Ch. 691..700

Chapter 691

Jay took the elevator from the basement straight to the ninth floor.

Standing by the floor-to-ceiling windows, he stared at Grand Asia's entrance below. The group of people was still there, which meant so was Angeline.

Jay frowned. Their words were sharp and difficult to hear. He wished that Angeline would leave soon before her self-confidence got beaten up by their criticisms.

Angeline stood at Grand Asia's entrance like an abandoned doll. She stood blankly, soulless and calm.

After a long while... The group of people finally scattered, and Angeline left Grand Asia while feeling disheartened.

Tugging hard on the tie that closed on him like shackles, Jay felt himself finally able to breathe.

He flipped open the document only to realize his mind was filled with Angeline's begrudging expression.

Unable to concentrate, he snapped the file close and leaned against the back of his wheelchair with a frustrated shout, "Grayson."

Grayson entered the room in agitation. "Is there anything I can help with, Mr. President?" "Do you have a plan that will get Angeline to give me u

p? I don't want today's events happening again."

Grayson's expression turned complex. "Miss Severe's spirit is the way it is because of you, Mr. President. You're the one who taught her to face obstacles head-on. If you want Miss Severe to stop bothering you, you must take drastic measures."

Grayson spared the president a glance. "But I fear that you wouldn't want to do such a thing to her, Mr. President."

Jay demanded, "Speak!"

"The best cure to a breakup is with a newfound relationship. If Miss Severe finds herself falling for another man, I'm sure she'll stop coming after you, Mr. President."

Grayson was about to continue, but he found himself swallowing the words when he met the president's sinister gaze.

"Is there another method?" Jay asked.

Grayson had almost no experience with love.

Everything he knew about dating was from word-of-mouth rumors. Not that he had heard much either. It was fortunate that his mind was quick, so he could guess the rest from what he heard.

"If the president is against Miss Severe dating another man, then there's another plan. You'll have to date someone else so that Miss Severe gives up on you."

Jay knew this was a dangerous plan, but he could not think of anything better. He spoke, "Arrange for a suitable girlfriend before Angeline appears in front of me again."

Grayson replied, "Yes, Sir."

Exiting the president's office, Grayson fetched out a handkerchief and dabbed the cold sweat on his forehead.

The different bodyguards at the door, Storm, and Tempest, watched Grayson exit with an expression of relief. Tempest could not help but tease, saying, "What mission did the president hand you, Gray? You look like you're close to pissing your pants."

Grayson rolled his eyes at him. "The president wants me to find a woman for him."

Storm and Tempest shared a look. Remembering the incident that had just occurred to the president, the two's big brains immediately deduced the reason behind the president's need for a woman.

"I'm pretty sure you're the only one in the world who could come up with such a horrible idea," Storm stated.

"Stop criticizing and help me think. Where am I even supposed to find a suitable girlfriend for the president?"

Storm shrugged hopelessly. "It's not easy."

Tempest replied, "This woman will have to fulfill two criteria. First of all, the president must not find her repulsive and has to fancy her, or he won't be able to act intimately with her. Secondly, we have to ensure that this woman won't be smitten by the president. From what I can see, you won't find a woman who'll fit both these criteria."

Grayson felt his head drop. "I'm finished. I dug my own grave."

Strom smiled in schadenfreude. "Right now, just hope that Miss Severe doesn't come to find the president soon."

Grayson scrambled for an idea before his wicked gaze finally landed on the office opposite the president's-The lawyers' office.

It was an office he had made specifically for Finn Gallagher.

Both Storm and Tempest felt themselves break into a cold sweat for Finn.

Grayson raised a slender pinky and approached Finn's office with enchanting steps.

Chapter 692

Chapter 692

Setting his eyes on the feminine aura that surrounded Grayson, Finn could not help but spit out the tea he had just sipped.

"Since when did you prefer such a style, Mr. Gray?" Finn asked as goosebumps rose all over his body.

"Am I pretty, Finn?" Grayson shot him a flirtatious look.

Finn gulped and nodded. "Very pretty."

Grayson asked, "Do you like me this way?"

