Chapter 26 Stay With Me


    Stephen took Cherry to his office and had her sit on the sofa. He took out a medicine bag and applied


    ointment on Cherry''s wounded hand.


    "Is it hot water that hurt your hand?" Stephen asked.


    "Yes. It was an ident," Cherry said.


    "How have you been recently?


    It seems like you are feeling a bit blue," said Stephen. What he wanted was the truth, instead of his


    guesses.


    "No. I''m good." Cherry wanted to cover her depression, but she couldn''t.


    "Does Jackson stay at home?" Stephen kept asking. He had not heard the truth yet.


    "He... he... he went back to the army barracks." Cherry did not know how to lie glibly, so that Stephen


    would not figure out the truth.


    "Really?


    Does he know you are hurt?" Stephen wouldn''t stop asking questions.


    Cherry replied, impatiently,"Could you stop mentioning him?"


    Then she pulled back her hand, even before Stephen had finished applying the ointment.


    "He treated you badly, didn''t he?"


    Stephen asked, bluntly.


    "We married before we fell in love with each other. Did you imagine we would live happily?" Cherry


    answered, opening up. She did not want to hide things anymore.


    Stephen didn''t say anything. He kept looking at Cherry, encouraging her to go on.


    Cherry paused and looked away. Then she said, in a weak voice,"He doesn''t love me. But why is he


    finding it so difficult to stay with me?"


    Stephen understood what she meant. Jackson was most probably having an affair. But Stephen also


    knew that Jackson wasn''t that kind of a person. Even though Jackson did not love Cherry, as a soldier,


    he would not choose to have an affair post marriage.


    Suddenly, something urred to Stephen. He was reminded of the one thing and the one person he


    had nearly forgotten about. Had shee back?


    "Well, has shee back?" said Stephen, with hesitation.


    "Do you know her?"


    Cherry looked at Stephen curiously. After meeting him several times, she had realized that Stephen


    and Jackson might be sharing secrets. She hadn''t paid more attention to that because she did not


    know Jackson at all. But Stephen might know who Sally He was, otherwise he would not have asked


    that question.


    Stephen looked into Cherry''s eyes and said,"She is Sally He."


    Cherry didn''t say anything.


    Stephen realized that his guess was right. He looked away and said,"She was the one who Jackson


    would die for. Now she has finallye back."


    Cherry still kept silent. She understood that Jackson loved Sally He the most.


    Stephen looked at Cherry and asked,"Did Jackson dump you and go to Sally He?"


    Stephen felt aplicated emotion when he asked the question. He felt sorry for Cherry, but at the


    same time, his heart was tugged by her. He wanted to protect her, although he had no idea whether it


    was because of his feelings for her, or if it was because he wanted to get back at Jackson.


    Cherry still kept silent.


    After a while, she said, slowly,"We did not fall in love with each other, so it is none of my business if he


    goes to another woman."


    Stephen did not know what to say tofort Cherry. If they continued this conversation, Cherry would


    definitely feel more depressed.


    "Give me your hand, I''ll help you with the ointment."said Stephen.


    Cherry put her hand forward and fell silent.


    Two hourster, Emily and Cherry had left. Stephen immediately called his assistant.


    "Go and find out where is Jackson."


    Stephen ordered.


    "Boss, Jackson is..." The assistant did not have to finish the sentence. He knew that Stephen


    understood what he meant. Who dared to investigate powerful people like Jackson Chu? If Jackson


    found out, it would not end well for the investigator.


    "This is my order. I''ll handle it if anything goes wrong," Stephen said.


    "Yes." Upon Stephen''s assurance, the assistant finally took the task.


    When Stephen found out where Jackson was, he drove to the seaside vi at high speed. Looking at


    the luxurious vi, Stephen angrily said,"He does know how to hide people in style."


    Then he knocked on the door.


    Soon, Jackson opened the door. He was surprised to see Stephen there.


    "How did you...?"


    "Why are you so surprised?" asked Stephen.


    "How did you find out about this ce?" asked Jackson.


    "As long as this ce exists, I''ll find it," said Stephen. "Jackson Chu, are you challenging my abilities?"


    "What on earth do you want to do?"


    Jackson appeared to be angry.


    "I was thinking if you would invite me in to have a cup of tea," said Stephen.


    "Stephen An, you have note here for a cup of tea, have you?" Jackson was guessing that Stephen


    had somehow found out that Sally He hade back.


