Ice and Fire

Chapter 90 Be Strong While Alone

While they were having dinner, Wilson said to Cherry, "By the way, the assistant called about Joe's new

school; he said he can start tomorrow."

Cherry believed that Joe had to start school right away after they moved back to the city.

Cherry nodded to Wilson, but on the other hand, Joe was a bit unhappy. He pouted his lips, and said,

"But I don't want to go to school, I want to play for a few more days!"

Cherry comforted him, "Joe, Uncle Wilson and I have to deal with our own affairs, and you'll be bored

sick if you stay at home all day alone, but if you go to school, you'll have lots of fun with your new

schoolmates. Wouldn't that be great?"

Cherry's words intrigued Joe, and he cried, "You're right! I won't be lonely anymore if I have a lot of new

friends!"

Cherry saw Joe's cheeky grin, and because of his naughty character, wondered if he would get along

well with his future schoolmates.

After dinner, Cherry washed the dishes. She found that Wilson and Joe had kept playing video games

for a long time after, and thought that Joe should go to sleep early because he had to go to school in

the morning.

Cherry left the kitchen, and went to the parlor, and said to Joe, "Time to go to bed."

Joe didn't even look at Cherry, and with his eyes focused on the game, said, "Mommy, after I pass this

level."

Cherry was unhappy with him, and shouted, "Joe!"

After he heard his mother's tone, Joe knew that she was angry. Although he didn't want to, he turned

off the game, stood up, and said, "Uncle Wilson, let's play again next time. I have to go to bed now."

"Okay, I'll take you to school tomorrow morning. Good night!" replied Wilson.

Cherry was relieved when Joe went upstairs as she ordered him to, and thought that she would

overcome every difficulty with him as long as he wasn't rebellious.

When he saw that Joe went upstairs, Wilson said, "Cherry, I want to have a talk with you."

Cherry nodded, and then sat beside Wilson on the sofa.

"Wilson, how's your new company? Is everything going well?" asked Cherry.

"It's almost done. It will be listed next week, " answered Wilson.

"Oh! That's good!"

Wilson then suddenly asked her, "Cherry, have you ever heard of the JS program?"

Cherry shook her head, and asked, "What's that?"

Wilson had received the news about the JS program earlier on that day, and he wanted to take it. He

said, "It's a profitable program because it considerably influences the city's development. If we can take

it, our company's future will be very promising."

Cherry thought that Wilson was right, and that the company might develop faster if he could seize the

opportunity.

She encouraged Wilson, "Go for it then!"

Wilson nodded, and was quite confident that he would take the JS program because he had already

been in the business circles for many years.

Wilson then thought of something else, and while he looked at Cherry, he asked, "How about you?

What's your plan?"

Cherry immediately replied, "I've already sent my resume to a lot of companies. Tomorrow I have an

interview at a big company called the JS Group."

Wilson knew that the JS Group was owned solely by its president, a woman who once had also worked

overseas. He said, "I've heard that the JS Group is a promising company here in the city."

Cherry nodded, and replied, "Indeed, it will be great if I could work for the JS Group, because the

salary is enough for a living, and Joe and I will move out, since mommy and Uncle Jacob will come

back to live with you soon. Don't worry about us, I still have some money to cover the expenses."

After Wilson heard her, he was a bit unhappy, because what Cherry said meant that she would leave

him.

"Cherry, I'm you elder brother, and you don't need to move out. I've bought the villa for you, and dad

and auntie can live somewhere else. Don't worry, I can easily arrange for that."

But Cherry refused his proposal, and said, "Wilson, you've already helped Joe and I a lot in the last five

years. You know that I'm sorry that I've bothered you so much, but now I can take care of both Joe and

I, and we won't bother you anymore, so you can have time to meet new girls and get married. You

already know that mommy and uncle Jacob have been worrying about you lately."

After Wilson heard her, he felt even more frustrated. How could she still have no idea about his love for

her? Even Joe knew that he loved her.