Finn was about to shake his head but ended up nodding anyway as he did not want Grayson to feel disappointed.

Grayson clapped his hands. "You like it a lot, don't you? That's great. You're crossdressing to work from tomorrow onward."

Finn gaped.

Grayson was lost in his world. "I can imagine you in feminine clothing-Soft, but with a subtle strength underneath. I suppose you would rival Angeline Severe. Not to mention the president had kissed you before when you were young, which means he wouldn't find you repulsive. Plus, you would never swoon for the president. This is an exceptional idea."

Finn finally understood the meaning behind

Grayson's words and reluctantly agreed, for he wished to help lessen the president's burden as well despite his abhorrence to crossdressing.

To test out his plan, Grayson pulled Finn toward Grand Asia's make-up artist. "Diana, I'd like you to give Finn here a makeover into a sultry beauty but with a tinge of innocence." Diana frowned. "Sultry, but also innocent?"

It was rare for a lady to have both opposing character traits, unless the lady was an actress.

"I'll try my best."

Grayson could not help but gape with widened eyes as he stared at the handsome Finn Gallagher who was now turned into a stunning beauty.

"You're about to turn me gay, Finn." Grayson sighed.

Finn stared at the reflection of himself in the mirror and tugged on his airy bangs before rolling his eyes at Grayson. "You're about to be fossilized as a single man should you not date soon. Flirting with girls is a man's basic survival skill. Unless you don't know how?"

Grayson replied, "Cut the nonsense. I can't wait to see the president's reaction when he sees you."

Then, he dragged Finn to the president's office excitedly.

Seeing Finn, both Storm and Tempest's expressions instantly turned wretched.

"The chest's too big."

Finn hushed the two. "How am I supposed to be worthy of the president without a body to be arrogant about?"

Tempest and Storm nodded in response. "Yes, yes, of course. Good luck."

"Be safe."

Reaching the doors, Finn began to grow anxious. "Are you sure this will work?"

The three older men sent him a kick forward in response. "Go in already."

With a thump, Finn landed on the president's office table.

Jay lifted his eyes to stare at him.

The irritation in his eyes shifted into recognition and shock, which then led to the churning of his stomach.

"Bleurgh!"

It was followed by a few dry heaves.

Finn felt wronged and pointed at the three men outside the doors. "It was their horrible idea."

Seeing his plan backfire, Grayson walked into the room with an ashen expression. He spoke frightfully,"

I'll arrange something for you again, Mr. President."

Chapter 693

Chapter 693

It was as if Angeline had vanished off the earth for the next couple of days, not bothering Jay at all.

Jay felt himself grow inexplicably frustrated. He could not help but think that his ruthlessness had completely hurt her heart and she had lost all hope in him.

With his phone on the desk, he would check it from time to time. There had yet to be a text or call at all.

"What are you doing, Angeline? Are you missing me like how I'm missing you now?"

Jay sighed deeply and leaned his head back onto the wheelchair, his brows tightly furrowed.

At the rented apartment.

Angeline lay on the bed. She had neither eaten nor drunk anything for the past two days.

Josie felt her heart clench in pain as she stared at Angeline who was on a hunger strike.

"At least drink some water, Sis Angeline. It's not like my brother would know that you're torturing yourself." Josephine sat at the edge of the bed, hugging both her legs to her chest and stuttering, "Why do we have to hurt ourselves because they don't love us anymore? If this is our fate, we should just accept it."

Despite how this sentence was phrased for Angeline, i

t was also a form of self-encouragement.

Angeline replied harshly, "I refuse to believe that your brother doesn't love me anymore. There must be something more to the story that he can't tell.

Otherwise, it wouldn't explain the vow he took."

"My brother has always been a person who spoke and acted as he wished. It's not like him to bow his head to others, let alone sacrifice love in the face of difficulties," Josie spoke confusedly. Angeline explained, "He broke it off with me after a trip to Swallow City and a secret conversation with my grandfather."

Josie was shocked. "What did they talk about?"

Angelina's voice was hoarse and her mouth was dry." Do I look pitiful, Josie? Skinny and hollowed out?"

