Chapter 239 I Dare Not Open The Door
“Fabian, take her back to Jeahron.”
Jeahron was a small city located about one to two hundred kilometers from Hulbury. It was also Nancy’s hometown. The drive there would only take about two to three hours.
“But Mr. Smith, you-
“I know what I’m doing.” Jasper got out of the car. When Nancy tried to follow him, Fabian locked the door. Nancy’s makeup was smeared from crying, her fingernails desperately scratching at the car window. “Jasper, you liar! It was you who asked me to stay with your forever, but now you’re the one pushing me away!”
Jasper simply kept quiet.
“I’m sorry, Jasper. I shouldn’t have left you. The car accident was just an accident. I never expected it to change you like this. From now on, I’ll make it up to you with the rest of my life! Let’s not part ways again, I beg you… Please don’t send me back. Without you, I’ll go
mad!”
Nancy pounded on the car window as she continued yelling, “Fabian, open the door! I need to get out!”
Fabian opened the partition between the front and back seats, remaining unmoved despite Nancy’s shouting.
Originally, he wanted to wait until tonight to tell her these words.
However, a voice deep within him was telling him that he had waited long enough.
If I don’t go back and find her soon, my girl will be completely gone from my life! What difference would it make if I bow my head once more this time? After all, I’m the one who can’t let go!
It was just past nine in the evening at the tattoo parlor when a young girl, about sixteen or seventeen, with her hair in dreadlocks, raised an eyebrow at the handsome, bare-chested man covered in tattoos in front of her. “Hey, handsome… Are you sure you want to remove them all at once? This is no joking matter. I suggest you do it in several sessions instead. Otherwise, the wounds might get infected, and with such a large area, I’m afraid I might have to keep cleaning until tomorrow,” she said while chewing on a piece of gum.
But she had to admit that the man had an impeccable figure. Actually, your tattoo looks quite good on you-”
Jasper pulled out a thick wad of bills from his wallet. It amounted to at least over a thousand. This was almost equivalent to her salary for several months.
It would be foolish of her not to accept the money when it was offered to her like that.
“Lie down and bear with the pain a little,” said the girl with the dreadlocks as she pulled up at chair to sit beside him. She began to clean the tattoo on the back of his hand, her fingers. lightly brushing over it as she continued, “Have you had scars here before? It seems like there are many. How did you get them, mister?”
“I was injured,” Jasper replied as he looked at the ceiling painted with colorful oil paints and the glaring lights.
Jasper’s b*dy was actually covered with numerous scars, large and small, all left by his mother in her drunken stupors. These scars had been his companions for over a decade.
Some were due to the car accident.
Originally, he had asked Nancy to tattoo him. He wanted to get inked just like her, all in an effort to cover up these scars.
Since the decision had been made to start anew, there was no need to hold onto them.
anymore.
The girl with the dreadlocks noticed that he seemed to be harboring many secrets. She didn’t ask much more and began to handle things meticulously.
Back at Undella Mansion, Mary had prepared a late-night snack for Eileen.
“Ms. Eileen, Mr. Snow came by today. His car was parked at the front gate. I didn’t dare make a sound inside the mansion. It seems he didn’t get the pa*sword right, so he left after a short while.”
“I understand. I won’t be having supper, so you can take it home with you. I can’t finish all of this by myself. I’m going to head upstairs to rest now.”
“Alright then. You should get some rest early, Ms. Eileen.”
Ever since Undella Mansion was left with only Mary as the sole housekeeper, Eileen had her move from the cramped housekeeper’s room to the guest room on the fourth floor.
After all, it was a waste to leave so many rooms unoccupied.
Mary watched Eileen’s retreating figure, muttering to herself, “Oh my, this is such a good family. Where can I possibly find another one like this?”
She had quite the appetite and loved to eat. This was the first time she had the chance to indulge in truffle and abalone. Even though she had never tried these delicacies before, when she brought them home, her old man relished them. However, Mary never snuck that food home. She would always obtain permission before doing so. She simply couldn’t bring
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herself to steal.
Mary turned off the lights in the living room and picked up a plate of washed strawberries. before heading upstairs. She only ate the ones that were half good. The good ones she had already delivered to Eileen’s room.
This poor child, living alone in such a cold and lifeless house… It may be comfortable living here, but it doesn’t feel like home.
Mary arrived in the room and suddenly thought of something. She quickly dialed Sharon’s number, and it took three tries before the call went through. “Hello, Sharon, I was supposed to call you when Ms. Eileen returned… Don’t worry, though. She’s doing great right now! When are you coming back? Oh my, I miss you so much when you’re not here.”
Sharon let out a few coughs.
“Oh, my… Why are you coughing? Are you sick? Feeling any better?” Mary asked.
Sharon’s voice was somewhat frail as she replied, “It’s just the same old ailment. As long as she’s doing well, that’s all that matters. I’m sorry for the trouble, please take good care of her for me.”
“What are you talking about? I owe you for introducing me to this great job. I’ll come to visit you at the hospital tomorrow!” Mary said.
The night was bathed in silence.
Eileen emerged from the bathroom and placed her first award on display.
Suddenly, a memory surfaced in her mind. It was of a time when Jasper had left a line of poetry in her exercise book: One’s patience will be rewarded.
It seemed like she had succeeded.
She didn’t blame Jasper for his decision. If she were in Jasper’s position, she would also find it difficult to let go. After all, her existence was indeed unique.
Everyone has a past that they cannot forget.
She had never regretted being with Jasper.
He was a good person, but they were simply not meant to be together despite their connection.
Leaving the lamp on by the nightstand, Eileen swallowed a few Blake pills and went to bed.
At three in the morning, Eileen had a dream. She saw her mother sitting by her bed, gently
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brushing her hand across her face as she said, “It seems you truly are strong and brave, Eileen. You managed to walk out of this situation on your own.”
“But… Why do I still feel so terrible? Mom, can you tell me what I should do next?”
“From this point forward, you must walk the path alone, Eileen.”
“Mom, where are you going?”
“It’s time for me to leave…”
The dark figure gradually disappeared as it pa*sed through the door.
“Mom!” Eileen woke up in a cold sweat. She sat up abruptly, glanced at the time, and saw that it was only half past three.
She reached out to turn on the light, only to find her vision blurred by tears. Her heart ached as if it had been brutally struck.
The room was filled with silence, not a sound to be heard. A wave of loneliness and despair washed over her.
Upon hearing the rumbling of thunder, Eileen quickly rushed to close the windows. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew into the room, lifting the curtains.
Suddenly, there was an urgent knock on the door. “Ms. Eileen, something is wrong! You should come downstairs quickly! I heard thunder, so I was getting ready to go to the yard to collect the laundry, but there’s someone outside. It’s too dark for me to see clearly. I was afraid that it might be a ghost, so I didn’t dare open the door.” Mary was both scared and panicked.
Eileen closed the window before opening the door to the room. She looked at Mary and said, “Mary, there are no ghosts in this world. I’ll go down and take a look.”
Outside the door, a figure stumbled clumsily towards the mansion.
The pain coursing through the figure’s legs was almost unbearable, making it nearly impossible to stand.
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