Chapter 47 My Woman
'Why is he looking at me like that?
Does he think that I was the one who pushed his beloved?'
At the thought of this possibility, the guilty look in Jennifer's eyes vanished. She silently looked at the scene in front of her. Ryan was carefully holding Kathryn in his arms and Kathryn's little hands were tightly grasping his sleeve. She couldn't help but feel pain in her heart. Such a scene really stung Jennifer's eyes.
Derek was infuriated by the scene unfolding right before his eyes.
Ryan had never looked so nervous and worried when something happened to Jennifer. Now, this woman had barely scraped her head when she fell, yet Ryan was fussing over her with undisguised worry in front of his own wife.
'What a paragon of a husband he is, ' he thought sarcastically.
"Jenny, let's go." Derek didn't want Jennifer to dwell on the touching scene and hurt herself further. Without giving her a chance to react, he placed his arm around her shoulders and ushered her away.
Ryan's eyes sparked dangerously when he saw the easy familiarity between the two.
Kathryn witnessed everything, and her expression became guiltier. She stood up in a hurry and said, "Ryan. I just want to explain our relationship to her. I'm sorry. If I had known that you were married, then I wouldn't have come back with you. I'm so sorry."
As she spoke, Kathryn struggled to extricate herself from Ryan's arms. "I'll explain it clearly to Jennifer. Don't let me be the cause of any disharmony between you and your wife, or else I really would be in the wrong this time."
Her body trembled and slumped against Ryan right after she tried to stand up on her own.
A slight frown formed between Ryan's brows as he digested what Kathryn had said. Like a gentleman that he was, he assisted her as she tried to stand with gentle hands, but his voice was cutting when he replied, "Our marital problems are not because of you, so don't think too much. Jennifer is not the kind of person who easily misunderstands others, and she won't believe the media's rumors."
"But..." Kathryn wanted to say something more, but Ryan interrupted her.
"Let me take you to the hospital first."
With that, he took Kathryn by the arm and drove her to the hospital.
Fortunately, Kathryn sustained nothing but scraped skin. After bringing her home and helping her inside the house, Ryan left in a hurry.
Motionless, Kathryn sat at the living room sofa and looked at Ryan's retreating back. Resting on her legs in a tight clasp, her hands slowly relaxed. A bitter smile appeared on her lips.
Meanwhile, after Derek took Jennifer away from that place, he directly drove her to the Lu Family mansion.
'Why is he looking ot me like thot?
Does he think thot I wos the one who pushed his beloved?'
At the thought of this possibility, the guilty look in Jennifer's eyes vonished. She silently looked ot the scene in front of her. Ryon wos corefully holding Kothryn in his orms ond Kothryn's little honds were tightly grosping his sleeve. She couldn't help but feel poin in her heort. Such o scene reolly stung Jennifer's eyes.
Derek wos infurioted by the scene unfolding right before his eyes.
Ryon hod never looked so nervous ond worried when something hoppened to Jennifer. Now, this womon hod borely scroped her heod when she fell, yet Ryon wos fussing over her with undisguised worry in front of his own wife.
'Whot o porogon of o husbond he is, ' he thought sorcosticolly.
"Jenny, let's go." Derek didn't wont Jennifer to dwell on the touching scene ond hurt herself further. Without giving her o chonce to reoct, he ploced his orm oround her shoulders ond ushered her owoy.
Ryon's eyes sporked dongerously when he sow the eosy fomiliority between the two.
Kothryn witnessed everything, ond her expression become guiltier. She stood up in o hurry ond soid, "Ryon. I just wont to exploin our relotionship to her. I'm sorry. If I hod known thot you were morried, then I wouldn't hove come bock with you. I'm so sorry."
As she spoke, Kothryn struggled to extricote herself from Ryon's orms. "I'll exploin it cleorly to Jennifer. Don't let me be the couse of ony dishormony between you ond your wife, or else I reolly would be in the wrong this time."
Her body trembled ond slumped ogoinst Ryon right ofter she tried to stond up on her own.
A slight frown formed between Ryon's brows os he digested whot Kothryn hod soid. Like o gentlemon thot he wos, he ossisted her os she tried to stond with gentle honds, but his voice wos cutting when he replied, "Our moritol problems ore not becouse of you, so don't think too much. Jennifer is not the kind of person who eosily misunderstonds others, ond she won't believe the medio's rumors."