Josie nodded. "Yeah."

"That's good. Take a picture of me and send it to your Moments. Then caption it with something along the lines of how I've gone on a hunger strike and become suicidal after getting dumped from a ten-year relationship. I'm sure your brother would show himself," Angeline spoke stubbornly.

"Alright." Josephine fetched out her phone and took photos of Angeline from every angle. Then, she posted them on Moments and captioned with a sensational line of text.

"Done."

Angeline nodded in consolation. As if a patient going through Terminal Lucidity, her energy and spirit returned. She turned to Josephine and said, "I want to drink water and I want to eat." Josephine's eyes widened.

"Aren't you going a little too far with your acting?"

Angeline replied with exhaustion, "Your brother is ungodly smart. How am I supposed to trick him into coming over if I don't take the extra step to make it look real?"

Grand Asia.

Jay's impatient hands picked up the phone instantly a s it vibrated with a notification.

On the top of the screen was a message notification.

'Your friend added to their Moments.'

Jay felt his eyes darken as he tapped on the Moments icon.

Reading Josie's post, Jay's heart froze and sunk.

"My good friend just got dumped by her man from her long-term relationship. It's been two days already and she still hasn't eaten, not to mention that she's showing suicidal tendencies. Does anybody know what to do?"

The hand clenching the phone began to shake as Jay tapped on the image. He felt his heart bleed as he stared at Angelina's ashen and sunken appearance.

He jolted up from the wheelchair, only for his thighs to give up in less than three seconds. He flopped back on the wheelchair.

Jay swept the files off his desk in frustration.

Hearing the ruckus, Grayson quickly dashed into the room. "Mr. President."

Jay's complexion was pale, and his attractive features were filled with unbridled anxiety as well as nervousness. "Ready the car, Grayson. I'm going to Angeline's rented apartment." "Yes, Sir."

After Grayson left, Jay mustered up the courage to tap on Josephine's Moments again as he sat in the wheelchair. With the nine images together, he found himself easily realizing the loophole within the pictures.

The angle of the picture showed signs of deliberate posing.

By the time Grayson returned to the office, Jay had already decided to cancel the initial plan to visit.

Chapter 694

Chapter 694

"Forget it."

Grayson froze as his gaze fell on the phone the president placed on the table.

He could not help but chuckle at Angeline's posed image.

It was a well-known fact that the missus liked to play pranks, but it was still too cruel for her to threaten the president with a hunger strike and suicide.

Despite knowing that Angeline was intentionally trying to provoke him, her sunken appearance in the picture was real. As was the fact that she was not living well.

Truly worried about Angeline's condition, Jay decided to dial for Zayne.

"Go visit your sister, Zayne. She lives on the left edge of the riverbank."

Zayne refused. "Why don't you go yourself?"

He must have seen Josephine's Moments too.

Knowing that Josephine was living with Angeline, Zayne could not bring himself to visit his sister since he dared not see Josephine.

"That's your sister," Jay refuted frustratedly.

"That's your wife," Zayne retorted.

Despite both of them worried about the girls, the two continuously tossed the mission to visit them between each other.

After a lapse of impasse, Jay had no other choice but t o use his ultimate attack.

"I'll think of a way to distract Josephine, so go and visit Angelina."

"That's more like it."

With that, Jay invited Josie for a meetup.

Zayne arrived at the apartments on the left edge of the riverbank to visit his sister.

Pushing open the apartment door, Zayne was met with the sight of Angelina stuffing her mouth in front of the coffee table.

Zayne's eyes widened.

Seeing Zayne, Angelina was extremely disappointed." Why are you here?"

Zayne huffed. "You think I wanted to come? It's not my fault that you're wreaking havoc and worrying others with your hunger strike and suicidal tendencies. How old are you?"

Angelina lifted a bunch of crystalline grapes and replied with confidence, "Since when did I go on a hunger strike? All I did was not eat for two days. So I'm eating everything right now. If anything, I'm binge eating."

Zayne slapped her on the back of her head. "It's just a breakup. What's so good about Jay Ares? Your brother, I, will find you a more handsome man!"

