LM
CHAPTERS 966 - 972
966
If possible, Nathaniel Cooper could deal with those matters through a video conference. Matters which had to be dealt with in person, he would ask for his secretaries to postpone it to the next day. He could then attend to these issues when he was back in the office.
In order to spend more time with Janell Joy Carter, Nathaniel was doing his best to allocate his time more efficiently.
Nathaniel had insisted on staying at her home to accompany her. Janell Joy felt fiustered, thinking of the sacrifice he was making for her. She felt guilty and began to blame herself.
She had always wanted to share some of his burdens. However, not only did she not help him, but was holding him back now. How could she not blame herself?
"Brother Lucas, you can carry on with your work. You don't have to accompany me. I have a lot of friends in Coast City, and they can always spend time with me. Just now, a friend called and asked me if I want to go for dinner with them."
As she was speaking to Nathaniel, Janell Joy turned to the coat rack and handed him his coat. "Brother Lucas, go and deal with your work."
"Your friends are your friends, but I am different." Finally, Nathaniel raised his head from the pile of documents, held Janell Joy's hand in his palm, and tightened his grip, "Janell, I'm staying here not because you need me, but because I need you. Do you understand that?"
Janell Joy was at a loss for words. She didn't understand. It was obvious that he was here because of her. How could he twist the scenario around now?
Looking at the silly look on her face, Nathaniel couldn't help but pull her head down and kiss her forehead. "Janell, you can never imagine how important you are to me."
”I've already imagined myself as a core part of your heart! I am so important that no one can compare to me." Occasionally, the playful Janell Joy would indulge herself in some narcissism.
But yet, she was not really trying to be narcissistic, she just trusted Brother Lucas that much. She believed that he felt the same way and that she was indeed the most important person in his heart.
"Yes, that's right." Nathaniel pinched her face, picked up the cup of coffee that she made, and took a sip. "It tastes good."
In fact, she had burned the coffee in the pot earlier and added too much sugar to it. It tasted very strange. However, Nathaniel did not complain about it and even asked her to get him another cup.
Since Nathaniel wanted more, Janell Joy was happy. She leaned towards him and said excitedly, "Brother Lucas, if you like the coffee I made, I'll make coffee for you every day."
"Okay." Nathaniel nodded and handed a document to Janell Joy. "You're good at languages, how about you proofread this text for me?"
"Brother Lucas, that shouldn't be right." Janell Joy did not reach out to take over the document. "All the documents that you have here are national secrets and highly confidential. It's not appropriate for me, as an outsider to read them."
The leaking of confidential documents could be a huge matter. If those masterminds who wanted to schemed against Nathaniel fInd out about it, they could make use of this matter to stir up more trouble.
Janell Joy had learned to be cautious from her father. Before her identity could be publicly clarified, she had better not touch these sensitive documents, so as not to bring unnecessary trouble for Brother Lucas.
"These are not confidential documents," Nathaniel said.
He was just worried that she would be too bored, so he deliberately picked up some unimportant documents for her to proofread to help her pass time.
Ring, ring, ring
Nathaniel's work phone suddenly rang.
The moment it rang, Nathaniel knew that there must be some trouble. He immediately picked up his phone and answered, "What's the matter?"
On the phone came Jason Lesley's voice. He sounded very anxious, "Mr. President, there is more trouble. The snowstorm came too quickly this time, we were completely unprepared. Moreover, it lasted for too long that several provinces have been badly affected to varying extents."
Nathaniel frowned and shouted coldly, "Get to the point."
What Jason said was known all over the country. How could the President of the country not know about it?
During the early onset of the snowstorm, Nathaniel had already instructed for the relevant departments to organize emergency rescues, and he had done his best to protect the people's personal safety and property.
Jason was getting quite sly, twisting his words when speaking to the President! He would first highlight the good news and then share the bad news as discreetly as he could.
As soon as the President questioned him, Jason blurted out, "An avalanche has happened at Misty Mountain. Hundreds of families in several villages at the foot of the mountain were buried in the snow. According to the preliminary statistics, about three hundred people are trapped at the foot of the mountain."
"Are the rescue teams on their way?" Nathaniel asked in a low voice. His chiselled eyebrows frowned even tighter, they were squeezed together so tightly that they almost formed into two vertical lines.
"Yes, the rescue teams are already on their way to Misty Mountain," Jason answered.
If the rescue teams had yet to be on their way, he wouldn't dare to call the President. How would he not know of their President's temper after being with him for so long?
Nathaniel ordered, "Give out my orders. Every life is important, rescue every person they can find, and at the same time, they must ensure the safety of the rescue team."
While speaking, Nathaniel got up, put on his coat while walking, and said, "Arrange for a helicopter. I'll go to the disaster area immediately."
"Mr. President, it's still snowing, and it would be too dangerous for the helicopter to fly over. Do you want to wait for it to ease first? At least when the snow stops, then you can arrange for an official visit and comfort the victims." Jason was really worried about Nathaniel, and thus, he offered such an imprudent proposal.
Upon hearing this, Nathaniel's face darkened. "If the rescue team can take a helicopter, then why can't I? Are their lives not as important as mine?"
Jason became even more anxious. He did not care about his status and retorted, "You are our President. They can get into an accident, but you, sir, cannot. We can't afford for anything to happen to you at all."
Nathaniel said, "The people of Country A need a President who would think for them, someone who would create benefits for them, and to make their daily lives better, instead of a cowardly President who hides when trouble arises."
