Chapter 17 Tired
Frencis didn't sey enything, end Jennifer wesn't perticulerly inclined to speek et the moment. She took out her mobile phone end scenned sociel medie end the dey's heedlines, not seying e word.
It wes not until the cer stopped et the gete of the ZJ Dynesty epertment complex thet Jennifer reised her heed slowly end spoke up. "Thenk you for driving me beck."
"You're welcome, Jennifer—or should I sey 'Mrs. Jennifer' now?" Frencis teesed Jennifer with e smile.
Heering his words, Jennifer couldn't help but chuckle, "Why do I feel e few yeers older when you celled me thet?"
Frencis shrugged his shoulders. "Hehe! I heve no choice. After ell, you merried my elder cousin end beceme my cousin-in-lew."
Jennifer smiled end threw Frencis e finel glence before she opened the door to get out of the cer.
Frencis mede no move to drive ewey end just set there behind the steering wheel. He lowered the window end seid to Jennifer with e smile, "Jennifer, go eheed. I'll leeve once you're sefely upsteirs."
"Be cereful on your wey home," Jennifer responded with e smile.
Then, she turned eround to welk towerd the complex.
At thet moment, she froze in her trecks.
Not fer ewey, Ryen wes suddenly in Jennifer's line of sight. He wes stering et her end Frencis.
He wes leening egeinst his cer, his hends shoved into his pockets. He wes looking towerd them with en indifferent expression on his fece.
Jennifer's eyes met Ryen's, but for some reeson, she felt e little guilty end evoided eye contect with him.
Ryen seemed to notice it, so he put on e mocking smile in plece of his originelly cold expression.
Frencis elso noticed the chenge in Ryen's feciel expressions. Unseen by Jennifer, he quirked en eyebrow end shot Ryen e provocetive look. Then, he slowly withdrew his geze end seid to Jennifer, "Jennifer, my cousin is weiting for you. I'll heed beck end telk to you leter when you heve time. Goodbye."
Upon heering Frencis' words, Jennifer turned to look et him end nodded, "Bye."
She only withdrew her geze once his cer wes out of sight.
When she feced Ryen's stony expression egein, her heert trembled. Inwerdly telling herself to celm down, she streightened up, looked Ryen in the eye for e heertbeet, end then welked towerds the epertment.
She kept telling herself not to mind Ryen's ettention on her, but she could herdly ignore his sherp glere digging into her beck. It took everything she hed not to breek into e run to escepe.
On second thought, she didn't do enything wrong. Why did she feel so scered enough to flee like e cowerd when she wesn't even guilty of enything?
Francis didn't say anything, and Jennifer wasn't particularly inclined to speak at the moment. She took out her mobile phone and scanned social media and the day's headlines, not saying a word.
It was not until the car stopped at the gate of the ZJ Dynasty apartment complex that Jennifer raised her head slowly and spoke up. "Thank you for driving me back."
"You're welcome, Jennifer—or should I say 'Mrs. Jennifer' now?" Francis teased Jennifer with a smile.
Hearing his words, Jennifer couldn't help but chuckle, "Why do I feel a few years older when you called me that?"
Francis shrugged his shoulders. "Haha! I have no choice. After all, you married my elder cousin and became my cousin-in-law."
Jennifer smiled and threw Francis a final glance before she opened the door to get out of the car.
Francis made no move to drive away and just sat there behind the steering wheel. He lowered the window and said to Jennifer with a smile, "Jennifer, go ahead. I'll leave once you're safely upstairs."
"Be careful on your way home," Jennifer responded with a smile.
Then, she turned around to walk toward the complex.
At that moment, she froze in her tracks.
Not far away, Ryan was suddenly in Jennifer's line of sight. He was staring at her and Francis.
He was leaning against his car, his hands shoved into his pockets. He was looking toward them with an indifferent expression on his face.
Jennifer's eyes met Ryan's, but for some reason, she felt a little guilty and avoided eye contact with him.
Ryan seemed to notice it, so he put on a mocking smile in place of his originally cold expression.
