Chapter 82: From Classmates to Workmates
"Mom, Jason always called me these days when you were abroad." Matthew was worried about Jason though he looked composed.
"Are you worried about him?" Jessica saw through his mind. Though he said that Jason was so annoying, he did care about Jason so much. Matthew pursed his lips and he looked exactly like Louis.
"I don't know where he is locked by dad. He told me that he is in a very fancy house and he is locked and can't get out of the house..." Matthew's eyes turned gloomy. "I know how it feels. He can't have freedom, and no one cares about him. It seems that he is dumped by the whole world. He must be very upset..."
Jessica's heart ached and felt so sorry for Jason.
She hugged Matthew tightly and said, "I worry about him too..."
Jessica still remembered everything that happened to her in Barcelona.
She was touched but also sad after he saved her. The memories were like movie clips that came up to her mind.
Her feelings toward him gradually changed.
Her mood would even swing because of him.
"Mom, how about I go back to the house of the Carters..." Matthew looked at Jessica in a pathetic look.
Jessica held Matthew tighter with her trembling fingers, "No, honey. You have lived with them unhappily for five years. Mom can't let you suffer. Never!"
""But Jason..."
"Mom doesn't want Jason to suffer but I have no choice. It's my fault. I can't give you and Jason a better life..." Jessica hated herself that she was too weak to fight against Louis.
Matthew was in her arms and shook his head, "It isn't mom's fault. Stop blaming on yourself. No one wants it to happen..."
"But what should I do?"
Jessica was flurried.
How could she get her kids back from Louis? Could she do that?
The next morning, Jessica sent Matthew on the school shuttle and she went to the Wilson Group after she got a phone call from her dad.
At the moment she stepped into Henry's office, she heard Anna was laughing delightedly.
"Jeremy, I am so glad you come back. We haven't seen each other for years, but you still look so handsome..."
Jessica's heart was pounding so fast. She was shocked when she saw the man who was sitting on the sofa straight.
Terry was there too. He nodded his head politely and he saw Jessica coming inside, "Jessica."
Henry waved to Jessica as soon as he saw her. "Come over here."
Jessica found that she couldn't stand steadily and she twisted her foot.
But she pretended nothing had happened and walked over to the sofa and sat down by Terry.
Henry smiled and looked at Jeremy, "Jeremy, I heard from Anna that Jessica was your classmates before. So, you guys must know each other so well, right?"
Jeremy sat opposite Jessica and he nodded politely, "Yes, uncle Henry."
Then he peeked at Jessica slightly and smiled, "Jessica, nice to see you again."
Jessica's face was a bit pale and tried to hide her fear. Then she answered calmly, "Nice to see you again."
But she didn't expect that they would see each other so soon.
Yesterday, she came across him at the airport, but now they met each other here!
"I heard from Terry that Jeremy was back to Chicago this morning then he rushes to the Wilson group to work. Jeremy, I really appreciate that you can work here. It's our great honor to have you." "Work here?" Jessica was shocked.
Anna's eyebrows furrowed, "Why? You don't welcome Jeremy, do you? Jeremy is the chief architect that dad hires."
When they were young, they had experienced happiness and sadness. Now, they grew up and dressed in a suit and gathered together again. They were not childish any longer but composed and matured. Jessica knew nothing about what had happened to Jeremy over the past five years. It had never occurred to her that he would be the chief architect of the Wilson Group.
"Jeremy is a new star in European and American architecture. Dad, with the help pf Jeremy, I am sure that we will get the bid of 'Shine Project"." Anna would never hide her joyfulness even Terry was around.
"Sure!" Henry was radiant. "Jessica, you should work harder towards Mr. carter. Now, dad arranges you an expert, so don't make any mistakes. Jeremy, thanks for your efforts."
"Uncle Henry, that's OK. I should thank you for giving me a chance to show my talent." Jeremy was as quiet as he used to be then he had a deep look at Jessica and reached out his hand, "Jessica, I hope we can have a good cooperation." Jessica gazed at his hand and she could feel his elegance and composure which was so different from Louis who was haughty and arrogant. Jeremy's fingers were clean and slim, and he was like a teenager coming out from a comic book. She was in a daze then she reached out her hand and held Jeremy's. She smiled with complicated emotions, "Have a good cooperation."
