Ch. 671..680

Chapter 671

Josie never thought that there would come a day when a gentle and harmless girl would stand beside Zayne, bursting her bubble and fantasy of ever being loved by Zayne again. However, she had no tears left to cry.

"I'm going to bring Zayne over right now. Josie, just pour all your grievances that he has done to you." Angeline angrily walked back to the front yard.

The initially lively front yard suddenly became silent. Except for Storm and Finn, who looked like little lambs at the gate, everyone else was gone. "Where's everyone?" Angeline was puzzled.

Storm told Angeline, "President Ares and Old Master Severe are talking in the study. Madam Severe and Ms. Thomas went to the kitchen to prepare dinner. Your dad is by the side, tending to his garden." Angeline clenched her fist and asked angrily, "What about that douchebag, Zayne?"

Storm was stunned by Angeline's awe-inspiring and relentless dissing of her own brother for the sake of justice. After he finally snapped out of it after a long time, he said, "Young Master Severe said that he's waiting for you in your room."

Angeline went to her bedroom. It had been nearly ten

years since she last stepped foot into the house. It was the sacrifice she had to make for the betterment of everyone. Her memory of the place had already become blurry.

However, Mommy Severe, who loved her daughter very much, tried to keep everything in place where her daughter once lived. Everything in the bedroom was almost the same as before.

Zayne stood at the window with his arms folded. When he heard the door open, he turned around.

"You're here." His voice was hoarse and he sounded exhausted.

Angeline was a little stunned. Zayne did not seem like the wet behind his ears ignorant boy and suddenly seemed like a mature and stable man. This surprised her a little. "When did you hook up with that Ms. Thomas of yours?" Angeline said in a rude tone.

"Don't be rude. She's not like you. She's very sensitive. If she hears you talking about her that way, she'd be devastated." Zayne tried his best to defend his new girlfriend.

"So what stage are you guys at now?" Angeline asked straightforwardly.

"Use your eyes. She's living in our place. Do you still need to ask that question?"

Angeline suddenly grabbed Zayne's left hand and saw that there was no ring on his finger. She said excitedly, "You're not married yet. So are you guys just living together before getting married?"

Zayne helplessly patted her head. "I know you can't bear that Josie and I are no longer together. But Angel, we're over. Don't try to make anything out of it anymore."

Angeline was devastated and started crying. "But she's loved you for ten years. Zayne, don't you know how old she is? She spent ten years being in love with you and you've decided to just slam the door shut at the face of her love without saying anything. Don't you think that it's a little cruel?"

Zayne's eyes turned red as he desperately held the tumbling emotions in his heart back.

"Even though the two of us have been intertwined for many years, we never got together. This just shows that we weren't meant to be."

Angeline was unwilling to give up. "Fine. If you've really made up your mind, you should give her some closure. Tell her that personally. I'm not your messenger anymore." Zayne looked awkward...

He did not have the courage to face Josie.

Angeline grabbed his hand and said outrageously, "I want you to clear things up with her now."

Zayne suddenly shook Angeline's hand off and roared,

"Why are you forcing me?" Then, he slid weakly onto the ground."

Angeline looked at the defeated Zayne. "What do you mean? You're about to marry Ms. Thomas but you don't have the courage to get closure with your past feelings?" Zayne was silent.

Angeline was filled with anger and crouched in front of him. Her eyes were red as she scolded him, "Zayne, do you know what Josie had to go through to love you for the past ten years?" Zayne covered his ears and did not want to listen to her. "That's all in the past. We can't be bound by it. We have to always move forward to go on with our lives."

"You seriously piss me off."

Angeline pulled Zayne up and punched him in the face with her fist. "Let me teach this irresponsible scumbag a lesson for Josie today."

Sounds of knocking and fists sounded from the top floor, shaking the entire building.

The people downstairs panicked.

Chapter 672

Chapter 672

Jay and Old Master Severe came out of the study." What's going on?"

Madam Severe and Ms. Thomas appeared worried while Josephine smiled in between her tears. "Sis Angeline probably got into a fight with Zayne."

After some time, Angeline and Zayne came downstairs with Zayne looking all bruised while Angeline was unscathed.

Everyone was appalled at the sight.