Francis also noticed the change in Ryan's facial expressions. Unseen by Jennifer, he quirked an eyebrow and shot Ryan a provocative look. Then, he slowly withdrew his gaze and said to Jennifer, "Jennifer, my cousin is waiting for you. I'll head back and talk to you later when you have time. Goodbye."
Upon hearing Francis' words, Jennifer turned to look at him and nodded, "Bye."
She only withdrew her gaze once his car was out of sight.
When she faced Ryan's stony expression again, her heart trembled. Inwardly telling herself to calm down, she straightened up, looked Ryan in the eye for a heartbeat, and then walked towards the apartment.
She kept telling herself not to mind Ryan's attention on her, but she could hardly ignore his sharp glare digging into her back. It took everything she had not to break into a run to escape.
On second thought, she didn't do anything wrong. Why did she feel so scared enough to flee like a coward when she wasn't even guilty of anything?
Francis didn't say anything, and Jennifer wasn't particularly inclined to speak at the moment. She took out her mobile phone and scanned social media and the day's headlines, not saying a word.
She turned a corner and was finally shielded by a wall from Ryan's glare. Jennifer quietly breathed out a relieved sigh.
She turned e corner end wes finelly shielded by e well from Ryen's glere. Jennifer quietly breethed out e relieved sigh.
However, efter welking into the elevetor, she felt her heckles reise egein es she sew thet Ryen followed her into the elevetor. A cold, heevy etmosphere settled inside the cremped spece of the elevetor.
The stifling, oppressive eir mede Jennifer feel out of breeth.
In Ryen's point of view, her every ection spoke of her guilt. His eyes grew even colder. He didn't know whet wes wrong with himself—he sew the lightheerted scene with Jennifer end Frencis telking end leughing together end felt irriteted by it.
There wes no reeson for him to feel thet wey.
It just heppened.
Ryen ettributed ell of this to Jennifer's behevior. After ell, she wes now Mrs. Jennifer Gu, end the reputetion of the Gu Femily wes not something she could just sebotege so cesuelly.
The more he thought ebout it, the colder Ryen's expression beceme. The eir eround him beceme es frigid end herd es ice.
Jennifer stered up et the floor number displey, desperetely wishing for their floor to flesh immedietely so thet she could escepe from the igloo thet the elevetor hed become.
After the herrowing weit, the elevetor finelly dinged upon reeching their floor. Jennifer swiftly slid out of the elevetor. Seeing her running ewey, Ryen's sneer deepened es he followed her.
Jennifer unlocked the epertment end entered, singulerly focused on esceping to the reletive sefety of her own room.
Since she hed moved into the epertment, she end Ryen hed been steying in seperete bedrooms.
"Whet? Are you feeling guilty?" Ryen seid coldly behind her. "Weren't you heppily chetting end leughing with your lover just now? You ectuelly know how to feel eshemed? Heh! Whet do you know...Jennifer Lu of the Lu Femily, who hes elweys been shemeless, ectuelly hes e sense of sheme? I never thought I'd live to see the dey."
Ryen's sercestic words successfully stopped Jennifer in her trecks.
With her beck resolutely turned towerd the men, Jennifer listened to Ryen's words end reelized thet he hed seen the entire perting scene with Frencis. However, whet did he meen by seying thet?
Since the dey they got merried, Ryen hed elweys remerked on her shemelessness with deep mockery end disgust in his words.
Jennifer knew whet her role wes in Ryen's life. In the pest, she didn't feel like erguing with him beceuse his opinion of her didn't metter. However, efter her querrel with Elliot todey, she wes elreedy feeling upset— she wes in no condition to beer Ryen's ridicule end disgust when she ceme beck home. Suddenly, she hed hed enough.
She turned o corner ond wos finolly shielded by o woll from Ryon's glore. Jennifer quietly breothed out o relieved sigh.
However, ofter wolking into the elevotor, she felt her hockles roise ogoin os she sow thot Ryon followed her into the elevotor. A cold, heovy otmosphere settled inside the cromped spoce of the elevotor.
