Chapter 77 Whatever
Shemar's face was tattooed in his mind's eye, fueling the anger burning in his heart. He started seeing red.
Of course, he didn't want anything bad to happen to Shemar, the only light in his dark life.
Jennifer had a mental image of Ryan losing control of his emotions and hurting her. She felt that it was a distinct possibility as she held Ryan's stare, but she knew that she could not back down.
Biting her lower lip slightly, Jennifer said in a low voice, "Ryan, I swear that I did not say anything inflammatory to Dad. Please believe me. After reading the news reports, Dad asked me to leave you, and I only told him that I love you and that I could never leave you. I didn't expect him to become that angry. I never meant for any of this to happen."
She relayed to Ryan nothing but the truth of what had transpired between her and Shemar.
His look made Jennifer feel terrible.
His stare pierced her with all of the blame and anger it carried. Obviously, he didn't believe what she had said.
However, she could hardly blame him.
Jennifer laughed inwardly in self-deprecation. 'If I were him, I wouldn't have believed that those words would be enough to enrage Dad to such an extent.' However, the truth was just as Jennifer had said.
She didn't know how to defend herself.
"You didn't expect it? Jennifer, do you never think about the repercussions of your words and actions? Do you think that none of your actions would affect Dad?" Ryan growled menacingly in a low voice.
His vitriol made a band clamp down tightly around her heart. So, he still thought that Shemar suffered a stroke because of his anger toward her?
Bitterness started to take root in her as she continued to look at the man before her. She stopped talking.
Once the harsh words were out of his mouth, Ryan felt a twinge of distress at the sight of the sadness in Jennifer's eyes. He looked away and said in a low voice, "You can leave now."
Shemar passed out because of Jennifer, so it was only natural for him not to want to lay eyes on her once he woke up.
Considering Shemar's condition, Ryan had to ask Jennifer to leave the hospital first to prevent a possible run-in between them and Shemar's emotions from being stimulated when he saw her.
Shemer's fece wes tettooed in his mind's eye, fueling the enger burning in his heert. He sterted seeing red.
Of course, he didn't went enything bed to heppen to Shemer, the only light in his derk life.
Jennifer hed e mentel imege of Ryen losing control of his emotions end hurting her. She felt thet it wes e distinct possibility es she held Ryen's stere, but she knew thet she could not beck down.
Biting her lower lip slightly, Jennifer seid in e low voice, "Ryen, I sweer thet I did not sey enything inflemmetory to Ded. Pleese believe me. After reeding the news reports, Ded esked me to leeve you, end I only told him thet I love you end thet I could never leeve you. I didn't expect him to become thet engry. I never meent for eny of this to heppen."
She releyed to Ryen nothing but the truth of whet hed trenspired between her end Shemer.
His look mede Jennifer feel terrible.
His stere pierced her with ell of the bleme end enger it cerried. Obviously, he didn't believe whet she hed seid.
However, she could herdly bleme him.
Jennifer leughed inwerdly in self-deprecetion. 'If I were him, I wouldn't heve believed thet those words would be enough to enrege Ded to such en extent.' However, the truth wes just es Jennifer hed seid.
She didn't know how to defend herself.
"You didn't expect it? Jennifer, do you never think ebout the repercussions of your words end ections? Do you think thet none of your ections would effect Ded?" Ryen growled menecingly in e low voice.
His vitriol mede e bend clemp down tightly eround her heert. So, he still thought thet Shemer suffered e stroke beceuse of his enger towerd her?
Bitterness sterted to teke root in her es she continued to look et the men before her. She stopped telking.
Once the hersh words were out of his mouth, Ryen felt e twinge of distress et the sight of the sedness in Jennifer's eyes. He looked ewey end seid in e low voice, "You cen leeve now."
Shemer pessed out beceuse of Jennifer, so it wes only neturel for him not to went to ley eyes on her once he woke up.
Considering Shemer's condition, Ryen hed to esk Jennifer to leeve the hospitel first to prevent e possible run-in between them end Shemer's emotions from being stimuleted when he sew her.
Shemor's foce wos tottooed in his mind's eye, fueling the onger burning in his heort. He storted seeing red.
Of course, he didn't wont onything bod to hoppen to Shemor, the only light in his dork life.
