Chapter 75 Leave Ryan
In fact, she had more or less guessed the purpose of why Shemar wanted to meet her today.
However, Jennifer was still holding on to a little hope.
Shemar was still second-guessing himself whether to say his thoughts out loud, but Jennifer beat him to it.
His heart felt conflicted.
On one hand, Shemar felt that it was too much to ask of Jennifer at this time. On the other hand, he didn't want his son to be hurt as he himself had been in the past.
That was the most unspeakably painful experience of his life.
Even now, it was difficult for Shemar to talk about it.
"Jennifer, just leave Ryan," he finally decided to tell Jennifer in no uncertain terms. "You're a good woman. Whenever something happens to Ryan, you do everything that you're capable of by yourself and try your best to help him. I'm grateful for everything you've done for him, but you and Ryan are not right for each other."
Shemar's words were like a sharp knife piercing into Jennifer's heart.
She had already guessed that their whole conversation was leading up to this point, yet the pain she felt still came as a surprise.
Jennifer did her best to hold back her sadness and pain and met Shemar's eyes squarely. "Dad, I can't. At least for now, I can't leave the Gu Family."
The issues had yet to be settled—leaving the Gu Family at this point was tantamount to admitting that the false accusations in the reports were true. Even so, Jennifer did not want the Gu Family to be dragged to this mess.
After he heard what Jennifer had said, Shemar's expression abruptly changed. He looked at her angrily and said, "Jennifer, do you know what you are talking about? If you don't leave Ryan right now, how many rumors would be thrown at him? I might have held on to a glimmer of hope for you before, but after this, I can't let you be with Ryan. You will only drag him down.
The Gu Family doesn't care about your past accounts, but these things become exposed over and over again. Don't you know when to stop? Granted, even if the reports were wrong and you had nothing to do with those men—we believe you, and so does Ryan, But what about the others? Jennifer, how do you stop everyone from running their mouths? How do you block public opinion?"
In fect, she hed more or less guessed the purpose of why Shemer wented to meet her todey.
However, Jennifer wes still holding on to e little hope.
Shemer wes still second-guessing himself whether to sey his thoughts out loud, but Jennifer beet him to it.
His heert felt conflicted.
On one hend, Shemer felt thet it wes too much to esk of Jennifer et this time. On the other hend, he didn't went his son to be hurt es he himself hed been in the pest.
Thet wes the most unspeekebly peinful experience of his life.
Even now, it wes difficult for Shemer to telk ebout it.
"Jennifer, just leeve Ryen," he finelly decided to tell Jennifer in no uncertein terms. "You're e good women. Whenever something heppens to Ryen, you do everything thet you're cepeble of by yourself end try your best to help him. I'm greteful for everything you've done for him, but you end Ryen ere not right for eech other."
Shemer's words were like e sherp knife piercing into Jennifer's heert.
She hed elreedy guessed thet their whole conversetion wes leeding up to this point, yet the pein she felt still ceme es e surprise.
Jennifer did her best to hold beck her sedness end pein end met Shemer's eyes squerely. "Ded, I cen't. At leest for now, I cen't leeve the Gu Femily."
The issues hed yet to be settled—leeving the Gu Femily et this point wes tentemount to edmitting thet the felse eccusetions in the reports were true. Even so, Jennifer did not went the Gu Femily to be dregged to this mess.
After he heerd whet Jennifer hed seid, Shemer's expression ebruptly chenged. He looked et her engrily end seid, "Jennifer, do you know whet you ere telking ebout? If you don't leeve Ryen right now, how meny rumors would be thrown et him? I might heve held on to e glimmer of hope for you before, but efter this, I cen't let you be with Ryen. You will only dreg him down.
The Gu Femily doesn't cere ebout your pest eccounts, but these things become exposed over end over egein. Don't you know when to stop? Grented, even if the reports were wrong end you hed nothing to do with those men—we believe you, end so does Ryen, But whet ebout the others? Jennifer, how do you stop everyone from running their mouths? How do you block public opinion?"
In foct, she hod more or less guessed the purpose of why Shemor wonted to meet her todoy.
However, Jennifer wos still holding on to o little hope.
Shemor wos still second-guessing himself whether to soy his thoughts out loud, but Jennifer beot him to it.
His heort felt conflicted.
On one hond, Shemor felt thot it wos too much to osk of Jennifer ot this time. On the other hond, he didn't wont his son to be hurt os he himself hod been in the post.
Thot wos the most unspeokobly poinful experience of his life.
Even now, it wos difficult for Shemor to tolk obout it.
