Ice and Fire novel Chapter 575

Derek was waiting for Joe outside the school gates. He had already called the Principal of Joe's school and told him that Joe had to take some days off school. Considering that Joe was Jackson's son and Derek was the CEO of JS Group, the Principal had no choice but to agree. He dare not offend either Derek or Jackson, after all.

Jackson was walking out of the school, carrying a colorful cartoon-painted schoolbag, when he noticed Derek outside. He saw Derek pacing to and fro looking anxious. His teacher had told him that he had a visitor outside school and his Principal had also informed him that his parents had specially asked for a few days of leave for himself. Joe had a lot of thoughts going on in his head.

All of a sudden, he panicked, 'Something must have happened at home! Why didn't dad pick me up himself, ' he thought worriedly.

As Joe walked towards him, Derek heaved a sigh of relief.

"Uncle Derek, why are you here?" the little boy asked, as he sized up his uncle, looking positively curious.

Derek knew that this clever boy would never go home with him, if he didn't have an answer right away. So he paced himself and said,"Listen Joe, you are not safe at school anymore. That's why you cannot go to school for some days," he said and hoped Joe would listen to him. Cherry had been kidnapped by Bobby and nobody knew about her whereabouts and her condition. Jackson had asked Derek to look after the boy and he was going to do that to the best of his abilities.

Joe noticed the worry and anxiety on Derek's face and immediately asked,"What is wrong, Uncle Derek?" As his uncle didn't respond, Joe asked again,"Has something bad happened?"

Derek had decided that he would not tell Joe anything. But then again, Joe was a sharp boy and he would notice everything, so he decided to tell him the truth.

He got straight to the point and said,"Joe, your mother was kidnapped by Bobby. Your father is on his way to save her but he was very worried about you. So he asked me to keep you safe. That is why I am here."

Joe's expressions turned dark, the moment he heard this. 'I know Bobby, a dangerous guy who worked for my father. Has he betrayed him so that he can destroy him?' he thought. He was most worried about his mother. 'What if they hurt her?' He suddenly panicked at the thought, 'Mommy's pregnant! What if they hurt her?'

In an impulse, he grabbed Derek's hand and asked him,"Uncle Derek, where is Mommy?" He was impatient to know how Cherry was and where they had taken her.

"I don't know. You dad is looking for her," Derek replied. He didn't know the specific location where Cherry had been taken. But he assumed that she would be taken to a place which was under Eric's complete control. Jackson was driving there right now.

But just then, Joe started crying,"Uncle Derek, take me to mommy right now. I want to see her. I hope she is safe! If they do anything to hurt her, I promise I will not spare them."

Derek realised that Joe was becoming a little unstable, so he pacified him and said in a soothing, kind voice. "Joe, first you must sit in the car. Once we leave from here, we will call your daddy up and ask him where he is. Then we can go to him, okay?"

"Alright, let us hurry up!" Joe urged him.