Ice and Fire novel Chapter 331

"Joe, stop this! You are a member in the Chu Family, and it would be wrong for us to leave." Cherry's voice was low and weak sounding. She wasn't in the mood to entertain her son's ideas of leaving the Chu Family home.

"Do you think they are treating us like we are part of the Chu Family? Why didn't Great-Grandpa stop Daddy from hitting you? Did he just stand there watching Daddy hurt you?" Joe wanted to know.

"Joe! Stop talking like that! It's complete nonsense! You..." snapped Cherry before Joe interrupted.

Joe's tone was childish but firm as he told her, "Mommy! We need to leave, right now! I won't live here anymore! There's nothing good about this family and no place for us! As long as I am with you, I will be happy. I wanna live the life we used to live before we came back. I don't wanna see you being bullied! I wanna be with you forever!"

"Joe..." Cherry trailed off, sighing. At the moment, she didn't know what tell him, or how to say it. She was touched by her son's sentiments. She had never known anyone so considerate about her and tried so hard for her. In fact, not even Jackson had ever given this much of himself to her. Yet, here was her son, so young, offering to do everything for his mother in his innocent way.

"Mommy, let's go! We're leaving now!" insisted Joe as he clutched her hand and headed for the door.

But, just as they reached the hallway, they were stopped.

Jackson blocked their way; Andrew and the butler were not far behind him.

When Joe saw his Daddy standing there glowering, he didn't feel any fear. He looked at his Daddy and said firmly, "I'm taking Mommy away from this place."

"Do you think you can just leave because you want to?" shouted Jackson angrily.

The coldness in Jackson's voice scared Cherry. She knew Jackson's anger well enough and was aware that he might lose his temper at any moment.

Joe disregarded his Daddy's anger. He looked up at his father and said in a serious tone, "Since there is no place for my Mommy and me, I am taking Mommy away from this family."

Jackson looked down at his son in silence.

Andrew was standing next to Jackson and said to Joe in an amiable tone, "Joe, you can't take your Mommy from here. You are members of the Chu Family, and families stick together."

"Are we really family? How could you treat my Mommy like this if we are family?" When Joe finished saying his piece to his Great-Grandpa, he turned to his Daddy, because his questions had been for his Daddy. He knew his Daddy was the head of the Chu Family not his Great-Grandpa, and every word said or choice made by his father was the final law in the family.

Andrew didn't know what to say at that moment, he understood his Great-Grandson's words. He knew what had just happened when he saw Cherry's appearance, his Grandson had hurt her, and he could see the marks on Cherry's neck from where he was.

Nobody responded to him, so Joe said to his Mommy, "Mommy, we're going!"

Joe grabbed hold of his Mommy's hand again and tried to walk to the staircase.