Nathaniel wanted to go to the disaster area not to help in the rescue, but to motivate the people. This way, the probability of rescuing trapped victims would increase greatly.
"Yes, I'll go and see to it right now." Jason had nothing to respond to Nathaniel's words, so he had to abide by the order obediently.
Not long after Nathaniel took office, there had been an earthquake at Long Cove. At that time, some people had deliberately spread rumors that because the new president had not received blessings from the former president, his position was bogus. Hence, the earthquake was a warning from God.
As for now, Nathaniel had only been in office for only four months, and an avalanche had unexpectedly happened. Avalanches had never been heard of in the history of Country A, hence this disaster severely affected the people in those provinces.
Given such circumstances, there would be more people rallying against the President, spreading more rumors on how he should not be the rightful leader. These rumors would influence other ignorant readers and would prompt them to cause even more trouble.
One rebel may not wield any power, but ten of them would be a significant force. If such contagion were to spread amongst the people, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Having learned a lot from the last experience, Nathaniel knew that he had to take the lead in preventing those people from spreading more unfounded propaganda.
967
Nathaniel Cooper hurriedly walked towards the door. When he arrived at the door, he suddenly thought of something. He looked back and his gaze met Janell Joy Carter's worried eyes.
He said apologetically, "Janell..."
Janell Joy walked to his side and gave him a big hug. She looked up and smiled at him. "Brother Lucas, go ahead, it's fine."
Nathaniel rubbed her head. For a moment, he felt very bitter in his throat. He was at a loss for words. This sensible little girl was always so considerate of his priorities.
Janell Joy looked back at the clock on the wall and said, "It's eleven o'clock in the morning, there's still much time before dinner time. I'll make dinner in advance and wait for you to come back. We can eat together then!"
Janell Joy's words had a profound meaning. She meant for him to go and attend to his work, but to ensure that he would come home safely. She would be waiting for him at home.
Nathaniel held her head and kissed her. He nodded heavily and said, "Okay."
......
As soon as Nathaniel left, Janell Joy returned to her room. She picked up her phone and dialed a familiar phone number. Before the other party could react, Janell Joy spoke first, "Samantha, can you please give me your brother's contact number?"
Samantha Lesley, who was interrupted from her slumber by the phone call, was still in a daze. She did not realize what was going on even after a few moments had passed. "Janell Joy?" she asked.
Janell Joy really wanted to knock on the dim-witted Samantha's head. "Samantha, can you give me your brother's private number? l have something to talk to him about."
"Oh, you want my brother's private number?" Samantha was still confused, but she gave Janell Joy her brother's number anyway.
After getting Jason Lesley's number, Janell Joy dialed it immediately. The call was soon connected. Jason's respectful voice sounded, "Miss Carter, are you looking for me?"
Jason was very surprised that Janell Joy would call him and he had an epiphany. Was this little girl going to fault him for taking Mr. President away?
Without giving Jason any extra time to overthink it, Janell Joy added, "Mr. Lesley, I would like to ask you for a favor."
She sought him out not to fault him, but to ask for his help. Jason discreetly breathed a sigh of relief, but before he could completely let it out, his heart was about to pop again.
Janell Joy was the precious daughter of Shengtian's leader. She had always gotten anything that she wanted ever since she was a child. As long as she wanted something, someone would do it for her.
If she asked him for a favour, it would definitely spell trouble for him. Although he knew that there wouldn't be any good from this, Jason still didn't dare to refuse her. He said respectfully, "Miss Carter, please go ahead."
This little girl was the apple of Mr. President's eye. Jason did not dare to neglect her at all. His tone was just as polite as when he addressed the President.
"Mr. Lelsey, you don't have to be so polite to me." Janell Joy smiled and said, "I know you are Mr. President's most trusted confidante. As the head of the secretarial team, the members of the President's secretary team are all under your purview."
When Janell Joy suddenly mentioned this matter, Jason could see through her guise, but he chose to pretend to be confused and said, "It is all because of the President's great kindness towards me."
Janell Joy raised her beautiful eyes and said, "Mr. Lesley, don't you know what I need you to help me with?"
Jason said, "I really don't know. Miss Carter, please tell me. If I can do it, I will do my best to help you."
Jason was well-versed in the world of politics, and his means were slick and tactful. If someone wanted to beat around the bush with him, they might be caught in his trap.
Since she couldn't beat around the bush with him, Janell Joy pursed her lips and thought for a while, and soon a plan formed in her mind.
"Mr. Lesley." She said his name in the sweetest voice she could muster. No matter who heard it, there was no way to refuse her when she used this tone. "There are more than a hundred employees in Mr. President's secretary team. Having an extra pair of hands wouldn't be a big deal right?"
Jason was even more certain about what Janell Joy wanted him to do, but he was still unwilling to admit to it. He was still hoping that this girl could tacitly understand his intentions. He did not want to refuse her openly.
Therefore, he replied in an even more respectful tone, "Miss Carter, that's not the case. The President is the ultimate leader of our country, but his power is limited by the people. Everyone on the team had been carefully hired and there is also a limitation as to the number of the members. Overall, it would not be a simple feat."
"Yes, I know, and that is why I have to trouble you, Mr. Lesley." Jason finally fell into her trap. The smile on Janell Joy's face was as bright as a flower. "I want to join Mr. President's secretary team. Except for you, there is really no one else who can help me."
Well, she had already made her intentions clear. The next step was to see how Jason, this sophisticated old loach, would respond to her move.