Ms. Thomas screamed and ran over to Zayne. "Zayne, are you alright?"

Angeline spitefully spat out, "Don't worry, disasters are usually indestructible. He won't die."

Ms. Thomas was tearful. "Angeline, he's your big brother. How could you be so rough on him?"

Angeline mumbled, "I've been merciful enough. For what he has done, it's his blessing that I didn't castrate him."

Zayne glared at Angeline. "Why didn't you grow smarter in the past few years instead of becoming more agile?"

Angeline smugly said, "Well, you seemed to have grown smarter, but you're still no match for me. It's your fault for getting beaten up."

Madam Severe did not know if she should grieve or laugh at her children's antics. "Both of you should consider the time and place if you plan to rough house each other. We have a special guest at home today, so please behave yourselves."

Jay said, "We're a family, Mom. Don't feel bad about it."

Madam Severe wanted to mediate the matter between her children and said to Angeline, "Angel, please get the ointment for your brother's injuries."

After Angeline found the ointment, Ms. Thomas reached her hand out to offer gently. "Let me do it."

Angeline glanced at Josephine and decided that she did not want Josephine to feel even worse. "Shirley, I'll do it."

She then squeezed out some ointment and rubbed it hard on Zayne's bruises.

Zayne cursed under his breath, "What a cruel b*tch."

Angeline whispered, "Do you want Ms. Thomas to help you instead?"

He glanced at Ms. Thomas, then at Josephine before h e gulped and said, "You can do it."

Angeline smiled slyly. "Then tolerate it."

Zayne felt as if he had gone for a tour to hell and back when Angeline applied the ointment for him. Once she was done, he looked pale and his forehead had a layer of sweat.

Ms. Thomas felt heartbroken and helped Zayne up. "Zayne, let me help you get to your room for some rest."

"Okay."

Angeline clenched her hand into a fist as she watched them leave. "I should've whacked you till you became impotent. That way, you'd be unable to please your wife."

Old Master Severe shook his head helplessly and complained to Jay, "Jay, you've spoilt Angeline too much."

Jay indulgently looked at Angeline and smiled. "I keep her with me to spoil her, isn't it?"

Josephine speechlessly looked up to the sky. "Big Brother, please be considerate to singles like me."

Jay was heartbroken about what Josephine experienced today as well and said, "Josephine, I'll find a man who's 100 times better than him and let him live in regret for the rest of his life." "Hmm." Josephine nodded and smiled bitterly.

Chapter 673

Chapter 673

At lunch.

Madam Severe had prepared a feast.

Old Master Severe warmly invited Storm and Finn to join the table for lunch. The oblong-shaped table was soon fully seated.

Angeline looked at the various dishes and salivated. She hugged her mother and childishly said, "Mom, your cooking skills have improved so much. Unfortunately, I can't have them every day, but at least it's good for Dad."

Madam Severe's smile stiffened. Her sad gaze landed on George Severe. George forced a smile and played along. "Yes, I'm lucky."

Angeline felt depressed and sat next to Jay sadly.

She knew that her parents had long lived separately. Her father spent most of his time at Anne Connor's house, his mistress.

Jay scooped some of her favorite beef stew and gently said, "Start eating."

Tears rolled inside Angeline's eyes as she chewed on the meat.

Zayne could tell that his sister was unhappy and wanted to cheer her up. "Angeline, how long are you going to be back here?"

Angeline looked at her mother who did not look too happy as well and said, "Whatever it is, I'm not leaving today."

Zayne stuck his tongue out at her. "You've married out of the family. How can you still stay in your maternal home?"

Angeline waved a fist at him angrily. "Do you believe that I'll beat you up to a pulp until even our mother wouldn't be able to recognize you?"

Zayne fearlessly replied, "Your man is just next to you. Can you be more ladylike? At least fake it. I'm afraid that if you're too rough, your man might someday ask for a refund."

Angeline was infuriated by him. "Zayne, don't spew nonsense!"

Jay comforted her, saying, "Don't worry, I won't ask for a refund.

Old Master Severe smiled kindly and graciously invited Angeline and Jay to stay. "Jay, don't go home tonight."

Jay answered without giving much thought, "Okay."

