene could calm down and think about her next move. He was willing to respect her decision.
”I know, I want to see him, the sooner the better.“ Serene took a deep breath as she looked out. “I have been waiting for him for a year. I have been looking forward to him every day. Now that he's finally back, how could I say no?"
"Sister Serene, whatever your decision is, just be sure that you're content with it." Nathaniel didn't understand what Serene was worried about, but Janell Joy understood. She stood behind the door and eavesdropped for a long time. She even forgot that she was eavesdropping. As she felt sorry for Serene, she couldn't resist interrupting.
"No one's forcing me. From now on, no one can force me to do anything I don't want to do." Serene smiled faintly and she looked confident.
Who she wanted to see was the person she missed all this while. She wanted to see him so much.
Now, he was finally back. With him around, no one would be able to force her to do things anymore.
Yes, she firmly believed in Jackie's feelings for her.
……..
The capital of Country A, Coast City was located hundreds of miles away from the Misty Mountain.
This city was the central area for politics, entertainment, and tourism of Country A. It was also the place where Jackie, Nathaniel, and Serene were born and raised.
Jackie had been living in this city since he was born, for 29 years. This was his home, and also the place where he vowed to give back.
However, a year ago, a conspiracy took away all the lives of the members in the Leves family. While he survived, he was gravely injured.
A year later, after returning to the city, the city seemed to have changed so much, especially the main road in front of the North Palace.
The main road in front of the North Palace used to just be plain. However, the road was expanded and renovated with a lot of greeneries. Beautiful flowers and walkways were constructed around the area. It became one of the eight famous attractions in Coast City.
Although a year had just passed, the swift development of the city rendered Jackie speechless. He could barely recognize the city.
He felt like a foreigner, but he did live in this city for the past 29 years...
"Young Master, we're here. Do you want to go in and have a look?” The car arrived at the hospital's parking lot for half an hour, but Jackie did not get off the car. Daryl Leves interrupted his thoughts.
After a long time, Jackie did not answer. He was looking ahead at something, and he did not know what he was thinking about.
Since Jackie did not answer, Daryl did not dare to ask anymore questions. He sat quietly in the driver's seat and looked in the direction of Jackie's gaze, but he did not see anything.
“Let’s just leave." After a long time, Jackie finally spoke.
"Where, where are we going?" Today, they left the mountain to visit Miss Silas in the hospital. When they arrived at the hospital, their master didn't get off the car and he wanted to leave. Daryl couldn't figure out what their master was thinking.
"Anywhere is fine," said Jackie softly.
Anywhere, besides this hospital. He didn't know how to face Serene yet.
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Anywhere was fine?
Daryl Leves felt that his master was playing with him.
Coast City was not a small city. There were so many places they could go!
If you asked him where to go, he wouldn't know where to go too.
He secretly glanced at his master from the rearview mirror and saw that his master's eyes were still quietly looking into the distance. However, he noticed that his gaze appeared sullen.
In an instant, Daryl understood that their master was afraid of meeting Serene Silas. He was afraid of seeing her, as her long lost Jackie.
Jackie had been hesitating in the parking lot for so long. In the end, he still did not have the courage to meet Serene.
Compared with Serene's betrayal, he was more afraid that Serene would look at him coldly. He wouldn't be able to deal with her cold and heartless gaze.
He was afraid, so he ran away in a hurry. He wanted to hide in a place and continue to hide from her.
Human beings were such strange animals. They loved each other, but they hurt each other. They would be so afraid to love deeper, as they were afraid that they would hurt each other even more.
The car left the hospital's parking lot. When they got out of the exit, there was a car parked next to the entrance.
A few people got off that car. One was Nathaniel Cooper, who had his light disguise on. Then, there were also Janell Joy Carter and Serene Silas.
She looked so thin and fragile under her clothes and looked like she could be blown away by the wind.
She was not only waif-like and weak, but also had injuries on her face and feet. She didn't walk very steadily and asked Janell Joy to support her.
As he looked at Serene, Jackie clenched his fists and said in a low voice, "Stop the car.“
Daryl quickly stopped the car and looked back at Jackie, then he saw what Jackie saw. lt was Serene. "Oh no!" Daryl cried in his heart.
When their young master saw that Serene was injured, he would definitely find out about the escape. Then, what Nina had done would definitely be exposed.
Nina grew up in the Leves family and was their half child. She did her best to serve the Young Master. She was devoted to the Leves famlly and their Young Master.
But the Young Master's eyes were blinded by Serene. There were so many women in the world, yet he could only see her.
For him to live a normal life, Serene needed to disappear from his world.