Angeline rolled her eyes at him. "As if there's a more good-looking man than him on this planet."

"What if we get you a young and handsome boy? We'll anger the hell out of him." For the sake of his younger sister's happiness, he had no idea the consequences this horrible suggestion came with. Angeline pulled out the grape in her mouth as her eyes shone with sly mirth.

"Not a bad idea."

Then, she patted Zayne's chest as she cried grateful tears. "Smart one, Brother."

Zayne rubbed the back of his neck shamelessly. "Of course."

At Ray of Light cafe.

Josephine had run over to the coffee shop after receiving Jay's message of invitation.

Jay had reserved a VIP room. Entering it, Josephine found a steaming cup of coffee waiting for her.

"Why'd you call me out so suddenly, Jay?"

Jay's eyes were filled with sympathy as he looked at Josephine who had slimmed a considerable amount.

This only deepened the worry he had for Angeline.

Josephine was a logical person. Someone who, despite going through a breakup, would deal with the gap in her heart in an extremely logical way.

Angeline, however, was different. Angeline was the type to take extreme measures.

Chapter 695

Chapter 695

Still, regardless of how much he yearned for Angeline, he had to hide it from Josephine or all the difficult facades he had to keep up would have been for naught.

"I heard Jack threw you out of Tourmaline Estate. What do you have planned?" Jay asked.

"I want to leave Imperial Capital." Josie's eyes glistened with unshed tears.

"My parents don't want me, and neither does Zayne. There's nothing worth staying for in Imperial Capital."

"What about me?" Jay asked coldly.

Josephine replied, "I know that you care greatly for me, Jay, but I can't seem to convince myself that at all. We're not related by blood, so you have no obligation to care about what happens to me at all. I hope you understand what I mean, and perhaps leave me with an ounce of dignity."

"So you're going to sever our ties as siblings?" Jay was displeased.

Josephine shook her head in a way that reminded him of a pellet drum. "You'll always be my brother, Jay. It's just that now that I've grown up, I think I should be more independent and learn to take care of myself. I can't rely on you for everything."

Josie's eyes shone with determination, and Jay knew-

This carefree lady had finally grown up.

Jay could not help but feel regretful. His tone was heavy as he spoke, "I should've done better to protect you."

Josephine smiled bitterly. "No. You've done so well protecting me, Jay. So well that had Jack not scolded me awake, I would've lived the rest of my life in the fairytale you had built for me." Jay fell terrifyingly silent.

After a long while, he replied with a tint of remorse," It's my fault. I shouldn't have raised you into a spoiled and expensive princess."

Josephine was struck. Jay's words were transparent with the heart-clenching pain he felt.

"When are you leaving?" Jay asked.

Josephine replied, "I'll leave when Sis Angeline feels better."

The mention of Angeline's name had Jay's finger curling in his sleeves.

Josie could not help but ask for Angeline as she watched Jay's unfazed expression, "Do you really not want Sis Angeline anymore, Jay?"

Jay had expected Josephine to claim justice for Angeline and thus placed himself in the necessary mentality prior. As of that moment, he was exceptionally calm.

"Tell me when you leave. I'll send you off." Jay brushed off the topic of Angeline.

It did not sit right with Josephine, so she spoke again, "At least tell Sis Angeline yourself if you don't like her anymore. You're acting just like Zayne, being a coward." Jay replied, "Apologize to her for me."

Josie was infuriated. "Apologize to her yourself. Though you should probably do it as soon as possible.

Before it's too late and she takes her own life."

Jay balled his fist tightly, his fingernails digging bloody crescent moons into the palms of his hand.

Josephine stared inquisitively at Jay's eyes, finding nothing else but frost in his icy eyes.

He had always been skilled at the art of masking his emotions.

"She's always been impulsive. I've spoiled her too much. She'll have to deal with the consequences of her impulsiveness herself from now on," Jay replied coldly. After that, he pushed his wheelchair out the door.

Josie stood up and sighed deeply.

Jay's rigid expression broke the moment he left the coffee shop, his handsome features collapsing as his eyes swum with defeat.

