Chapter 238 What I Meant
Eileen’s l*ps curved politely, her eyes carrying a hint of aloofness. “No need for these; the elevator is already full. We can take the next one,” she said.
The rejection, witnessed by many, prompted subtle glances circulating between her and Jasper.
“I forgot to take something from the private room; I need to go back,” Eileen stated.
“I’ll wait for you,” Benjamin offered.
“Okay.”
As Eileen exited, the elevator doors gradually closed behind her. Jasper knew she was being deceptive; Eileen hadn’t left anything behind but was attempting to escape.
True enough, she remained in the private room for a few extra minutes. It was only when the waiter arrived to clear the table that she finally left.
The two descended in the elevator to the underground parking lot. Eileen settled into the pa*senger seat, fastened her seatbelt, and said, “All right, let’s go.”
“Wait a moment.”
“Huh?”
Suddenly, Benjamin moved closer. Eileen slightly leaned back, curious about his intentions.
The man, who didn’t seem frivolous, extended his hand, and his fingers gently lifted the hair tangled in the seatbelt. “Your hair.”
A sense of caution lessened in Eileen’s heart. “Thank you.”
Benjamin’s gaze shifted away from the car window as he pressed on the accelerator, steering from the parking lot. Not far off, a few cigarette butts lay on the ground in front of the Maybach.
away
Nancy swiftly grabbed the hall-smoked cigarette from Jasper’s hand. Crossing her legs, the slit of her skirt revealing her slender legs, she exhaled a puff of smoke with fiery red l*ps.
“Richie, if you keep staring at her like that, I’ll get jealous.” Leaning in, she habitually blew smoke in his face. “I’m back now, so there’s no room for any other woman in your heart. We are a perfect match, aren’t we? I know that all these years, you’ve never truly let go of me. After all, we’ve shared so many firsts…”
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With a deep, emotionless voice, Jasper said, “Let’s put an end to this.”
Nancy paused in the middle of her smoke, promptly discarding the unfinished cigarette in her hand. She straightened her skirt and sat up properly. “Understood, I’ll stop joking around with you. Didn’t you say you were going to make up for my birthday? You’ve booked a restaurant, right? Let’s hurry up and go.”
Jasper turned his head and gave her a stern look. “You know what I mean, Nancy. We should
end this.”
Indeed, she stood by him during his most challenging moments, helping him weather the darkest times. These experiences taught him valuable lessons.
From his youth, Jasper was well aware of the strained relationship between his father and mother. As a result, he consistently complied, aiming to be the perfect child in their eyes and exerting every effort to mend their home.
It was regrettable that he couldn’t sustain this effort, allowing that woman to take advantage of the situation.
Later, it was revealed that his father was never home at night, and his mother coped with her sorrows by drowning them in alcohol, pushing herself to the edge of madness.
In moments of anger, Jasper became an unwanted presence, facing either physical abuse or harsh words. After consuming alcohol, his mother would confine him to a dark basement.
Upon sobering up, she would regret her actions, holding him in her arms with deep remorse.
This period of his life, he vaguely recalled, occurred when he was just eight years old.
No matter how well he performed or how outstanding he was, that man never took notice. Approval or praise from him was something Jasper had never received.
Growing up in a broken home defined much of his life.
Jasper eventually rebelled, engaging in drinking, smoking, getting tattoos, and staying out all night. In the end, he transformed into a rogue and ruffian in the eyes of everyone, a school bully whom no one on the entire street dared to provoke.
It was only later, after facing retaliation that nearly left him beaten to death on the streets, his b*dy covered in blood and on the brink of death, that Jasper encountered Nancy.
She stood by him year after year.
During that challenging time, only she was there for Jasper.
It was jasper who initially suggested they start dating.
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Perhaps it was youthful recklessness, a moment of indulgence.
He didn’t understand what it meant to like someone, believing that not wanting to lose someone was the same as liking them.
The moment he discovered that Nancy was planning to leave him years ago, he nearly risked his life to keep her, thinking this was love.
But now he realized it was merely his unwillingness to accept, his reluctance to see the people around him gradually leave, to the point he harbored thoughts of death and almost lost his life.
His thought was, “If life tears us apart, then let’s die together.”
As his family crumbled, and the only person he truly cared about at the time was about to leave him, the sensation resembled being abandoned by the entire world.
Jasper had once longed for liberation, perpetually dwelling in the abyss. Unexpectedly, the car accident didn’t claim his life.
With the arrival of Eileen, she became a beacon of light, offering him the only chance for redemption and survival. For her, Jasper made the choice to emerge from the darkness.
He never lost sight of why he embarked on this journey in the first place!
Nancy remained skeptical, casting him a dubious look. “Quit playing games, Richie. You’re practically dependent on me. You’re willing to risk your life for me. Do you really think I’d believe what you’re saying?”
Jasper responded with a nonchalant tone, “I’ve settled the high-interest loans you took from loan sharks, and I’ve handled the aftermath with your father’s side. He won’t be bothering you anymore, Nancy. Living in the past is unsustainable for anyone. The bet you made with my grandmother? You lost the moment you started. As a gesture of respect for our shared history, I’ll provide you with a sum of money-enough to sustain a comfortable life for the rest of your days.”
Nancy was incredulous at what she heard. The once self-a*sured and composed woman suddenly became frantic and agitated. She tightly gripped the man’s arm, “Are you lying to me? Is everything you’ve said just a bunch of lies, Richie? You know I love you! If it weren’t for your grandmother, I wouldn’t have been misled back then, wanting to leave you. I only wanted to be with you openly and honestly. Now that I’m back, we will definitely return to how things were before.”
“Some things, once they happen, cannot be changed, like the car accident,” Jasper retorted.
After Eileen left, Jasper admitted that he had never truly let go from start to finish.
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There were certain emotions he couldn’t find in Nancy, and that was his true feeling!
Perhaps he had never genuinely felt affection for Nancy.
He found it unbearable to separate because he didn’t want to lose anyone around him. That’s why he clung desperately, begging them to stay.
However, Eileen was different. In her presence, Jasper experienced a sense of peace he had never felt before. No matter how strong his emotions were, he could always find tranquility. It was a warm and comforting sensation.
“Then why did you still help me, pulling me to your side? Is that old woman threatening you again? Don’t worry, no matter what happens this time, I won’t leave you. It was you who didn’t want me to leave. Now that I’m back, no one can ever keep us apart,” Nancy a*serted.
However, the man remained steadfast in his position. “There will be no future for us. I have already been more than fair to you.”
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