However, he didn't expect that she got so lucky. Not only did she not fall into the trap, but she was also accidentally rescued.
Damn it!
However, she shouldn't let her guard down. The trap was just the most superficial way to kill her, and there were still many other ways.
No matter what, they had to think of a way to prevent the Silas girl from returning to their Young Master's side. They could not allow the Leves family's extermination to happen again.
Daryl looked at Serene who was not far away. He looked cold and stem, and he wanted to kill her just by looking at her.
But soon, he packed up his emotions. If the Young Master knew what they were thinking, he would kill them before they killed Serene.
It didn't matter if they died, as they would drag Serene down with them anyway.
Daryl looked away and saw that Jackie was still staring at Serene. He plucked up the courage again and said, "Young Master, do we go now?"
Jackie did not look at Daryl. He watched as Serene and the two others as they entered the hospital, and he also got out of the car and went up with them.
Most of the time, his actions were not under his control. Wherever Serene went, he followed.
"Sister Serene, don't worry. Brother Lucas said that Jackie will visit you, so he will definitely come to see you." As she saw Serene lying in the hospital bed and nervously clenching her fists, Janell Joy immediately comforted her.
"Yes, he will, he will definitely come.“ Serene nodded. She was more certain than Nathaniel that Jackie would come because she knew how much Jackie cared for her than Nathaniel did.
"Okay, that's right. Anyway, you take good care of yourself and I'll accompany you to wait for him." Then, Janell Joy thought of something, "Sister Serene, please wait for me. I have something to say to Brother Lucas."
Brother Lucas had just left, so it was not too late for Janell Joy to catch up with him. She rushed out of the room and called him immediately.
As soon as the call got through, he heard Brother Lucas's ringtone ringing in the next room.
Didn't Brother Lucas leave to work? Why was the phone ringing next door?
Janell Joy was confused and opened the door. Then, sure enough, she saw Nathaniel.
In the room, besides Nathaniel, there was another strict looking man dressed in black.
As Janell Joy broke into the room, the two men looked back at her at the same time.
When Nathaniel saw her, he changed his expression immediately. "Aren‘t you accompanying Sister Serene? Why are you here?"
Janell Joy did not answer him, but she noticed the other man‘s gaze. It was not a pleasant look.
Nathaniel walked up to her immediately and spoke gently. ”Janell, I need to talk about something. You should go out first."
"Brother Lucas, who is this person?" Janell Joy poked her head out from the side of Nathaniel's waist and looked at Jackie. "This person is Jackie, isn't he? He is the one who hurt you, isn't he?"
Besides Jackie, Janell Joy couldn't think of anybody else whom Brother Lucas would have time for.
In addition, Janell Joy could only think of a person whom Brother Lucas could willingly let down his guard for.
Janell Joy also couldn't think of anybody else whom Brother Lucas would allow to beat him up. Even Janell Joy did not enjoy this privilege.
Therefore, without their answers, she was sure that this man was the man in Serena's heart.
It was just that the face in front of her was completely different from the pictures in Blake White's documents.
The pictures and the real person looked so different that she was sure no one could recognise him.
Serene definitely couldn't recognize him, especially without any hints or clues.
With this idea, another possibility emerged in Janell Joy's mind.
Could there be a possibility that the person who imprisoned Serene and tormented Serene these days was the same man in front of her?
Since he changed his face... Could she be right?
Janell Joy was not sure. She looked at the man in front of her innocently, hoping to find the answer from him.
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However, Jackie Leves ignored Janell Joy Carter's gaze and looked at Nathaniel Cooper. He smiled and said, "This is the girl you think of as your treasure."
Although it sounded like a question, but he was sure that he was right.
Nathaniel nodded. Before he could speak, Jackie added, "I used to see how anxious you were for her. l thought very highly of her then."
Jackie looked at Janell Joy again, and he scanned her from head to toe rudely. "It seems that she's nothing special."
What did he mean by nothing special?
Janell Joy really wanted to knock his head out. Was he blind?
Was he special then to make that remark?
In her opinion, he was worse.
She didn't know if there was something wrong with Sister Serene's taste, and she didn't understand how she could even miss him in her dreams.
Although she was angry in her heart, when she saw that Brother Lucas's face, Janell Joy quickly grabbed his hand and said, "Brother Lucas, as long as you think I'm special, that's enough."
Nathaniel said seriously, "You are the best out there. No one can compare with you."
Looking at Brother Lucas's anxious look, Janell Joy pursed her lips and smiled. "Brother Lucas, of course I know my worth. If others can't, then it's their loss."
Nathaniel did not respond to her.
Janell Joy blinked her eyes and said playfully, "Do you think I’m right?"