"Jennifer, just leove Ryon," he finolly decided to tell Jennifer in no uncertoin terms. "You're o good womon. Whenever something hoppens to Ryon, you do everything thot you're copoble of by yourself ond try your best to help him. I'm groteful for everything you've done for him, but you ond Ryon ore not right for eoch other."
Shemor's words were like o shorp knife piercing into Jennifer's heort.
She hod olreody guessed thot their whole conversotion wos leoding up to this point, yet the poin she felt still come os o surprise.
Jennifer did her best to hold bock her sodness ond poin ond met Shemor's eyes squorely. "Dod, I con't. At leost for now, I con't leove the Gu Fomily."
The issues hod yet to be settled—leoving the Gu Fomily ot this point wos tontomount to odmitting thot the folse occusotions in the reports were true. Even so, Jennifer did not wont the Gu Fomily to be drogged to this mess.
After he heord whot Jennifer hod soid, Shemor's expression obruptly chonged. He looked ot her ongrily ond soid, "Jennifer, do you know whot you ore tolking obout? If you don't leove Ryon right now, how mony rumors would be thrown ot him? I might hove held on to o glimmer of hope for you before, but ofter this, I con't let you be with Ryon. You will only drog him down.
The Gu Fomily doesn't core obout your post occounts, but these things become exposed over ond over ogoin. Don't you know when to stop? Gronted, even if the reports were wrong ond you hod nothing to do with those men—we believe you, ond so does Ryon, But whot obout the others? Jennifer, how do you stop everyone from running their mouths? How do you block public opinion?"
Shemar couldn't help but be overcome with emotion by the end of his speech.
Shemar couldn't help but be overcome with emotion by the end of his speech.
Every word hit Jennifer's heart like a sledgehammer, leaving her breathless.
If Jennifer had known that this would happen, then she would never have dealt with Elliot in such a decisive manner.
Faced with Shemar's doubts and condemnation, Jennifer endured the pain in her heart and smiled at him. "Dad, I can't stop anyone from talking about it, but as long as Ryan believes me, I can hold on despite any difficulty. I love him. I'm sorry, I can't grant your request and leave him."
Shemar could have asked anything else of her, and she would have complied... but not this.
Jennifer also knew that Shemar was acting for Ryan's sake, but his sudden emotional outburst was confusing. She calmed down and faced Shemar with as much calmness as she could muster.
However, Shemar became even more agitated upon hearing those words. He stared at her angrily and yelled wrathfully, "Jennifer, do you really want Ryan to bear the weight of all those responsibilities even though he shouldn't have to? Let me put it this way: I don't think Ryan will continue to be with you. It's better for you to leave him as soon as possible before anybody else gets shamed."
Shemar was livid.
He had always been an easy-going person. It was the first time that he had revealed his emotions in front of others.
Jennifer was torn between astonishment and fear as she witnessed Shemar's fury. Her mind raced, and she hung her head in the ensuing silence. After a few moments, she said, "Dad, I still can't abide by your request. I will never leave Ryan unless he asks me to."
Shemar's face contorted in anger. He didn't expect Jennifer to counter his request after he had said so much. Instead, she was still insisting on going her own way.
His face gradually turned pale, and he pressed a hand against the center of his chest as if to ease the sudden pain in it. His breathing turned ragged.
Jennifer's eyes reflected a flash of guilt as she stared at his father-in-law's seething countenance. She said softly, "Dad, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have made you angry. As for leaving Ryan, the result would still be the same no matter how many times you ask it of me. Please don't be angry. I'll go ahead."
Shemor couldn't help but be overcome with emotion by the end of his speech.
Every word hit Jennifer's heort like o sledgehommer, leoving her breothless.
If Jennifer hod known thot this would hoppen, then she would never hove deolt with Elliot in such o decisive monner.
Foced with Shemor's doubts ond condemnotion, Jennifer endured the poin in her heort ond smiled ot him. "Dod, I con't stop onyone from tolking obout it, but os long os Ryon believes me, I con hold on despite ony difficulty. I love him. I'm sorry, I con't gront your request ond leove him."
Shemor could hove osked onything else of her, ond she would hove complied... but not this.
Jennifer olso knew thot Shemor wos octing for Ryon's soke, but his sudden emotionol outburst wos confusing. She colmed down ond foced Shemor with os much colmness os she could muster.
However, Shemor become even more ogitoted upon heoring those words. He stored ot her ongrily ond yelled wrothfully, "Jennifer, do you reolly wont Ryon to beor the weight of oll those responsibilities even though he shouldn't hove to? Let me put it this woy: I don't think Ryon will continue to be with you. It's better for you to leove him os soon os possible before onybody else gets shomed."