    "I havee to see who you are hiding." Stephen looked at Jackson and said.


    Jackson suddenly grabbed Stephen''s cor and said, coldly,"Stephen An, you have gone too far."


    Stephen shook off Jackson, without fear. He angrily said,"I have gone too far? You are having fun with


    Sally He here, but what about Cherry? You left her at home alone. Have you thought of her?"


    "It''s none of your business."said Jackson.


    "Jackson Chu, I don''t want to talk about our old scores. Tell me, how on earth do you define your


    rtionship with Cherry? If you don''t like her, I''ll take her away from you. I will not endure it if she


    suffers." Stephen finally admitted that he hade here for Cherry. He felt sorry for her when he


    thought of her wounds and her countenance.


    "Stephen An, it''s impossible, don''t you think so?


    She is my wife. Isn''t it none of your business?"


    Asked Jackson.


    "I know she is your wife, Then what are you doing here?"


    Asked Stephen, pointing at the vi. "You stay with this woman. Have you thought of your wife?"


    "Stephen An, don''t meddle in my business." Jackson stared at Stephen angrily,"Besides, don''t


    approach my wife. Otherwise, I will destroy you."


    Jackson said. Just then, Sally He walked towards them.


    "Stephen An?"


    Sally was a bit surprised,"Why are you here?"


    Stephen was also surprised to see Sally He, but he kept calm. "Sally He, good to see you again."


    "Did youe to see Jackson, or to visit me?"


    Sally He said, gently.


    "What else could it be? I heard that you hade back and dropped by to visit you," Stephen said


    evenly.


    "How did you know I hade back?"


    Sally was a bit intrigued and continued,"I thought only Derek Lu and Jackson knew that I hade


    back."


    Sally He thought no one else knew that she hade back. So how did Stephen find out?


    "You need to ask Master Chu this question," said Stephen, as he turned to Jackson. "He did not want


    others to know, but he failed."


    "Stephen An," Jackson shouted angrily,"Did you meet her?"


    Jackson thought Derek wouldn''t spill the secret that Sally hade back. So Cherry would be the only


    person who could tell Stephen.


    "Master Chu, what do you think?"


    Stephen asked in reply,"Do you know how Cherry has beentely?


    Don''t you know about the wounds on her hand?"


    "Hasn''t she applied some ointment?"


    Jackson asked.


    Stephen snorted,"Applied some ointment?


    How could she apply ointment by herself?


    Jackson Chu, you do know how to find excuse for yourself."


    Còntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Jackson did not reply. He was concerned about Cherry.


    From Stephen''s words, Sally He found out that Cherry Shen was Jackson''s wife.


    Stephen looked at Jackson and continued,"Jackson Chu, if you want to take care of Sally He, then I will


    take Cherry..."


    Jackson interrupted before Stephen finished his sentence.


    "Stephen An, don''t even think of touching anything in my life, or it won''t end well for you. If you don''t


    believe me, you can try again. Have you forgotten the lesson I gave you in the past?"


    "You..." Stephen was too angry to say anything more.


    "Leave now. Keep my words in mind," said Jackson in a condescending tone.


    Stephen kept silent and left. However, he did not give up. Since it was Cherry, he would pursue her no


    matter the risks, no matter if it was for revenge or for his own heart.


    Watching Stephen go, Sally He whispered in Jackson''s ear,"Cherry...is this Cherry your wife?"


    "Right." Jackson did not avoid the question. Instead, he answered her calmly.


    "Is she better than me?


    Why would you marry her?"


    Sally He''s eyes were gradually filling with tears.


    Jackson did not answer. He turned around and gently said,"Sally, you are getting better and can take


    care of yourself now. I have to go. You can live here. No one will bother you."


    Hearing his words, Sally He clutched his hand and shook her head. "No. No. No. Don''t go. You can''t


    go. It was hard for me to be back with you again. I can''t let you..."


    Jackson wanted to get rid of Sally He,"Sally, knock it off."


    Jackson finally shook himself free from Sally He and wanted to leave, but then he heard her angry


    words.


    "If you leave, I will kill myself," Sally He said, angrily. She would do whatever it took to make Jackson


    stay here.


    Jackson stopped. He knew Sally He. If he left, it was very likely that she would do something terrible.


    Seeing Jackson pause, Sally He walked towards him. She hugged him from the back and snuggled up


    to him. She then said, happily,"Stay with me, I''m so scared without you."


    Jackson didn''t say anything. He was rendered speechless.