LM
CHAPTERS 820 - 825
820
Through this fake relationship, Nathaniel Cooper could protect Serene Silas so that she would not be used by her family, allowing her to have enough time to wait for the man she loved to come back and reconcile with her.
However, while Nathaniel protected her from being taken advantage of by her family, being his fiance would also bring her a certain amount of risk.
Currently, there were two other forces that were secretly plotting against Nathaniel. However, they couldn't do anything to Nathaniel. Serene was his fiance, so she was naturally the next target of those people's attacks.
Hence, in order to help Serene, Nathaniel had also put her in a tight spot at the same time. Nathaniel was clearly aware of the situation, but he still did it because he believed that he had the ability to protect Serene.
Assuming Janell Joy Carter was put in this same position, his state of mind would be affected. He would be more worried, then he would not be able to make sure that Janell Joy was safe.
Because he couldn't guarantee Janell Joy's safety completely, Nathaniel thought that it would be best for her if he didn't use his real identity to reconcile with Janell Joy yet.
Serene understood these things, but recently, she saw how Nathaniel couldn't be with the girl he loved, so she ignored the rationality behind their plot. She only thought that she was the reason why they couldn't be together.
Because she once loved someone and experienced the kind of not being able to be with the beloved one happily.
Nathaniel added, "Serene, there are many eyes staring at us right now. If we make the wrong move, what we've done in the past will all be wasted. Do you understand that?"
Serene nodded and took a deep breath. "I understand. From now on, I will continue to play the role of your fiance nicely. I can't let anyone get hold of our weak point."
"Yes, that's right." Nathaniel got up and walked to her side. He helped her up and said, "It's late. Go home early, don't let the people who care about you worry."
"Alright..." Serene nodded her head. Suddenly, she thought of something and anxiously grabbed his wrist. "Nathaniel, I've told someone about this."
"Who is it?" Hearing this news, Nathaniel's entire body trembled.
"Andrew Carter. He sent someone to investigate the real relationship between us a few days ago. I thought that I could let him know and also have his family remain calm, so I approached him and told him." Serene told him honestly what had happened that day when she went to see Andrew.
"Andrew?" Nathaniel repeated.
As for everything about Andrew Carter, Nathaniel knew a lot about him. That person was an orphan adopted by the Carter family after he left them.
Over the years in the Carter family, Andrew behaved like a very qualified eldest son. He was filial to his parents and caring towards his younger siblings.
"Will he be a problem?" Serene said worriedly.
"It's hard to say. Try not to tell him these things in the future." According to Nathaniel's understanding of Andrew, although he was loyal to the Carter family and protected Janell Joy, Andrew had no reason to keep a secret for these two strangers.
"Then I'll find him and talk to him again." Serene was a bit anxious.
"You don't have to look for him, and you don't have to do anything else. You just have to play the role as my fiancé. Now you don't need to think about anything else, just go home, okay?" Nathaniel said patiently.
"Alright." Serene nodded and walked away. After taking two steps, she turned her head back and pressed her lips together.
After a long while, she finally asked, "Nathaniel, do you know if he's doing alright?" They all knew who this "he" was.
At the mention of him, the expression on Nathaniel's face suddenly darkened a little. He shook his head and said, "I don't know."
When that thing happened a year ago, that person had gone missing. In the past year, there had been no news from him, nor did he know if he was still alive in this world.
"Do you think I can still wait for him?" Serene's eyes turned red as she asked. She didn't want to ask, but she couldn't help it.
When she thought that he might not be in this world anymore, she couldn't eat and sleep well, and she was about to collapse. She had waited for him for a long time, but there was no news of him. If she couldn't wait for him any longer, she might not be able to hold on.
"As long as he's still alive, he'll definitely come looking for you." Nathaniel spoke calmly. He did not know how to comfort a woman, so he could only speak his mind.
As long as that person was still alive, he would definitely come back to look for Serene. However, there hadn't been any news from that man for more than a year, so maybe that meant...
Serene shook her head helplessly. She had to believe in him. She wanted to believe that he was still alive, and that he would return to her side one day. She wanted to walk away, but her body felt weak, she lost strength. She staggered and almost fell to the ground.
Fortunately, Nathaniel was quick to notice and reached out to hold her. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." Serene shook her head. She wanted to stand up, but her body seemed to have lost its strength and willpower.
There was not a single bit of strength left in her, so she could only lean on Nathaniel's chest and feed on his strength. She didn't want to be so weak, but when she thought of that person, she always couldn't control her emotions.
"Don't move any more. I'll take you home." Seeing that she was holding back her pain, Nathaniel felt terrible too.
"No need, I can go back by myself. Go on with your plans." Nathaniel had taken care of her enough, and she didn't want to cause any more trouble for him anymore.