Janell Joy couldn't see Jason's expression. She could only judge from his long silence that the tactful Jason might not be willing to help her. There was no other way for her other than to look for Jason. It had to be him. No one else could help her with this.
……….
After the call with Jason ended, Janell Joy dialed another number. The call rang for a long time but no one answered it.
Janell Joy called for the second, third and fourth time... When she was calling for the tenth time, the call was still not connected, which made her feel uneasy.
Andrew Carter had always been pestering her like a ghost. However, he hadn't appeared for a few days and didn't even answer his phone. Could something have happened to him?
968
She had always hoped that Andrew Carter would completely disappear from her world and that he would not appear in front of her ever again. However, Janell Joy Carter was still worried when she could not get in touch with him. She was not sure if he had gotten into trouble or an accident.
Since she couldn't get in touch with Andrew, she could only go and look for him in person. He lived next door so she rushed over and knocked on his door.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
She was so anxious. She slammed the door with her hands and forgot that there was a doorbell.
Janell Joy panicked a little when no one had answered the door despite her persistent knocking. Did something really happen to Andrew?
"Andrew, are you at home or not? If you are at home, open the door for me. Don't hide at home as if you're dead!"
Janell Joy was so anxious that she kicked the door with her foot. She used a lot of strength, but the door didn't open and she hurt her toes instead.
"Hiss-" She gasped and slammed her hand on the door again. "B*stard, if you don't make a sound, I'll get someone to knock down the door! Or, I'll call the police?
"You're worried about me!"
Just as her anxiety almost pushed her to blow up the door, she heard a man speaking softly behind her. She could discern the delight in his voice.
Upon hearing him, Janell Joy suddenly turned back. Seeing Andrew who had appeared at the entrance of the elevator, her anger rose but the weight of her worries was lifted off her shoulders. "Andrew, why didn't you answer when I called you?"
Andrew looked at her face, observing her tender, ruby-red lips. He repeated himself, "You're worried about me."
"Worried about you?" Janell Joy glared at him fiercely, turned around to leave. "I was worried about you. I was worried that if you died here, I would have to move."
Her words were savage, and her tone was so harsh. However, Andrew wasn't offended at all, and instead, he was overjoyed. "Tell me, is there anything you need from me?"
He knew that she would not call him casually. If she called him, she must have needed his help, so he deliberately did not answer her call.
However, seeing that she was so nervous about his safety just now, he decided not to be petty with this little girl.
Just now, because she was worried about Andrew, Janell Joy had already forgotten about the reason that she had called him. After he reminded her, she recalled this, "Do you... do you know about snow disaster that has happened?"
"Yes," Andrew nodded and looked at her with his keen eyes. As he expected, she needed his help.
He had realized this earlier. However, when he heard her mention about the snow disaster, Andrew couldn't help but feel upset.
What on earth was he thinking? Was he hoping for something else?
For a moment, he allowed his fantasies to run free. He had imagined that she was looking for him because she cared for him, and not that she needed help.
Haha! He was laughing at himself for his idiotic fantasy. He was idiotic because his fantasy was nothing short of an unrealistic dream.
Andrew's eyes fell directly on Janell Joy, which made her a little uncomfortable. She looked away and said, "I want you to donate some goods and money."
The fantasy on Andrew's mind had completely crumbled to pieces. He sneered and said, "Janell Joy, do you think that the Carter family is a charity organization?"
Janell Joy knew that Andrew would not immediately agree to help her. She glared at him and said, "Grandpa, Grandma, Mom, and Dad all contribute to charity every year, they would donate money and goods to help villagers in remote areas. Why can't I do that too?"
"They contribute to charity because that was all the money that they earned. What about you?" Andrew smiled and said, "My almighty Miss Carter, what did you do for the Carter family?"
Karen Joy: " ...... "
Andrew and Janell Joy really could not get along with each other. She was still worried that something might have happened to him earlier. Thinking of this now, she decided, viciously, that she would have rejoiced if he had gone missing!
Andrew added, "Although you didn't do anything for the Carter family, you are still the daughter of the Carter family. What's more, Dad loves you so much, so he has already donated goods in your name. If there is no any other extenuating circumstances, you can check online and have a look, your name should be on the headlines again."
Janell Joy was dumbstruck upon hearing this.
It was an idea that she just thought of, but her father had already executed it for her. It was always like this! Every single time! This frustrated her greatly.
Janell Joy immediately unlocked her phone and scrolled through several social media platforms. As expected, the headlines were full of articles about her. "The most beautiful face of Long Cove nicknamed 'Little Jar', transformed into A Snow Angel, bringing warmth to the people!"
The article explained in detail about Janell Joy's donations and then echoed the entire incident at Long Cove.
If the news about the most beautiful face in the disaster area of Long Cove had made the people of Country A know about Janell Joy, then the donation for the snow disaster today would leave a deeper impression on the people. Everyone would definitely remember Janell Joy's beautiful face.
The comments of the netizens were almost the same as that of the first time. All of them were full of praises. The comments very much exaggerated, saying that Janell Joy was an angel who had descended from the heavens and there was definitely no other like her.
Seeing the netizens praising her, Janell Joy was a little worried. If they had such high expectations of her, would they criticize her one day in the future, if she was unable to meet their demands?
After all, the future was still uncertain. Putting herself on such a pedestal to be applauded by the citizens would mean that they could judge her easily too.