Anxiety, fear, worry, and unease bled into his defeated peach-blossom eyes.

"Storm, how's it going with Angeline?" he asked weakly.

Storm reported as he handed Jay's phone back to the other. "Young Master Severe has already left the apartment." Taking the phone, he called Zayne.

"Hello, Master Ares? I was just about to call you." Zayne's tone was light and airy on the other end of the phone. 1

Jay felt the tightness in his heart finally release its hold. "Is that so? How can I help you?"

Chapter 696

Chapter 696

Zayne grew embarrassed. "Umm, you already met Josephine, right? How is she?"

Jay's tone was indifferent with a hint of indignance." How else can she feel? You dumped her."

Zayne choked and felt the tips of his ears burn in humiliation.

A moment passed and Zayne fired back with no restraint, "What about you? You dumped my sister as well."

Jay's lips parted. He wanted to say 'That's different', but he swallowed the words down.

"How's the Severe's eldest daughter?" he asked instead.

Zayne replied in a huff, "Relax. She won't kill herself because of you."

"Then what about the hunger strike and suicidal tendencies?" Jay asked.

"Oh, that. Well, the hunger strike was real, but she's not suicidal. She was gorging on food when I arrived. She's binge eating if anything." With that, Zayne fired back at Jay, "Are you disappointed that my sister isn't trying to kill herself because of you?"

Jay's heart finally settled at the knowledge that Angeline was eating again.

However, Zayne's theory of her binge eating had Jay worrying for Zayne's intellect.

Jay hung up the phone.

He sighed deeply.

This entire farce was a show Angeline had put on for him?

Jay felt his head throb suddenly.

Returning to the apartment, Angeline pulled

Josephine to stand in front of her as she asked delightedly, "You met your brother, didn't you?"

Josie smiled a bittersweet smile as she stared back at Angelina's energetic eyes. "Yeah."

"Did he ask how I was doing?" Angeline was beyond excited.

Josie shook her head.

"Did you bring me up?"

Josephine nodded, outrageous. "My brother didn't ask anything about your current situation, Sis Angeline. In fact, he seemed indifferent when I mentioned you. Not to mention he..." Josephine grew silent.

"He what?"

"He wanted me to relay a message. He said you have to deal with the consequences of your impulsiveness yourself from now on."

Angeline gaped in shock.

After a while, she whimpered. "How can he be so cold to me?"

Josephine gripped Angeline's hand. "How about you leave with me, Sis Angeline? We'll leave this heartbreaking place together. How does that sound?"

Angeline buried her face into the pillow as she sobbed. "We're not the same, Josephine. While you no longer have strings attached, I still have my kids and parents."

Josie patted Angeline's back in comfort. "If you don't want to leave, Sis Angeline, then I'll stay back with you."

Tired of crying, Angeline lifted her tear-soaked face. Her eyes glimmered with begrudging.

"I refuse to believe your brother doesn't love me anymore."

Josephine asked, "Then what do you want to do?"

"I still have to test him."

Josephine's heart clenched painfully as she stared at Angeline, the lady splashed with a hint of gentleness and whose cheeks were smaller than orbs. "Let go, Sis Angeline. They don't love us anymore, so we have to love ourselves."

Tears trickled down Angeline's eyes as she fixed her gaze on Josie. "Are you happy with that plan?"

"How can I give up so easily when I've spent so much time loving one person and gave him something so precious?" Josephine replied.

Chapter 697

Chapter 697

"Still, the more I think about how he doesn't want me, the better I need to live. I just want him to know that I'm doing well. Even without him, I'm perfectly fine," Josephine muttered.

The duo's response to a breakup could not be more different. Josephine was the type to carry the pain herself, hiding it behind the facade of living happily.

She would suffer to keep her dignity intact.

Angeline, though, perhaps it was because she trusted the relationship enough that she did not believe Jay no longer loved her. She was set on doing anything if it meant tearing down Jay's facade. However, should Angeline's deep trust for the relationship break, she would suffer damage way worse than Josephine's.

