Ice and Fire novel Chapter 186

Jackson seemed to see Cherry's confusion, and said, "Give Wilson his car back." He then took out a key and gave it to Bill Ma, the elder driver, and after he looked at Cherry again, continued to say, "From now on, he'll be the one who is responsible for driving you."

Seeing that Bill Ma picked up the key, Cherry hastily said, "I don't need a driver, I can drive by myself!"

Cherry's resistance aroused Jackson's anger. He then came closer to Cherry, and as he looked deep in her eyes, he said, "Cherry, there's no room for you to say 'no' to me!"

Cherry seriously looked at him, and replied, "Jackson, I can drive, I'm not disabled! Why would I need a driver?"

Seeing that Cherry still resisted him, Jackson's anger started to build up inside him little by little. He then held her chin with one hand, and said, "Do you really want to disagree with me?"

Cherry threw Jackson's hand away from her. She didn't want to disagree with him, she just wanted to defend her own freedom.

"I'm not disagreeing with you!" said Cherry.

"Well, then just obey my orders, " said Jackson, who then looked at Joe who was standing next to him.

Cherry still resisted him, and said, "Jackson, I won't..."

But before she could finish her words, Jackson ruthlessly slapped Cherry across her face. She then lost her balance and stepped back a few steps, with her face burning with a sharp pain.

"Mommy!" When he saw that Cherry was hit, Joe quickly went to her and helped her get up. Looking at her slightly red and swollen face, he felt a burst of anger raging inside him; he turned to Jackson, and said, "Why did you hit my Mommy?"

"Because she wasn't obedient, " said Jackson coldly. He actually felt terrible in his heart, and it hurt him more than Cherry's pain did. He wouldn't have hit her if she had been an obedient woman to him, because he just wanted the driver to protect her from any harm and accidents.

"Is there anything wrong with Mommy driving by herself? She's your wife! How can you do that to her!" Joe shouted at Jackson in very hateful and impolite way, because anyone who dared to hurt his Mommy was his enemy, even his own father.

"How dare you!" said Jackson, while he also tried to hit Joe.

Cherry then pulled her son behind her and took a step forward to block Jackson. She stared in his eyes, and said, "That's enough! Don't touch my son!"

Jackson sternly looked at Cherry. Only when he dealt with things that related to her did he know how to compromise.

After some time, Jackson turned away and walked out of the house.

Jackson's temporary departure didn't make any changes in Cherry's mood. Inside the living room, she said to the maid, "Lily, please help me carry my luggage upstairs."

"Yes, madam, " replied Lily Wu politely.

Bill Ma was also very enthusiastic to help her carry her luggage. He knew that Cherry was the mistress of the house, and that Joe was the young master, and that no matter how badly Mr. Jackson treated them, he still had to do his work exceptionally well as their servant.

On the second floor, Cherry suddenly stopped Lily Wu and Bill Ma, and said, "Wait a minute."

Lily Wu and Bill Ma, with her luggage in their hands, stopped in front of the bedroom's door.

Joe was behind his Mommy and didn't say a word.

Cherry looked at the four doors on the second floor. She remembered that she had told Jackson that she would leave one room for a study and the rest bedrooms.

"Which one is the study?" asked Cherry.

Lily Wu then pointed to each door, and said, "Madam, the farthest one is the study, and this room is for you and Mr. Jackson. This one is for Mr. Joe and the last one is the guest room."

Cherry thought for a moment, and said, "Put my luggage in the guest room and Joe's into his room."

As soon as Cherry finished speaking, Joe immediately grabbed her hand, and said, "Mommy, I want to sleep with you tonight."

Cherry looked at her son, and said, "Alright, Mommy will sleep in your room tonight."

"Great!" said Joe cheerfully. As long as he stayed with his Mommy, he was the happiest child in the world.

Lily Wu and Bill Ma then looked at each other and didn't know what to do or say. Mr. Jackson hadn't been clear with any of the arrangements. If they did what Cherry said and Mr. Jackson got angry, were they doomed to be punished?

When she saw that Lily Wu and Bill Ma weren't moving, Cherry said, "What? Do you want to disobey my orders on my first day in the house? Do you want to drive me away?"

"No, no, " quickly answered Lily Wu, while she put Cherry's luggage inside the guest room.

A bad feeling arose in Cherry's heart when she saw Lily Wu and Bill Ma entering the guest room. Since Jackson had just hit her earlier, she already felt that she had arrived to a baleful place. Cherry felt that the house she had moved in with her son wasn't a home at all for them, but instead a gloomy, horrible, and dark prison.

In the morning, Cherry and Joe started to clean the second floor. Cherry tidied up Joe's room, and after she finished and looked at cleanliness inside, said, "Joe, you've already grown up now and you need to be independent. You can't rely so much on Mommy anymore."

Joe snuggled up in Cherry's arms, with a lovely look on his face, said, "But I can't go to sleep without Mommy!"

"Mommy will sleep with you for a few days more until you get used to it, and then Mommy will sleep in my own room, okay?" said Cherry.

Joe thought for a moment and then nodded.