"How can I be okay about you going back alone when you're like this?" With a simple sentence, Nathaniel helped her out of the room.
The Silas family was a famous and rich family in Country A. In Country A, the status of the Silas family was only second to the Cooper Family. Even if their family no longer hold important work titles, they were still very influential.
Especially Serene's grandfather, the old marshal of the Silas family. He was one of the founding fathers of Country A. Sometimes, his words could change the public's opinion.
To be able to sweep away the last obstacle and ascend to the position as the highest leader of Country A, many people thought that Nathaniel couldn't do it without Mr. Silas' words in front of the media a few months ago.
The words of the Old Master of the Silas family were nothing more than just handing over his granddaughter to Nathaniel, hoping that they could live a good life in the future. Through Old Master Silas' words, it meant that the Silas family and the Cooper family were in laws.
Nathaniel's power and influence were already strong. Now, with the addition of the Silas family, those who were wavering quickly stood on his side and it helped to reduce some opposition force.
About half an hour of driving later, Nathaniel's presidential state car arrived in front of the Silas house. He got off first and opened the car door to help Serene get off the car.
Looking at the.depressed Serene, he hugged her and said, "Go back, take a shower and rest early. Don't think about anything else. Just wait for him to come back."
"Alright." Serene nodded. "You should also rest early. No matter how important the country's matters are, you have to take good.care of your own body. You can't let yourself get too tired."
"Yes, it's getting late. Go back." Nathaniel hugged her again before letting her go.
Serene took two steps and then she looked back at him. He also waited until Serene entered the house safely before getting on the car.
In the eyes of others, they would think that they were reluctant to part with each other...but the public didn't know that their act was deliberately done for show.
821
"Serene, you're back." As soon as they stepped into the yard, an old but still energetic voice called out to Serene Silas.
She looked to the right where the voice came from and saw that her grandfather was coming to her with the help of his bodyguard.
She hurriedly greeted him and said, "Grandpa, it's already so late. Why aren't you asleep yet?"
"Nathaniel sent you back?" Old Master Silas did not answer her question. His sharp eyes fell on Serene's face as he observed her carefully.
"Yes." Serene responded softly. She didn't dare to look into the Old Master's eyes as she lowered her head slightly.
"Have a baby with him." Old Master Silas suddenly said such a sentence, which made Serene's heart tremble.
Serene opened her mouth, and after a few seconds, she said, "Grandpa, do you know what you are talking about?" She was just hanging on to the title as Nathaniel Cooper's fiance, she was not yet his legal wife. And now she was asked to bear a child to keep Nathaniel on her leash?
"In another three months, this year will be over. Before the end of this year, I hope to hear some good news from you." Old Master Silas gave an order directly.
"Grandpa, Nathaniel and I are not married yet. Are you that anxious to want me to give birth to a baby for him? Is this the family's principle? Or do you think that I am just a tool here?" After that, Serene bit her lip. She needed to stand up for herself.
Old Master Silas let out a long sigh and stroked her head. "Silly child, do you know that I'm doing this for your own good?"
"Ha ha... is this for my own good?" Forgive her for being stupid and ignorant! She didn't understand why he was doing this for her.
Her parents died early, and she grew up with her grandfather. She always thought that her grandfather loved her deep down.
Two years ago, when her uncles and aunts offered to marry her off to a man she didn't love at all, her grandfather agreed immediately. From that time onwards, she knew that in the eyes of the Silas family, there was no family affection or real love at all.
In their eyes, there were only interests. In their eyes, she had no parents, and they raised her up. So she should listen to them and be at their disposal. But they didn't expect that she would say no. She resisted, and she didn't want to obey their arrangement.
When she refused to marry the person they had arranged for her to marry, the Silas family members looked at her as though they wanted to eat her alive. Fortunately, the old man in front of her felt that she should be worthy of a better man, so he stopped them and she escaped temporarily.
Soon afterward, they played the same tricks again. Fortunately, this time, Nathaniel Cooper protected her, as she escaped again.
"Nathaniel said that he wanted to mourn for his deceased mother for three years, so he can't marry you in these three years. But then you can still give birth to his child."
Old Master Silas grabbed Serene's hand and said earnestly, "My child, I won't have much time left. If I can't protect you, and you lose Nathaniel, how can you live the rest of your days?"
"Grandpa, Nathaniel won't, he..."
"So you're telling me that he loves you?" Old Master Silas interrupted Serene and raised his voice, "My child, I'm also a man, so I know what men think about. He is engaged to you because he wants to borrow the power and status of our family."
Serene was very clear what Nathaniel had in mind because the two of them had cleared the air prior to their agreement. There was a girl he liked in his heart, and there was also another man she liked in her heart. None of them would expect that they would fall in love with each other.