Angeline was the type to love without reserves.

"I won't give up on your brother, Josephine. Not until my last breath," she stated with determination as she lied on the sofa, her eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. Unable to change Angeline's mind, Josephine could only follow her flow. "Not even a hunger strike worked, Sis Angeline. What else do you have up your sleeve?" Angeline shot up from the sofa, a sly spark flashing in

her eyes. "I have to find a few god-leveled wingmen."

It dawned on Josephine. "You mean Baby Robbie and the two?"

Angeline nodded.

At Diary Of A Garden.

Josephine and Angeline hailed a ride to Diary Of A Garden. Seeing the price, Josie sighed silently.

Angeline knew money was a sensitive topic to Josie, for she had to live frugally now that she had neither the Ares family's financial backup nor a new source of income.

Angeline sighed next as she stared at the long highway between Diary Of A Garden and Imperial Capital.

"Why do rich families just like to build their villas in rural areas? Has the thought of how much a car ride would cost never cross their minds?"

Josephine laughed humorlessly. "We're but rich daughters who have lost their wealth. It's because we're penniless that we worry about transportation fares. In all their bourgeoisie fashion, I can assure you the thought of money doesn't cross their minds when they spend it."

Angeline sighed again. "What a sad love story between the bourgeoisie and the proletarians. Wait no, the actual sad love story is us, the proletarians, trying to woo them, the bourgeoisie."

Angeline pulled out a diamond card from her bag and handed it to Josephine. "This is a card your brother gave me. If you won't use the money, then I will. Hold on to it and take everything out from it tomorrow TH chase him with his money. I refuse to believe he doesn't love his own money."

Josephine took over the card and murmured, "You'd think he'll cancel the card already with how ruthlessly my brother's treating you this time."

Angeline's expression froze. "If he'd go to such an extent... I'll..." She bit her lip. It was all or nothing. "I'll take my kids and run away. He can die alone."

"Aunty!" Baby Zetty called sweetly as she poked her head out of the balcony on the second floor.

Seeing Baby Zetty, both Josephine and Angeline were elated.

"Zetty!"

The two walked toward the carved front gates of Diary Of A Garden. Upon approaching, they realized that the doors were locked. They could not enter. Zetty and Jenson dashed toward the door.

"Open the door," Josephine requested.

Seeing Angeline, Jenson tensed. His expression darkened slightly as he interrogated, "Where have you been these few days? Why didn't you come back?" Angeline's eyes were filled with tears. "I couldn't come

back, Jens. Your daddy doesn't want me anymore."

Robbie and Zetty stared sympathetically at Angeline. Robbie replied, "If Daddy doesn't want you anymore, Miss Care Worker, then you should go back to where you came from." Zetty nodded. "I'm grateful for you.

Chapter 698

Chapter 698

Angeline was speechless,

She flopped onto Josie's shoulder and sobbed.

Josie turned to berate both Zetty and Robbie, "What do you two think you're saying, you little rascals? She's your-"

"Josephine Ares." A menacing tone sounded from behind.

A classic black Rolls-Royce stopped beside Josephine and Angeline.

Angeline felt her heart thump wildly in her chest at the familiar voice. Turning around, she stared dazedly at the dignified man in the passenger seat who had frost oozing from the space between his brows. "Jaybie..." A layer of tears overlapped Angeline's eyes, her tone heart-clenching.

Jay lifted his gaze to look at her, his eyes cold and indifferent.

Storm alighted the driver's seat and rushed toward the passenger's. Placing the ramp down, Jay wheeled his chair out slowly off the car.

Paying Angeline no mind, he made a beeline for the carved gates. The system recognized his face and the gates opened.

Jay entered the house.

After getting ignored by him, Angeline was rooted blankly in place. Should she leave or should she follow after him?

Josephine decided for her and she was tugged toward the doors before she knew it.

Seeing that the gates were about to close, Jenson fled toward its railway to stop the gates.

Just like that, Josephine and Angeline entered Diary Of A Garden as well.