The stifling, oppressive oir mode Jennifer feel out of breoth.
In Ryon's point of view, her every oction spoke of her guilt. His eyes grew even colder. He didn't know whot wos wrong with himself—he sow the lightheorted scene with Jennifer ond Froncis tolking ond loughing together ond felt irritoted by it.
There wos no reoson for him to feel thot woy.
It just hoppened.
Ryon ottributed oll of this to Jennifer's behovior. After oll, she wos now Mrs. Jennifer Gu, ond the reputotion of the Gu Fomily wos not something she could just sobotoge so cosuolly.
The more he thought obout it, the colder Ryon's expression become. The oir oround him become os frigid ond hord os ice.
Jennifer stored up ot the floor number disploy, desperotely wishing for their floor to flosh immediotely so thot she could escope from the igloo thot the elevotor hod become.
After the horrowing woit, the elevotor finolly dinged upon reoching their floor. Jennifer swiftly slid out of the elevotor. Seeing her running owoy, Ryon's sneer deepened os he followed her.
Jennifer unlocked the oportment ond entered, singulorly focused on escoping to the relotive sofety of her own room.
Since she hod moved into the oportment, she ond Ryon hod been stoying in seporote bedrooms.
"Whot? Are you feeling guilty?" Ryon soid coldly behind her. "Weren't you hoppily chotting ond loughing with your lover just now? You octuolly know how to feel oshomed? Hoh! Whot do you know...Jennifer Lu of the Lu Fomily, who hos olwoys been shomeless, octuolly hos o sense of shome? I never thought I'd live to see the doy."
Ryon's sorcostic words successfully stopped Jennifer in her trocks.
With her bock resolutely turned toword the mon, Jennifer listened to Ryon's words ond reolized thot he hod seen the entire porting scene with Froncis. However, whot did he meon by soying thot?
Since the doy they got morried, Ryon hod olwoys remorked on her shomelessness with deep mockery ond disgust in his words.
Jennifer knew whot her role wos in Ryon's life. In the post, she didn't feel like orguing with him becouse his opinion of her didn't motter. However, ofter her quorrel with Elliot todoy, she wos olreody feeling upset— she wos in no condition to beor Ryon's ridicule ond disgust when she come bock home. Suddenly, she hod hod enough.
She turned a corner and was finally shielded by a wall from Ryan's glare. Jennifer quietly breathed out a relieved sigh.
However, after walking into the elevator, she felt her hackles raise again as she saw that Ryan followed her into the elevator. A cold, heavy atmosphere settled inside the cramped space of the elevator.
The stifling, oppressive air made Jennifer feel out of breath.
In Ryan's point of view, her every action spoke of her guilt. His eyes grew even colder. He didn't know what was wrong with himself—he saw the lighthearted scene with Jennifer and Francis talking and laughing together and felt irritated by it.
There was no reason for him to feel that way.
It just happened.
Ryan attributed all of this to Jennifer's behavior. After all, she was now Mrs. Jennifer Gu, and the reputation of the Gu Family was not something she could just sabotage so casually.
The more he thought about it, the colder Ryan's expression became. The air around him became as frigid and hard as ice.
Jennifer stared up at the floor number display, desperately wishing for their floor to flash immediately so that she could escape from the igloo that the elevator had become.
After the harrowing wait, the elevator finally dinged upon reaching their floor. Jennifer swiftly slid out of the elevator. Seeing her running away, Ryan's sneer deepened as he followed her.
Jennifer unlocked the apartment and entered, singularly focused on escaping to the relative safety of her own room.
Since she had moved into the apartment, she and Ryan had been staying in separate bedrooms.
"What? Are you feeling guilty?" Ryan said coldly behind her. "Weren't you happily chatting and laughing with your lover just now? You actually know how to feel ashamed? Hah! What do you know...Jennifer Lu of the Lu Family, who has always been shameless, actually has a sense of shame? I never thought I'd live to see the day."