Nathaniel touched her head lightly. "Has my Janell ever been wrong?"
Janell Joy squeezed into Brother Lucas's arms as if nothing had happened. She rubbed her face against Brother Lucas's chest and said, "I knew it, you're always the nicest to me.”
Janell Joy did not take it to heart about Jackie's opinion of her. She knew her worth, and she understood everyone had varying preferences.
In her small world, she liked Brother Lucas, and Brother Lucas also liked her. That was already very good for her.
Janell Joy was not angry, and she even countered him strongly. Jackie couldn't resist judging her again.
It was really eye-opening for him to see such a brave and confident young person. It was no wonder that someone like Nathaniel would always think of the little girl.
However, no matter how special she was, she was just a little girl. He was reminded of Serene and his face changed slightly.
He said that he didn't want to see her, but he couldn't control his feet and followed them into the hospital. He said that he didn't want to think about that vicious woman, but the mere thought of her was enough to change his mind.
No!
In the future, he could not let that woman affect him. If he stayed away from her and did not see her again, then she would not be able to affect him.
He knew he should leave the hospital immediately and return to the Misty Mountain, but he couldn't move his feet. Even if he couldn‘t look at her, he wanted to just stay near her.
Janell Joy peeked at the other man, “Mr. Leves, can I speak with you alone?"
Nathaniel asked, "What's the matter?"
Janell Joy gave Nathaniel a push and said, "Brother Lucas, you can go to the next room to keep Sister Serene company. Go ahead."
Nathaniel stood straight and did not want to leave. He looked at both Janell Joy and Jackie.
Janell Joy pushed him to the door and said, "Brother Lucas, don't worry. I'll be fine."
Nathaniel was speechless. How could he be okay?
Actually, he was more worried that his little fox would plot against Jackie, and he wasn‘t very worried that Jackie would bully her instead.
Nonetheless, Nathaniel left the room with a push from Janell Joy. Before leaving, he glanced at Jackie sympathetically.
"What's the matter?" Jackie looked at her.
"Mr. Leves, in your heart, Serene must be the most outstanding woman in the world.“ Janell Joy affirmed.
"Do you need a prize for guessing that?" Jackie frowned. Earlier, he thought that this girl was bold and magnanimous, but now she seemed as silly as some average, shallow girls out there.
Janell Joy smiled and continued, "I don't think much about that. As long as the person I like knows how to appreciate me, just like Sister Serene, she wouldn't care about what Brother Lucas thinks about her because all she cares is about you."
Jackie did not answer her, but he had to admit that this girl was right. It was true that the opinions from your loved ones matter more than others.
He knew that Serene betrayed him. However, he still kidnapped her. Then, he was afraid to face her with his real identity, just because he was afraid that his image would disappoint her.
Janell Joy added, "If we did not rescue Sister Serene two days ago when we went up the mountain, she may have died."
Jackie didn't say anything, but he looked distressed.
Janell Joy continued to say, "Sister Serene was seriously injured and kept shouting your name when she came back and was unconscious."
Jackie still didn't say anything. This time, he clenched his fists tightly, as if he could crush his own fists.
Janell Joy observed the subtle change in Jackie's expression and knew that he was worried about Serene. She added, "In her dreams, Sister Serene kept crying, crying, and shouting for your name. She was like a drowning child. She couldn't find a driftwood she could grab that could save her life."
After, Janell Joy heard Jackie as he tried to take a deep breath. Although he still did not speak, his expression had long betrayed him.
Janell Joy continued, "Do you know why she couldn't grab the driftwood that could save her life?"
Jackie was speechless.
Janell Joy explained, "Because you are the only driftwood she is willing to grab. Except for you, no one can save her from the water."
"Enough!" Jackie roared, "Such a vicious woman like her deserves to be drowned. Even if she dies, someone will pull her corpse out and whip her."
"What do you mean by this?" If someone else said this, Janell Joy would not care. But this person was Sister Serene's most beloved person. It was common if the world treated her unfairly, but Jackie shouldn‘t be one of them.
He was the only support for Sister Serene to survive. If he looked down on her, she wouldn't hesitate to end her life.
"Didn't I make it clear enough?" Jackie looked at Janell Joy coldly. His eyes were cold and frightening, as if he saw her as an enemy who destroyed the Leves family.
"Jackie Leves, what do you mean by this?" Janell Joy was also nervous as she called out Jackie‘s name anxiously.
"I'm sure she knows what she did. Do you want me to say it here?" Jackie sneered with a disdainful smile.
”You..." Janell Joy was at a loss for words for a moment and did not know how to express her thoughts.
What did Jackie accuse Serene of doing? Was he referring to how she was raped?
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