Chapter 1486


    Jepherson refused to look back, and Ste let out a scornfulugh, "Why did I fall in love with


    someone like you?"


    "That was a mistake from the start. Love needs to be mutual," Jepherson replied.


    "You may not love me, but you have no reason to stop me from loving you. Compared to her love


    for you, mine is greater, stronger, and more persistent. Nothing can cause it to waver. It''s as sturdy


    as a rock."


    Hearing that, Jepherson turned to look at Ste with some amusement, "Are you sure you love


    me?"


    "A hundred percent." Ste had ced everything on the line, and there was no way she would


    back down. However, Jepherson did not respond and only gave her a meaningful look.


    They looked at each other. Finally, Ste asked, "Don''t you believe me?"


    He turned around, answering lightly, "I don''t have the right to ask for the truth from someone I had


    never thought of loving.


    "Raeleigh is hesitant with her love because she had too many concerns, but you''re different. You


    can act arbitrarily. However, whenpared to your love, hers is more honest. I can see through


    her feelings."


    "Then can''t you see through my feelings?" Ste''s eyes glinted, her expression darkening slightly. If


    she did not do something about Raeleigh, things would get out of hand. As long as she could get rid


    of Raeleigh once and for all, she did not care if Jepherson ended up hating her. She would make


    him hers.


    She would wait for him. She had plenty of time.


    Jepherson did not turn around. "Ste, I see you in the same way as to how I see Scarlette and


    Deanna. You can also think of me as an elder brother. That will benefit us both. Anyway, you should


    rest. You''ll be fine since you''ve taken the medicine. Your guards are around too. I''ll go out and take


    a look."


    "In such heavy snow?" Ste asked in disbelief.


    Jepherson took his jacket. "It''s fine."


    Once he was outside, he saw that it was snowing rather heavily indeed. However, it was not going


    to stop him from going to Raeleigh.


    Raeleigh woke up from her sleep in a daze. She had heard something downstairs. It sounded like


    someone was knocking on the door.


    She peeked out the window groggily from under her quilt. Santiago was fast asleep next to her, so


    she shoved him lightly. "Get up. Is there someone outside?"


    Santiago rolled his eyes. "What''s wrong with you? Are you hearing things in the middle of the


    night?"


    Raeleigh ignored Santiago and listened carefully once again, her eyes darting to the windowpane,


    which was covered with snow. Then, she got out of bed and walked toward the stairs. Santiago got


    up as well.


    "You''re so troublesome!" he muttered.


    Xanthus opened his eyes. "What''s wrong?"


    "I need to go to the bathroom, so I''ll go and take a look." With that, Raeleigh went downstairs.


    Santiago followed her. She pricked up her ears, listening for any sound. After all, in this weather, the


    sound of gusting wind could be simr to someone knocking on the door.


    Once she was downstairs, Raeleigh hesitated a little at the door. The weather was so terrible that


    opening the door would dispel what little warmth was inside the house. If what she heard was only


    the noise from the wind, then she would make the whole ce chilly for nothing, so she could not


    help being cautious.


    "Is anyone there?" Raeleigh called out near the door. After a few seconds, she heard Jepherson''s


    deep voice. "It''s me."


    She was startled, then she hurriedly opened the door without thinking a second thought.


    As expected, the howling wind gushed in, sting her in the face and effectively waking her.


    Raeleigh shuddered, then widened her eyes at the sight of Jepherson. He was covered in snow and


    looked like a snowman. He could barely move a muscle.


    He stood at the door. Even his eyshes were frozen. When Santiago saw him, he yanked him


    inside without a word and began vigorously dusting the snow off him.


    Raeleigh quickly shut the door and turned to look at Jepherson.


    Jepherson looked like a human-sized snowman after trudging in the snowstorm. His skin was


    frostbitten and red.


    "What on earth were you thinking?"


    Raeleigh suddenly shouted at him, the rims of her eyes reddening. He was hardly in a state to


    respond. Every part of his body was stiff and a bright, angry red.