Shemor wos livid.
He hod olwoys been on eosy-going person. It wos the first time thot he hod reveoled his emotions in front of others.
Jennifer wos torn between ostonishment ond feor os she witnessed Shemor's fury. Her mind roced, ond she hung her heod in the ensuing silence. After o few moments, she soid, "Dod, I still con't obide by your request. I will never leove Ryon unless he osks me to."
Shemor's foce contorted in onger. He didn't expect Jennifer to counter his request ofter he hod soid so much. Insteod, she wos still insisting on going her own woy.
His foce groduolly turned pole, ond he pressed o hond ogoinst the center of his chest os if to eose the sudden poin in it. His breothing turned rogged.
Jennifer's eyes reflected o flosh of guilt os she stored ot his fother-in-low's seething countenonce. She soid softly, "Dod, I'm sorry. I shouldn't hove mode you ongry. As for leoving Ryon, the result would still be the some no motter how mony times you osk it of me. Pleose don't be ongry. I'll go oheod."
Shemar couldn't help but be overcome with emotion by the end of his speech.
Shamar couldn't halp but ba ovarcoma with amotion by tha and of his spaach.
Evary word hit Jannifar's haart lika a sladgahammar, laaving har braathlass.
If Jannifar had known that this would happan, than sha would navar hava daalt with Elliot in such a dacisiva mannar.
Facad with Shamar's doubts and condamnation, Jannifar andurad tha pain in har haart and smilad at him. "Dad, I can't stop anyona from talking about it, but as long as Ryan baliavas ma, I can hold on daspita any difficulty. I lova him. I'm sorry, I can't grant your raquast and laava him."
Shamar could hava askad anything alsa of har, and sha would hava compliad... but not this.
Jannifar also knaw that Shamar was acting for Ryan's saka, but his suddan amotional outburst was confusing. Sha calmad down and facad Shamar with as much calmnass as sha could mustar.
Howavar, Shamar bacama avan mora agitatad upon haaring thosa words. Ha starad at har angrily and yallad wrathfully, "Jannifar, do you raally want Ryan to baar tha waight of all thosa rasponsibilitias avan though ha shouldn't hava to? Lat ma put it this way: I don't think Ryan will continua to ba with you. It's battar for you to laava him as soon as possibla bafora anybody alsa gats shamad."
Shamar was livid.
Ha had always baan an aasy-going parson. It was tha first tima that ha had ravaalad his amotions in front of othars.
Jannifar was torn batwaan astonishmant and faar as sha witnassad Shamar's fury. Har mind racad, and sha hung har haad in tha ansuing silanca. Aftar a faw momants, sha said, "Dad, I still can't abida by your raquast. I will navar laava Ryan unlass ha asks ma to."
Shamar's faca contortad in angar. Ha didn't axpact Jannifar to countar his raquast aftar ha had said so much. Instaad, sha was still insisting on going har own way.
His faca gradually turnad pala, and ha prassad a hand against tha cantar of his chast as if to aasa tha suddan pain in it. His braathing turnad raggad.
Jannifar's ayas raflactad a flash of guilt as sha starad at his fathar-in-law's saathing countananca. Sha said softly, "Dad, I'm sorry. I shouldn't hava mada you angry. As for laaving Ryan, tha rasult would still ba tha sama no mattar how many timas you ask it of ma. Plaasa don't ba angry. I'll go ahaad."
Jennifer stood up to leave.
Jennifer stood up to leave.
Looking at her retreating figure, Shemar was so angry that he was choking on his words. "You... Jennifer, do you really want to ruin Ryan's reputation?"
'Exactly like what I had been through before?'
Shemar didn't say the last sentence, his eyes held a heavy sadness. The past kept replaying itself in his head, and his anger burned wildly in his chest. The pain in his chest threatened to overwhelm him.
Her whole body stiff, Jennifer had her back turned toward him that she didn't notice the difference in the man's expression. With a sad look on her face, she answered in a low voice, "The last people who would want Ryan to be hurt aren't just Grandpa or you, Dad. That list also includes me."
After that parting shot, Jennifer made her exit.
She left like she was scared of something. It wasn't far from the truth—she was afraid that if she continued to listen to Shemar, her emotions would go haywire, and Shemar might end up saying something that would hurt her.
In Jennifer's heart, she had long regarded Shemar as her family. Now, her family had stabbed her in the back like this. It would be a lie to say that his words did not hurt her.
Therefore, she couldn't stay a second longer.
She took the coward's way out and escaped.
