Ice and Fire

After leaving the tea house, Cherry didn't go home. Instead, she directly went to the hospital. She had found out that John had been sent to the nearest hospital by some kindhearted people.

She finally found John there, in one of the wards in the hospital. His head had already been bandaged. Seeing this, Cherry felt a stab in her heart.

"I am sorry, John. This is all my fault, " said Cherry, sitting beside the bed and looking into John's eyes. She didn't know what else to say except offer apologies.

Despite going through a great deal of pain himself, John comforted Cherry and said, "Cherr, I am okay. Don't worry. It's not your fault. We all know what kind of person my uncle is!"

Cherry did not say another word when Jackson came to mind. She did not know how to face him anymore. He had become so cruel and terrible that he seemed no longer like the man that she had once known. Could five years change a man to this extent?

It was already very late by the time Cherry went back home. Jacob and Elsa had already gone to sleep and only Wilson was waiting for her in the living room.

Seeing Cherry back, Wilson hastily walked towards her and asked, "What took you so long to come back from work today?"

"There was some company related work to attend to and I had to work overtime." said Cherry, who then lowered her head and got busy into changing her shoes.

"But it shouldn't have been so late. You must be very tired!" said Wilson. He really did care about Cherry very much.

"I am not tired, brother. You should go and get some rest, " answered Cherry. She raised her head a little bit while speaking and then lowered it again in an instant.

Wilson was a very observant man. He could tell there was certainly something wrong that had happened with her. When he took a closer look at her, he noticed Cherry's bruised cheek.

He took hold of Cherry's arm and lifted her head. When saw her swollen face, Wilson was suddenly very irritated and angrily asked, "What has happened?"

His heart ached at seeing her face and he couldn't believe that someone had slapped her. Did this man have a death wish?

hand and turned her head aside.

me any more. Tell me, what the hell happened?" Wilson persisted to question her. Up until Cherry refused telling him what was going on, he would not give up asking.

decided to tell him. She walked over to sit on the sofa. Wilson followed her quietly to sit

head and in an indifferent tone, said, "I met John today. And Jackson saw

shocked. He knew that John had been Cherry's ex-boyfriend during her college years and that they had broken

feeling surprised, Wilson did not say a word. He was waiting for Cherry to continue.

in a tea house and I don't know how Jackson found

Jackson be that he would even hit a woman?

question, but continued to say, "They hit John violently and he had to be sent to the hospital. So I went there to see him right

and just could not imagine what kind of a scene it must have been there at

Cherry, "John was hit by Jackson's subordinates. Jackson

slapped Cherry and he

like to meet him in

him. He is a crazy man and is capable of doing anything cruel. I

panic stricken face, Wilson felt a little confused. He wondered whether Cherry had been so scared of Jackson even at the time she decided to marry

couldn't help but ask straight away,

well. But when I saw him again, after all these years, I

images of when John was hit by Jackson's subordinates. She could not believe that indeed had happened!

subordinates are even more brutal. I've seen it all today. Jackson and his subordinates

with fear as she

me

but her broken heart still felt like a mess. She didn't know what Jackson would do to her next time. She felt scared and nervous at the mere thought of

hastily moved her head from Wilson's shoulder and asked,