After lunch, Jessica went to the top floor of the company.
She had to admit that every time she went to the office of the Wilson Group, she would be so nervous with a tense heart.
But only when she was sitting on the roof and looking up the blue sky, she could feel the peace.
"There you are!"
Suddenly, she heard someone was saying in a light and clear voice.
Jessica held her breath but didn't turn around.
Jeremy took a seat next to her.
With the light smell of grass, Jessica felt relieved. She seemed like she was back to the youth when Jeremy was by her side, she would forget all the troubles and sadness.
She a bit choked with sobbed and kept looking up the blue sky but refused to turn around to look at him.
Jeremy smiled and glanced at her
face and then looked up at the sky as well. He sighed, "I remember that you like sitting under the sky and watching the clouds. You know what, when I studied in Europe, sometimes, I was wondering how you would be like if you were here with me every time I saw the blue and clear sky."
"Jeremy..." Jessica cut in in a husky voice.
Jeremy smiled slightly and glanced
who looked a bit flustered then he went on talking.
"At that time, as long as I saw a girl sitting on the grass and looking up the sky, I would always mistake her for you... Then when I got closer, I found that she wasn't you..." "Stop, Jeremy..." Jessica's eyes were moist with tears.
She had to turn around and gazed at Jeremy. The sunlight was on him, and he was shiny.
There was a flash of bitterness from his eyes but he still wore a smile and said, "Jessica, I have been thinking about the reason why you didn't choose me... And the reason why you left Chicago and disappeared without telling me anything. After a long time, I finally figured out that it was all because..."
He stopped suddenly.
Jessica felt suffocated and asked, "What's the reason?"
"Because I am not strong enough." Jeremy smiled composedly but bitterly, "Because I am not strong enough, I can't be your one."
That was the most powerless negation of the teenager at the age of 17.
Jessica's tears welled up her eyes after she heard what he said.
She shook her head and felt the bitterness from her throat. "So, you gave up photographing and went to Europe to study architecture?"
She thought that it was she who ruined Jeremy's bright future.
Jeremy nodded with a smile, "Yes, I might be not suitable to learn architecture. No matter how hard I tried these five years, I couldn't go beyond the gifted architect VQ who was so well-known in construction industry ten years ago." Jessica's finger couldn't help trembling when she heard the name of "VQ".
Jeremy and VQ were different. VQ was born a gifted architect but Jeremy forced himself to learn architecture and became an architect by giving up what he likes the most.
"Jeremy, you are silly." She avoided looking into his eyes, "Everyone is good at certain fields. Why do you torture yourself because of me?"
"Is that a torture?" He smiled bitterly. "Jessica, are we suffering from fate or from ourselves?"
Suddenly, she felt a bit sad, then she looked up at the cloud, "I've asked myself that how would we be without Anna's intervention. Could we have a happy ending if nothing had happened? But..."
"But you don't have a choice because of fate, right?" Jeremy took her words in a trembling voice and then he continued, "Jessica, can you tell me why you went to Korea that year?"
Her eyes were moist with tears, and answered, "My mom was seriously sick and I need money. So, I had to take her to Korea for treatment..."
Jeremy paused for a second and asked, "But why didn't you ask me for help? Though I was not strong enough, I could ask my family to lend me some money..."
"That was the last thing I wanted to
see." She squinted and tried to hold back her tears, "Jeremy, do you remember? You weren't willing to tell others that you are from a wealthy family And I knew that you would never ask your family for help. Therefore, I would rather let myself suffer than make you lose your dignity."
"No!" Jeremy shook his head, "Jessica, you are lying. You can lie to anyone but not me! You didn't want to borrow money from me was because your pride didn't allow you to do that. I know the one you cared the most was me!" Jeremy was sure and his words were so straightforward.
Jessica turned her face around and her tears fell.
He was a bit anxious then he reached out his arms and placed around her shoulder. He moved her to look into his eyes.
When he saw that she was crying, his fingers were trembling.
He rubbed her face gently and said, "Jessica, I know you still love me, right?" His voice was so soft and Jessica was like the apple of his eyes.0000