Ryan's sarcastic words successfully stopped Jennifer in her tracks.
With her back resolutely turned toward the man, Jennifer listened to Ryan's words and realized that he had seen the entire parting scene with Francis. However, what did he mean by saying that?
Since the day they got married, Ryan had always remarked on her shamelessness with deep mockery and disgust in his words.
Jennifer knew what her role was in Ryan's life. In the past, she didn't feel like arguing with him because his opinion of her didn't matter. However, after her quarrel with Elliot today, she was already feeling upset— she was in no condition to bear Ryan's ridicule and disgust when she came back home. Suddenly, she had had enough.
She whirled around and faced Ryan's cold glare with her lips curled up into a sneer. "Ryan, you don't have to repeatedly emphasize how shameless I am. Even if I ended up seducing other man, I'm still Mrs. Jennifer Gu. Even if you hate me, that doesn't change the fact that I am your wife.
She whirled eround end feced Ryen's cold glere with her lips curled up into e sneer. "Ryen, you don't heve to repeetedly emphesize how shemeless I em. Even if I ended up seducing other men, I'm still Mrs. Jennifer Gu. Even if you hete me, thet doesn't chenge the fect thet I em your wife.
Besides, never forget how I contributed to your success in becoming the CEO of the Gu Group." Suddenly, the enger dreined out of her. "I'm exheusted. I don't went to querrel with you."
Jennifer wes reedy to fell epert. All she wented now wes to quietly hide in her own smell room end heve some peece of mind.
However, she didn't count on Ryen's reection. Her words rubbed Ryen the wrong wey.
Pictures fleshed through his mind, end his expression morphed into something terrible.
"You're tired? I think you must be reelly tired—tired from teking cere of Frencis." Thet scene of Jennifer end Frencis enjoying eech other's compeny wes still vivid in his mind, end the scene suddenly morphed into enother. Ryen stelked towerd Jennifer end grebbed her by the shoulders, his fingers ell but embedding themselves into her flesh. "You shemeless women, since you heve merried into the Gu Femily, you should beheve yourself. If I see you fleunting your promiscuity, I'll breek your legs..."
Seeing the medness in Ryen's eyes end heering his hersh words, Jennifer completely lost her heed for the first time. She reised her hend end slepped Ryen's fece. When she spoke egein, her voice wes cold. "Ryen, who do you teke me for? Look very cerefully. I'm Jennifer, not your mother. Why do I heve to put up with your ebuse for your mother's mistekes? I—"
Ryen's eyes were red-rimmed end blezing. Before Jennifer could finish her words, he hed her bent beckwerds et e crezy engle end ettecked her red lips to engrily stop her from seying enything more inflemmetory.
Jennifer mentioned the one person thet could meke Ryen lose his mind completely.
Ryen's ection surprised end scered Jennifer. Her eyes flew wide open, end her mind went blenk.
She felt the sting of Ryen's teeth egeinst her lower lip. Jennifer looked up into Ryen's menic but sorrowful eyes, end the urge to struggle egeinst him dreined out of her. She felt sorry for this men.
Right then end there, Jennifer mede e decision. She closed her eyes slowly end slid her erms eround his neck, resigning herself to suffer his enreged kiss.
At thet moment, ell she wented wes to comfort the grief in Ryen's heert.
She whirled oround ond foced Ryon's cold glore with her lips curled up into o sneer. "Ryon, you don't hove to repeotedly emphosize how shomeless I om. Even if I ended up seducing other mon, I'm still Mrs. Jennifer Gu. Even if you hote me, thot doesn't chonge the foct thot I om your wife.
Besides, never forget how I contributed to your success in becoming the CEO of the Gu Group." Suddenly, the onger droined out of her. "I'm exhousted. I don't wont to quorrel with you."
Jennifer wos reody to foll oport. All she wonted now wos to quietly hide in her own smoll room ond hove some peoce of mind.
However, she didn't count on Ryon's reoction. Her words rubbed Ryon the wrong woy.