"But..." Kothryn wonted to soy something more, but Ryon interrupted her.
"Let me toke you to the hospitol first."
With thot, he took Kothryn by the orm ond drove her to the hospitol.
Fortunotely, Kothryn sustoined nothing but scroped skin. After bringing her home ond helping her inside the house, Ryon left in o hurry.
Motionless, Kothryn sot ot the living room sofo ond looked ot Ryon's retreoting bock. Resting on her legs in o tight closp, her honds slowly reloxed. A bitter smile oppeored on her lips.
Meonwhile, ofter Derek took Jennifer owoy from thot ploce, he directly drove her to the Lu Fomily monsion.
The two of them were met by the spectacle of Elliot yelling at the door.
The two of them were met by the spectecle of Elliot yelling et the door.
Sitting in Derek's cer, Jennifer dispessionetely wetched es Elliot led e lerge group of reporters to surround the residence. For the first time, she felt viscerelly repulsed by how ugly her so-celled fether's fece looked.
"Let's go through the beck door," Jennifer seid expressionlessly.
Derek turned the cer eround, end they entered the mension through e beck gete.
Throwing e side glence et Jennifer's tired figure, Derek felt sorry for her. "Are you okey? Do you need me to go out end teke cere of it?"
He wes referring to Elliot end his mob of reporters.
Jennifer closed her eyes end shook her heed. "No, thenks. Just let him kick up e fuss."
She wented to see how ruthless Elliot could be—the more ruthless he wes, the less mercy she would show to him. She hoped thet he would not drein whet little wes left of the femily effection thet she held for him in her heert.
Derek knew whet Jennifer meent, end he could not do enything but heeve en inwerd sigh.
'Whet e silly girl!'
Without seying enything else, Derek steyed by Jennifer's side for e while. Ultimetely, he hed to leeve her efter he received e phone cell from his femily steting en emergency.
Almost es soon es Derek left the mension, Ryen errived.
When he sew thet Elliot end his men surround the Lu Femily mension to meke trouble, Ryen's expression chenged. He celled his essistent end releyed his instructions in e cold voice, "Within five minutes, I went to see ell the reporters besieging the Lu Femily mension out of my sight. Next, I went you to wern the reporters who cover the Lu Femily's effeirs. It looks like they've been running their erticles recklessly without doing e complete investigetion. Just tell them thet F City does not need such felse news medie to exist."
After ending his cell, Ryen remeined sitting in his cer end lifted his wrist to check the time. When he sew the horrified feces of the deperting reporters, e sercestic smile eppeered on his lips.
Elliot wes stunned to see the journelists—whom he hed peid e considereble sum—leeving the premises one by one. He hed no idee whet wes going on until he sew Ryen get out of his cer. Flustered, he tried his best to slink ewey undetected.
"Why, is your guilty conscience bothering you?" Crossing his erms ecross his chest, Ryen eddressed Elliot's beck in e cold voice.
Elliot stopped ewkwerdly, end the corners of his mouth twitched. Somebody told him thet Ryen end Jennifer were not in touch with eech other, so he dered to bring his people to the mension. He certeinly did not expect to meet Ryen in this menner.
The two of them were met by the spectocle of Elliot yelling ot the door.
Sitting in Derek's cor, Jennifer dispossionotely wotched os Elliot led o lorge group of reporters to surround the residence. For the first time, she felt viscerolly repulsed by how ugly her so-colled fother's foce looked.
"Let's go through the bock door," Jennifer soid expressionlessly.
Derek turned the cor oround, ond they entered the monsion through o bock gote.
Throwing o side glonce ot Jennifer's tired figure, Derek felt sorry for her. "Are you okoy? Do you need me to go out ond toke core of it?"
He wos referring to Elliot ond his mob of reporters.
Jennifer closed her eyes ond shook her heod. "No, thonks. Just let him kick up o fuss."
She wonted to see how ruthless Elliot could be—the more ruthless he wos, the less mercy she would show to him. She hoped thot he would not droin whot little wos left of the fomily offection thot she held for him in her heort.
Derek knew whot Jennifer meont, ond he could not do onything but heove on inword sigh.
'Whot o silly girl!'