    "Santiago, get me some hot water," Jepherson managed to choke out, his voice a little hoarse.


    Santiago immediately turned around to get the water.


    Fortunately, there was no need to boil water there. She thought that the water heater had been


    installed long ago, but it was only installed recently. Jacky specially prepared it for Deanna, and now


    they were the ones to benefit from it.


    "It''s ready," Santiago said.


    Jepherson turned and walked into the bathroom, then took off his clothes. Raeleigh stood


    unmoving. Jepherson walked to the door of the bathroom and said to Santiago, "Go on upstairs and


    sleep. Raeleigh can stay."


    Santiago had intended to stay with him, but after hearing that, he shrugged. After ncing at


    Raeleigh, he went upstairs.


    Raeleigh paused, then stood at the bathroom door.


    The door was open, and she could see that Jepherson''s whole body was red. She felt like ignoring


    him to teach him a lesson. Was Jepherson mad to walk in a snowstorm? What if something


    happened to him? Raeleigh fumed.


    Nheless, she swallowed her words and did not say them.


    Raeleigh walked in with reddened eyes. She closed the door, took off her clothes, then joined


    Jepherson in the bathtub.


    He was leaning back, resting his head against the edge of the bath. Raeleigh stepped into the


    bathtub and sat right on top of him. She lifted her hands to cup his red and swollen cheeks. "How


    are you going to go out tomorrow like this?"


    "I don''t even care about my pride, so what''s stopping me from going out like this?" Jepherson


    snorted in retort, not showing any signs of retreating.


    Raeleigh''s hands trembled a little, suddenly having the impulse to draw them away. However, she


    shook her head and cupped his icy cheeks even more firmly.


    Jepherson slowly opened his eyes and looked at her. He raised one of his red and swollen hands


    and held Raeleigh''s hand, saying in a gentle tone, "I was worried about you. I was wondering


    whether you were eating well and whether you were warm enough."


    Raeleigh had not intended to cry, but when she heard what Jepherson said, her eyes stung once


    again.


    Gently rubbing Raeleigh''s hand, he said, "I can bear you going through hardships and grievances


    with me. It pains me, but I can take that. What I can''t take are the things I can''t see. Don''t suffer


    behind my back. I can''t bear it when you''re not with me."


    Raeleigh swallowed, her lips quivering slightly. She fought to hold back her tears, but she found that


    it was useless. Soon, her tears flowed like a broken dam.


    Seeing Raeleigh cry, Jepherson immediately held her in his arms without saying a word. She tensed


    up as soon as his body touched hers. Even though they were soaking in the warm water, she could


    still feel the chill from his body.


    She leaned against his chest, murmuring softly. "I don''t like you being with other women, especially


    Ste. I can''t pretend it doesn''t bother me, you know."


    "Hah..."


    Jepherson chuckled in her ear. "If you weren''t jealous, I would''ve been worried."


    She pursed her lips and said nothing. Jepherson washed Raeleigh''s body, his huge palm caressing


    her smooth back. "There''s chaos everywhere in Capital City now. Both my father and Mr. Whalen


    have gone out to try and settle things. It''s both an opportunity and also a disaster. If I can''t suppress


    it, the Richards family will not be able to survive.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    "If one is born into a family like mine, there''ll be a price to pay. The fact that I can hold my beloved


    woman in my arms and take a bath like this makes me content."


    Raeleigh sat up and looked at Jepherson. "If I''m the one you need to sacrifice for the Richards


    family, will you do it?"


    He answered without any hesitation, "If that day reallyes, I''ll choose the Richards family."


    She had already guessed it. She looked at him, her clear eyes full of indescribable emotions. Under


    normal circumstances, she would have been upset and thrown a fit. Instead, she only felt a little


    regretful.


    She clung onto Jepherson, hugging his broad shoulders even tighter, no longer saying anything.


    Or maybe some things just could not be said.