Chapter 234: I Am Not Even a Backup Option
Jerry was being unreasonable.
I looked at him. "Knock it off!"
As Cecil said, Cecil had always been there for me, whether it was during our college days or two years ago. He was the one who had helped me get through the toughest times.
If it weren’t for him, I don't know how I would have navigated the aftermath of my accident. He had found me a doctor, introduced me to mentors, and helped me rebuild my career from scratch. He was the reason I emerged from the abyss of depression so quickly.
I knew I couldn’t repay him emotionally, but I owed him my eternal gratitude.
Jerry acted as if he hadn’t heard a word, his grip tightening instead of loosening. I felt utterly helpless until Cecil intervened, “It’s okay. Stay and have dinner with them.”
With that, Cecil changed his shoes and left.
The door closed, and a wave of guilt washed over me. I broke free from Jerry’s grip, glaring at him. “Are you satisfied now?”
“Very,” Jerry replied, his expression inscrutable. “Are you mad?”
Considering Nolan's presence and Jerry's condition, I shook my head and spoke calmly, “No. Let’s eat.”
We continued our meal in silence.
After dinner, Jerry glanced at me. “Are you mad because I didn’t let you see him off?”
I denied, "I'm not mad."
Jerry pressed, “If you’re not mad, then why the silent treatment?”
“I have nothing to say. Who talks just for the sake of it?”
Jerry snorted, "He personally attacked me, and you're not mad at him, but you're mad at me for not letting you see him off?"
I pursed my lips. "Again, I'm not mad. Cecil has indeed helped me a lot, and I don't want to be rude to a guest."
Jerry’s voice softened, “What about me?”
From the sofa, where he lay rubbing his full belly, Nolan interjected softly, “Jerry, don’t be jealous anymore. Hope said Cecil is a guest and you’re family.”
Jerry frowned and looked at me. "Really?"
I stayed silent, but Nolan answered brightly, “Really. Cecil heard it too.” He tugged at Jerry’s sleeve. “Jerry, do you know why my dad got divorced?”
Jerry raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t it because he’s old-fashioned?”
"No."
"Then why?"
"Because he doesn't know how to talk like you." Nolan sighed dramatically, “With the way you act, it’s no wonder Hope doesn’t like you. Girls like boys who can make them happy.”
I couldn't help but laugh, seeing Jerry pinch Nolan's cheek affectionately before asking, “Who told you that?”
Nolan tilted his little head. "No one told me. Every time Dad says something unpleasant, Mom gets unhappy. I can observe!"
Jerry laughed and shook his head. "Mischievous little man."
Nolan blinked his big eyes, taking advantage of Jerry's good mood, and tentatively asked, "Jerry, can I sleep at Hope's house tonight? I want to hear her bedtime stories."
Jerry glanced at me. "That depends on Hope."
"But she said it depends on you."
"Is that so?" Jerry's lips curved into an amused smile. He nodded towards the bathroom. "If you can manage your bath by yourself, you can sleep at Hope's."
Overjoyed, Nolan rushed into the bathroom, humming a tune. Soon, the sound of running water filled the apartment.
I bent down to pick up my drawing board, intending to work on the balcony for a while, when I felt Jerry's index finger suddenly hooked around my right pinky finger from behind.
He gave a delicate shake, his voice dropping to a murmur. "Am I really family?"
My heart raced, yet my lingering frustration hadn’t entirely subsided. "You and he are both friends."
Jerry sneered, "Friends? Are you going to say just friends?"
I hesitated, meeting his gaze. "Then you tell me, what are we?"
Fiancé and fiancée? How many years had it been since that engagement? Besides Jerry, who else even remembered?
As Cecil had pointed out, his family would never allow me to marry Jerry. If they had, the events two years ago would never have happened.
But now, staring into Jerry's intense eyes, I felt a flicker of hope.
He slightly lifted his long eyelashes, his beautiful eyes piercing mine. "That depends on you, Hope. You owe me an explanation for what happened two years ago."
Taking a deep breath, I whispered, "Your father came to see me. I had no choice."
Back then, I had been utterly powerless against the might of his family. Yet, I had not wanted Jerry to bear the brunt of my defiance alongside me.
Jerry frowned, then let out a bitter laugh. "So, because of that, you vanished into thin air for two years, standing by as Mrs. Valence? I landed in hot water barely a month after you left."
Predictably, Jerry wasn’t easily placated by my explanation. Resigned, I admitted, "I actually wasn't with the Valence family. I just forgot my phone when I left."
Jerry's gaze hardened. "Then where were you, and what were you doing?"
I clenched my hands, the truth stinging my tongue.
Jerry always saw through to the heart of the matter. I shouldn’t have thought I could dodge his questions.
Suddenly, he released my finger, his voice turning as cold as ice. "You spent those two years with Cecil, didn’t you?"
I froze, taken aback by his deduction.
Jerry sneered, his voice rough and ragged. "So, I wasn’t even a backup option?"
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