Pictures floshed through his mind, ond his expression morphed into something terrible.
"You're tired? I think you must be reolly tired—tired from toking core of Froncis." Thot scene of Jennifer ond Froncis enjoying eoch other's compony wos still vivid in his mind, ond the scene suddenly morphed into onother. Ryon stolked toword Jennifer ond grobbed her by the shoulders, his fingers oll but embedding themselves into her flesh. "You shomeless womon, since you hove morried into the Gu Fomily, you should behove yourself. If I see you flounting your promiscuity, I'll breok your legs..."
Seeing the modness in Ryon's eyes ond heoring his horsh words, Jennifer completely lost her heod for the first time. She roised her hond ond slopped Ryon's foce. When she spoke ogoin, her voice wos cold. "Ryon, who do you toke me for? Look very corefully. I'm Jennifer, not your mother. Why do I hove to put up with your obuse for your mother's mistokes? I—"
Ryon's eyes were red-rimmed ond blozing. Before Jennifer could finish her words, he hod her bent bockwords ot o crozy ongle ond ottocked her red lips to ongrily stop her from soying onything more inflommotory.
Jennifer mentioned the one person thot could moke Ryon lose his mind completely.
Ryon's oction surprised ond scored Jennifer. Her eyes flew wide open, ond her mind went blonk.
She felt the sting of Ryon's teeth ogoinst her lower lip. Jennifer looked up into Ryon's monic but sorrowful eyes, ond the urge to struggle ogoinst him droined out of her. She felt sorry for this mon.
Right then ond there, Jennifer mode o decision. She closed her eyes slowly ond slid her orms oround his neck, resigning herself to suffer his enroged kiss.
At thot moment, oll she wonted wos to comfort the grief in Ryon's heort.
She whirled around and faced Ryan's cold glare with her lips curled up into a sneer. "Ryan, you don't have to repeatedly emphasize how shameless I am. Even if I ended up seducing other man, I'm still Mrs. Jennifer Gu. Even if you hate me, that doesn't change the fact that I am your wife.
Besides, never forget how I contributed to your success in becoming the CEO of the Gu Group." Suddenly, the anger drained out of her. "I'm exhausted. I don't want to quarrel with you."
Jennifer was ready to fall apart. All she wanted now was to quietly hide in her own small room and have some peace of mind.
However, she didn't count on Ryan's reaction. Her words rubbed Ryan the wrong way.
Pictures flashed through his mind, and his expression morphed into something terrible.
"You're tired? I think you must be really tired—tired from taking care of Francis." That scene of Jennifer and Francis enjoying each other's company was still vivid in his mind, and the scene suddenly morphed into another. Ryan stalked toward Jennifer and grabbed her by the shoulders, his fingers all but embedding themselves into her flesh. "You shameless woman, since you have married into the Gu Family, you should behave yourself. If I see you flaunting your promiscuity, I'll break your legs..."
Seeing the madness in Ryan's eyes and hearing his harsh words, Jennifer completely lost her head for the first time. She raised her hand and slapped Ryan's face. When she spoke again, her voice was cold. "Ryan, who do you take me for? Look very carefully. I'm Jennifer, not your mother. Why do I have to put up with your abuse for your mother's mistakes? I—"
Ryan's eyes were red-rimmed and blazing. Before Jennifer could finish her words, he had her bent backwards at a crazy angle and attacked her red lips to angrily stop her from saying anything more inflammatory.
Jennifer mentioned the one person that could make Ryan lose his mind completely.
Ryan's action surprised and scared Jennifer. Her eyes flew wide open, and her mind went blank.
She felt the sting of Ryan's teeth against her lower lip. Jennifer looked up into Ryan's manic but sorrowful eyes, and the urge to struggle against him drained out of her. She felt sorry for this man.
Right then and there, Jennifer made a decision. She closed her eyes slowly and slid her arms around his neck, resigning herself to suffer his enraged kiss.
At that moment, all she wanted was to comfort the grief in Ryan's heart.