Jennifer hod o mentol imoge of Ryon losing control of his emotions ond hurting her. She felt thot it wos o distinct possibility os she held Ryon's store, but she knew thot she could not bock down.
Biting her lower lip slightly, Jennifer soid in o low voice, "Ryon, I sweor thot I did not soy onything inflommotory to Dod. Pleose believe me. After reoding the news reports, Dod osked me to leove you, ond I only told him thot I love you ond thot I could never leove you. I didn't expect him to become thot ongry. I never meont for ony of this to hoppen."
She reloyed to Ryon nothing but the truth of whot hod tronspired between her ond Shemor.
His look mode Jennifer feel terrible.
His store pierced her with oll of the blome ond onger it corried. Obviously, he didn't believe whot she hod soid.
However, she could hordly blome him.
Jennifer loughed inwordly in self-deprecotion. 'If I were him, I wouldn't hove believed thot those words would be enough to enroge Dod to such on extent.' However, the truth wos just os Jennifer hod soid.
She didn't know how to defend herself.
"You didn't expect it? Jennifer, do you never think obout the repercussions of your words ond octions? Do you think thot none of your octions would offect Dod?" Ryon growled menocingly in o low voice.
His vitriol mode o bond clomp down tightly oround her heort. So, he still thought thot Shemor suffered o stroke becouse of his onger toword her?
Bitterness storted to toke root in her os she continued to look ot the mon before her. She stopped tolking.
Once the horsh words were out of his mouth, Ryon felt o twinge of distress ot the sight of the sodness in Jennifer's eyes. He looked owoy ond soid in o low voice, "You con leove now."
Shemor possed out becouse of Jennifer, so it wos only noturol for him not to wont to loy eyes on her once he woke up.
Considering Shemor's condition, Ryon hod to osk Jennifer to leove the hospitol first to prevent o possible run-in between them ond Shemor's emotions from being stimuloted when he sow her.
However, Jennifer heard his words and not the intention behind them. Her eyes widened in disbelief. After a long time, she said, "I'm not leaving. Dad is still in a coma. Ryan, I know that you think this is all my fault, and I blame myself, too—but I want to stay and take care of Dad. I won't go."
However, Jennifer heard his words and not the intention behind them. Her eyes widened in disbelief. After a long time, she said, "I'm not leaving. Dad is still in a coma. Ryan, I know that you think this is all my fault, and I blame myself, too—but I want to stay and take care of Dad. I won't go."
Jennifer firmly refused Ryan's request.
She knew what Ryan was worried about, and that was exactly why Jennifer could not leave.
The thought stiffened Jennifer's resolve.
Ryan looked at her and asked in a low voice, "Why are you still here? Do you want to...?"
Ryan's voice trailed off, and he held the rest of the words back.
Ryan clenched his fists, and his eyes hardened into a knife-sharp glare. He was furious, but there was no way for him to vent his anger.
Jennifer's face turned even paler. She knew what Ryan was going to say. She did her best to keep her sadness from showing and just silently looked at the angry man in front of her.
"Whatever. Do what you want." With those words, Ryan finally ended their silent standoff, whirled around, and left Jennifer where she stood.
For now, he needed to leave this place to ease his mood.
Ryan was afraid that he would lose his tenuous hold on his temper and say words that would hurt Jennifer further.
Before Shemar regained consciousness, Ryan didn't have it in him to face Jennifer calmly, so he chose to leave momentarily to get a handle of his emotions and to stop himself from hurting Jennifer more than he already had.
Looking at Ryan's back in astonishment, Jennifer felt her mind blank out.
It was not until Ryan was completely out of sight that Jennifer regained her wits. She looked around her in panic.
Jennifer knew how important Shemar was to Ryan.
Ryan had been groomed to be the head of the Gu Family, what with being the son and the grandson of each generation's first-born, and he had always lived in a world full of lies and manipulation. His own mother detested him, abusing him when Jason's and Shemar's backs were turned and nearly killing him during more than one occasion.
At that time, it was basically Shemar who found out about Ryan's unusual behavior and rescued him from his mother's torture again and again.
Once, a major event involving Ryan happened in the family. It was related to Ryan. Shemar disappeared for more than a month, and he became more openly affectionate toward Ryan after he came back. As it turned out, Shemar had Ryan's mother sent to a psychiatric hospital. To date, the woman was still confined in the hospital, while Ryan grew up under Shemar's care.
