Chapter 365 Fun Is Fine, But Marriage Is Impossible
"What's that?" Francis and Hope asked almost at the same time.
Elissa tried to remember. "When I was trying to get out of the seaweed, I think I saw a hand in there, and my leg touched something cold and wet."
She continued, "I was holding my breath and felt a bit dizzy, so I didn't get a good look. I thought it might've been a fish or something. And about the hand, I might've just imagined it."
After pausing a bit, she said, "As for the allergy, I don't have any history of allergies. Did the doctor say it was an allergic reaction?"
Francis replied, "We're not sure yet. We're waiting for the test results."
Elissa nodded and turned to Hope, "Hope, I know you're worried, but Francis is here with me. You should enjoy your honeymoon with Jerry and not let me hold you back."
Hope shook her head, "Let's go back to Maple Valley. We can't relax with you like this. Let Mr. Griffin or Mr. Quill check you out."
Elissa wanted to protest, but Hope cut her off, "It's already decided. The flight's arranged."
On the plane, Madison didn't ask much, just checked on Elissa's health.
Elissa sipped her juice, "I'm tough. Don't worry about me."
Madison smiled, "I'm not sure about your real condition, but your positive attitude is great."
Francis and Jerry were in the smoking area.
Jerry had quit smoking, so Francis didn't take out his cigarettes.
"Elissa's a good swimmer. She even learned diving. She should've been able to get out of the seaweed. That hand probably wasn't a mistake," Jerry said.
Francis frowned, "I've sealed off that area."
Jerry suggested, "You sealed off that area, but the whole sea isn't yours. Someone could dive from underwater."
Francis had thought of that, but if someone dived from outside the area he had people watching, without being noticed, all the way to where Elissa was swimming, how could his people not notice?
"People who live by the sea learn to swim from a young age," Jerry added. "Holding their breath while diving is easy for them. With an oxygen tank, it shouldn't be a problem. You should look into the men Jessa has been in contact with, and your enemies."
Jerry's eyes flashed with mockery, "You have a lot of enemies. It'll take a while to investigate. If you need my help, you'll have to beg."
Francis looked at him coldly, "You have fewer enemies?"
Jerry brushed off imaginary dust from his clothes, his voice lazy and annoying, "But I'm happy now, while you're still facing full of obstacles on the way to happiness."
Francis wasn't going to ask him for help and didn't want to waste time with him. He had Sebastian Peterson in Maple Valley check his enemies.
When the plane landed, Sebastian sent the results to Simon, who was with Francis.
Simon immediately reported to Francis, "Mr. Peterson, we found someone who once competed with your father and lost. Later, he used connections to get his son a position, and his son was coincidently under your father's jurisdiction. Because of a major mistake, his son was kicked out by your father and could never enter politics again."
That was a serious grudge.
But Francis didn't expect the other side to get information so quickly.
He had just confirmed his relationship with Elissa.
Francis asked, "Has he had any recent contact with Jessa?"
Simon replied, "His son went abroad to avoid trouble and met Jessa, but they didn't have close interactions. We can't conclude that Ms. Wilson's drowning was their joint plan."
Francis had a gut feeling that things weren't that simple.
He felt guilty towards Jessa, but if Jessa wanted Elissa dead, he wouldn't let it slide.
"Go dig deeper."
Simon agreed and went to work immediately.
The car Jerry arranged was already waiting.
Elissa and Hope took one car, while Madison, with the kid and Garry, took another.
Jerry didn't rush to get close to Hope and sat alone in the car, waiting for Francis for a long time.
So, as soon as Francis got in, Jerry said, "Jessa or Elissa, Mr. Peterson, who are you going to choose?"
In this regard, Francis indeed lost to Jerry.
Jerry had liked Hope since they were kids and had always liked her, so she was his only loved one.
In the end, Francis could only say to him, "Are you still my friend?"
Jerry leaned lazily in the seat, coldly saying, "No."
When they arrived at the hospital, Declan was already waiting.
Actually, Elissa felt fine after the IV drip. She had always been in great shape.
Having someone as skilled as Declan come over and wait for her made her feel really embarrassed.
So Elissa said, "I'm really sorry to trouble you so late."
Declan waved his hand, "Never mind, I can still do it. In the future, you might have to see my students, but I hope you all stay healthy."
Elissa said, "Thank you."
Declan sat down and started examining Elissa.
Meanwhile, Francis received the test report from the female doctor.
The report showed an allergen, possibly from seaweed or algae, but further analysis was needed.
It was rare to have an allergy to algae. If you didn't swim in the sea or outdoors, or keep fish, you probably wouldn't come into contact with algae often.
"This is quite unusual," Jerry glanced at it and said, "Such a hard-to-detect allergen would be difficult for outsiders to know. I lean more towards the idea that the person intended to drown Elissa, and the allergy was just a sudden occurrence."
Jerry gave Francis a look and then added, "The perpetrator probably mistook Elissa's allergic reaction for drowning, so he or she left quickly, giving you time to rescue her."
Francis's fingers tightened around his phone, the veins on the back of his hand throbbing.
If it weren't for the sudden allergy, Elissa might have died at the bottom of the sea.
Thinking about it still made Francis feel a wave of fear.
He would never allow such a thing to happen again.
Since Jessa had voluntarily said she wanted to go abroad, he would send her away.
As for that adversary, he would make him pay dearly for his foolish actions.
"I won't interfere with the rest," Jerry said lazily, one hand in his pocket, "I don't want people to say I'm colluding with you."
Francis couldn't help but curse at him before entering the examination room.
As soon as he entered, he heard Declan say, "You're not doing well."