"Sigh -" Janell Joy sighed. She really didn't know whether these things would affect her in a good or a bad way when she finally becomes Brother Lucas's first lady in the future.
After praising Janell Joy, many netizens began to dig up more information on her.
It was strange that no matter how hard they tried, they just could not find any personal details about her, as if she was an angel that was sent from heaven to save them.
Similarly, Jason Lesley did not miss the news. Soon, he called and said, "Miss Carter, I have something to discuss with you."
Janell Joy avoided Andrew's gaze and walked into the house. She closed the door and said, "Mr. Lesley, I've made up my mind. I don't want to discuss about it anymore."
Jason added, "We seen the news online. I know that you really wanted to help Mr. President."
Janell Joy asked, "And then?"
Jason said again, "I am really not able to hire any more people for Mr. President's secretarial team."
Janell Joy said in a low voice, with a look of displeasure in her eyes, "You must find a way to do it. l have to work by his side."
Jason pondered for a moment. This little girl was gentle and lovely as a superior, however, she could also be domineering and assertive. He quickly added, "But Mr. President needs an interpreter and I think that you should be able to take up this job."
Janell Joy had learnt several foreign languages back in New York. She had been a straight-A top student all her life, hence taking on the job should be a piece of cake.
She smiled brightly and said, "Okay, I'll be his interpreter. But you can't tell him about it yet."
969
The heavy snow persisted for a long time. The impact of the snowstorm was getting even more serious. It was affecting more provinces.
The worst-hit area was the Misty Mountain. At the foot of Misty Mountain, there were dozens of families and hundreds of people buried under the snow.
After receiving the news, the relevant departments had immediately arranged for the military air force to rescue the victims. The President had also rushed to the disaster area to check on the deployed rescue forces and the people who were trapped.
The central news channel of the country had been documenting the rescue work at the disaster area, so that the whole country would be kept updated on the situation of the rescue work at the disaster area.
While the snowstorm was battering the country, and the rescue forces were working hard at the disaster area alongside the President, there was a group of people still going about their lives comfortably.
On such a snowy winter's day, the most pleasant thing to do was to seek out a small pub, order some wine and barbecue, and having a good chat with friends.
In a pub that looked ordinary from the outside, its interior was decorated in a cozy fashion. One table was occupied, but there was a small sign hanging at the door indicating that the pub was full.
There were only two guests at that table. The first floor and the second floor were full of empty seats. No one knew why the owner of the pub wouldn't accept other patrons.
The two guests were sitting by the window on the second floor of the pub. It was a good opportunity to enjoy the fluffy white snow that was covering the entire city.
However, their attention was not on the snow outside the window, but on the TV that was mounted onto the wall. The channel on the TV had just been switched to the Central News Channel. It was a live feed of Mr. President expressing his views and concerns regarding the victims and the rescuers in the disaster area.
Holding a big megaphone, Nathaniel Cooper spoke out to the victims and the rescue forces, "No matter how much resources and money we need, we must do our best to rescue each and every one of the people who are trapped in there."
"Humph, this b*stard's acting is really good!" One of the two men in the small pub picked up the remote control and turned off the TV.
The second patron, who was sitting opposite him, grabbed the whiskey bottle and poured a shot for the first man. He smiled indifferently and said, "Since Nathaniel wants to put on an act and fool the crowd, then let him be. Why are you so mad at him?"
The first man had a dissatisfied look on his face. "Nathaniel's popularity is getting even higher day by day. More people had come to support him every day. His position is getting steadier each day. Only you can continue to sit around and be so calm about this."
The second man refilled the shot glasses on the table. He said calmly, "There are some things that are not his. Even if he has stolen it, it still won't belong to him."
The first man looked at the faint expression on the second man's face and muttered, "Are you really not even a tiny bit anxious?"
The second man did not answer. He held up his glass and sniffed the scent of the whiskey. "Mm, it's really good! Amongst so many pubs, this one really serves some really good whiskey."
The calmer he was, the more anxious his companion became. "I'm talking to you about something important. Why are you talking about the whiskey? If you want to drink, there are so many places you can drink." The first man replied indignantly.
The calm second man raised his glass and took a sip of the whiskey, and said, "It's snowing so much today. It wasn't easy for me to come out, let's have a good drink."
One insisted on talking about so-called business, while the other did not want to mention about the so-called business at all. The atmosphere was in a stalemate for a while.
In fact, the first man was actually the owner of this pub. After waiting for a long time, as he watched the man in front of him down the whiskey, he stared at him and was slightly angry. "What are you thinking about exactly?"
The patron said, "The snow is still falling, and it will get heavier. Today, several villages at the foot of the Misty Mountain were buried, but tomorrow, no one knows if there will be any more places buried."
The pub owner was so anxious that he poured and took a sip of the whiskey and said, "What does this snow have to do with what I want to tell you?"
The patron smiled and said slowly, "As long as the snow doesn't stop, the disasters will continue. The disaster areas will arise one after another. By then, do you think that he will be able to handle all of them?... If the disaster area widens, I'm afraid that the government will not be able to take care of it."
The patron's meaning was very clear, and the pub owner finally understood. He laughed in his heart and let out a chuckle, "As long as the government rescue work is not timely, the people will complain. At that time, someone will naturally push Nathaniel Cooper down from his throne."
The patron sipped on his whiskey, and there was a cold and determined smile on his face, but he did not continue the conversation with the owner of the pub.
The owner said, "It seems that the two of us should raise our glasses and have a good drink. Let's hope that the snow will last for another few days and it will not stop."
