Ice and Fire

Chapter 26 Stay With Me

Stephen took Cherry to his office and had her sit on the sofa. He took out a medicine bag and applied

ointment on Cherry's wounded hand.

"Is it hot water that hurt your hand?" Stephen asked.

"Yes. It was an accident," Cherry said.

"How have you been recently?

It seems like you are feeling a bit blue," said Stephen. What he wanted was the truth, instead of his

guesses.

"No. I'm good." Cherry wanted to cover her depression, but she couldn't.

"Does Jackson stay at home?" Stephen kept asking. He had not heard the truth yet.

"He... he... he went back to the army barracks." Cherry did not know how to lie glibly, so that Stephen

would not figure out the truth.

"Really?

Does he know you are hurt?" Stephen wouldn't stop asking questions.

Cherry replied, impatiently,"Could you stop mentioning him?"

Then she pulled back her hand, even before Stephen had finished applying the ointment.

"He treated you badly, didn't he?"

Stephen asked, bluntly.

"We married before we fell in love with each other. Did you imagine we would live happily?" Cherry

answered, opening up. She did not want to hide things anymore.

Stephen didn't say anything. He kept looking at Cherry, encouraging her to go on.

Cherry paused and looked away. Then she said, in a weak voice,"He doesn't love me. But why is he

finding it so difficult to stay with me?"

Stephen understood what she meant. Jackson was most probably having an affair. But Stephen also

knew that Jackson wasn't that kind of a person. Even though Jackson did not love Cherry, as a soldier,

he would not choose to have an affair post marriage.

Suddenly, something occurred to Stephen. He was reminded of the one thing and the one person he

had nearly forgotten about. Had she come back?

"Well, has she come back?" said Stephen, with hesitation.

"Do you know her?"

Cherry looked at Stephen curiously. After meeting him several times, she had realized that Stephen

and Jackson might be sharing secrets. She hadn't paid more attention to that because she did not

know Jackson at all. But Stephen might know who Sally He was, otherwise he would not have asked

that question.

Stephen looked into Cherry's eyes and said,"She is Sally He."

Cherry didn't say anything.

Stephen realized that his guess was right. He looked away and said,"She was the one who Jackson

would die for. Now she has finally come back."

Cherry still kept silent. She understood that Jackson loved Sally He the most.

Stephen looked at Cherry and asked,"Did Jackson dump you and go to Sally He?"

Stephen felt a complicated emotion when he asked the question. He felt sorry for Cherry, but at the

same time, his heart was tugged by her. He wanted to protect her, although he had no idea whether it

was because of his feelings for her, or if it was because he wanted to get back at Jackson.

Cherry still kept silent.

After a while, she said, slowly,"We did not fall in love with each other, so it is none of my business if he

goes to another woman."

Stephen did not know what to say to comfort Cherry. If they continued this conversation, Cherry would

definitely feel more depressed.

"Give me your hand, I'll help you with the ointment."said Stephen.

Cherry put her hand forward and fell silent.

Two hours later, Emily and Cherry had left. Stephen immediately called his assistant.

"Go and find out where is Jackson."

Stephen ordered.

"Boss, Jackson is..." The assistant did not have to finish the sentence. He knew that Stephen

understood what he meant. Who dared to investigate powerful people like Jackson Chu? If Jackson

found out, it would not end well for the investigator.

"This is my order. I'll handle it if anything goes wrong," Stephen said.

"Yes." Upon Stephen's assurance, the assistant finally took the task.

When Stephen found out where Jackson was, he drove to the seaside villa at high speed. Looking at

the luxurious villa, Stephen angrily said,"He does know how to hide people in style."

Then he knocked on the door. All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

Soon, Jackson opened the door. He was surprised to see Stephen there.

"How did you...?"

"Why are you so surprised?" asked Stephen.

"How did you find out about this place?" asked Jackson.

"As long as this place exists, I'll find it," said Stephen. "Jackson Chu, are you challenging my abilities?"

"What on earth do you want to do?"

Jackson appeared to be angry.

"I was thinking if you would invite me in to have a cup of tea," said Stephen.

"Stephen An, you have not come here for a cup of tea, have you?" Jackson was guessing that Stephen

had somehow found out that Sally He had come back.