Josephine gave the stunned Angeline a push and whispered, "Go in, Sis Angeline. I'll watch the three kids for you and make sure they don't go in to bother you. Ask and say everything you want to know. Let there be nothing for you to regret later on."

Angeline walked forward embarrassedly.

In the living room, Jay could only remain in the wheelchair as Storm had yet to follow.

Reaching before him, Angeline asked flatteringly, "Would you like me to carry you to the sofa?"

She was only worried that he may feel uncomfortable in the wheelchair. It never crossed her mind that she was being a try-hard.

He replied with a disdainful gaze on his indifferent expression, "What do you want?" He interrogated her coldly.

Angeline looked down as she spoke in a sad tone, "At least give me a logical reason for breaking up with me."

Jay scoffed. "Have you no shame, Angeline Severe? Or have I not made myself clear enough in the letter? You left me without a goodbye two years ago. I can assure you no man on earth would ever accept such a thing from the woman he loves, especially when she returns with a completely different face. There's a limit to how much I can take from you, and you've gotten there. As a result, I've decided to take back the love I had for you."

Angeline dropped to the floor with a thud. "I'm so sorry, Jaybie. It's all my fault," she choked out the words with reddened eyes.

Jay felt his heart shatter into a million pieces as if it was hit by a nuclear bomb. The pain caused him to clutch hard on the wheelchair's armrests.

Of all the things to turn to, the pain decided to become ruthlessness. His exquisite features twisted in anger a s he stared at Angelina's sunken cheeks. He forced himself to imagine her to be another one of the Ares family's dirty secrets.

"No, it's my fault. I shouldn't have loved you the past half of my life. Let me go, Angeline Severe. Please."

Angeline felt her world spin as she gripped Jay's hand on instinct.

Her hands were ice-cold as she shivered and

trembled. "No. Please, Jaybie..."

Jay removed her hand, finger by finger, before finally pushing her away.

It was an act that took every ounce of strength he had accumulated over the years of his life.

Chapter 699

Chapter 699

Angeline fell on her butt only to pounce toward him again stubbornly, resembling an octopus with the way she was holding him tightly this time. Crying freely, she reminded him of a child. "Please, I'm begging you. Please, don't leave me."

Jay felt himself suffocate as she clung and intertwined tightly with himself.

He lifted an arm, about to hug her back. However, he stopped as the image of Old Master Severe surfaced unexpectedly in his mind.

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

"So please, I'm begging you. Let Angeline go."

Jay felt his restraints leave him as he pushed Angeline away harshly and roared, "Have some dignity, would you, Angeline Severe?"

Angeline stared at him pale-faced and was tremendously shocked.

"I'm begging you, please. Let me go." Jay's voice mimicked that of Grand Old Master Severe's the other

day, deep and heartbreaking.

Yet, it was strong enough to storm seas.

Slowly, Angeline climbed up. Her hair was a mess while her complexion was sickeningly pale.

"I'll ask you one last time, Jaybie. Are you certain that this is what you want? To sever all ties with me?" Her body trembled like weeping willows in the wind-Soft, yet with a shred of determined will underneath. "Yes," Jay replied decisively.

Taking in the strong rejection in his eyes, Angeline could allude to his frustrating distaste for her. That moment, Angeline smiled, albeit bitterly. "Seems like it has all been my wishful thinking."

Jay's heart clenched hard, and he could feel the blood in his veins freeze.

"Don't worry. From this moment onward, I promise I'll never bother you again." Angeline's eyes swam with sorrow.

"You used to say that you'd be my strong tree and that I could be a boneless trumpet vine if I wanted to. You said that you'd hold me tight when the wind blew and that you'd shelter me when the rain poured. I believed you then. Maybe I shouldn't have."

Her eyes were red, tired from containing all the despair she felt underneath. "The tree's gone now and the vine's dried up."

Slowly, she walked out.

With every step, she removed a piece of jewelry from her body. Pearls and jewels littered all over the floor.

Watching her determined figure leave, Jay felt his mask crack and break. His heart cried as his enchanting eyes swam with red tears.

"Don't settle for a mere trumpet flower, Angeline. Be the silk-cotton tree that you are," he murmured under his breath.

