Chapter 400 Jennifer's Humility
James smiled, but there was something off about it, a kind of sadness Jennifer had never seen before. It felt like it came from deep inside him, like he was mourning something really important and about to let go of something he cherished.
Jennifer was taken aback. She looked at James and suddenly felt like she didn't know him anymore. It wasn't just because they hadn't seen each other in over a month or because his scars had healed. It was like he had changed into a completely different person.
She longed to speak, yet words eluded her.
James noticed her reaction and gave her a gentle smile. He helped her up and softly said, "You've lost weight."
Hearing that, Jennifer felt a lump in her throat. All the longing, pain, despair, and frustration from the past month hit her hard, making her eyes well up with tears again.
She gripped James's hand tightly, looking at his face, which not only looked like it used to but was even more handsome. She didn't care anymore about how he had healed or what methods he had used. None of that mattered. All she could think about were the moments they had shared and how much she had missed him.
Finally, she bit her lip and said, "I didn't sign the divorce papers. I tore them up. We're not divorced."
James's eyes widened, and his breathing got faster. He looked away from her.
They were still married. So he and Jennifer were still husband and wife.
Thinking about the Smith Family, his past, and what Gabriel had told him when he was sent here—"Don't get emotionally involved"—James felt a heavy weight on his chest, making it hard to breathe.
Seeing him like this, Jennifer thought he was still upset about Kaitlyn and Dennis forcing him to divorce. She still thought he blamed her for not stopping it in time. She quickly explained, "James, it's a misunderstanding. I never wanted to divorce you! When I found out about it, I regretted not telling you sooner about Kaitlyn and Dennis's selfish plans. If you can't forgive them, I'm willing to move out with you, okay?"
For the first time, James discerned a sense of inferiority in Jennifer. She had always been proud, preferring to suffer rather than ask for help, especially in their relationship. But now, to keep him, she was begging in a way he couldn't have imagined.
James felt a lump in his throat, his emotions all over the place, unable to speak.
He held Jennifer's hand, their fingers tightly interlocked, feeling very conflicted.
Anyone in his position would know what choice to make.
When James first came to Lindwood City and married into Jennifer's family, it felt like a mission, a dream, like playing a game. No matter how real it seemed, it was always fake. He was supposed to pull out eventually. But now, he was stuck, knowing it was all fake but not wanting to leave because he had fallen for a woman in this "game," his so-called wife.
Sound crazy? Yeah, it did.
Maybe every guy out there would laugh at him. Who would be willing to give up a big career for a woman? He was supposed to be the future heir of the Smith Family, with a high status and the potential to do great things.
But now, he was hesitating, ready to give up that chance for a woman and live a regular life.
"Jennifer, have you ever wondered why I married into your family in the first place?" James asked after a long pause.
Jennifer's face froze, and she looked a bit panicked.
She had thought about it. James marrying into her family was so sudden. At first, it didn't seem like a big deal; the Johnson Family had some money, and she was pretty. For five years, she didn't question it. But then James changed, showing a completely different side, and she had to wonder.
Someone as amazing as James shouldn't have married into another family, especially pretending to be a loser for five years. That wasn't normal.
But it happened, so there had to be a reason, a plan behind it.
She had contemplated it; she was no fool. How could she not? Yet, she became so entangled in it that she began deceiving herself, unwilling to consider James's ulterior motives. She merely wished for things to remain unchanged and to live with James eternally.
"I don't want to know," Jennifer said, shaking her head gently.
James sighed and said, "I never thought we'd get to this point. I thought when my time was up, I could leave without any attachments, without affecting you. But I failed; I can't hold on."
Hearing James's strange words, Jennifer got even more flustered, especially seeing the sadness, regret, and helplessness on his face. She felt not just flustered but terrified.
"James, stop talking. I don't want to hear it. Let's pretend nothing happened, okay? Let's go back to how things were and live like this forever!" Jennifer's voice was filled with pleading and fear.
But James didn't stop because he knew some things had to be said; they couldn't keep going like this.
"In our country, there's a huge family with influence all over, in business and politics. They control a lot of fields, including martial arts, medicine, mysticism, and technology."
James started speaking slowly.
"In this family, there's a genius. He's super talented in martial arts, medicine, mysticism, business, and other fields. He's always number one, making other geniuses feel suffocated. He was arrogant, domineering, and did a lot of bad things. Everyone hated him, but everyone feared him. But he didn't care; he wanted to be the absolute best, defeating anyone who got in his way."
"But at the peak of his arrogance, his grandfather suddenly gave him a task he had to complete."
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