Old Master Silas added, "Once he gets stronger, and you are of no use anymore, he may kick you out at any time. Child, if you want to stay with him, you can only do that by giving birth to his child, otherwise..."
"Grandpa, please don't force me. Please, let me make my own decision." She had been pregnant before, but the child died in her womb. No one else knew about this, including the child's father.
"I'm doing this for your own good. Think about it and give me an answer tomorrow." After that, the Old Master patted his chest and coughed violently.
Serene wanted to hold him, but he pushed her away. "Go back to your room and rest early. Think about what I told you."
"Grandpa..." Serene watched helplessly as her grandfather walked away with the bodyguard. Her heart and mind went numb.
"You're a freeloader and you can't even do what you're told. You already know that Grandpa is in poor health, but you're always making him angry. Serene, how do you live with yourself?" Suddenly, a strange voice came from behind. Serene turned around and saw that the Young Master of the Silas family was standing not far behind her.
She glanced at him and ignored him. She turned and left but his voice echoed from behind, "Serene, no matter who you are with, don't forget that we're your real support here." The Silas family was her real support? Hmph...
That's ridiculous!
This might be the funniest joke Serene had ever heard in his life. To her, it seemed that each and every person in her family was eager to push her off a cliff.
She forced a courteous smile and swallowed the bitterness alone. Before "he" could come back to find her, she could only bear everything alone.
….
After sending Serene back to the Silas family, Nathaniel returned to the North Palace. Then, he secretly hopped onto his private car and went straight to Moon Bay.
By the time the driver arrived at Moon Bay, it had been two and a half hours since the last call between Nathaniel and Janell Joy.
Two and a half hours. It had been such a long time, and she must have cooked all her dishes already. She must have waited anxiously for him to arrive.
After getting off the car, Nathaniel ran straight to the elevator, hoping to see her as soon as possible. When he reached the 28th floor, the elevator door opened, and Nathaniel bumped into a person.
It was obvious that the person was waiting for him here deliberately, and it seemed that he had been waiting for a long time.
"Mr. President, it's really surprising to meet you here!" Andrew waited at the elevator door, which was part of the route to JanellJoy's place. He appeared cold and emotionless when he greeted Nathaniel.
"You're here for me. What's the matter?" Nathaniel was not surprised that Andrew could still recognize him with this disguise. He raised his eyebrows and asked calmly.
"Great, Mr. President, I am just passing a message to you on behalf of my father. He wants me to tell you that before you finish dealing with all your matters, you'd better stay put and don't get too close to our family's dear Janell."
Andrew glanced at Janell Joy's door and said, "If you dare touch her, my father will not forgive you, and I will also kill you."
"Thank you for your warning, I will remember that!" Nathaniel replied politely, but he looked like he did not take Andrew's warning seriously at all.
He would not "touch" Janell Joy easily, because he really wanted to protect her and care for her, not because he was threatened by others.
"Nathaniel, she's not someone you can just take advantage of. You'd better remember that!" Andrew warned in a cold voice as he continued to block Nathaniel's path.
"Andrew, I also want to tell you that Janell Joy will only be my woman in this life. No one can think of being with her. You'd better remember my words!"
Nathaniel looked at Andrew fiercely. They stared at each other so coldly that it looked like they wanted to kill each other off.
822
"Really?" The two looked at each other for a long time. Andrew Carter snorted coldly and said, "Mr. President, I believe you should know this better than me - nobody knows what will happen until it happens."
Some people were too self-righteous and acted arrogantly, but in the end, things would not turn out his way
"But I am sure what would happen in this matter." Nathaniel Cooper couldn't predict a lot of other events in his life, but he knew that Janell Joy could only be his woman and the woman he would marry in the future. This was something that nobody could change or talk him out of.
"'Then let's wait and see." Andrew smiled coldly.
"Sure, then let's wait and see."
Nathaniel let out a very faint smile, and there was a cold look in his eyes. For him, he could give way to everything else, including the position as President, but when it came to Janell Joy, he couldn't give any leeway to anyone.
"Brother Lucas, you're here!" Janell Joy suddenly opened the door, poked her head out and looked around. Seeing that Andrew was blocking Brother Lucas's way, she immediately frowned.
"Andrew, please let Brother Lucas in, okay?"
"Mr. Lucas, the dishes Janell made must be very delicious. Enjoy your dinner." Andrew smiled and let him passed through, and made a very gentlemanly welcoming gesture.
"Andrew, what do you mean?" Janell Joy really wanted to seal his mouth shut because he was being sarcastic and looking down on her abilities.
"It means exactly what it means," Andrew said. Besides Nathaniel, she probably didn't know that there was another person who wanted to taste her cooking, even if the dishes she made tasted bad.
Janell Joy didn't want to talk to him anymore. She.didn't want him to destroy her good mood today.
