To her, Jonathon was like an older brother she hadn’t seen in years. She felt at ease and trusted him, and she enjoyed spending ti with him.
But this kiss complicated matters.
"Young Madam."
To differentiate between her and Becca, the servants at Jones’ Mansion called her "Young Madam" and Becca "Young Lady."
Standing before the mirror, scrutinizing her pale face, Christine Quinn responded softly, "I’m here."
"Mr. Jones is back. He wants you to go to the study."
"Alright, I’ll be there shortly."
The door to the study was open, and Skyler Jones was standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, his back to her.
The lighting inside the study was slightly dim, giving his imposing figure an inexplicable chill.
Christine Quinn closed the study door and looked at his back, "You wanted to see ?"
Skyler Jones’s voice was sowhat indifferent, "Where did you go today?"
"Jonathon Gibson invited out for a al, so I went out."
Ever since she and Jennifer Douglas had that conversation last month, their worlds had quieted down. They returned to their previous peaceful routine.
In front of Marie, they showed affection in perfect synchrony, but behind her back, they reverted to being respectful yet cold toward each other.
He was still the sa as before...
She managed his food and clothing, while he did as he pleased with his living arrangents.
Her task was to cooperate with him whenever he was ho, and when he wasn’t, she had her freedom, which was why she could go out with Jonathon Gibson for a al today.
Of course, she understood; he wouldn’t mind, just as she didn’t mind whether he’d spend the night at Jennifer Douglas’s place again.
Skyler Jones’s voice was low and emotionless, "It seems like you’re getting closer to Jonathon Gibson."
"You can rest assured. Wherever I go with him, I’m careful to avoid the paparazzi. I won’t let them take photos that could question our marriage’s stability."
"Very well."
Skyler Jones turned around, his deep, dark eyes seemingly unintentionally glancing at her. "Are you going to remarry as soon as we divorce?"
Christine Quinn shrugged, "I haven’t progressed that far with Jonathon Gibson yet, but the future is unpredictable."
"Let ask you a question."
"Go ahead."
Skyler Jones glanced at the spot opposite him, "Co over here."
Not understanding Skyler Jones’s intention, Christine Quinn hesitated for a second before slowly walking over to stand in front of him.
He was tall, about six feet one, while she only reached his shoulder.
"What did M use to coerce you into collaborating with her?"
Upon hearing his question, she trembled slightly.
She never expected him to ask this question.
For eleven years, she had been waiting for him to ask it, so she could explain, but he never did and didn’t want to hear her explanation.
Until today...
Just when she had completely given up on the past, he suddenly asked her.
His thoughts were always beyond her comprehension.
Nonetheless, she owed him an explanation.
"I thought you knew."
He did know, but he wanted to hear it from her own mouth.
When she saw him silent, she spoke softly, "All those years, I kept working because I needed money to cure my mom’s illness, and you should know what my mom’s illness was. But back then, you didn’t know, and I didn’t plan to tell you because, having been despised for my background since childhood, I was terrified you’d care about it... And right when our relationship was at its best, one day, I received a call from M’s people, saying they had kidnapped my mom... That person said he didn’t want money, he just wanted to do one thing for him, and if successful, not only would he ensure my mom’s safe return, but he’d also give money to cure her."
"M wanted you to betray ?"
Christine Quinn looked up into his deep eyes and nodded.
"When faced with this problem, why didn’t you co to for help?"
"Because I had no choice. They said that if I dared ask for your help, they’d kill my mom without hesitation... You can never imagine the panic and fear I felt when I heard them shoot my mom in the leg."
"So, you used your age of seventeen to accuse of ’rape’?"
Guilt surged inside Christine Quinn, "I don’t know how M found out I was seventeen... I had no choice."
Having entered society early, afraid her age would be too young to secure a job, she always used a fake ID when job hunting.
It was the sa mindset she had when interviewing at "Oversky." She thought she’d try with the fake ID, never expecting she’d get through.
Back then, she felt lucky; she’d fooled even "Oversky," such a major company...
Later, when she got together with Skyler Jones, she learned from him that just a few days after joining, "Oversky’s" HR had already investigated her false identity but didn’t fire her because Skyler had taken a liking to her.
She thought her age would be a secret, but she never expected M to use that against her...
Christine Quinn shook her head, looking at his emotionless, icy face. She bit her lip and said with difficulty, "I’m sorry, whether you accept it or not, I have to say these words."
"Christine Quinn, do you know?" Skyler Jones turned away, gazing distantly out the window, "That day, I was preparing..."
Skyler Jones paused here, mysteriously leaving his sentence unfinished.
Christine Quinn was listening intently, but suddenly he stopped, leaving her confused.
"Never mind..." He turned his back to her, waving his hand, "Go about your business!"
He didn’t understand why he wanted to hear her explanation today, despite having already figured out everything long ago. Her betrayal was a fact that wouldn’t change his view of her.
She said he’d never understand her predicant at the ti... But she would never understand, for soone abandoned by his parents and later by the one he loved, the pain was enough for him to reflect all his life.
She shouldn’t dream of living a good life now. He’s already in hell and won’t let her live carefree.
His voice was as cold as ever, bringing her contemplations back to reality.
She almost overthought it again...
So what if he asked about the past? His attitude toward her would not change, and there was no need for her to care anymore. She shouldn’t waste the little ti she had left on him...
User Comments
0 comments from readers