Everyone was rendered speechless.

They knew that Jay was a busy man and never slept over at anyone's house. It was a rare occasion to see him being so agreeable.

Josephine understood that her brother and sister-inlaw were planning to stay the night in Swallow City, thus she said, "Brother, Sis Angeline, I won't be joining you all. I'll head back to Imperial Capital after lunch."

Angeline glared at Zayne and blamed him for the current situation.

Zayne was taken aback and felt guilty, but he chose to remain silent.

Angeline was feeling troubled and felt that she had to try to keep Josephine here. "Josephine, I'm worried that your useless parents will mistreat you if you return to Imperial Capital on your own." Josephine appeared gloomy.

She was well aware that her relationship with her mother was severed the moment she decided to go against her mother's wishes and testified for Angeline instead.

"I'm not going back to Tourmaline Estate. That place can no longer accept me," Josephine softly said.

Zayne was shocked to hear of Josephine's current predicament, and worry got the better of him. He could no longer hold his feelings and asked in shock," Isn't Tourmaline Estate your home?"

Angeline had deliberately shared Josephine's predicament. "Josephine isn't Jack Ares' biological daughter, thus he arranged a marriage for her with that b*stard Hiroshi Titus to gain a marriage alliance with the Titus family. Josephine disagreed with the marriage arrangement, so they used some

underhanded tactics. Josephine was nearly raped by Hiroshi."

The cutleries in Zayne's hands fell to the ground.

Josephine's grief completely resurfaced because of what Angeline said. Her eyes turned red as she croaked, "Sis Angeline, please don't speak of this anymore."

Zayne dared not look at Josephine directly, but he felt inexplicably heartbroken just by hearing her tone.

'No wonder I couldn't sense the spoilt brat behavior from Josephine this time.

'If it was in the past, she would've torn the house down when she found out that I have a girlfriend. This time, she held in all her pain which is making me feel heartbroken.'

Chapter 674

Chapter 674

Angeline looked at Zayne, hoping that he would say some words of comfort to Josephine, but he merely looked down on his plate of food. Nobody could see the expression on his face. Angeline continued, "Josephine, if you don't go back to Tourmaline Estate, where else could you go?"

"I'll rent a room and look for a job," Josephine replied.

Once upon a time, she was the carefree young lady of the Ares family. Now, she had to live her life like a commoner. How tragic was that?

"Sigh. If you look for a job, you're gonna have to start from the bottom of the hierarchy of the corporate ladder. Those higher up bosses only seek to keep control of their powers and love to order newbies around like slaves. You'd need to serve them coffee and tea and order their meals without any form of appreciation," Angeline lamented.

Jay turned to look at Angeline with a look of pity.

"Angeline, did you do that before?"

Of course Angeline did those kinds of jobs before. Back then, she was a single mother to two children, seeking a living in a foreign country.

It was as if Josephine had matured within a night and said, "Big Sis, don't worry about me. I'll go through it

even if it's difficult."

Zayne suddenly said, "Why do you need to look for a job? Just ask your brother for help to get you one in Grand Asia."

Jay continued to eat his meal with poise as if he had not heard a word Zayne said.

Angelina deliberately made Josephine's situation as pitiful as it could be only to gain some sympathy from Zayne. He could not foil Angelina's plan.

Josephine looked at Jay who had no intentions of stepping in and dejectedly said, "Big Brother isn't responsible for taking care of me, neither could I give him more trouble."

Jay said, "It's good for you to gain some experiences."

Zayne,

Josephine was in a foul mood and had no appetite to eat. She put down her cutleries and said to everyone else on the table, "Everyone, please continue to enjoy your lunch. I still have something to do, so I'll make a move first."

Everyone could see that she was feeling awkward to continue hanging around.

Angelina was disappointed at Zayne's lackadaisical attitude and said to him, "Zayne Severe, please see Josephine off."

Zayne felt that he was being placed in a tight spot and looked at Ms. Thomas who was next to him for

approval.

When Josephine saw that, she immediately rejected." No need." Then, she quickly grabbed her bag and ran out of the house.

Zayne noticed it and quickly chased after her.

"Josephine."

