Ice and Fire novel Chapter 135

Jackson didn't say anything. After Stephen glanced at Cherry, he focused his eyes on Jackson again, and said, "Jackson, I would have never thought that you would plan to root me out this time, but you should remember that the grudge between us will last for a lifetime. I returned here to get even with you five years ago, and I won't let you get away with it until one of us is dead!"

With a cold expression on his face, Jackson replied, "Then let's see who'll win out."

Cherry had no idea about what they were talking about. 'Was there a blood feud between them?' she wondered.

Stephen replied with a sneer, and said, "Interesting." A shade of hatred could be seen flowing in his eyes.

After that, Stephen moved his eyes on Cherry, who was standing beside him, and said, "Jackson, I hope that you won't mind if I tell your wife that the Shen Group has gone bankrupt at your command, will you?"

When she heard Stephen's words, Cherry was immediately shocked. She had known that the Shen Group had gone bankrupt, but she hadn't heard that it had been because of Jackson. Had he really done that?

Cherry shook her head and couldn't believe what she just heard. She looked back at Stephen, and asked, "What did you say? Can you say it again?"

Jackson stared at Cherry. No expression could be found on his face, but some worries did arise in his heart, and he was afraid that the distance between his woman and him would now increase even farther than it had been before.

Stephen didn't intend to conceal anything from her, and directly replied, "Cherry, you've already heard me, it's just as I said. The Shen Group's bankruptcy was all because of him. If you don't believe me, you can ask him right now."

Cherry started to tremble uncontrollably, and she cast her eyes on Jackson and looked astonished at him. She then unconsciously said, "No, that's impossible, he wouldn't do such a thing."

Jackson felt his heart ache when he saw Cherry's helplessness. In the past, when she had been mistreated by the Shen household, he had always stayed at her side and held her in his arms, showing her his warmest embrace to console her. Now things were different, and he couldn't even get close to her while she was so desperate in front of him.

Tears streamed down on Cherry's cheeks. She hated everyone of the Shen household who had hurt her deeply, especially Jade Qiao, but Harrison Shen was, after all, her father, and what was he supposed to do after the Shen Group went bankrupt? He was already old, and he had almost instantly lost his Shen Group. According to her knowledge, he didn't even have any other relatives to rely on.

Cherry started to cry and stepped towards Jackson. She looked at him seriously, and asked, "Did you really do that? Did you really force my father to go into bankruptcy?"

"He was never qualified to be your father in the first place. Have you forgotten how he hurt you in the past?" Jackson shouted at Cherry, and thought, 'This stupid woman! Why does she feel sorry for such a bastard like Harrison Shen?'

"He's still my father!" replied Cherry. She pulled Jackson's collar and frantically asked, "Tell me where is he! Where is he now?"

Jackson looked at Cherry but didn't push her away. He didn't know how to answer her when he saw how emotional she was at that moment.

After a few moments, Jackson said, "I don't know."

"Then, why did you destroy the Shen Group? Why?" cried Cherry as she beat on Jackson's chest with her hands.

Jackson couldn't stand it anymore, and as he shook Cherry's hands away, he furiously said, "Because I hate you! I hate all the people that are related to you!"

Cherry fell backwards because of Jackson's strong push, but luckily Stephen quickly walked up to catch her.

Astonishment was written all over Cherry's face when she heard Jackson's words.

Jackson's anger finally broke out. He stared at Cherry, and furiously said, "Cherry, you left me without saying a word to me five years ago! I nearly searched all over the city to find you. I hate you, and my hatred for you is so deep that I don't know how to release it. I took revenge on the people related to you! I took my revenge on Stephen An, on Harrison Shen! All suffered just because of you, just because you existed!"

Cherry, who stayed in Stephen's arms without saying a word, looked as delicate as a frightened kitten. Her heart was aching, and she didn't want to hear about anything that had happened five years ago. She didn't want to remember Emily's death, she didn't want to think about Jean, or where she had gone to or what had happened to her. After her return to the city, she couldn't find anyone of the Shen household anymore, and she had found out that Stephen had lived under Jackson's oppression all along. Were all of these the results of her sudden departure?

Cherry then thought about Harrison and Jade, and although Harrison had been strict with her sometimes, he hadn't hurt her deeply. He had actually had no status in the family, and had always been oppressed by Jade. Cherry had more or less feelings for her father, but her last name was Shen, and how could she ever forget about the person from whom she had got that name - her father.

Stephen looked at Cherry and couldn't decide on what to say next to her. He had hesitated for so long to tell her all of this, but in order to continue with his plan, and to deepen the relationship between Cherry and him, he had to speak out those things.

Jackson watched the intimacy between the two and itched to pull Cherry into his arms. But he couldn't move a step, because he was the one who had pushed her away in the first place. How could he get her back now?

As time went by, Cherry was still staring blankly ahead. She told herself that what she needed to do at the moment was to adjust her messy mind.

Cherry slightly moved, and when Stephen noticed that she was herself again, he anxiously asked, "Cherry?"

Cherry tried to stand on her own feet, and Stephen helped her after he got her purpose.

She felt powerless, and she leaned on Stephen as if she was about to collapse at any moment.

"Let us leave, Stephen, " faintly said Cherry.

"Okay, " answered Stephen. He was about to help her walk away when Cherry suddenly stopped.

Cherry turned her eyes towards Jackson and then spoke out her mind.

"I used to think that I knew you well, Jackson, that I knew what kind of person you are, but I was wrong. I've spent the five years trying to forget the man who I fell in love with in a month, but I failed."

The expression on Jackson's face visibly changed when he heard Cherry's words. He hadn't expected Cherry to say something like that.

Cherry continued, "But now, I feel that you're a stranger, a stranger like I've never known you to be before. Harrison is my father, and Stephen is one of my best friends. If you hate me, you can take your revenge on me directly. Why did you have to hurt those who were innocent?"

Jackson's lips slightly moved. He wanted to say something, but he couldn't open his mouth.

Cherry suddenly put on a convinced face, and said, "Just hate me as much as you wish. You're right, I did flee away from you five years ago, and I'll pay for my own behavior, but Jackson, if you will, could you please not hurt those around me? I beg you!"

With that, Cherry looked into Jackson's eyes, and after a while she lowered her head and said to Stephen, "Let's go now."

Stephen nodded. He supported Cherry and turned around to leave.