Wilson suddenly grabbed Cherry's hand, and gently asked, "Cherry, you do know that I love you, don't

you? I will take care of you and Joe forever if you accept me. Dad and auntie won't oppose us because

I'm just you step-brother. Let me take care of Joe and you. What do you say?"

After Cherry heard him, she immediately shook off Wilson's hand, stood up, and said, "Wilson, please,

don't do this."

He also stood up and grabbed her hands again. He feared that Cherry would leave him, which she

definitely wanted to do.

Wilson fondly said, "Cherry, I'm serious. If you accept me, I'll take good care of both you and Joe, and I

will consider him as my own son."

He continued, "Cherry, please don't leave me, okay? I really love…"

But Cherry interrupted him before he could finish his words.

She looked at him, and said, "Wilson, I have a child, and you're my elder brother. I will never forget how

good you've treated us, but you deserve a better girl."

Wilson wanted to hug Cherry, and wanted to make her reconsider her sad words. He said, "But I want

you, Cherry. You're all that I want!"

Cherry pushed him away, and said, "Wilson, please don't do this, or I'll leave right now!"

Wilson was really frustrated because of her rejection, but he didn't want to force her into something that

she didn't want because he really loved her.

After some time, Wilson looked at Cherry, and asked, "Do you still love Jackson Chu?"

Cherry was afraid that he found out that she still loved Jackson, and immediately answered, "No, I don't

love him anymore."

Filled with sorrow, Wilson replied, "Five years have passed, but you still love him to this day, don't

you?"

Because he was clever, Cherry knew that Wilson realized the truth, and decided to unveil her heart.

She looked at him, and said, "When I look at Joe every day I see Jackson. The resemblance is

astonishing. How could ever I forget him? Tell me, how?"

Wilson then mentioned what Cherry had told him, "But you said that he loved another woman, and that

the two of you hadn't married because of love. You married him because at that time he helped you

leave the Shen family, and he married you because he didn't want to go on any blind dates anymore.

Isn't that right?"

"Yes, he loves someone else, " said Cherry, "but I can't forget him, because I actually love him. Did you

know that?"

Cherry couldn't help but cry, because Jackson was, and would always be, the sharpest pain carved

deep in her heart.

Wilson didn't want to ask more, because he felt that his heart ached whenever Cherry cried.

After a while, Cherry stopped crying, because she knew that she shouldn't cry in front of Wilson.

"I'm sorry, Wilson, I was too emotional, " apologized Cherry.

Wilson wanted to comfort her, but he couldn't, because he knew that no one could replace Jackson in

her heart. He said, "That's okay."

Cherry then told herself that she had to be strong, and that all of the present hardships were nothing

compared with what she had suffered during the past five years while she was away. She firmly said,

"I'll hunt for jobs tomorrow, and if something comes up, Joe and I will move out of here."

Even though Cherry refused him, Wilson still wanted to take care of her, and he said, "Cherry, the villa

is yours and I will help dad and auntie settle somewhere else. By the way, the security here is also

good, and I will be worried sick about the two of you if you move to someplace else, so please don't

move out, please."

Cherry shook her head, and firmly refused him. She said, "Thank you for all the things that you have

done for us, Wilson. Don't worry about me being independent. I've lived in the city before, so my life

here won't be too difficult."

Before Wilson could reply, she continued, "It's time to go to sleep, so I'll go upstairs now. Goodnight,

Wilson."

Cherry then quickly turned around and climbed the staircase.

When he looked at her emaciated figure, Wilson was sad, because he knew that life had always been

tough for her.

When Wilson had first seen Cherry five years ago, she couldn't help but cry most of the time, and he

knew that it was because of Jackson. He had taken care of her before Joe was born, but after that she

refused any kind of help coming from him. He had seen her work, take care of Joe, and suffer for five

years, but no one had managed to persuade her to accept a helping hand, neither Wilson, nor his dad

or auntie. She wanted to be strong, as she had always been, and the present was no exception.