The Severe family's courtyard had a row of Sycamore trees on each side of its path heading toward the exit. Josephine's figure appeared so small among those trees.

When she heard Zayne's voice, she turned around.

"Why do you need to force yourself if you don't want to see me?" There were hints of reprimand in her tone.

Zayne forced out an unnatural smile. "If I didn't come out, Angel wasn't going to let me off so easily."

Josephine smiled bitterly. "Indeed. If not for Sis Angeline, you wouldn't see me so willingly."

Josephine noticed the bruises on his face and reached out her hand to touch them, but Zayne avoided her touch.

Josephine's hand froze mid-air and she faked being calm. "I forgot that you're taken.

"Zayne, I've got something I'd like to ask you. It's been ten years, but have you ever had any feelings for me?" There was pleading in Josephine's gaze as she looked at him with anticipation. Zayne was dumbfounded...

He did not want to answer that question.

Unfortunately, Josephine was not about to give up." Angeline went through so much trouble only because she wanted you to give me a conclusion. As for me, I only want to know the answer to this question. "Did you ever love me?"

Chapter 675

Chapter 675

"Is this question important?" Zayne looked away.

Josephine's eyes turned red as she bit her lip. "I've spent ten years of my life loving you. In these ten years, I've wasted my youth because of you. My emotions are dependent on you, yet you're telling me that it's not an important question? Are you thinking that I'm a bloody fool who wasted ten years of my life to love an insignificant man?"

Zayne replied, "I know that you've sacrificed a lot for me, but relationships are like that. You need to meet the right person at the right time and place for the relationship to bloom. Since both of us have missed the ship, then it's now a thing of the past. If you insist on living in the past, you'll only increase your suffering

H

Slap!

Josephine sent a tight slap across Zayne's face.

"Zayne Severe, ever since I first laid eyes on you, I've wholeheartedly waited for you at the same spot. I waited for you patiently, I spent all my time on you, I came running over to you when you said you wanted to date me, and I went back into my shell to hide when you said we weren't suitable. Now you're telling me that we met at the wrong time and place. Zayne..."

Josephine broke down and screamed in between her

sobs. "You're a Peking b*stard."

Zayne was bleeding from his nose. He quietly wiped away the blood as he stared at Josephine.

"If hitting me can make you feel better, just go ahead."

Josephine replied, "I won't hit you, nor will I punish you. I want you to owe me your whole life. I want you to feel heartbroken whenever you think of me."

Zayne smiled weakly. "I'm sorry. I won't think of you in the future. I'll only be good to Shirley."

Josephine glared at Zayne. He had transformed her into an utter failure, making her extremely dissatisfied.

She suddenly stepped forward, her gaze filled with a hopeless hunger for revenge. "Zayne, weren't you always curious why I left the country in a hurry after you enlisted into the army?" Zayne looked at her, dumbfounded...

This young lady here had been following him wherever he went because she was trying to court him, turning herself into the talk of the town. However, after he was enlisted into the army, she suddenly left the country. When she returned, she still boldly professed her love for him but was no longer as thick-skinned to chase after him all over the place.

He thought that it was because she had grown up and seen that there were better fishes in the ocean, so she realized that he was merely a regular bloke. As such,

her obsession over him had reduced.

Now that she mentioned it, it alerted him that there might exist a deeper root cause for the change in her.

While Zayne was still waiting for an answer, Josephine smiled and felt a sense of liberation.

"Forget it, Zayne. I won't put you into misery as well." Josephine took a few steps back. The dissatisfaction in her expression dissipated like thin air and was gradually replaced with calm loneliness.

"I'll just take it as though I was a clown stuck in a nightmare for all these years and have finally awakened from my dream." Josephine made it sound s o carefree, but her tears were not cooperative and kept flowing.

"I have no way of waking up a man who is in deep sleep despite being in front of me. My one-sided love should end here. Zayne Severe, let's not meet again."

Josephine turned to leave, sobbing as she ran.

Zayne's body trembled as he slumped weakly on one of the Sycamore trees, looking wasted and lost.

"I'm sorry, Josephine. You'll forget about me soon enough," he mumbled.