"Thank you!" Nathaniel nodded politely at Andrew. Obviously, the two men were secretly hating each other, and no one wanted to lose their cool in front of Janell Joy.
"Janell, I will be next door. If you need me, I'll be there." Andrew didn't feel safe to see Janell Joy and Nathaniel in the same room.
"I know, bye!" Janell Joy still continued to hide.behind the door and stuck her head out. "Brother Lucas, come in quickly."
Nathaniel staggered away from Andrew and walked towards Janell Joy. "I'm late. Sorry to keep you waiting!"
"You're not late! Not late at all!" Janell Joy said a.few times. She wasn't comforting Brother Lucas, but she thought his timing was perfect. Because…
More than two hours had passed since their last call. She messed up two dishes and made a pot of soup that was too salty. At this moment, she had not made a decent dish for Brother Lucas yet.
She boasted that she was going to cook for Brother Lucas personally. But looking at the current situation, she probably would have to ask Brother Lucas to wait for a while longer.
Nathaniel stepped into the house and immediately smelled a burnt scent. It really did come from the kitchen.
"Brother Lucas, take a seat first. I'll be done in a while." Before Nathaniel could have a good look at the little girl, she turned and ran into the kitchen.
Nathaniel followed her to the kitchen and asked softly, "Little girl, do you need my help?"
"Brother Lucas, sit down first. I'll be done soon. I don't need your help." She couldn't let Brother Lucas know that she didn't even know how to cook. Otherwise, he would definitely think lowly of her.
"You really don't want my help?" Looking at her thin figure from aside, it seemed that she was very serious and professional, but in fact, that wasn't the case.
"Brother Lucas, you can sit down first. I said that I will be done soon." She had tested many times and.she would definitely succeed this time.
"Little girl, actually I'm already very happy that you want to cook for me." He did not have to eat the.food she cooked. As long as she accompanied him when he ate, that was enough.
"But I want you to eat the food I made myself." Janell Joy thought the pan was becoming hot again, so she immediately poured oil onto the pan.
This time, something different happened compared to the few times before. The first two times, oil splashed everywhere out of the pan, and it even scalded her hand. After two trials, she still didn't understand what was going on, so she had to call her mother for help.
Her mother told her that because the pot was not hot enough, and there might still be water in the pot. As soon as the oil came into contact with water, it would splash out and scald her hands.
After finding out the reason, Brother Lucas was already here. Janell Joy was ready to cook for the third time. She wanted to perform well in front of Brother Lucas But...
She had never expected that once the oil was poured into the pot, the oil didn't splash out, instead, it immediately caused a fire.
With a bang, the flame instantly blew upwards towards the exhaust. Looking at the fire that suddenly lit up, Janell Joy was scared. She had never seen a pan caught in flames during cooking before.
When she came back to her senses, she immediately wanted to put off the fire with water, but before she could move, she was held back.
Brother Lucas grabbed her and dragged her behind him to protect her. Then, he picked up the lid next to him and covered the fire. Just like that, Brother Lucas calmed everything down.
"Brother Lucas, you are amazing! You are my hero!" How could she be so stupid, she didn't think of putting out the fire with the lid of the pan.
"You're not allowed to cook anymore in the future!".Nathaniel said coldly. When he thought of the burnt.smell earlier, he felt a sharp pinch in his heart. He knew that this little girl couldn't cook, but he didn't stop her from doing such a dangerous thing. If something happened to her, what would he do in the future?
"Brother Lucas, this was only an accident, the only accident..." Janell Joy's voice became softer and softer, because the way Brother Lucas looked at her was too scary. She had never seen such a frightening Brother Lucas before.
She was so scared that she instinctively stretched out her hand to block herself from Brother Lucas. When she stretched out her hand, Brother Lucas's eyes became colder and more frightening, as if…
Janell Joy couldn't explain what it was, but it seemed like there was a hint of pain and hurt in his anger. It seemed to be so.
Would Brother Lucas be so angry that he wanted to.eat her up? With this thought in mind, Lucas Joy was so scared that she turned around and wanted to run, but she was caught by Brother Lucas as soon as she moved.
He grabbed her wrist and pulled her hard, and she fell into his arms. He spoke coldly, "Janell Joy Carter, are you being silly?"
He called her by her full name, and scolded her for being silly?
Janell Joy raised her head and looked at him angrily with her big eyes. Her Brother Lucas was always so gentle to her, how could he yell at her? Was this person impersonating her Brother Lucas?
But before she could tell the truth, he carried her to the living room He gently put her on the sofa and sat down, but his voice was still very harsh. "Sit down and don't move!"
Janell Joy felt so afraid that she curled her lips. Sure enough, Brother Lucas was despising her stupidity?
Nathaniel stood up and looked around the room with his sharp eyes. Soon, he looked at the small cabinet in the corner. There was a first aid kit on the small cabinet.
