Ice and Fire novel Chapter 66

Time passed, and Emily's funeral was held. As soon as they walked out of the cemetery, Cherry suddenly fell to Jackson's chest and fainted. Jackson didn't say a word, and instead held Cherry in his arms, heartbroken.

When they got back home, Jackson gently put Cherry on the bed, and quietly sat next to her.

He didn't leave his wife's side until she woke up, and as he looked at her emaciated face, he felt even more distressed than he was before.

One week passed, and Cherry changed greatly. She became silent and hardly spoke, and every time Jackson talked to her, she only replied to him by using her eyes, or by simply nodding or shaking her head. When she spoke, she uttered only a word, or maybe two.

Cherry ate less and less, and sometimes she would only have one small meal for the whole day. Jackson knew that this was also because of Emily's death, and he was worried about her very much. He had tried his best to comfort her, but all of his efforts had been in vain.

One evening, the couple was sitting on a deck chair on their balcony, under a starry sky. Cherry was lying obediently in Jackson's arms, and was looking up at the star-lit heavens, mute, and lost in thought.

Suddenly, Jackson whispered, "Honey."

Cherry didn't reply, and instead still looked up at the sky.

Jackson knew that Cherry had surely heard him, and continued, regardless of Cherry's silence. "Would you please talk to me? I want to listen to you."

At that moment, as he held Cherry's slender waist as tight as he could, Jackson's voice couldn't have been more tender than it was.

After some time, Cherry began to speak, "Jackson."

He was happy when he heard his wife finally speak to him. He quickly said, "Yes, I'm here."

"I miss Emily so much..."

Jackson didn't know how to comfort her.

He paused for several seconds, looked for the words, and said, "Honey, I'm sorry about Emily; it was all my fault. All of this wouldn't have happened if I hadn't misunderstood you in the first place..."

Jackson continued, "But Cherr, could you please just stop torturing yourself like this? Seeing you like this breaks my heart; I don't want you to be like this."

Jackson was almost in tears, but Cherry shed them first before he had the chance.

She burst into tears, and said, "Do you know something? In the whole world, the only two people that have ever treated me well are Emily and Wilson. They have never hurt me. When Wilson had to go abroad, I was left with only Emily, and she was very important for me, but now she...She's…"

Cherry then sobbed, and couldn't say anything more. She had never expected that Emily would die because of her, and if she had not come to her house, and not asked her for her help, then she would have still been alive.

Jackson once again tightly held her in his arms and comforted her, and said, "Honey, it's alright. Please, don't be afraid; don't be afraid; everything's going to be alright."

As she thought of the horrific scene, Cherry closed her eyes, and could not help but shudder. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't wipe it from her mind.

Both Cherry and Jackson then kept their silence.

It was late at night, and the stars were shining bright above them. Cherry slowly opened her eyes, and as she looked up at the starry sky, she suddenly said, "I miss Wilson..."

Jackson was a little unhappy when he heard her words. She was missing Wilson, a man who had no blood ties with her. He was a little concerned and jealous, and according to his investigations, Wilson Yuwen was good on both mental capabilities, and appearance. He could tell from Cherry's remark and tone that Wilson had been good to her, and that he must have played an important role in Cherry's heart. Jackson wondered what role he himself played in her heart.

He hid all of these thoughts deep in his heart, and didn't dare to show them in Cherry's presence. He carefully said, "It's all right, honey, he must miss you as much as you do, but you still have me with you, and I'll always be here for you."

Jackson meant his words, and he was determined to be with Cherry for the rest of his life.

But Cherry fell silent again.

In the morning, while Jackson was still asleep in bed holding Cherry in his arms, his phone rang.

When he heard the ringtone, Jackson immediately opened his eyes, grabbed the phone from the bedside, and tapped the "Reject Call" button.

He saw that Cherry slightly moved in his arms, and was relieved that she was not awakened.

Jackson then checked his call list and found that Derek had been the one calling. He suddenly had a foreboding that something must have happened.

Jackson looked again at Cherry in his arms, thought for a while longer, and then whispered lovingly near her ear, "Honey, I'll go outside to call Derek back."

Cherry vaguely heard Jackson's words, and gently said, "Hm."

Jackson then slowly got out of bed, put a night-robe on, and walked out of the bedroom.

He didn't call Derek back until he entered his study and closed the door.