After lunch had ended in the Severe household, Angeline returned to her room and lay her head down glumly as she sat by the window looking at the wilting flowers outside. She lamented, "A flower is not only destined to wilt as its falling petals would transform into the soil to nourish another blooming flower. Sigh."

From her point of view, Josephine was like that flower, watching over Zayne until Zayne found his true love. As for Josephine, she had to back out in the end.

Jay wheeled himself in and happened to hear what she said and asked, "Why are you sighing again?"

Angeline ran over to him and knelt in front of him, lazily laying her head on his lap like a cat as she complained, "Dear, Josephine left." "Hmm."

Chapter 676

Chapter 676

"The Severe family has wronged Josephine and made her go through such torture." Angeline sniffled.

Jay was stunned.

He saw how wronged Josephine felt and the pain she was going through. While he was heartbroken for Josephine, it also made him think about Angeline.

Back when Angeline approached him using Rose's identity, he had acted coldly toward her just like how Zayne acted toward Josephine.

At that time, she must have felt so helpless and in pain.

Jay reached out his hand, gently ruffled her hair, and suddenly asked, "Angeline, is it quite a torture for you to have fallen in love with me?" He was feeling empathic. Angeline looked at him with eyes so bright like an innocent deer.

"Not at all." She suddenly smiled.

Jay chuckled. "You don't usually complain much."

Angeline cooed, "I'm telling the truth."

"With how I've treated you in the past, you must've cried buckets of tears already," Jay commented sadly.

Angeline teased herself, saying, "I've got an

overdeveloped tear duct, hence I'm a natural crybaby." "I'll never let you feel wronged again in the future." Jay solemnly looked into her eyes as if he was giving her his oath. "Hmm." Angeline nodded.

After Zayne watched Josephine leave, he moodily returned while looking lost. He was standing in front o f Angeline's room. "Angel, could you come out? I've got something I'd like to ask you." There was a sense of anger in Angeline's gaze as she huffed. "I'm not free."

Zayne glared at her. "You look very free to me?"

Angeline immediately helped Jay to massage his legs. "Don't you see that I'm busy?"

Zayne retorted, "Fine."

Then, he left with a sullen expression.

Jay held Angeline's hand and said, "He has a lot in his mind. I think he might have something important to talk about with you. Go ahead." "What about you?"

Jay looked at the pink-colored bed sheet and smiled." I'll take a rest here."

Angeline helped him to the bed and turned to leave, but Jay pulled her into his arms and kissed her before letting her go reluctantly.

"Sweet dreams," Angeline said.

"Okay."

Angeline found Zayne in the garden downstairs.

Zayne stared right at Angeline, making her feel a tad bit uncomfortable.

Angeline assumed that Zayne was angry because she had given him a good whacking today, thus she tried to comfort him, asking, "Are you angry at me?"

Zayne's mouth curled into a broad smile. "Who's angry?"

"Then why are you staring at me like that? You're making me feel uneasy all over. Please control your expression properly." Angeline felt annoyed.

Zayne shot back, "Are you asking me to control my expression? You should be asking your man to control his testosterone. When he wants to plant some hickeys on your neck, he should choose a wise location."

Angeline lowered her head and blushed.

Chapter 677

Chapter 677

Angeline growled, saying, "Shut your stupid eyes."

Zayne smiled slyly. "If you're afraid of being seen by others, then please be more mindful of your private life."

Angeline used her hand to cover her neck. "Speak. Why are you looking for me?"

Zayne quit acting frivolous and became hesitant.

"You're... Bosom friends with Josephine, so... Did she ever mention her reason for going overseas back then?"

Angeline nodded. Her bright smile was replaced with sadness which made Zayne nervous.

"Why did she go abroad?"

He waited for an answer with trepidation as he looked at Angeline, feeling emotionally nervous.

Angeline begrudgingly looked at Zayne. "Since your heart still thinks of her, then why did you act like you're so heartless?"

Zayne expressed his helplessness. "I've decided to be with Shirley, so I can't be like how I acted in the past, not cutting off all ties with other women. This is very unfair for Shirley." Angeline felt extremely angry. "You're so caring

toward this Ms. Thomas of yours but so cruel toward Josephine."

Zayne had nothing to counter that.

Angeline spoke further. "Since you've decided to end things with Josephine, then you don't need to find out about her past. I'm afraid that you might feel guilty for life once you know about it."

