Chapter 248: He Forced Her to Prove Herself
I stood there, stunned.
Nolan broke free from Jerry's grip, rushing over like a small, protective creature, and wrapped his arms around my legs, tears streaming down his face. “That’s not true, Jerry! You’re too much!”
Jerry chuckled coldly, his gaze never wavering from mine. “Isn’t it?”
I realized he had misunderstood me. This was a test—his way of seeking validation.
Jerry stared at me, waiting for my denial. This was the last chance he was giving me.
Slowly, I averted my gaze, crouching down to embrace Nolan, wiping away his tears. “It’s okay, Nolan. Jerry’s wrong. Can you give me a moment to explain things to him?”
Nolan blinked his long, tear-filled lashes and nodded. “Okay.”
I dialed Elissa’s number. “Elissa?”
She sounded puzzled. “What’s up?”
“Can you come to the fifth floor and take Nolan to the birthday party?”
“Sure.” Elissa sensed the tension in my voice and agreed immediately, asking worriedly, “What’s going on?”
I pressed my lips together. “I’ll explain tonight.”
In no time, Elissa arrived and took Nolan away.
Jerry and I stood on opposite sides of the doorway, both tense and unhappy.
I glanced at Jerry, licking my dry lips. “Jerry, has anyone ever told you that you’re very childish?”
Jerry was good in every way, except when it came to communication. As kids, it had been rare for Jerry to say anything nice unless I was in tears. I had been the same back then—arrogant and domineering, but the past twenty years had changed us. Jerry and I had become entirely different people.
Jerry sneered. “Hope, you won’t even give me an explanation, and you’re already lecturing me?”
I smiled faintly. “How could I dare? Because of what happened two years ago?”
Jerry nodded. “Yes.”
“You investigated me?”
“Yes.”
“What did you find?”
“What do you think?”
I fell silent. These past two years, besides searching for Jerry, learning from Dave, and treating my depression, I had done nothing else. Yet, he was furious.
My phone suddenly rang. The caller ID showed it was Cecil. Jerry’s face turned even colder, and I instantly understood why he was so angry.
Summoning some unknown courage, I walked over and stood in front of him, ignoring his icy demeanor. I murmured, “Cecil and I…”
Under Jerry’s intense gaze, I grabbed his collar and stood on tiptoe, pressing my lips against his.
Jerry was momentarily stunned. The next second, he couldn’t hold back anymore. He grabbed my waist, lifting me, responding with a stormy kiss that left me breathless.
I lost my strength, wrapping my arms around Jerry’s neck, and stepped back, my eyes misty from the kiss. My voice was soft yet firm. “Cecil and I have never kissed like this.”
“I think I know what you found out.” I pressed my forehead against his. “During those two years abroad, I lived in a house owned by Cecil. He took care of me, but that’s all. We were not dating. Even when he visited Fantasia Federation on business, we never lived together.”
Jerry pulled me even closer, still trying to maintain a stern facade. “What else, Hope? Tell me everything at once.”
I was slightly stunned. “What else did you find?”
He retorted, “What should I have found?”
My eyes flickered with uncertainty. I didn’t know the extent of Jerry’s connections. But since he had discovered the house I lived in, he probably knew everything else too.
I hugged Jerry, hesitantly saying, “Jerry, it’s not serious, and it’s already cured.”
This time, it was Jerry’s turn to freeze.
“Cured?” he repeated.
I nodded. “Yes. Cecil introduced me to a very skilled psychologist, a very gentle woman who helped me a lot.”
“Psychologist?” Jerry suddenly grabbed my shoulders, eyes filled with turmoil. “You had depression? When did this happen?”
“A long time ago.”
Convinced that Jerry remained unaware about my illness at the moment, I decided to spare him the guilt by sharing only part of the truth. "I was diagnosed before your accident."
Jerry suddenly pulled me into a fierce embrace, whispering, "Hope, are you serious? Why didn't you tell me?"
I gently patted his head. "I guess I’m just foolish, Jerry. That's why I need you, to balance me out. According to the law of conservation, smart people and stupid people complement each other, right?"
"You're so dumb," he muttered, pinching my face in frustration.
A sharp pain seized my lower abdomen. Just as I was about to excuse myself, Jerry's phone rang. I took the opportunity to step away.
