Ice and Fire novel Chapter 291

"Cherry, the party will start soon. I've brought for you and Jackson the the evening dress and tux. Quick, go and change into them together with Jackson in the hotel and I'll help you with the makeup after. Then we can go straight to the party, " said Selina quickly.

"Selina..." but before Cherry could finish what she wanted to say, she was interrupted by Andrew.

"Well, hurry up, you heard her! You'd better go and change your clothes now, the butler will take good care of me, don't worry, " said Andrew.

Jackson then looked into his Grandpa's eyes and knew what was his first priority. He had no other choice but to listen to his grandfather's words.

He then replied to him with a nod.

Derek didn't say a word until he saw that Jackson agreed to go. He then said to Andrew, "Well, Grandpa, we're leaving now, but we'll be back to see you as soon as the party is over."

"No, no! You don't need to come back here again. I'll only sleep here for one night, and will come back home tomorrow morning. I really can't stand the smell of disinfectant in here anyway, and it's better for me to stay at home, " said Andrew while smiling.

"Okay. I'll come to pick you up tomorrow morning then, " said Jackson.

"Alright, alright. Hurry up now!" said Andrew, as he waved his hand to them gesturing to leave already.

The moment the four got out of the ward, an irritated expression immediately appeared on Selina's face.

She then turned to Derek, and said, "Derek, you drive to the hotel by yourself. I'll take Cherry's car instead of yours."

Judging from her tone, Derek could clearly notice that there was something wrong with Selina. He looked at her puzzled, and asked, "What's the matter?"

"Nothing, I just don't want to take your car, " said Selina, as she held Cherry's arm. She then said to her, "Come on, Cherry, let's go."

Cherry didn't comment on any of it. She just smiled at Selina, and went together with her.

Jackson kept silent and just quietly walked ahead.

As soon as they arrived in the hotel room, Jackson went to change into his tuxedo in the bedroom, while Selina helped Cherry do her makeup in the living room. Derek was just standing at the window, watching the scenery outside.

Selina suddenly whispered to Cherry, "Does it hurt?"

Even though she said it in a low voice, Derek still heard it, and he quickly turned his head to look at them. He saw that Selina was staring at Cherry's face, half of which was red and swollen. He then thought to himself, 'Did Jackson hit her? What happened?'

Cherry shook her head, and said, "It's alright."

"He's so ruthless! How could he hit you?" said Selina, very irate. Although she had always respected Jackson very much, she still couldn't forgive him for what he had done to Cherry. She was really into Cherry, who was a person with a strong and kind personality.

"Selina, please help me with the makeup. Just slightly powder my face, I don't want a heavy job, " said Cherry. She didn't want to talk about that, and she quickly changed the topic. Jackson had already hit her, and it didn't make any sense for her to say anything more about it. What's more, Jackson's words kept on echoing in her mind. She was afraid that if she went on with the topic, she might fail to hold back her tears and ruin her makeup.

"Okay, " said Selina in a soft and tender manner.

Jackson then walked out of the bedroom wearing the tux. When he saw that Selina was putting makeup on Cherry, he didn't say a word; instead, he went straight to the sofa on the other side of the room and sat on it wearing a poker face.

When Derek saw that Jackson sat on the sofa, he walked up to him, and said, "Jackson, leave your car at the hotel; I'll ask Bobby to drive it back. You can drive Cherry's car to the party."

Jackson still didn't say anything. He just quietly stared at what was in front of him, and didn't look at Cherry or anyone else.

Selina and Cherry also heard Derek's words, and neither of them commented on it, either. The whole room was in an awkwardly uncomfortable silence.

After Selina finished Cherry's makeup, she looked at her very satisfied. She nodded, and said to her, "Okay, Cherry, the makeup isn't heavy at all. Go and change into your evening dress now."

"Okay, " nodded Cherry, and then stood up and walked into the bedroom.

Then, only Jackson, Derek and Selina were in the living room.

Selina glared at Jackson, and furiously asked him, "Why did you hit her? You slapped her so hard that her face is swollen. How can she go to the party like that? What the hell is wrong with you?"

Jackson was still sitting on the sofa without uttering a word. His heart ached incomprehensibly, and he thought to himself, 'I love her so much. I didn't want to hit her, but under those circumstances I couldn't control my emotions anymore. I burst into fury, and just couldn't refrain myself from slapping her.'

Derek felt sorry for Cherry too, but he knew Jackson so well that he was sure that he had to have his own trials and tribulations, especially when he saw him sitting there on the sofa in silence. He knew how much Jackson loved Cherry, and he believed that Jackson hadn't meant to do that to her. He might have just been too angry to control himself.

Derek tried to speak up for Jackson and said, "Alright, alright, Selina, I'm sure that Jackson didn't mean to do that. He was too angry and he couldn't control himself, let him go this time, okay?"

"He was too angry? I don't know what kind of man would hit his own wife that hard; I really can't understand one thing: what the hell was he thinking about?" and with these words, Selina turned her head sideways and avoided looking at Jackson. She couldn't stop scolding him for the horrible thing that he had done.

Jackson wanted to speak up for himself, and he really wanted to tell Selina that he had a row with Cherry because of some things that concerned Mond. That was the reason why he had lost control over himself and had hit Cherry, but he couldn't tell her that, because Selina didn't know that he already knew Mond. He was afraid that if Selina found out about this she would try to learn more about it soon, and that might pose a danger. Both Cherry and Selina meant a lot to him, because one of them was his beloved wife, and the other one was his sister; he had to keep both of them out of harm's way.

The whole room was in a dread silence before Cherry finally came out of the bedroom dressed in her evening dress. When the three people in the living room heard the door open, all of them immediately turned their heads around to look at Cherry.

Jackson was fascinated by Cherry as soon as he saw her. She was charming and perfect in his eyes; he proudly thought to himself, 'This is my woman! She is the most beautiful woman in the world, with a beauty beyond any kid of comparison!'