She then turned around to leave, but Zayne caught her hand. "How can you just tell me half the story and leave the other half hanging? You're pulling on my curiosity. You might as well just spill the deets and let me be done with it."

Angeline said, "You want to know it so badly?"

He responded, "Quit the crap."

As such, she slowly said, "Because something happened to her on her way chasing after you."

Zayne's grip on Angelina's hand tightened as his nails bore into her skin. "What happened?" he asked with distress.

Angelina's eyes reddened as tears fell.

"Big Brother, she was raped and got pregnant. Jaybie was afraid that it would traumatize her for life, thus h e forced her to abort the baby and send her overseas to recuperate." Zayne's mind went blank. He could not process any thoughts at that moment...

He gradually released his grip on Angeline's hand and turned in circles like a zombie.

Finally, he knelt and hugged his head in agony.

"Why didn't she tell me that earlier?" He kept repeating that sentence like a broken recorder.

Angeline scoffed bitterly. "Does it change the ending both of you have if she had told this to you earlier?"

He abruptly looked up. If he knew that such things happened to Josephine because of him, he would have forcefully kept her by his side regardless of how he was going to do it.

Unfortunately, she did not know what he was thinking and weakly said, "Now that you know it, you can still get her back, but you won't because you're concerned about Ms. Thomas who's still inside the house.

"Big Brother, in the end, it's only because your love for her is not as great as her love for you."

Zayne's eyes were bloodshot as tears pooled in his sockets.

Angeline's words were like sharp blades that sliced through his flesh, not stopping till it cost his life.

"Big Brother, do you know that Jack Ares uses this reason to claim that Josephine is not a good match to be married to a good aristocratic young man and that's why he blatantly misuses Josephine's marriage for his personal gains? You can say that Josephine is living under the mercy of a knife within the Ares family."

She paused for a moment before she continued, "In the past, you were her objective for living on, but now, you and her parents have abandoned her at the same time. How are you all expecting her to continue living?"

Angeline turned to leave once she was done with what she wanted to say.

Chapter 678

Chapter 678

Zayne slumped on the grass and suddenly slapped himself hard on the face.

He was feeling guilty and blaming himself for what happened to Josephine. However, things had come to a point where he could not do anything even if he wanted to. What was left was endless sorrow and melancholy.

When Angeline returned to her room, Jay was nowhere to be found.

Angeline searched the whole house for a long time before she found out that he was in the study with her grandfather discussing something in private.

Angeline sat at the stairs near the study and rested her cheeks on her palms, quietly waiting for Jay to come out.

Inside the study.

Old Master Severe and Jay were at the table. There was a piece of paper on it, and a fountain pen was in Old Master Severe's hand.

"Old Master Severe, you must have something you want to tell me since you've called me over to Swallow City?" Jay inquired.

Old Master Severe nodded. "There's nothing that can be hidden from you."

The old man's gaze shifted over to Jay's legs, and a pitiful gaze appeared in his eyes. "Do you have a guess who would have done that to your legs?" Jay shook his head.

"In these two years, many things have happened within the Ares family. My biological parents met with a fatal accident while my adoptive parents became estranged from me. My grandfather is just keeping quiet as he watches each tragic event happen without doing anything. I can't fathom why the Ares family has become what it is today."

Jay looked up with a gaze as deep as the bottom of the ocean. "I guess that everything goes back to something that happened before I was born. Old Master Severe, since you're my grandfather's close friend and is around his age, I'm sure you would've heard of some news. Could you give me some answers?"

"Why don't you ask your grandfather?" Old Master Severe was curious because Jay's relationship with Grand Old Master Ares was very close. Grand Old Master Ares should be the first person Jay approached when there were questions to be answered.

Jay chuckled. "I'm no longer an ignorant child. If Grandfather wanted to be honest and forthcoming toward me, he would've told me the truth long ago."

Old Master Severe pointed at Jay with admiration in his gaze. "You're indeed an exceptionally smart man." "Old Master Severe, will you tell me the truth?" Jay asked unexpectedly.

Old Master Severe shook his head. "I don't know much. Besides, I've been sworn to secrecy with a deathly oath to bring the Ares family's secret to my grave."