He went over to pick up the first aid kit and walked back. He sat down next to Janell Joy and said with a sulky face, "Give me your hand."
823
"No!" Janell Joy Carter pouted and whined, like a child who did something wrong but still did not want to admit her mistake.
"Give me your hand!" Nathaniel Cooper's face darkened again, and his voice became colder, as if he was punishing a disobedient child.
"No!" Janell Joy said stubbornly. She didn't want Brother Lucas to see her scalded hand, or else he would be even more annoyed. She didn't want to see the look of disdain in his eyes.
"Janell, be a good girl. Give me your hand. I will help you deal with the scalding." It was useless to yell at her fiercely, so Nathaniel had to soften his voice.
He did not intend to be fierce at her, but he needed to warn her so that she wouldn't do anything that would hurt herself in the future.
"Don't worry about me." She had been struggling for so long in the evening. She just wanted to make a meal for him with her own hands. How could he yell at her? She felt misunderstood and wronged.
"If you don't want me to worry about you, then who would worry about you?" Nathaniel asked.
"Anyone but you." She had never been this misunderstood before, and in front of her Brother Lucas, she was being stubborn.
"It's my fault, I shouldn't have yelled at you just now."
Knowing that this little girl had a particularly stubborn temper, Nathaniel took the initiative to hold her hand. "Let me deal with your wound, or I will feel upset."
His voice became gentle again, which made Janell Joy feel a little warm inside. She could no longer stay stubborn.
"Oh..." Janell Joy obediently showed her hand. She lowered her head like a child who had done something wrong, but still did not look at him.
"Do you know why I yelled at you?" Nathaniel asked as he picked up the cotton ball and dipped it with alcohol to disinfect her hand. He must have seen the scalding on her hand and felt sorry for her. That was why he had chided her. Janell Joy knew that.
But she didn't want to say it, because she didn't agree with Brother Lucas's behavior. If he felt sorry for her, he should just say it. Why did he have to yell at her? Fortunately, she was forgiving. If she was ill tempered, she would probably be in tears already. She thought.
"Don't hurt yourself in the future, do you understand that?" After cleaning, he skilfully applied the medicine to her injury. He appeared very skilful when applying the medication, it made her feel like he often did these things.
Brother Lionel wasn't that free to always be helping others with their medication. This meant that he must have applied it on himself a lot.
Thinking of the last time when she changed the bandage for him at the earthquake disaster area, he had a lot of scars on his body. Janell Joy felt a pain in her heart again.
"Brother Lucas..."
"Alright, you should be fine now. I'm really sorry." Hearing that she was still using her nasal voice like she did whenever she was upset, Nathaniel thought that she was still blaming him for yelling at her.
"Brother Lucas, if I'm injured, you'll feel sorry for me, won't you?" she asked.
"Yes, so don't let yourself get hurt in the future," he said.
"Brother Lucas, then you have to promise me that you can't hurt yourself in the future too. Because if you get hurt, I will feel hurt too." Janell Joy looked at him like he was the center of her universe and said gently.
"Janell..." He called her name out and didn't say anything more. He was born into the prestigious Cooper family, and it was a presidential family.
He led a life different from others. Even his biological mother didn't teach him how to love his loved ones. She didn't teach him how to love the world. What his relatives taught him was to fight. He learnt that he had to keep fighting, so that he could stand at the highest position. In the end, no one would stay by his side!
"Brother Lucas, won't you promise me the same?" Janell Joy stretched out her other hand and grabbed his palm.
"Brother Lucas, let me protect you in the future."
If he couldn't promise her that he wouldn't be hurt again, then she wanted to protect him in the future, so that he wouldn't get hurt again.
"Silly girl, you are so silly and cute!" Nathaniel raised his hand and gently stroked her pink and tender face. "How can you be so silly?"
"Brother Lucas, other people would praise me for being smart, only you would say that I'm silly." She placed his palm on her face, "I'm not silly."
"You are my silly Janell." Nathaniel took her into his arms and hugged her. Just as he was about to kiss her, a rumbling sound interrupted him.
"Brother Lucas, you must be hungry." She didn't admit that she was hungry. She didn't want Brother Lucas to know that it was her stomach that rumbled.
"Yes, I'm hungry." Nathaniel lowered his head and kissed her on the forehead, saying, "Now let me cook for you."
"Brother Lucas, do you know how to cook?" Janell Joy widened her eyes and looked at him. She couldn't believe that the dignified President could cook.
"There's nothing that your Brother Lucas can't do." Nathaniel rubbed her head and said with a smile, "I will cook for you, whatever you want to eat."
"Brother Lucas, will you blow up the kitchen?" She had just burned the kitchen, and it was likely that Brother Lucas will blow up the kitchen.
