Ice and Fire novel Chapter 178

All of Joe's words apparently hurt Jackson's feelings, and his heart wrenched. What was a warm family like? He had always been alone for the past five years, and he had no idea of his son's existence, who was now standing in front of him. If he had known about this, how could he have let his wife and son stay outside for so many years? He should have imprisoned his wife and should have given his son a warm home.

Selina just watched Jackson and remained silent. She couldn't tell what Jackson was thinking about just by judging his expression. She thought that maybe he was also felt a little distressed because of what was happening.

Jackson looked at Joe, and seriously asked him, "What's your name?" He had heard already that Selina had called him Joe, but he still wanted to be sure that he heard his name right.

"My name is Joe, Joe Shen, " he said, and then added, "Please call me by my full name, because only those who have a close relationship with me can call me by my first name."

Selina thought, 'This little guy is so overbearing! His personality is exactly as his father's who is now sitting opposite to him.'

'Joe?' When Jackson heard his name, he suddenly remembered the moments he had with Cherry on the beach. At that time, Cherry had told him that if they would have a child in the future, they should call him Joe. Jackson thought to himself, 'I can't be more stupid. Why didn't I realize that the child already existed?"

"You have taken your mother's family name?" asked Jackson.

"Of course. Who else's family name should I take? My father's? I don't even know who he is!" Joe teased him, although he knew that Jackson was his father.

Joe then just stared at Jackson and deliberately provoked him. He was curious to hear what his father would answer him.

Selina was almost frantic, and couldn't help but say to him, "Joe, your family name should be Chu. Your name is Joe Chu."

"No, " said Joe defiantly, "I don't even know who my Daddy is! Why do I have to take his family name?"

"Do you think you'll take Cherry's family name all of your life?" suddenly roared Jackson, as he glared at Joe.

Joe was then scared by Jackson, and he kept silent and stared at him fearfully.

When Selina noticed Joe's fear, she quickly walked up to him and held him in her arms. "Why did you speak so loudly?" said Selina to Jackson in a disapproving manner. "Look, you've scared him."

Jackson looked at his son and didn't know how to describe his own feelings. Of course, he was happy, happy that he already had a child with Cherry, and that his child was already big, but in the same time he was angry, angry that Cherry had hid him from him for five whole years, and that he had failed to see his son's birth, first steps, or hear his first words. Joe's attitude towards him also upset him very much.

"Does it matter?" cried Jackson even more infuriated. "I'm Cherry's husband and your father! Don't you think that it matters!"

"You're my mother's husband and my father? Then why did I only have Mommy around me ever since I was born? What about you? Where were you all these years?"

"I wasn't there because your mom ran away from me!" Jackson's face had become dark and cold, and his son's questions almost drove him mad with anger.

Joe wasn't persuaded by him at all, and instead looked straight into Jackson's eyes again, and asked, "Then why did my Mommy run away from you?"

As soon as he asked this question, Selina, who was standing next to him, was greatly shocked. She had never met a child who could think so logically and reasonably at his young age.

"You…" Jackson was then too angry to even speak a complete sentence. He raised his hand and was just about to smack Joe.

But then the elevator's bell rang, and everyone involuntarily looked to see who it was.