"Yes, cheers." The patron narrowed his eyes, and a look of disdain flashed in his eyes.
In his opinion, only a useless person would beg the heavens for a few more days of snow. The patron was just saying it casually, but this stupid person actually believed it.
The patron didn't understand. 'That' man was so smart and had been hiding and plotting for so many years, how could he have such a subordinate?
However, he only wanted the money. He couldn't and wouldn't want to care about what kind of subordinates that person wanted to use.
However, it was really hard on him whenever he had to discuss these things with such an idiot.
………..
With Jason Lesley's response, Janell Joy Carter would soon be able to be at Nathaniel's side working as his interpreter.
Thinking of the fact that she could go to work with Brother Lucas every day and get off work together with him, Janell Joy's heart was filled with unspeakable joy.
She was so excited that she rolled around the sofa a few times, and then ran around the sofa a few more times. She looked like she was out of her mind.
As she was still immersed in her excitement, Janell Joy thought of her family in New York, who were far away from her. But at this time, it was in the afternoon where she was, and it would be midnight in New York. It wouldn't be appropriate to call them this late to disturb them.
She endured for a little while more, but still couldn't hold it in. She picked up the phone and dialed her mother's phone number. She thought that her mother would end the call, but she didn't expect that her mother to pick up the call so soon.
From the phone came the gentle and sleepy voice of her mother, 'Baby, you're calling so late, what's the matter?‘
'Mom, I'm sorry. I must have woken you up." Janell Joy stuck out her tongue playfully. "I'm just too excited. I just want to share my joy with you."
"Baby, it's okay.“ Jane Ronan's voice had become even gentler. "Tomorrow is the weekend. I can sleep a little longer. If you have anything to say, just tell me.
'Mom, you're the best!" Janell Joy couldn't wait to jump into her father's arms and snuggle in there.
In this life, the happiest thing for her was to have such loving parents and such a good family.
Her mother doted on her as a treasure. She had never experienced the helplessness and sense of loss Brother Lucas had, as a neglected son in his family.
'Silly child, you are our precious baby!“ Jane Ronan chuckled. "Tell me, what kind of good news do you want to share with me?"
'Hehe...' Janell Joy giggled and said, 'Mom, I'm going to work alongside Brother Lucas."
970
"Mm, such exciting news!" Jane Ronan's soft voice came from the phone and into Janell Joy Carter's ear. "Congratulations, my Baby Janell can finally work for her sweetheart."
Jane Ronan's voice was gentle and it sounded like she was not surprised at all. It seemed that she had expected her precious daughter would have done so.
"Mom, but I'm still a little worried." Janell Joy's mother had always supported any of her endeavors, but Janell Joy knew that it would be hard to explain it to her father.
It was she who had volunteered to work for Brother Lucas. If her father misunderstood that it was Brother Lucas who asked her to work for him, that would bring Brother Lucas some big trouble.
"My dear girl, don't worry, go and work by your Brother Lucas's side. If your Dad doesn't support you, I will explain to him!" Naturally, Jane knew what her daughter was worried about.
"Thank you Mom!" Janell Joy said in a sweet voice.
Every time she could not handle her father, her mother would come out to help. With her mother's help, handling her father would be a piece of cake!
Janell Joy was happy to hear her mother's kind words. However, at Jane Ronan's end, the man lying beside her now had a terrifying expression on his face. He was extremely dissatisfied after listening in to their conversation, so he moved closer to Jane and took a bite at her neck.
"Ouch -" Jane felt a stab of pain and exclaimed. She turned around and glared at him viciously. How could this man act so recklessly at this moment?
"Morn, are you okay?" Upon hearing her mother exclaim, Janell Joy asked with a concerned voice.
"I think a bug might have bitten me," Jane replied. How could Jane tell her daughter that Edwin Carter had bitten her? She had to come up with an excuse.
However, as soon as she gave this excuse, Edwin had grabbed her into his embrace and gave her another bite. What an aloof yet unreasonable man!
Jane was flabbergasted by her husband's behaviour. She was rendered speechless.She held her breath and didn't make a sound.
However, she was not a little sheep whom Edwin could bully. She raised her arm and elbowed Edwin hard.
She attacked him, but Edwin did not feel any pain. On the contrary, there was a faint smile on his face, and he held her in his arms and bit her again.
Jane shot him a warning glare. She seemed to be hinting, "I'm still on the phone with our daughter, don't mess around."
However, when a man like Edwin was feeling stubborn, he would be very stubborn. Moreover, he would be overbearing at the same time. Instead of letting go of Jane, he stretched out his hands and his fingers wandered along her bare skin, under her clothes.
Jane quickly grabbed Edwin's hand. Suddenly, she heard Janell Joy calling her in a soft voice, "Mom..."
"Yes, Baby, I'm listening,go ahead..." Because she was worried that her daughter might have heard something, she was already stuttering.
Thinking that her embarrassment was caused by Edwin's hands, Jane turned her head and glared at him fiercely. However, Edwin leaned over and kissed her again.
Men and wild beasts were the same hard to tame!
Janell Joy‘s soft and sweet voice sounded again, "Mom, actually, I just want to ask you, what do you think about Brother Lucas?"
Janell Joy knew that her father didn't have a good impression of Brother Lucas, but she didn't know what her mother thought of him.
Although her mother didn't object to her relationship with Brother Lucas, she had never mentioned that she liked Brother Lucas in a romantic way.