"Little girl, are you underestimating me?" Nathaniel lowered his head and suddenly kissed her lips. He bit her lips as a punishment. "This is the punishment for underestimating me."
Janell Joy blushed but she secretly enjoyed Brother Lucas's punishment. She remembered that her father would often punish her mother like this.
Nathaniel took off his suit and went to the kitchen. He wore the apron that was hung up on the side and skilfully cleaned up the mess left behind by Janell Joy. Soon, he cleaned up the kitchen. It was so clean that the stovetop could be used as a mirror.
He opened the refrigerator and looked at the ingredients inside. He quickly came up with an idea and said, "Little girl, I'll prepare a meat dish, some potatoes, and tomato soup. How does that sound?"
There were only common ingredients in her refrigerator, and there were only the two of them. Nathaniel thought it was good enough, but the little girl did not answer him.
He looked back and saw the little girl standing at the door and staring blankly at him. "Brother Lucas, are you sure you can cook so many dishes?"
"Little girl, you have to trust me. Now all you need to do is to tell me if you are okay with these two dishes and the soup?" If it weren't for the gloves in his hands, Nathaniel would pinch this little girl again.
"I will eat whatever you prepared." Even if Brother Lucas cooked burnt food for her, she would also eat it. She wanted to empower him.
Soon, Janell Joy knew that she was wrong. Brother Lucas was skilfully cutting up the potatoes, and his skills were just like the chef back at her home.
Brother Lucas heated the pan and poured oil into the pan. After a short while, he put the potatoes into the pan. Not long later, he whipped up a plate of grilled potatoes.
After that, he stir fried some chicken with some spices. On the side, he was also preparing a nutritious pot of tomato soup. Everything was so perfect that there was no mistakes in the process too.
Janell Joy was surprised and asked, "Brother Lucas, when did you learn these? How do you even know these things?"
He was the President of a country. How many people worked for him? How could he be so good at making these home-cooked dishes?
"Since my Janell doesn't know how to cook, so I have to learn these things." Nathaniel rubbed her head and said with a smile.
In fact, it was not a joke. Nathaniel learned a lot of skills of cooking because Janell Joy didn't know how to.
824
"So did you learn cooking just for me?"
Janell Joy put on a wide smile. She didn't feel any pain from her injury anymore.
"I just didn't want to starve myself." Nathaniel Cooper served the dishes on the table and filled a bowl of soup for Janell Joy. "Taste the soup first."
"Brother Lucas, why can't you just admit it?" He obviously learned cooking for her, why wouldn't he admit it?
"Admit what?" Nathaniel asked.
"Don't forget that a man who doesn't speak his mind is unattractive." Janell Joy said.
"Of course, I don't want my Janell to starve too." Nathaniel smiled and said gently.
"That sounds about right."
"Mm, why don't you drink the soup?"
This little girl was silly sometimes. As she was preparing dinner for him, she even starved herself until her stomach growled and still didn't eat anything.
She had been well taken care of ever since she was a child. She had never suffered as much as she did today. She did all of this for him. At this moment, Nathaniel secretly decided that he would not let this girl suffer anymore.
Janell Joy picked up the bowl and took a small sip. She tasted it and felt that it tasted good. She took another mouthful and commented, "Brother Lucas, the soup is really delicious!"
"Try the dishes then." Nathaniel served her some chicken. "Eat more. Girls look
better when they are a little chubby." Seeing that she was trying to do so many things just for him, it seemed that she was still the little child who had to be taken care of by others.
Janell Joy pouted and said, "Brother Lucas, do you mean that I don't look good now?"
Nathaniel was slightly stunned, and he rephrased his words quickly, "You look good now too, but you will look better if you grow chubbier."
Janell Joy pursed her lips and said, "Aren't you a sweet talker."
Nathaniel smiled. This little girl was good at trapping people with her words, but sometimes she was as innocent as a child. She looked so happy with just simple praises and compliments.
Janell Joy ate a big mouthful of food and nodded happily. She really didn't expect that her Brother Lionel's cooking skills were so good, and it was as good as her mother's.
"Do you like it?" Nathaniel asked.
"It tastes so good." Janell Joy nodded hard.
"If it's good, then eat more." Nathaniel put more food to her plate and wiped her mouth with a napkin. He took good care of her, as if he was afraid that she would be hungry.
"Brother Lionel, you should eat too." Janell Joy also gave him some food. "It would be better if we eat together."
"Of course I will eat, but I have to feed my greedy kitten first. I can't let her starve." For Nathaniel, watching her eat was his kind of happiness.
"Who is your greedy kitten?" She was not his greedy kitten, he was not her anything yet.
"Oh, aren't you?" Nathaniel thought for a moment and then said solemnly,
"Then I have to try my best to make her my very own greedy kitten." He actually said that he would try his best to make her his very own greedy kitten!