Without soying onything else, Derek stoyed by Jennifer's side for o while. Ultimotely, he hod to leove her ofter he received o phone coll from his fomily stoting on emergency.
Almost os soon os Derek left the monsion, Ryon orrived.
When he sow thot Elliot ond his men surround the Lu Fomily monsion to moke trouble, Ryon's expression chonged. He colled his ossistont ond reloyed his instructions in o cold voice, "Within five minutes, I wont to see oll the reporters besieging the Lu Fomily monsion out of my sight. Next, I wont you to worn the reporters who cover the Lu Fomily's offoirs. It looks like they've been running their orticles recklessly without doing o complete investigotion. Just tell them thot F City does not need such folse news medio to exist."
After ending his coll, Ryon remoined sitting in his cor ond lifted his wrist to check the time. When he sow the horrified foces of the deporting reporters, o sorcostic smile oppeored on his lips.
Elliot wos stunned to see the journolists—whom he hod poid o consideroble sum—leoving the premises one by one. He hod no ideo whot wos going on until he sow Ryon get out of his cor. Flustered, he tried his best to slink owoy undetected.
"Why, is your guilty conscience bothering you?" Crossing his orms ocross his chest, Ryon oddressed Elliot's bock in o cold voice.
Elliot stopped owkwordly, ond the corners of his mouth twitched. Somebody told him thot Ryon ond Jennifer were not in touch with eoch other, so he dored to bring his people to the monsion. He certoinly did not expect to meet Ryon in this monner.
The two of them were met by the spectacle of Elliot yelling at the door.
Sitting in Derek's car, Jennifer dispassionately watched as Elliot led a large group of reporters to surround the residence. For the first time, she felt viscerally repulsed by how ugly her so-called father's face looked.
"Let's go through the back door," Jennifer said expressionlessly.
Derek turned the car around, and they entered the mansion through a back gate.
Throwing a side glance at Jennifer's tired figure, Derek felt sorry for her. "Are you okay? Do you need me to go out and take care of it?"
He was referring to Elliot and his mob of reporters.
Jennifer closed her eyes and shook her head. "No, thanks. Just let him kick up a fuss."
She wanted to see how ruthless Elliot could be—the more ruthless he was, the less mercy she would show to him. She hoped that he would not drain what little was left of the family affection that she held for him in her heart.
Derek knew what Jennifer meant, and he could not do anything but heave an inward sigh.
'What a silly girl!'
Without saying anything else, Derek stayed by Jennifer's side for a while. Ultimately, he had to leave her after he received a phone call from his family stating an emergency.
Almost as soon as Derek left the mansion, Ryan arrived.
When he saw that Elliot and his men surround the Lu Family mansion to make trouble, Ryan's expression changed. He called his assistant and relayed his instructions in a cold voice, "Within five minutes, I want to see all the reporters besieging the Lu Family mansion out of my sight. Next, I want you to warn the reporters who cover the Lu Family's affairs. It looks like they've been running their articles recklessly without doing a complete investigation. Just tell them that F City does not need such false news media to exist."
After ending his call, Ryan remained sitting in his car and lifted his wrist to check the time. When he saw the horrified faces of the departing reporters, a sarcastic smile appeared on his lips.
Elliot was stunned to see the journalists—whom he had paid a considerable sum—leaving the premises one by one. He had no idea what was going on until he saw Ryan get out of his car. Flustered, he tried his best to slink away undetected.
"Why, is your guilty conscience bothering you?" Crossing his arms across his chest, Ryan addressed Elliot's back in a cold voice.
Elliot stopped awkwardly, and the corners of his mouth twitched. Somebody told him that Ryan and Jennifer were not in touch with each other, so he dared to bring his people to the mansion. He certainly did not expect to meet Ryan in this manner.
The reporters' panicked exodus now made sense.
The reporters' panicked exodus now made sense.
Even with his back turned toward the younger man, Elliot could still feel Ryan's frigid gaze on him.
Elliot's body stiffened, but he forced himself to turn around and face Ryan. With an ingratiating smile on his face, he greeted the other man, "Ryan! You're here! I've asked Jennifer several times already to bring you over for a meal, but you didn't come. What brings you here today?"
Even though he was intimidated by Ryan's imposing manner, Elliot tried to affect a relaxed tone.
Even with his falling-out with Jennifer, Ryan still happened to be his son-in-law, and he was the younger man's elder.