Janell Joy was getting more and more keen to become his bride, so she hoped that her sweetheart could get the recognition of her family. Hence, she posed this question to her mother.
"Lucas?" In the past, Jane had always had a good impression of Lucas.
Now that she didn't have much contact with him, Jane didn't know him very well. But she believed that a boy who had protected her daughter with his own life could definitely be trusted.
"Mom, you don't like him?" All because her father didn't like Brother Lucas, Janell Joy had placed more emphasis on her mother's opinion of Brother Lucas.
After all, no matter how good she thought Brother Lucas was, she still hoped that Brother Lucas could get the approval of her parents.
"How would I not like him?" Jane comforted her in a soft voice. After a moment's thought, she said, "Lucas has left me a deep impression. When I first met him, I knew at a glance that he was not a simple boy."
While Jane was talking, she suddenly received a sharp gaze. She looked up and happened to meet Edwin's jealousy filled gaze.
She was talking to her daughter about her future son in law. Did he have to be so petty and jealous?
Jane rolled her eyes at him and then looked away. She really didn't want to pay any more attention to this man who would get jealous so easily.
On the other end of the phone, Janell Joy was still asking, "Mom, do you only think that Brother Lucas is not simple? Don't you have any other opinion of him?"
Jane continued, "After that, he accompanied you, spoiled you, and even protected you with his life... Back then, I was wondering how great it would be for my daughter to find such a guy when she grows up. A boy who would love, protect, and cherish her so much."
Her mother seemed to indicate that she wanted Brother Lucas to be her son-in-law, which meant that she had a fantastic impression of him.
Janell Joy was surprised and said, "Mom, do you really think so?"
"Yes." Jane nodded. "Back then, he had been injured badly and went missing. I have been saddened and regretful for many years that we did not find him. Fortunately, my Baby Janell never gave up, and you eventually did find him."
"Mom, I love you!" Janell Joy was over the moon at her mother's words. She even wanted to shout 'You're the best, my almighty mother! '
Her mother was much more considerate. She would approve of the man Janell Joy had selected, as long as Janell Joy truly loved that man. Unlike her father, who would always complain that Brother Lucas was not good enough for her.
"Baby, I love you too! By the way, your daddy also loves you very much!" Jane said in a gentle voice.
Janell Joy replied, "Mom, then I won't bother you anymore. Let's talk another day."
Listening to her daughter's happy voice also put Jane in a good mood. "Goodbye, my baby!"
Hanging up the phone, she immediately heard Edwin's low and seductive voice. His tone was dripping with dissatisfaction as he said, "Do you really have such a vivid impression of that kid?"
"What's wrong if I do?" Jane asked.
"What's wrong?" Edwin's face darkened and he looked very unhappy.
"It's not dawn yet. I want to sleep for a little while more." Jane turned around and decided not to comfort him. She didn't know what kind of tantrum he was going to throw.
She assumed that Edwin would bother her again, so she moved towards the edge of the bed, trying to keep a distance from him. However, Edwin did not move at all.
Jane couldn't help but to look back at him. He was closing his eyes and it seemed that he was fine.
After checking on Edwin, Jane could then close her eyes and sleep without any worries. When she was about to fall asleep, her body was suddenly pulled into Edwin's arms again. His deep voice sounded in her ear, "Why didn't you remember me back then?"
"What do you mean I didn‘t remember you?" Jane rubbed her eyes and thought about it in a daze. She deduced that he must be referring to the few years when she had been kidnapped and lost her memory. Edwin eventually found her, but she could not recognize him at all. Hence, she hurriedly explained, "Well, I lost my memories back then."
"You lost your memories?" Edwin's face became even more unhappy.
He plunged into his memories, back to the moment they first met. She not only scolded him but also spat at him, which left him a stark impression of her. However, the next time she met him, she did not remember him at all!
And now, she dared say that she had lost her memory!
Edwin really wanted to strangle this woman to death!
971
"It's not like you do not know that I've lost my memory before." Jane Ronan, who was still in a daze, did not know that Edwin Carter had misunderstood her meaning. Hence, she gave a silly retort.
"Jane Ronan!" Edwin's face was livid as he exclaimed her name, and his voice became colder. His tone was nearly as cold as ice.
There was only an amber lamp lighting up in the room. Underneath the lamp was a warm light which gave out a warm atmosphere. However, Edwin's cold demeanor made Jane feel as if the temperature around her had reduced by several degrees in a split second!
This made Jane tremble in fear and she was alerted from her sleep in an instant.
Jane blinked her eyes and looked up at the man who had a gloomy look on his face. She was confused and asked, "Edwin, what's wrong?"
How could she have the audacity to ask him what's wrong?
Couldn't she tell that he was angry with her?
Edwin looked at Jane coldly, and his dissatisfaction with this woman was growing stronger. If it wasn't for how much he loved her, he would have already thrown her out of the window.
"What do you mean by this? Why are you just looking at me and not speaking?" Edwin was a considerate man most of the time but occasionally, Jane could not fathom the source of his tantrums.
Did she really not understand what he meant? Edwin was so frustrated that he didn't say a word.
Looking at Edwin, who was so cold and silent, Jane shook her head helplessly and said, "Edwin, you're not speaking. Are you giving me the silent treatment?"
Silent treatment? He wanted to crush her to death. So that she would not praise other men in front of him.
No matter what Jane said, the cold and aloof Chairman Carter had kept a straight face and stared at her without saying a word.