Was Brother Lucas expressing his love to her indirectly? Did he mean that he would marry her in the future and make her his own?
Thinking of what Brother Lucas might imply, Janell Joy was so excited. But when she thought that Brother Lucas still had a fiance, she couldn't stay happy as she quietly lowered her head.
"Janell, what's wrong?" Janell Joy's mood changed slightly but Nathaniel noticed it immediately
"Nothing." Janell Joy quickly adjusted her mood and placed some food to his plate.
"Brother Lucas, please eat with me."
It was a rare opportunity for her to be with Brother Lucas and eat the food he cooked. She should cherish it, but why was she thinking about other things?
No matter how much she thought about the certainty of their future, it could not change the fact that Brother Lucas had a fiance now.
"Okay." Nathaniel looked at her. He wanted to know why she was so depressed just now and what she was thinking.
He thought that he could understand her sometimes, but most of the time, he couldn't figure out what she was thinking. Sometimes, he even felt that this little girl had already known his true identity...
However, he quickly dismissed that thought. It was true that she was smart, but he denied her allegations before. He trusted that she would believe him.
The night was as dark as ink. Fortunately, the lights lit up the city making the night look less lonely. The city was lit up by the bright lights, but in some corners of the city, darkness could still be seen.
It was so dark that one could not see one's fingers. After Nathaniel went to Janell Joy's house, Andrew returned to his home. His home was next to Janell Joy's, and there was only a thick wall between them.
They were only separated by a wall, but it separated them into two different worlds.
Her world was brightly lit up and she probably felt really warm now. And in his world, it was pitch black and cold. The coldness was the only feeling he had at this moment.
This was obviously an ordinary wall, but because this wall was too thick and the sound insulation was very good, he had to hold his breath and try to listen to the voices over the wall.
But still, he couldn't hear any sound from her room. He sat on the sofa in the living room. He did not turn on the lights and just sat there quietly. He was silent, but he was very anxious deep down.
He knew that if she needed his help, he would rush out to save her immediately. However, he knew clearly that it was impossible. How could she possibly need his help?
Nathaniel was the saint in her heart. Only that person could protect her, and no one else could. There was no chance for others.
At this moment, Nathaniel was beside her. She was probably living in cloud nine now, so how could she think about him, a lonely soul who was on the other side of the wall?
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
Andrew's phone suddenly vibrated. In this dark and quiet night, the sound of the vibration seemed so loud that it could shake the house.
Andrew looked over to his phone. But when he saw the number on the screen of his phone, his face darkened immediately and he squinted. He stared at the number flashing on the screen and said, "Damn it!"
It was not the phone call he had been waiting for. After a while, the phone stopped buzzing.
After a few seconds, the phone vibrated again. Andrew answered, "What's the matter?"
"Hello, Young Master Andrew!" A voice came from the phone. Most people couldn't tell who he was, but Andrew knew who the caller was. The person asked him for a.meeting a few nights ago, so he could recognize the voice immediately.
"If you have something to say, just say it." Andrew didn't want to waste any time.
The man chuckled and said, "Young Master Andrew, I just want to ask you, how does it feel to see your beloved girl alone in a room with another man? Does it hurt? Do you feel uncomfortable? Or do you have any other feelings?"
Andrew said coldly, "Get straight to the point."
825
The person on the other end of the phone ignored Andrew Carter's words and continued to say, "Young Master Andrew, I actually understand what you are feeling right now. It's like... you have been raising a precious treasure for more than a decade, and when you were about to enjoy your treasure, someone else stepped in and took it away from you. Is that right?"
"What the hell do you want to say?" Andrew growled. If that man was with him, he would twist his neck. No matter how Andrew roared, the man was physically far away from him. Not only was he not afraid of him, but more accurately, the man wanted to provoke him. He wanted to drive him crazy.
The man continued to say, "Young Master Andrew, don't get mad. You can shout at me, but it still can't change the fact that the girl you have been protecting for more than ten years is being intimate with another man, and maybe the two of them have already rolled into bed..."
"Shut up!" Andrew shouted with a fierce look in his eyes. He punched his coffee table hard.
When he thought of the girl he had protected carefully for more than a decade, and he couldn't even bear to touch her at all, yet she was being touched by another man. However, he was unable to stop it from happening.
That kind of heartache.was painful and unbearable. It made him so powerless that he wanted to destroy the world...
On the phone, the man continued to speak; "Young Master Andrew, you really don't have to be mad. Think about it. As long as you are willing, you have plenty of opportunities."
"Go to hell!" Andrew didn't want to listen to those words anymore. He grabbed.his phone and wanted to smash it, but the man was still talking.
"Young Master Andrew, I just want to tell you that.relationships are like businesses. There are always opportunities. No matter what you do, taking the lead means you have the advantage."