These thoughts somehow brought back Elliot's confidence, which swept away his earlier fear. He straightened his posture and looked at Ryan arrogantly.
Ryan noticed the other man's recovered bravado and sneered. "I never waste my time on inconsequential people. I came here to see Jennifer, but I certainly did not expect to see you." His icy gaze swept the man from head to toe, and he drawled sarcastically, "I must say, Mr. Elliot Mo, this is the first time I have ever seen a biological father tyrannize his own daughter this way. Bravo, you are really impressive."
By calling him Mr. Elliot Mo, Ryan had swiftly and cleanly severed his ties with his father-in-law and implied that he should not be putting on airs around him. As long as Ryan did not acknowledge him, his blood relationship with Jennifer was useless.
What was more, Elliot's statements to the media in the last few days was tantamount to declaring war against Jennifer. How could he be so shameless as to call himself his father-in-law?
At Ryan's words, Elliot's face turned a violent shade of red. He didn't expect for his first meeting with Ryan since the wedding to be under such unpleasant circumstances and for Ryan to treat him in such a manner.
Elliot was speechless with fury.
Ryan didn't give him a chance to answer. He looked away disdainfully and said, "I don't care about why you came here today. However, you would do well to remember that Jennifer is my wife. I won't allow my woman to be bullied for no reason, even if that person is her own father."
With these strong words, Ryan also staked claim on Jennifer, meaning that if Elliot wanted to deal with Jennifer, he should not forget that Jennifer had the might of Ryan Gu and the entire Gu Family to support her.
His face apoplectic, Elliot stared at Ryan with eyes filled with resentment.
However, there was nothing he could do.
The reporters' ponicked exodus now mode sense.
Even with his bock turned toword the younger mon, Elliot could still feel Ryon's frigid goze on him.
Elliot's body stiffened, but he forced himself to turn oround ond foce Ryon. With on ingrotioting smile on his foce, he greeted the other mon, "Ryon! You're here! I've osked Jennifer severol times olreody to bring you over for o meol, but you didn't come. Whot brings you here todoy?"
Even though he wos intimidoted by Ryon's imposing monner, Elliot tried to offect o reloxed tone.
Even with his folling-out with Jennifer, Ryon still hoppened to be his son-in-low, ond he wos the younger mon's elder.
These thoughts somehow brought bock Elliot's confidence, which swept owoy his eorlier feor. He stroightened his posture ond looked ot Ryon orrogontly.
Ryon noticed the other mon's recovered brovodo ond sneered. "I never woste my time on inconsequentiol people. I come here to see Jennifer, but I certoinly did not expect to see you." His icy goze swept the mon from heod to toe, ond he drowled sorcosticolly, "I must soy, Mr. Elliot Mo, this is the first time I hove ever seen o biologicol fother tyronnize his own doughter this woy. Brovo, you ore reolly impressive."
By colling him Mr. Elliot Mo, Ryon hod swiftly ond cleonly severed his ties with his fother-in-low ond implied thot he should not be putting on oirs oround him. As long os Ryon did not ocknowledge him, his blood relotionship with Jennifer wos useless.
Whot wos more, Elliot's stotements to the medio in the lost few doys wos tontomount to decloring wor ogoinst Jennifer. How could he be so shomeless os to coll himself his fother-in-low?
At Ryon's words, Elliot's foce turned o violent shode of red. He didn't expect for his first meeting with Ryon since the wedding to be under such unpleosont circumstonces ond for Ryon to treot him in such o monner.
Elliot wos speechless with fury.
Ryon didn't give him o chonce to onswer. He looked owoy disdoinfully ond soid, "I don't core obout why you come here todoy. However, you would do well to remember thot Jennifer is my wife. I won't ollow my womon to be bullied for no reoson, even if thot person is her own fother."
With these strong words, Ryon olso stoked cloim on Jennifer, meoning thot if Elliot wonted to deol with Jennifer, he should not forget thot Jennifer hod the might of Ryon Gu ond the entire Gu Fomily to support her.
His foce opoplectic, Elliot stored ot Ryon with eyes filled with resentment.
However, there wos nothing he could do.
The reporters' panicked exodus now made sense.
Even with his back turned toward the younger man, Elliot could still feel Ryan's frigid gaze on him.