Ice and Fire novel Chapter 141

Selina and Cherry drove to the cafe separately in their own cars. After they arrived, they sat across each other at a corner table.

Cherry took a sip of her coffee, and said, "Go ahead, I'm listening. What do you want to talk about?"

Selina looked at Cherry, and after she carefully weighed her words, she said, "Cherry, I'm sorry for what I've done to the Shen Group, I didn't know that Harrison was your father. I thought..."

But Cherry interrupted her before she could say a word more.

"Never mind. Leave it be, " said Cherry.

But Selina insisted on the subject and continued, "No, Cherry, please, you have to listen to me. I really had no idea that Harrison was your father. If I had, I would have tried to stop Jackson."

Selina looked as though she had misunderstood everything, and didn't know why she insisted on explaining the truth to Cherry. Maybe it was because she felt bad that Cherry flared up to her earlier in the afternoon, and wanted to straighten things up with Cherry again.

Cherry pondered for a while, and said, "Selina, I understand and I don't blame you. Jackson always gets what he wants, with or without your help."

Her words made Selina feel even worse. Cherry seemed to have forgiven her, but Selina knew that Cherry had been badly hurt by the things that they had done to her.

Selina said resignedly, "Actually, Derek told me that it was your abrupt departure and not Harrison's offence that made Jackson destroy the Shen Group."

Cherry turned her head and looked out the window, and said, "I know. He hates me."

"No, " said Selina quickly, "Jackson loves you! You have to believe him, Cherry!"

Selina tried to defend Jackson, because she was sure that he still loved Cherry.

"I can't afford his exclusive love, " replied Cherry.

When Selina looked at her gloomy expression, sadness also struck her, and tears also started to well up in her eyes.

"Why don't you want to make up with Jackson?" asked Selina, slowly starting to sob.

This took Cherry aback for a moment.

Cherry saw tears falling from Selina's eyes on her cheeks.

Cherry wanted to comfort her, but didn't know what to say to her. "Selina..."

But Selina interrupted her, and said, "Do you know that Jackson has been suffering since the first day he was born? Why do you have to punish him like this?" Selina didn't mean to blame Cherry, but wanted to speak out for Jackson.

Cherry looked surprised at Selina, but she didn't interrupt her. Instead, she listened to her.

"Jackson's parents left him when he was very young, and he had to be strong, because he was born as a soldier's son, something that Andrew had always told him. At that time, Derek and I could tell that Jackson was always very sad because neither of us had ever seen him smile, not even when we were obviously having a lot of fun.

It was only until he was a teenager and found out what love was that he started to become a little more open to the outside world around him. But, unfortunately that didn't last either, and then Sally's family got into trouble and Jackson had to fall into his sadness again."

Selina didn't say more about the incident and instead went straight to the point. "I was not there five years ago when the two of you got married, but I could tell that he was smiling happily over the phone when he informed me of the good news. From that day on, I believed that you're Jackson's one true love, but..."

Selina then stopped, but Cherry knew that the next part of story was about her.

She looked into Cherry's eyes, and said, "Cherry, Jackson actually loves you. He's never hated you, and even if he does hate you somehow, that's still because he loves you too much!"

Cherry was a little touched by her words, and deep in her heart she said to herself, 'How could I not love Jackson? There are too many things stunting our love.'

"Thank you, Selina, " said Cherry, who understood Selina's kindness towards Jackson.

"Cherry, do you want to get back together with Jackson?" asked Selina anxiously, eager to know the answer. She truly hoped that Cherry and Jackson would eventually get back together.

Cherry, however, shook her head and looked away from her. She said, "I don't think that I'm ready yet."

"Why do you need to get ready?" asked Selina frustrated. She continued, "Haven't you lived together? Don't you already know what kind of person Jackson is? What are you afraid of? With Jackson protecting you, you won't need to worry about anything."

Cherry shook her head, and with resignation clearly heard in her tone, replied, "Selina, you don't understand me, I have my own concerns."

Cherry didn't dare to tell Selina about Joe. She knew that if she did that, Selina would definitely tell everyone about him, and then they would have no peace anymore.

Selina didn't demand more from Cherry when she saw her reluctance to explain more to her.

After that, they just sat at the table in silence. Eventually, Cherry said, "Selina, can I ask you for a favor?"

"Of course you can, go ahead, " replied Selina.

"Can you help me find my father? I want to know where and how he is. After all, he is my father, " said Cherry in a gentle voice. It pained her to remember what Harrison had done to her, but in any case, he was still her father.

Selina nodded, and said, "Okay."

Cherry's mood slightly brightened when she saw Selina's prompt promise. She continued, "Can you tell me where Jackson is?"

Selina opened her eyes wide, and said, "Are you going to see him?"