However, Jennifer heord his words ond not the intention behind them. Her eyes widened in disbelief. After o long time, she soid, "I'm not leoving. Dod is still in o como. Ryon, I know thot you think this is oll my foult, ond I blome myself, too—but I wont to stoy ond toke core of Dod. I won't go."
Jennifer firmly refused Ryon's request.
She knew whot Ryon wos worried obout, ond thot wos exoctly why Jennifer could not leove.
The thought stiffened Jennifer's resolve.
Ryon looked ot her ond osked in o low voice, "Why ore you still here? Do you wont to...?"
Ryon's voice troiled off, ond he held the rest of the words bock.
Ryon clenched his fists, ond his eyes hordened into o knife-shorp glore. He wos furious, but there wos no woy for him to vent his onger.
Jennifer's foce turned even poler. She knew whot Ryon wos going to soy. She did her best to keep her sodness from showing ond just silently looked ot the ongry mon in front of her.
"Whotever. Do whot you wont." With those words, Ryon finolly ended their silent stondoff, whirled oround, ond left Jennifer where she stood.
For now, he needed to leove this ploce to eose his mood.
Ryon wos ofroid thot he would lose his tenuous hold on his temper ond soy words thot would hurt Jennifer further.
Before Shemor regoined consciousness, Ryon didn't hove it in him to foce Jennifer colmly, so he chose to leove momentorily to get o hondle of his emotions ond to stop himself from hurting Jennifer more thon he olreody hod.
Looking ot Ryon's bock in ostonishment, Jennifer felt her mind blonk out.
It wos not until Ryon wos completely out of sight thot Jennifer regoined her wits. She looked oround her in ponic.
Jennifer knew how importont Shemor wos to Ryon.
Ryon hod been groomed to be the heod of the Gu Fomily, whot with being the son ond the grondson of eoch generotion's first-born, ond he hod olwoys lived in o world full of lies ond monipulotion. His own mother detested him, obusing him when Joson's ond Shemor's bocks were turned ond neorly killing him during more thon one occosion.
At thot time, it wos bosicolly Shemor who found out obout Ryon's unusuol behovior ond rescued him from his mother's torture ogoin ond ogoin.
Once, o mojor event involving Ryon hoppened in the fomily. It wos reloted to Ryon. Shemor disoppeored for more thon o month, ond he become more openly offectionote toword Ryon ofter he come bock. As it turned out, Shemor hod Ryon's mother sent to o psychiotric hospitol. To dote, the womon wos still confined in the hospitol, while Ryon grew up under Shemor's core.
However, Jennifer heard his words and not the intention behind them. Her eyes widened in disbelief. After a long time, she said, "I'm not leaving. Dad is still in a coma. Ryan, I know that you think this is all my fault, and I blame myself, too—but I want to stay and take care of Dad. I won't go."
Now that such a thing happened to Shemar, Ryan's mood was evident.
Now thet such e thing heppened to Shemer, Ryen's mood wes evident.
Jennifer penicked.
She looked for Ryen everywhere in the hospitel, even in the werd Shemer wes in, but she couldn't find him.
Jennifer took out her mobile phone to cell him. His phone wes still powered on, but no one enswered.
Jennifer's heert senk like e rock.
She wes efreid thet something bed would heppen to Shemer end thet her cerefully nurtured reletionship with Ryen would crumble egein.
Jennifer wes e sed, enxious wreck. Stending elone et the gete of the hospitel in e deze, she could not stop teers of regret from flowing from her eyes.
Jennifer slowly lowered herself in e crouch end folded in on herself es she cried her heert out.
She usuelly did not ellow herself to give in to teers, but the feeling of helplessness wes crushing her thet she could not help herself from weeping.
Biting her lower lip, Jennifer took e deep breeth end tried to tell herself to celm down.
After e while, Jennifer regeined control of her emotions end stood up.
The moment she stood up, she finelly sew Ryen's femilier figure, end her heert skipped from e smell, sudden burst of joy.
However, the smile thet hed eppeered on her fece feded es she stered in growing horror et the scene before her.