There was disappointment in Jay's eyes, but Old Master Severe suddenly moved his hand that held the fountain pen. He dipped it into the ink and wrote in calligraphy style, 'Yorks'. Jay frowned.

'Yorks' was his biological mother's surname.

Old Master Severe then shot Jay an enigmatic gaze after he wrote the word.

Jay understood his meaning and gratefully said," Thank you, Old Master Severe."

He then navigated his wheelchair to leave the study.

"Jay!" Old Master Severe suddenly called out.

Jay stopped his wheelchair and turned his head around. "Old Master Severe, do you have anything else to tell me?"

Old Master Severe kept quiet for a long, long time.

Jay's heart inexplicably felt a dip. He turned his wheelchair around gradually, and there was worry in his gaze.

After a long time, Old Master Severe's frail voice pleaded, "Please return Angeline to the Severe family."

Jay felt as if his heart shrank. His breathing became erratic and irregular as he spoke with apprehension," Old Master Severe, are you playing a joke on me? She's my wife!" "Nobody knows that she's your wife. Everyone in Imperial Capital only knows that Master Ares has

married the illegitimate daughter of the Coyle family."

Jay's eyes widened. "What if I'm not willing to?"

Old Master Severe solemnly asked, "Think about your deceased parents and think about your legs. Jay, are you sure you can protect her? Are you sure you dare to go through losing her again?" After some time, Old Master Severe's voice became so soft that it was almost inaudible...

Chapter 679

Chapter 679

"The Ares family has made a grave mistake, Jay. One that would undoubtedly endanger your family should such a secret come to light. I'm afraid not even the most insignificant members of your family would find themselves exempt from the impending bloodshed within Tourmaline Estate.

"So please, I'm begging you. Return Angeline to us."

Old Master Severe suddenly knelt on the floor in front of Jay.

Jay's body shivered. It felt like he was a small boat that was thrown into the middle of the vast ocean, feeling lost and unsure of his direction.

Old Master Severe did not push further but gave him time to process all this information.

After some time, Jay weakly said, "I know what I need to do."

With that said, he turned his wheelchair around and left.

Old Master Severe looked at Jay's straight back and said, "Jay, I hope that you can walk out of the misty forest and see the light."

'Don't follow in your father's footsteps.'

When he opened the door, Angeline looked at him cutely like a little puppy. "Love, I've been waiting for a

long time for you. What took you so long?"

Jay pulled her up. His gaze when he looked at her was much more infatuated. He was reluctant to part with her. However, he knew that he did not have much time left with her. He needed to appreciate and make full use of the remaining time they had together.

"Angeline, let's go home, okay?"

He hugged her, almost begging her.

"Love, didn't you say that you want to stay a night here?" Angeline gently held his head and smiled lovingly as if he was a boy who never grew up in her heart. Jay nodded. "Okay."

At night when Madam Severe prepared a different room for Jay, Angeline curiously asked, "Mom, why can't Jaybie and I stay in the same room?" Madam Severe chuckled and teased her daughter. "How shameless of you."

Angeline argued, saying, "We're husband and wife, so we should be sharing a bed. What is so shameless about that?"

Madam Severe glanced at Old Master Severe who was in the living room and her smile waned a little. "Your marriage with Jay is not legit yet."

Before Angeline could argue back, Zayne and Shirley happened to walk past and heard Angeline's shameless argument. Zayne stuck his tongue out at her and said, "Shameless."

Angeline looked over at Zayne and Shirley's tightly intertwined hands and shot back with displeasure," Pot calling the kettle black."

Zayne worsened his antics by pulling Shirley into his arms and gleefully saying, "She's the daughter-in-law of the Severe family, so of course she sleeps with me. You're the daughter-in-law of the Ares family, so when you come back to your maternal home, you can't sleep with your husband. This is our custom, don't you know?"

Angeline was shocked that her mouth widened into a large circle as she said discontentedly, "We're now in the modern age. Such practices have long been abolished."

Zayne said to Madam Severe, "Mom, just listen to what Angeline said. She wants to abolish the customs over a man. Such audacity is very much admirable."

Zayne's words made Madam Severe and Shirley laugh till their stomach hurts.