Jerry watched me head toward the bathroom, his eyes concerned as he answered the call.
Given his connections within Fantasia Federation, it would have been easy for Jerry to uncover everything if he really wanted to. Yet, Heather had only discovered bits and pieces. He knew the issue lay either with Heather or Steven.
On the other end was Steven.
"Jerry, I've stumbled upon something. Heather didn't pick up, so I'm contacting you directly."
Jerry lit a cigarette, his voice steady. "Go ahead."
"The latest intel from my team: Ms. Royston was diagnosed with depression, medicated for two years, and attempted suicide last summer by slashing her wrists."
Jerry’s grip on the phone tightened, his voice trembling. "When exactly? What led to it?"
"It was August 23rd."
In an instant, Jerry's hand quivered, the cigarette scorching his skin, eliciting a gasp that had nothing to do with the physical burn.
It was his heart that shattered.
The realization that Hope had attempted suicide on his birthday last year left him deeply anguished. Jerry's eyes brimmed with tears, his breath catching in his throat.
A deep drag on his cigarette did nothing to ease his torment. Hunched over, he looked utterly devastated. He dared not reflect on his actions and words since Hope’s return.
Hope had sought a divorce upon returning and sought him out. She had distanced herself from Cecil consistently, yet what had he done? He had oscillated between clinging to her and grappling with their past.
Just ten minutes ago, he had uttered such cruel words, accusing her of deception, wielding the harshest language to elicit a confession. Yet Hope had never been in the wrong.
The silence on the other end grew heavy. Steven’s voice came uncertainly, "Jerry?"
Before he could respond, the door to Steven's office burst open. Heather stormed in, glaring daggers at Steven, her anger palpable.
Steven waited, but when Jerry still didn’t reply, he sighed, "Jerry, I'll hang up now. Call if you need anything. I’ll also send the details to your email immediately."
Once Steven ended the call, Heather’s hand struck his face with force. Steven winced, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth with a smirk. "You've got a hell of a slap, Heather, thanks to that black belt in Taekwondo."
Heather, her eyes blazing behind black-framed glasses, retorted, "Steven, you’re a disgrace! How dare you tell Jerry!"
Steven's voice was measured. "My team discovered the truth. Jerry saved my life, given me everything I have. Neither you, I, nor anyone else has the right to betray him."
Despite his murky morals, Steven adhered to a strict code of loyalty. He might have endured many unsavory activities over the years, but betraying Jerry wasn’t an option.
Heather's voice shook with rage. "So you never considered hiding it for me?"
Steven met her gaze steadily. "No."
Heather’s indignation flared. "Then why did you sleep with me yesterday?"
Just yesterday, they had tangled together in a heated passion, multiple times, as if it was their first. Heather had misinterpreted it as his agreement to conceal the truth.
Now her prospects at Apex Technologies were at stake. Jerry's wrath was not something one could escape unscathed.
Steven grasped Heather's wrist as she moved to strike him again, playing with her fingers. "Heather, I didn’t tell Jerry that you deliberately kept the information hidden. But this is your only warning. If you attempt this again, no one can save you!"
I sat in the bathroom, overwhelmed as I realized my period had arrived suddenly. After a brief hesitation, I called out, "Jerry? Jerry!"
Outside, Jerry snapped back to reality, striding swiftly to the bathroom door, knocking, "What’s wrong? I'm here."
I muttered, "Can you go upstairs and get me some... pads?"
Jerry's response was immediate. "I have some here."
"What?" I was taken aback.
There was no response from outside the door. After a moment, there was another knock. "Open the door."
I carefully unlocked and opened the door slightly. Jerry's well-defined hand reached in, offering a large bag of sanitary pads.
When I emerged from the bathroom and saw Jerry deep in thought, I couldn’t help but ask, "What’s bothering you?"
"Nothing," he said, his eyes slightly reddened, pulling me into his arms. "I was just thinking about how hard those two years must have been for you."
I tried to keep my tone light. "It wasn’t so bad. Dave and the others were very supportive. Elissa often visited, and Coco was with me every day. Even the neighbor was very kind."
Jerry forced a smile. "Really?"
"Of course." I replied, then glared playfully. "But why do you have so many pads at home?"
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