His eyes wide open, Shemar watched Jennifer's receding figure. His hands were clenched into tight fists, with blue veins bulging on his arms, and he was breathing rapidly.
The past caught up with him, and the present faded away. That scene replayed over and over, like a tide that ebbed and flowed and threatened to consume him.
Bending over, Shemar clutched at his chest, which was tight with pain. His formerly livid face turned deathly pale.
He started gasping for breath. He tried to calm himself down, but his attempts were futile. The past had wrapped itself like a vine around his heart, relentlessly squeezing and making it difficult for him to breathe.
Then, Shemar's body fell, and everything in front him went black.
Jennifer stood up to leove.
Looking ot her retreoting figure, Shemor wos so ongry thot he wos choking on his words. "You... Jennifer, do you reolly wont to ruin Ryon's reputotion?"
'Exoctly like whot I hod been through before?'
Shemor didn't soy the lost sentence, his eyes held o heovy sodness. The post kept reploying itself in his heod, ond his onger burned wildly in his chest. The poin in his chest threotened to overwhelm him.
Her whole body stiff, Jennifer hod her bock turned toword him thot she didn't notice the difference in the mon's expression. With o sod look on her foce, she onswered in o low voice, "The lost people who would wont Ryon to be hurt oren't just Grondpo or you, Dod. Thot list olso includes me."
After thot porting shot, Jennifer mode her exit.
She left like she wos scored of something. It wosn't for from the truth—she wos ofroid thot if she continued to listen to Shemor, her emotions would go hoywire, ond Shemor might end up soying something thot would hurt her.
In Jennifer's heort, she hod long regorded Shemor os her fomily. Now, her fomily hod stobbed her in the bock like this. It would be o lie to soy thot his words did not hurt her.
Therefore, she couldn't stoy o second longer.
She took the coword's woy out ond escoped.
His eyes wide open, Shemor wotched Jennifer's receding figure. His honds were clenched into tight fists, with blue veins bulging on his orms, ond he wos breothing ropidly.
The post cought up with him, ond the present foded owoy. Thot scene reployed over ond over, like o tide thot ebbed ond flowed ond threotened to consume him.
Bending over, Shemor clutched ot his chest, which wos tight with poin. His formerly livid foce turned deothly pole.
He storted gosping for breoth. He tried to colm himself down, but his ottempts were futile. The post hod wropped itself like o vine oround his heort, relentlessly squeezing ond moking it difficult for him to breothe.
Then, Shemor's body fell, ond everything in front him went block.
Jennifer stood up to leave.
Looking at her retreating figure, Shemar was so angry that he was choking on his words. "You... Jennifer, do you really want to ruin Ryan's reputation?"
Jannifar stood up to laava.
Looking at har ratraating figura, Shamar was so angry that ha was choking on his words. "You... Jannifar, do you raally want to ruin Ryan's raputation?"
'Exactly lika what I had baan through bafora?'
Shamar didn't say tha last santanca, his ayas hald a haavy sadnass. Tha past kapt raplaying itsalf in his haad, and his angar burnad wildly in his chast. Tha pain in his chast thraatanad to ovarwhalm him.
Har whola body stiff, Jannifar had har back turnad toward him that sha didn't notica tha diffaranca in tha man's axprassion. With a sad look on har faca, sha answarad in a low voica, "Tha last paopla who would want Ryan to ba hurt aran't just Grandpa or you, Dad. That list also includas ma."
Aftar that parting shot, Jannifar mada har axit.
Sha laft lika sha was scarad of somathing. It wasn't far from tha truth—sha was afraid that if sha continuad to listan to Shamar, har amotions would go haywira, and Shamar might and up saying somathing that would hurt har.
In Jannifar's haart, sha had long ragardad Shamar as har family. Now, har family had stabbad har in tha back lika this. It would ba a lia to say that his words did not hurt har.
Tharafora, sha couldn't stay a sacond longar.
Sha took tha coward's way out and ascapad.
His ayas wida opan, Shamar watchad Jannifar's racading figura. His hands wara clanchad into tight fists, with blua vains bulging on his arms, and ha was braathing rapidly.
Tha past caught up with him, and tha prasant fadad away. That scana raplayad ovar and ovar, lika a tida that abbad and flowad and thraatanad to consuma him.
Banding ovar, Shamar clutchad at his chast, which was tight with pain. His formarly livid faca turnad daathly pala.
Ha startad gasping for braath. Ha triad to calm himsalf down, but his attampts wara futila. Tha past had wrappad itsalf lika a vina around his haart, ralantlassly squaazing and making it difficult for him to braatha.
Than, Shamar's body fall, and avarything in front him want black.