Taking the lead means you have the advantage? Andrew listened to this key point. In the business world, taking the lead meant grabbing a business opportunity as the first mover.
If he could grab a good business opportunity, there would be a lot more opportunities to make money..But in a relationship, what did it mean by taking the lead?
That meant first love! That meant the first time!
Just as Andrew was hesitating, the person at the.other end of the phone continued to say, "Young Master Andrew, the opportunity is in your hands, not in others'. Before everything happens, you still have the chance. Think about it, maybe one day, the opportunity will appear in front of you. By that time, you must seize the opportunity and not let it slip away from your fingertips."
Opportunity?
Andrew's lips curled up, and a cold smile appeared. It was up to him to seize the opportunity. Wasn't it always like this?
He still remembered that on his first day of being introduced to the Carter family, because Janell Joy said that she did not want him to be her brother, their father wanted to ask someone to send him away.
He seized the opportunity and spoke up, so he stayed, and became the adopted son of the Carter family:
Later on, after more than ten years in the Carter family, he worked hard in school, to be a good brother and a good son, and learned how to manage a business from all of his family members.
He earned his opportunities. It was from his own efforts.
"Young Master Andrew, around this time, they are probably done with their dinner already."
The man smiled. "It's getting late. I won't disturb your rest. Good night!"
After that, the man hung up the phone. Hearing the beeping sound, Andrew clenched his fist and turned to look at the wall between him and her. He was so angry that he smashed his phone on the wall.
"Janell Joy, I can't wait to destroy you."
"Achoo..." Janell Joy sneezed loudly, probably because she sensed someone calling her name.
Nathaniel had just washed the dishes and came out of the kitchen. When he saw her sneeze, he hurriedly took the coat that was put aside and put it on her, "It's getting cold. You have to wear thicker clothes. Don't catch a cold."
"With you taking care of me, I won't catch a cold." Janell Joy got into his arms while Brother Lucas was helping her to put on the coat. She reached out to hold his waist and said, "Brother Lucas, it's still early. Can you accompany me to watch TV for a while?"
In fact, it was getting late. She knew that Brother Lucas still had work to do tomorrow, but she just couldn't bear to let him go. She really wished that Brother Lucas could accompany her everyday like he used to do. When she went to bed, he would sing a lullaby to coax her to sleep. Of course, these were just Janell Joy's thoughts.
Brother Lucas was already the President of the country. How could he have time to stay with her every day? Suddenly, Janell Joy suddenly thought of something.
Brother Lucas did not have time to stay with her every day. She could think of ways to apply for a position around Brother Lucas, so that she could stay with him every day.
Was that okay? Was that a good idea? It seemed like it was possible.
Tomorrow, she would look for Samantha Lesley and ask Samantha to inquire from Brother Lucas's right hand man, Jason Lesley, about possible job prospects.
If Brother Lucas needed a secretary, she could think of a way to become Brother Lucas's secretary. That way, she would not have to miss Brother Lucas so much that she could not fall asleep.
"Okay, I will accompany you for a while." Nathaniel gently patted her on the back and asked, "What kind of show do you want to watch?"
"Let's watch the news!" These days, she had been watching the news a lot because that was when she could see her Brother Lucas's true appearance.
Nathaniel felt a little guilty. "What's so good about the news?"
"You're from Country A, so I'd like to read more news about Country A, then I can know you better."
As Janell Joy was talking, she then saw Mr. President on the TV from the corner of her eye.
Even if Brother Lucas was by her side, Janell Joy still felt happy when she saw Brother Lucas's real face. She pushed Nathaniel away and sat up, staring at Mr. President's face attentively.
"Janell..." Nathaniel coughed lightly. He was sitting next to her. How could she stare at other men?
"Brother Lucas, I think your President is very handsome." Janell Joy then thought to herself, "Brother Lucas, I'm still praising you. You must be very happy right?"
"Is he as attractive as me?" Nathaniel looked at her and asked.
"Of course." Janell Joy looked back at him and said, "He looks better than you."
After dressing up, Brother Lucas's "appearance" was very different from his actual look. He had to use makeup to alter the appearance of his facial features.
Janell Joy really felt that her Brother Lucas's real look was better looking. Nathaniel was even more upset. In this little girl's eyes, someone else was more handsome than he was. Even if that man was himself, he was still unhappy.
"Brother Lucas, are you okay?" The President on the TV was gone, so Janell Joy finally had time to pay attention to Brother Lucas.
"I'm fine." Nathaniel was still jealous and didn't want to talk to her.
"Brother Lucas, how about you tell me about your stories from these past few years?" She wanted to know more about Brother Lucas. She didn't want to know what everyone knew, but she wanted to know what nobody knew about Brother Lucas's private life.
Nathaniel was still angry, but when he saw Janell Joy's clear and bright eyes, he forgot about his anger already.