They had lived together for more than ten years so Jane knew this man very well. He was cold and temperamental. She knew that he must be very angry at her.
But she didn't know why!
Jane thought about it carefully and suddenly realized that he must be blaming her for siding with their daughter against him.
Yes, that should be it. From that moment onward, he began to behave abnormally.
After thinking it through, Jane felt much more relaxed. She smiled gently at him and said, "Mr. Carter, you are already an adult. Why would you throw a tantrum because of something our child
did?"
What did she mean by this? He was throwing a tantrum because of what she did! Not the child.
This woman was usually very smart, but why was she being so silly right now.
Edwin glared at her but remained silent.
Jane sighed, lay on his chest, and traced circles on his chest with her finger. "You obviously don't want our daughter to suffer, so why do you want to make things difficult for her then?"
She thought that if she put this matter on her daughter, he would be able to forget about what had happened tonight?
She should not even think about it!
Edwin grabbed her hand that was tracing on his chest and pushed her out of his arms, to show that he was still angry with her.
Jane was rendered speechless. This man! He actually pushed her away!
Did he think that he could hug her as he wished and push her away when he did not want to? Although this was the truth, but, he shouldn't go too far!
Jane glared back at him, which made his gaze even colder.
Every time Lucas was mentioned, Edwin would always look dissatisfied. Jane became anxious and said, "As the President of Country A, Nathaniel is not only a powerful young man, he also good-Iooking. And most importantly, he loves our little Janell very much. Why do you think you can look down on him?"
Powerful! Good looking! And that he loved little Janell?
Comparing himself to Nathaniel, Edwin also had all of these traits! And perhaps he was even better! Why did his two most beloved women in his family have to side with that Cooper boy?
He doted on and cared for the two women with all of his heart. That Cooper boy had never done anything substantial for them! How did he win their favor?
"So, that Nathaniel Cooper is good? What's so good about him?" Edwin felt that he was about to be blown up by anger because of Jane and he couldn't bear it anymore so he expressed the dissatisfaction that he was feeling.
"What's not good about him?" Jane bit her lip and raised her volume. "He has power and authority. He's handsome, gentle, and considerate. He is the epitome of a perfect man. Any woman in this world would want to marry him."
"Jane!" Edwin clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles popped. "How could that Cooper boy be better than me?"
"What?" Jane was so angry that she was almost confused, but she seemed to have understood something from Edwin's words. She finally realized that Edwin, this cold and arrogant man, was actually jealous.
Thinking of his silly look when he was jealous, Jane could not help but to chuckle. "Edwin, are you jealous?"
Edwin glared at her and said discontentedly with a low voice, "Did you only realize that I'm jealous until now?"
He was already making it so obvious, and she was not stupid. How could she realize it only now?
"If you're jealous, just say it." Jane poked him in the chest, and there was a bright smile on her beautiful face. "Just like back then, when we just got our marriage certificate. You told me directly that you were jealous."
Many times, Jane would recall the times at Innovative Tech. When Edwin would stop her and tell her that he was jealous, with a serious look on his face.
At that time, he was really extremely aloof. He was so cold that she did not dare to get close to him. She was afraid that she would be frozen if she was to get any closer to him.
Edwin looked at Jane with dissatisfaction. He wasn't someone that would get jealous easily. How could she imply that he was always getting jealous?
Jane threw himself into Edwin's arms again. She took his hand and wrapped it around herself. "Edwin, don't you know that you're the best in my heart?"
Edwin pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly. "If you don't say it, how would I know?"
Jane looked up and smiled at him. "Lucas is not bad, especially in Janell's heart, no man can be compared to him. But why would it matter? Because in my heart, no one can be compared to you."
He was her husband.
To Jane, he was the one that was going to be with her for the rest of her life, a man that would shelter her from the rain and wind.
In her heart, he was her hero, a hero that no one could compare to.
Hearing Jane's words, Edwin's face started to look better, and his sexy thin lips curved slightly. He gradually smiled and said, "Luckily you're a sweet talker."
Jane smiled and said, "I have just said what I wanted to say for a long time now."
"Jane-" Edwin suddenly called her name gently and sexily. "Mm?"
Jane was stunned. All of a sudden, he looked serious. What on earth did he want to do?
He grabbed her hand and placed it on his chest. "In my heart, no one can compare to you."
"Mm…" Jane nodded. She had always known this.
Back then, she disappeared for three years, but he never gave up looking for her. He patiently waited for her to come back. From then on, she knew that no one could ever replace her position in his heart.
To be able to meet him in this life, to become his wife, to give birth to his children, and to grow old with him...
It was the luckiest thing that had ever happened to her in her lifetime.
972
Creamy pumpkin soup, baked potatoes, pan-fried garlic butter steak and steamed broccoli. These dishes were served on the table.
It looked like a simple meal, but it took Janell Joy Carter the whole afternoon to make them.
Of course, the reason why she took such a long time was because Janell Joy's cooking skills were not as refined yet. It would take her several attempts to successfully make one dish.
For example, the baked potatoes were accidentally burnt on the first two attempts. The potatoes turned out better on the third attempt, but it was a little too salty.
After wasting three portions of ingredients, Janell Joy swore that if she failed on the next attempt, then she would give up. Hence, the fourth attempt turned out to be acceptable.
As for the other dishes, they were recreated several times, and finally, this was the result.
Looking at the dishes on the table, thinking that Brother Lucas would be praising her, Janell Joy was so happy that she had forgotten about the blisters on her hands.
