Chapter 139: There Are Additional Issues
After a moment of silence, Donald got frustrated and blamed Jessie, “Why don’t you have self-esteem?”
Jessie put her hand to her cheek and looked at him in disbelief. And then she raised her voice, “You are right. I don’t have self-esteem because nobody taught me to have it.”
Pain and regret flashed over Donald’s eyes. When he was young, he put all his energy into his career.
He took an appointment in another city. His wife was seriously ill, and he only went back when he got a notice from the hospital that his wife was in critical condition.
When he got to the hospital, his wife had already closed her eyes forever. And his five-year-old daughter was dumbfounded, sitting by her side.
Donald was immersed in this sorrowful memory when his daughter fell on his chair, with her hands covering her face and tears coming through her fingers.
“Dad, I have never asked you to do anything for me since I was a kid. Could you please help me with this once? Help get him out of trouble?”
“Tristan Fox has made serious mistakes.”
“But he has done so many good things. Chasin has contributed so much to the city…”
“There are additional issues.”
“Things in this world do not happen independently. Most things are related and intertwined. Haven’t you make any mistakes in your life? Can you say that you have an absolutely clear conscience?”
The words crashed Donald’s ears as if a hammer was beating on his heart.
The memories that he had packed and sealed away in the deepest parts of his heart now surged to the surface.
Donald closed his eyes in pain.
“I knew you put your integrity first in your career. And you have been cautious and conscientious all your life. And you sacrificed everything, including your family. If you feel that you owe mom and me, you will help me this time.”
“And from now on, I will follow your choice. Even if you don’t want to see me again, I don’t blame you.”
Donald looked at his daughter in disbelief. “You…” he said heartbreakingly, “You are incurable.”Belongs to NôvelDrama.Org - All rights reserved.
Jessie laughed with sorrow. She had allowed herself to indulge in this hopeless love. And when she realized it, she was too deep in it to escape. She really was incurable.
After parting with her father sullenly, Jessie went for another appointment.
In a quiet booth of a fancy restaurant, Jessie ate just half of the food on her plate. Owen took out a small velvet box and pushed it to Jessie on the table, his eyes shining with delight.
“Jessica, marry me.”
Jessie was tongue-tied.
After a moment, she said, “I am not ready yet.”
Owen’s face was gentle. “Sure. I will give you time to think about it. Twenty-four hours or 72?”
“No,” Jessie was careful choosing the words, “It is not the right time to think about this.”
“Oh? Then when would be the appropriate time to start thinking about it?”
Jessie hardened her heart and looked at him, “Owen, it is not the time for us to get married. If you don’t want to wait, then that is it.”
And then she picked up her purse and left.
After Jessie got back to her apartment, she was so exhausted both physically and mentally that she went to the bathroom and soon dozed off in the bathtub.
When she woke up, her hands and feet were wrinkled and pale from soaking for such a long time.
Jessie put a robe on, walked out, and saw a gloomy person sitting on the recliner beside her bed.
She frowned, “Why did you came here?”
Owen raised the hospital report, “What is this?”
Jessie was annoyed, “You searched my purse?”
“I saw you acting strangely and was worried. Just now, your phone rang ceaselessly. I was afraid of waking you.”
Owen sneered, “Whose, is it? Whose child is it?”
Jessie felt cold in her heart.
“You rejected me because of this?”
Owen raised his eyebrows, “Or because of that, Tristan? You heard that he was being investigated, going to be cracked down on, and your heart suddenly softened for him?”
And suddenly evil flashed over his eyes, “Or, the child is his?”
His pale face turned red, and behind his glasses, there was a flame of rage, and perhaps humiliation too.
Jessie paused a little and sneered, “You are right. The child is not yours. As for whose it is, it has nothing to do with you.”
Owen stood up immediately as if he wanted to beat her, but he nodded afterward and said, “I know. I picked this time to propose intentionally. I wanted to see if you still have him in your heart. It is just as I thought…”
Owen’s eyes reddened, “What do you think the past few months were? Jessie, who the hell do you think I am?”
Jessie suppressed brimming tears and said in a cold tone, “You are what you think you are.”
“Before you leave, don’t forget to leave the key.”
Donald Harderson, who had just had a fight with his daughter, was sad. He looked at the empty house and thought of the happy and cozy family he once had. However, it had been gone for a long time, and the memories were something he could not usually recall.
He sighed and called his driver to get the car ready. He wanted to go to the office.
For years, Donald had put all his time and energy into his job. It was not just out of his conscientiousness; it was partly because he wanted to escape from the daily reality he had to face.
Donald walked to the door of his office with a heavy heart, taking the key out of his pocket.
The door was unlocked.
Donald walked in and saw the lamp on his desk was on. A person sat there. His back looked familiar and seemed to come straight from his memories of a past life.
The man turned around. He was holding a black and white photo in his hand. Donald’s heart seized.
The man said without hurry, “I didn’t see this picture in your house last time. You put it here.”
He waved the photo to him. The four young men in army uniforms in the photo flashed from his face.
He said with a smile, “Uncle Donald. Long time no see.”
Donald’s voice was trembling, “Who are you?”
“I am Charley Foster.”