Josephine stared at Angelina's ashen expression as the other exited the villa's living room. She met her halfway like autumn leaves fluttering in the wind. "Sis Angeline." Angeline stood in front of Josphine and smiled tearily.

"We'll meet again, Josie." Side-stepping Josephine, she walked toward the doors.

Jenson stood in her path. Angeline bent down to hold him tightly in her arms. Quietly, she pleaded, "Take care of your younger brother and sister for Mommy."

Jenson's hand clutched tightly onto her, unwilling to let her go.

Angeline stood and glanced at Storm who stood by the side. "Please take Little Young Master away, Storm."

Storm approached and pulled Jenson away.

Angeline continued to scramble her way out the doors.

"Mommy!"

Jenson cried heart-wrenchingly out of the blue.

By the side, both Baby Robbie and Zetty stared with widened eyes at Jenson. Their previous nonchalant attitudes were replaced with shock at their brother's call for Mommy. Snapping back to reality, Robbie and Zetty ran out the door.

"Mommy!"

"Mommy!"

Chapter 700

Chapter 700

The children cried their hearts out.

Unable to do much else, Storm could only force himself to pull the kids into his arms and hold them tightly in place.

Josephine felt her heart clench at the sight of Angeline's departing figure. She turned around and entered the main hall.

"Why must you force her on the road of no return, Jay?" Josephine stood in front of Jay, tears trickling down her eyes despite her wishes as she sympathized with Angeline.

Jay slowly lifted his head. Seeing the pain in his eyes, Josephine was stunned.

"I've hurt her too much, Josephine. Watch over her for me," Jay spoke softly.

"I thought you've always loved Sis Angeline, Jay. I refuse to believe that you don't love her anymore. Tell me, is there something else going on that you can't talk about?"

"There isn't."

Jay knew that should Josephine realize anything was off with him, he would never rid himself of this trouble for she and Angeline were best friends who told each other everything. Josephine was beyond disappointed with Jay. "You men are all heartless people." Then, she dashed out with a huff.

Storm brought the three kids into the room as they wailed and sobbed.

Zetty raised a small fist and aimed it at Jay. "Miss Care Worker was Mommy all along, Daddy. Why don't you want her anymore?"

Despite how a child's fist was more bark than bite, every hit bruised and wounded Jay all the same. Everywhere ached.

"Mommy made a mistake. Daddy's just going to punish her for a short while. Daddy promises, I'll bring her back when the time's up." The children stopped crying. "Really?"

Jay replied, "As long as you promise to keep it a secret."

"Okay."

The children's wails finally came to an end.

Leaving Diary Of A Garden, Angeline strode dazedly on the asphalt road.

The pain from the incisions on her face felt infinitesimal compared to that of the breakup.

The pain felt unbearable, and her mind swam with solutions to quickly rid herself of it.

At that moment, death came to her mind.

A low luxury car drove toward her.

The car left wavy lines behind it as it swiveled on the asphalt.

"Move." The man in the driver's seat felt himself sweat profusely when he found a staggering woman in his path.

Despite not thinking much of the lives of others, the obsession with cleanliness he had inherited from his ancestors made him strongly reject the prospect of staining his beloved car with a stranger's blood. However, he had driven too fast and it was almost impossible to slow down with such a short distance.

Angeline stopped and turned. Seeing the car aiming for herself, the corners of her lips tugged into a relieved smile.

"Knock over me!"

The man immediately hit the breaks but had still knocked Angeline off with the bonnet.

"Don't pull me into your plans just because you want to die." The man sat, stunned, in the driver's seat. He was thinking about the woman's exquisite features on her small face that oozed with allure. Pushing open the door, a pair of white limited edition sports shoes stepped out onto the ground.

He walked toward Angeline and placed a finger under her nose while his eyes took in the body that had curled into itself like a cooked prawn. "Are you dead?"

Angeline blinked open her bleary eyes to look at the young man, his handsome appearance overlapping with Jay.

"Love..." she called out softly.

"I'll be leaving now. Take good care of yourself." With that, her eyes slipped shut again.