Chapter 409 The Past 1
Diana had a toothbrush in her mouth, her hair tied up in a messy bun. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the door open.
Turning her head, she saw Charles standing there with a stern expression.
Confused, she took a couple of steps forward and mumbled, "Do you need to use the bathroom?"
Charles swallowed hard, took a step back, and silently closed the door again.
Diana was left puzzled by his behavior. After finishing her routine, she found him sitting on the couch, lost in thought.
The silence between them was thick. Finally, as Diana climbed into bed, she broke it. "Mr. Percy, thanks for today. I'm gonna hit the sack."
At the Percy Mansion.
The night was deep. Jacob sat by the bedside with a thick storybook, a gentle smile on his face.
"Benjamin, what bedtime story do you wanna hear?"
Benjamin, snuggled up in bed with just his head peeking out, yawned and suddenly asked, "Mr. Hearst, are you close with Mr. Percy?"
Jacob paused in his page-turning.
He used to take care of Juniper, and after Juniper passed away, he started working for Charles.
Memories of a small but stubborn figure from years ago flashed through his mind.
Jacob couldn't help but smile slightly. "Yeah, I watched Mr. Percy grow up."
Because of this, sometimes Charles would actually listen to Jacob's advice.
Hearing this, Benjamin's interest was piqued. "Then I wanna hear about that! Mr. Hearst, can you tell me stories about Mr. Percy?"
"Well... Benjamin, if you're curious, why not ask Mr. Percy yourself?" Jacob countered.
Benjamin blinked his big, bright eyes. "He definitely won't tell me. Mr. Percy doesn't like to talk."
Jacob closed the storybook, frowning slightly. Benjamin had never shown much interest in Charles before. Why the sudden curiosity?
"Even though Mr. Percy and I sometimes clash, I feel like he is like my dad. I've never met my dad, you know."
Benjamin pouted, clearly trying to be endearing.
To others, his father was Zachary, Charles' half-brother, and the two were like oil and water within the Percy family.
Despite being considered Zachary's child, Benjamin's personality and looks were much more like Charles'.
Having never met his biological father, Benjamin could only imagine a father figure through Charles, which was quite sad.
Thinking of this, Jacob's guard lowered a bit. He set the storybook aside and ruffled Benjamin's hair. "Alright, let's hear this story then."
Benjamin blinked, waiting quietly.
Jacob stared at a spot on the blanket, lost in thought. His mind drifted back many years. He began speaking in a low, warm voice.
"Thirty years ago, there was a girl who lost her parents early and grew up in poverty. She was raised by her grandparents, but one day, her grandfather fell seriously ill and needed a large sum of money."
Benjamin was puzzled. This sounded like a typical Cinderella story, but he didn't interrupt and kept listening.
"But she had no money. To save her grandfather, she thought of selling a kidney."
Okay, this wasn't Cinderella; this was organ trafficking.
Benjamin pursed his lips, momentarily speechless.
Jacob, engrossed in the story, didn't realize it was too dark for a child.
He continued, "Through a friend's introduction, she quickly found a buyer. The buyer was a very wealthy young man, but his health was poor, and as he grew older, his kidneys failed faster, requiring a transplant."
"The young man's mother met with the girl and set a date. But on the day of the surgery, the girl received a call from the hospital saying her grandfather had passed away."
Benjamin's eyes widened. Despite the dark turn, the story was intriguing. "And then?"
"Then the surgery was canceled. The wealthy family had no trouble finding another suitable kidney."
Jacob paused, his expression turning serious. "But one day, the young man suddenly collapsed and was in critical condition. Desperate, his mother begged the girl to save her son."
"The girl, who was around the same age as the young man, couldn't bear to refuse. Plus, she thought if she had no money and her grandmother fell ill, she wouldn't be able to save her either. So she agreed."
Benjamin's mouth fell open, his brows furrowed. "Why was she so foolish? Selling a kidney isn't like selling vegetables; it has a huge impact on her health. And her grandparents were already old. Wouldn't it be better to take care of them until the end? Money can't solve everything. Her grandfather still died, didn't he?"
"True, but she was young and naive. And saving the young man could ensure her a lifetime of financial security," Jacob explained, defending the girl a bit.
"Did the young man survive?"
Jacob nodded. "The surgery was successful, and the young man survived. The girl and the young man stayed in the same hospital. They had never met before the transplant. In the hospital, they ran into each other, and the girl fell in love with him at first sight."
Benjamin frowned. "Love at first sight?"
"Surprising, isn't it? Sometimes, feelings just happen that way."
"How could she fall for someone so easily? Did the kidney transplant mess with her brain too?"
Benjamin's sharp comment made Jacob chuckle.
Then Jacob's expression turned sad again. "The girl was bold in love. She pursued the young man passionately, and they fell in love."
"But their love soon faced obstacles. In families like theirs, marriages had to be between equals. Despite the girl's sacrifice, the young man's mother wouldn't allow them to be together. She even gave the girl a large sum of money to leave the city."
Benjamin's mouth formed an "o" shape. "Did the young man go after her?"
"No, he thought she was greedy and accepted the arranged marriage his family set up. He moved on."
"Mr. Hearst, this story is driving me crazy." Benjamin closed his eyes, too overwhelmed to criticize the characters anymore, feeling his worldview shaken.
Jacob didn't push him further. He tucked Benjamin in. "Alright, let's stop here. Time to sleep. Goodnight."
But Benjamin shot up. "No, keep going! I can't sleep without knowing the end!"
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