"I have come to see who you are hiding." Stephen looked at Jackson and said.

Jackson suddenly grabbed Stephen's collar and said, coldly,"Stephen An, you have gone too far."

Stephen shook off Jackson, without fear. He angrily said,"I have gone too far? You are having fun with

Sally He here, but what about Cherry? You left her at home alone. Have you thought of her?"

"It's none of your business."said Jackson.

"Jackson Chu, I don't want to talk about our old scores. Tell me, how on earth do you define your

relationship with Cherry? If you don't like her, I'll take her away from you. I will not endure it if she

suffers." Stephen finally admitted that he had come here for Cherry. He felt sorry for her when he

thought of her wounds and her countenance.

"Stephen An, it's impossible, don't you think so?

She is my wife. Isn't it none of your business?"

Asked Jackson.

"I know she is your wife, Then what are you doing here?"

Asked Stephen, pointing at the villa. "You stay with this woman. Have you thought of your wife?"

"Stephen An, don't meddle in my business." Jackson stared at Stephen angrily,"Besides, don't

approach my wife. Otherwise, I will destroy you."

Jackson said. Just then, Sally He walked towards them.

"Stephen An?"

Sally was a bit surprised,"Why are you here?"

Stephen was also surprised to see Sally He, but he kept calm. "Sally He, good to see you again."

"Did you come to see Jackson, or to visit me?"

Sally He said, gently.

"What else could it be? I heard that you had come back and dropped by to visit you," Stephen said

evenly.

"How did you know I had come back?"

Sally was a bit intrigued and continued,"I thought only Derek Lu and Jackson knew that I had come

back."

Sally He thought no one else knew that she had come back. So how did Stephen find out?

"You need to ask Master Chu this question," said Stephen, as he turned to Jackson. "He did not want

others to know, but he failed."

"Stephen An," Jackson shouted angrily,"Did you meet her?"

Jackson thought Derek wouldn't spill the secret that Sally had come back. So Cherry would be the only

person who could tell Stephen.

"Master Chu, what do you think?"

Stephen asked in reply,"Do you know how Cherry has been lately?

Don't you know about the wounds on her hand?"

"Hasn't she applied some ointment?"

Jackson asked.

Stephen snorted,"Applied some ointment?

How could she apply ointment by herself?

Jackson Chu, you do know how to find excuse for yourself."

Jackson did not reply. He was concerned about Cherry.

From Stephen's words, Sally He found out that Cherry Shen was Jackson's wife.

Stephen looked at Jackson and continued,"Jackson Chu, if you want to take care of Sally He, then I will

take Cherry..."

Jackson interrupted before Stephen finished his sentence.

"Stephen An, don't even think of touching anything in my life, or it won't end well for you. If you don't

believe me, you can try again. Have you forgotten the lesson I gave you in the past?"

"You..." Stephen was too angry to say anything more.

"Leave now. Keep my words in mind," said Jackson in a condescending tone.

Stephen kept silent and left. However, he did not give up. Since it was Cherry, he would pursue her no

matter the risks, no matter if it was for revenge or for his own heart.

Watching Stephen go, Sally He whispered in Jackson's ear,"Cherry...is this Cherry your wife?"

"Right." Jackson did not avoid the question. Instead, he answered her calmly.

"Is she better than me?

Why would you marry her?"

Sally He's eyes were gradually filling with tears.

Jackson did not answer. He turned around and gently said,"Sally, you are getting better and can take

care of yourself now. I have to go. You can live here. No one will bother you."

Hearing his words, Sally He clutched his hand and shook her head. "No. No. No. Don't go. You can't

go. It was hard for me to be back with you again. I can't let you..."

Jackson wanted to get rid of Sally He,"Sally, knock it off."

Jackson finally shook himself free from Sally He and wanted to leave, but then he heard her angry

words.

"If you leave, I will kill myself," Sally He said, angrily. She would do whatever it took to make Jackson

stay here.

Jackson stopped. He knew Sally He. If he left, it was very likely that she would do something terrible.

Seeing Jackson pause, Sally He walked towards him. She hugged him from the back and snuggled up

to him. She then said, happily,"Stay with me, I'm so scared without you."

Jackson didn't say anything. He was rendered speechless.