Francis's usually calm face showed urgency, "What's wrong with her?"
Having lived to this age, Declan had seen it all and didn't feel any embarrassment in saying anything. Moreover, he was a doctor and couldn't hide anything.
So he replied, "She is too exhausted and needs some time to rest and recover. Mr. Peterson, don't rely on your good health to keep pushing yourself. Take some time to rest as well."
They were all adults, and there was nothing they couldn't understand. Declan spoke calmly, but Francis felt embarrassed. Saying such things in public was somewhat shameful.
"I understand." Francis cleared his throat, "Thank you, Mr. Griffin."
Declan stood up and said, "There's nothing else wrong. Just be particularly careful about the allergen we found this time. Her lung also needs care, so keep a light diet and take good care of her."
Elissa and Francis saw Declan to his car. Hope and Jerry followed behind.
After seeing Declan off, Elissa said to Hope, "Let's have a meal together."
Madison and Garry had already taken the kids back to Tranquil Haven, mainly to avoid the kids catching any germs from the hospital. Moreover, waiting at home for news was the same as waiting here for Madison.
Hope sent a message to Madison to update her and then linked arms with Elissa as they got into the car.
This time, Francis drove. But before getting in the car, he couldn't escape Jerry's teasing, "I know you're just starting your sex life, but consider Elissa's health too."
Francis ignored him and bent down to get into the car.
Elissa needed to watch her diet, so the four of them found a light restaurant. Previously, only Jerry peeled shrimp at the table, but now Francis did too. Elissa winked at Hope, who smiled back.
Midway through the meal, Francis's phone, placed by his hand, vibrated. He wiped his hands clean, glanced at the caller ID, and answered. "Mom."
Elissa immediately fell silent, her back straightening slightly. Hope found it amusing and whispered to Jerry.
But Francis suddenly stood up, "Mom, don't get involved in this."
On the other end, Rainey tried to persuade him, "I don't want to interfere, but are you really going to throw away all the years of growing up together just for a relationship?"
Rainey added, "Besides, your girlfriend is just a novelty. Francis, you know better than anyone that her background makes it impossible for her to marry you. If she could, why didn't I fight with your grandfather to make Jessa my daughter-in-law?"
After a while, she said, "Francis, Jessa can't be sent abroad again. She's been lonely for too long. We can't be so selfish."
Francis listened, his tone calm, "If you really cared about her, why didn't you plead with Grandpa back then to keep her from being sent so far abroad? Couldn't you have found a place for her in the country?"
He went on, "Mom, deep down, you still care about the Peterson family's dignity. You're no better than Dad. We Petersons always prioritize family interests. Anything that touches on family interests is dealt with calmly."
Elissa watched as Francis walked towards the restroom. She said to Hope, "This call is likely about me, maybe even Jessa."
Otherwise, Francis wouldn't have left the table.
"Let's dig in. Francis will handle it. Some things he doesn't want you to hear, so there's no need to take it to heart. It's probably not good anyway," Hope said, serving Elissa some food to comfort her.
Elissa and Francis's situation was different from Hope and Jerry's. If they were to get to the point of marriage, it would likely be a battle.
In the restroom, Francis lit a cigarette. Rainey kept talking on the other end, but Francis maintained his stance: Jessa must be sent abroad, and he was serious about Elissa, not just playing around.
Rainey was so angry that her blood pressure rose, and she had to take medication to continue the conversation. "What, are you going to give up your position as the Peterson family heir and cut ties with the family for her?"
Francis's voice was more solemn than ever, "I can."
Rainey took a deep breath, trying to control her anger, "Francis, do you know what you're saying? I've heard that your father's rival has already made a move on your girlfriend."
She added, "She just got involved with you and is already targeted. Have you thought about the future? If you make your relationship public, how many people will use her to threaten you?"
"We say we want you to be free, but you know very well what path you have to take in the future."
"The person standing by your side can only be a wife who can support you, not one who constantly needs you to save her ass."
Francis stubbed out his cigarette and coldly asked, "Are you done?"
Rainey gritted her teeth, "Jessa has been staying with me at the Peterson Mansion recently. No matter how skilled the people you trained are, they can't take away someone I'm protecting from the Peterson Mansion."
"I won't stop you from playing around. You've never experienced love before, so it's okay to try it out. But after a while, you need to bring back a wife who can help you, someone with a strong background."
When Francis was young, he could be threatened because he wasn't strong enough. Now, Francis couldn't be controlled by Wesley or his parents.
Francis simply said, "Mom, if you don't let my people take her, it won't be a pretty scene when I come over."
Rainey sneered, "We'll see. Francis, don't forget your identity. If you weren't a Peterson, you wouldn't have the luxury to be willful. Everything you have is given by the Peterson family, and you must follow the family's arrangements."
Francis hung up the phone, returned to the table, grabbed his coat, and said to Elissa, "I have to take care of something. After you finish eating, have Jerry and the others take you home. I'll come to you tonight after I'm done."
Elissa, who usually seemed carefree, had actually become sensitive due to her upbringing. Francis leaving in such a hurry, without even finishing his meal, made her feel his agitation. Clearly, his mother didn't approve of their relationship.
Elissa said, "Don't worry about me. How could Hope let me go home alone? You take care of your business, and you don't have to come over tonight."
Francis raised his hand to ruffle Elissa's hair, "Wait for me tonight."
After Francis left, Elissa looked at Jerry, thoughtful, "Mr. Hammer, you once told Hope that whether I can marry into the Peterson family depends on Francis, right?"
Jerry only replied calmly, "Don't worry."
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