Angeline felt angrily embarrassed that she covered her face and ran into Jay's room, shutting the door with a loud bang...

Jay smiled joyfully because he had overheard her argument with Zayne while they were outside.

He raised his wrist to look at the time on his watch, then he teased her. "We can still make it back to Imperial Capital."

Angeline's cheeks flushed redder. "I'm not sleeping with you tonight. I'm only here to wish you goodnight."

Jay immediately felt that his teasing had backfired. He reached out his hand at her. "Angeline, come over here."

Angeline slowly inched over and Jay pulled her into his embrace. "Angeline, let's go stay in a hotel."

The man's voice was filled with self-restraint and control.

Angeline,"..."

Her face was so red by now. "Zayne isn't gonna stop teasing me for this."

Jay nodded. "Hmm, that's true.

"Then accompany me for a chat."

Angeline leaned on Jay's chest. "Love, I'm worried about Josephine."

Angeline's heart was shredded into pieces when she recalled how devastated Josephine looked when she left the Severe family's house.

He was tremendously worried about Josephine as well, thus when she left the house, he had sent a message to his sister.

'I'm your backup, don't do anything stupid.'

Chapter 680

Chapter 680

Josephine replied to him with a bright smile.

Jay felt hurt because of Angeline's worry for Josephine.

"Angeline, have you ever been worried for me?" Jay asked dispiritedly.

She looked at him and asked with uncertainty, "You're... Jealous?"

Although he did not want to admit it, it was the truth. He used his silence to admit it.

Angeline was surprised by his response, but she soon smiled. "Love, you can't be jealous of your own sister, can you?"

Instead of feeling embarrassed about it, he responded proudly, "Anything or anyone that makes you worry about them more than me makes me jealous."

Angeline was rendered speechless by this. He was the king of jealousy.

His gaze appeared hurt like a sad little puppy when he saw how non-understanding her reaction was.

"You don't care about me."

Angeline felt so accused. "I'm more innocent than the Central Park Five." "Then tell me how you worry about me?"

Angeline lowered her long lashes as she blinked. They were like a butterfly's wings gently tapping on the leaves. It could attract the attention of all the flowers surrounding it. "Love, the way I worry about you is like how the falling leaves would always reach for its roots, like how the soil would nourish the flowers..." she answered sincerely.

Unfortunately, Jay was not going to let her off the hook easily. "I hope that you can explain it in a simpler way."

She was dumbfounded.

"Aren't you the top student in class?"

"You know that my romantic side is not functional."

He was not going to let her off easily with such a vague answer.

Angeline, "..."

He pressured her with his gaze. Time stood still as if his reason for living is to wait for her answer.

Angeline could not escape from his gaze and sighed softly.

She just realized that boys in love were such nitpicking species.

She played with his shirt button and asked, "You seriously wanna hear it?"

"Hmm."

Angeline said, "It's quite long. I might not finish it even after three days and three nights..."

"Speak," Jay said between his teeth.

Angeline's eyes shimmered with tears. "When I was younger, I was worried that you couldn't have flavorful instant noodles, I was worried that you might trip and fall when you go out, I was worried that you might be caught in an aviation accident whenever you took a flight, I was even worried that you might run out of toilet paper when you use the washroom..."

Jay's Adam's apple rolled in his throat. Why did he open up a can of worms? Was he trying to torture himself?

"Then when you grew up?"

"I was worried that you're too handsome and would be the target of detestation when you chase after the beauty queen of your school. I worried that you're too smart and would receive curses from others because you would always win the school's scholarships."

"Angeline..." He immediately interrupted her. If she continued, it would truly take up more than three days and three nights.

"Let's continue this topic another day." He swore that he would never open up a can of worms like that ever again.

Angeline smiled. "Then I'll go back to my room to

sleep."

Jay nodded, looking overwhelmingly reluctant to let her go.

Angeline got up to leave.

He was disheartened by her lack of passion and looked at her back view begrudgingly.

'Did she just leave in such a carefree manner?'

He opened his mouth and wanted to ask her to stay when Angeline suddenly turned around, pounced on him, and bit him on his throat. Jay was stunned. 'What is this girl up to?'