The clock on the wall showed that it was almost six o'clock in the evening. Brother Lucas should be here soon.
Brother Lucas returned to the North Palace from the disaster area three hours ago to deal with some things. He told her that he would rush back from the North Palace once he had finished his work and should arrive here at about six o'clock.
As she was in a hurry to see Brother Lucas, Janell Joy looked at the clock on the wall as she counted down along with the second hand of the clock.
There were two minutes left until six o'clock. Only one hundred and twenty seconds, but she felt that this period of time felt as long as an hour. Every second felt as long as a minute.
However, two minutes later, Brother Lucas did not show up.
Now it was snowing heavily outside and the traffic in the entire city was very congested. It didn't matter if he was late. Janell Joy looked at the clock and continued to wait.
Ten minutes had passed. Half an hour had passed. An hour had passed. Seeing that the hot dishes on the table had turned cold, Janell Joy finally couldn't sit still. She picked up her phone and dialed Nathaniel's number.
When the phone was connected, there was a cold machine voice coming from the phone, "The number you have dialed is currently not available. Please try again later!"
The first call was like this, so Janell Joy called for the second time, it was the same, and on the fifth time... It was still the same.
This was Nathaniel's private number. He once told her that this number would be available 24 hours a day for her. As long as she missed him, she could call him at any time...
So why couldn't she get to him now?
Janell Joy had an ominous feeling in her heart. She quickly dialed Jason Lesley's number, and the call was immediately picked up.
Jason greeted her respectfully, "Hello Miss Carter!"
Janell Joy was anxious and didn't have the mood to be polite to him so she was straightforward with Jason, "Where is the President? Where is he?"
Jason said, "Mr. President is in a meeting, it's not convenient for him to answer the phone."
Janell Joy said, "It's already so late at night, how could there be a meeting now?"
When Brother Lucas was on the way back to the North Palace, he promised her through the phone that he would come back to have dinner with her. If something urgent had popped up, he would have informed her in advance.
Jason said, "It's a national affair." National affairs? His reply rendered Janell Joy speechless.
Yes, a national affair was the most important thing. How could she let her relationship with Brother Lucas interrupt his work?
"Okay, I got it." Janell Joy said sullenly, "Mr. Lesley, how long does he need?"
Jason also said, "Miss Carter, this snow disaster struck a lot of places and many people have been affected. I'm afraid that Mr. President will not be free for the coming days."
Janell Joy: " ...... "
Jason continued, "Miss Carter, you are a smart and sensible girl. I guess you wouldn't blame Mr. President for this right?"
Upon hearing Jason's words, Janell Joy was angered. She said, "Mr. Lesley, I only called because I care about him. Did you think I would behave so unreasonably? Did you think I would disturb him from handling the country's affairs well?"
Jason said, "I didn't mean that."
Janell Joy added, "No matter how busy he is, or if he has many things to deal with, he would still have the time to answer my call, wouldn't it?."
Jason was speechless.
Janell Joy went all out. "After he finishes with the meeting, ask him to give me a call. I will wait for his call. If he doesn't call then I won't go to bed. Please convey the message to him."
After saying this, Janell Joy hung up the phone. Then she held her phone in her hand and waited for Brother Lucas to call her back. She waited until late night but Brother Lucas still had not called her back.
If he wasn‘t preoccupied with something, Brother Lucas would never fail to call her back. Perhaps he... Janell Joy stopped herself. She didn't dare to think of any bad things that might happen.
Janell Joy dialed Nathaniel's number again. This time, as expected, it was still the same cold machine voice coming through the phone. "The number you have dialed is currently not available. Please try again later."
Listening to the voice of the machine recording, Janell Joy's heart trembled. She knew that something must have happened to Brother Lucas, but she didn't know what had happened.
Janell Joy was very scared, but she immediately calmed herself down. How could she panic when something had happened to Brother Lucas? "I must have a clear mind," she thought.
She immediately dialed Blake White's number. Before she could ask, he already said, "Miss, something has happened to the President."
As expected, calling Blake was the right decision. He was as well-informed as the national intelligence agency.
She said, "Tell me in detail."
Blake added, "The helicopter that the President had boarded for the North Palace from the disaster area today had some mechanical problems. The vehicle crashed and the casualties are still unclear."
"What?" Janell Joy had expected that something bad had happened to Nathaniel, but she did not expect that it would be such a serious crisis. When she heard Blake's words, her legs went weak and she sat weakly on the sofa.
Blake continued, "That's all I know for now. But I'll send people to get more information. I'll report to you as soon as there's anything new."
When Janell Joy heard about Nathaniel's helicopter accident, her brain immediately went blank, as if it was covered with glue. It made her unable to think about anything clearly, and her eyes were blurred.
"Miss, Miss..." Blake shouted repeatedly at the other end of the phone, but Janell Joy did not respond.
Hence, he rushed over to Janell Joy's apartment and knocked on her door. When she heard him knocking, Janell Joy finally came back to her senses.
She calmed down and said, "I‘m fine."
Blake said, "Please open the door."
Janell Joy shook her head and said, "Don't worry, go ahead with your affairs."
She hung up the phone and dialed Serene Silas' number. After all, Serene was still the President's fiance. If something had happened to the President, they wouldn't hide it from her.
After a short moment, Serene picked up the phone and said, "Janell Joy, what's the matter?"
"Sister Serene, Brother Lucas..." After the call had gone through, Janell Joy was trembling so hard that she couldn't even utter a complete sentence.
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