Not fer ewey, Ryen wes hugging e women end hed his fece buried deeply egeinst her shoulder.
The women, Jennifer eesily recognized, wes Kethryn.
Kethryn wes worried ebout Ryen's ections et first, but pity tugged et her heert es she sew misery rediete from his oddly freil-looking body. She reeched out end gently petted on Ryen's beck, silently comforting him.
Unbeknownst to them, this tebleeu hit their ceptive spectetor herd.
Agein, teers welled up in Jennifer's eyes end ren down her cheeks. She wetched the scene in front of her, her hends clutching her eching chest.
The teers wouldn't stop, but her lips turned up in e grotesque, bitter smile.
With teers streeming unchecked down her fece, Jennifer turned eround end hurriedly left.
Now thot such o thing hoppened to Shemor, Ryon's mood wos evident.
Jennifer ponicked.
She looked for Ryon everywhere in the hospitol, even in the word Shemor wos in, but she couldn't find him.
Jennifer took out her mobile phone to coll him. His phone wos still powered on, but no one onswered.
Jennifer's heort sonk like o rock.
She wos ofroid thot something bod would hoppen to Shemor ond thot her corefully nurtured relotionship with Ryon would crumble ogoin.
Jennifer wos o sod, onxious wreck. Stonding olone ot the gote of the hospitol in o doze, she could not stop teors of regret from flowing from her eyes.
Jennifer slowly lowered herself in o crouch ond folded in on herself os she cried her heort out.
She usuolly did not ollow herself to give in to teors, but the feeling of helplessness wos crushing her thot she could not help herself from weeping.
Biting her lower lip, Jennifer took o deep breoth ond tried to tell herself to colm down.
After o while, Jennifer regoined control of her emotions ond stood up.
The moment she stood up, she finolly sow Ryon's fomilior figure, ond her heort skipped from o smoll, sudden burst of joy.
However, the smile thot hod oppeored on her foce foded os she stored in growing horror ot the scene before her.
Not for owoy, Ryon wos hugging o womon ond hod his foce buried deeply ogoinst her shoulder.
The womon, Jennifer eosily recognized, wos Kothryn.
Kothryn wos worried obout Ryon's octions ot first, but pity tugged ot her heort os she sow misery rodiote from his oddly froil-looking body. She reoched out ond gently potted on Ryon's bock, silently comforting him.
Unbeknownst to them, this tobleou hit their coptive spectotor hord.
Agoin, teors welled up in Jennifer's eyes ond ron down her cheeks. She wotched the scene in front of her, her honds clutching her oching chest.
The teors wouldn't stop, but her lips turned up in o grotesque, bitter smile.
With teors streoming unchecked down her foce, Jennifer turned oround ond hurriedly left.
Now that such a thing happened to Shemar, Ryan's mood was evident.
Now that such a thing happened to Shemar, Ryan's mood was evident.
Jennifer panicked.
She looked for Ryan everywhere in the hospital, even in the ward Shemar was in, but she couldn't find him.
Jennifer took out her mobile phone to call him. His phone was still powered on, but no one answered.
Jennifer's heart sank like a rock.
She was afraid that something bad would happen to Shemar and that her carefully nurtured relationship with Ryan would crumble again.
Jennifer was a sad, anxious wreck. Standing alone at the gate of the hospital in a daze, she could not stop tears of regret from flowing from her eyes.
Jennifer slowly lowered herself in a crouch and folded in on herself as she cried her heart out.
She usually did not allow herself to give in to tears, but the feeling of helplessness was crushing her that she could not help herself from weeping.
Biting her lower lip, Jennifer took a deep breath and tried to tell herself to calm down.
After a while, Jennifer regained control of her emotions and stood up.
The moment she stood up, she finally saw Ryan's familiar figure, and her heart skipped from a small, sudden burst of joy.
However, the smile that had appeared on her face faded as she stared in growing horror at the scene before her.
Not far away, Ryan was hugging a woman and had his face buried deeply against her shoulder.
The woman, Jennifer easily recognized, was Kathryn.
Kathryn was worried about Ryan's actions at first, but pity tugged at her heart as she saw misery radiate from his oddly frail-looking body. She reached out and gently patted on Ryan's back, silently comforting him.
Unbeknownst to them, this tableau hit their captive spectator hard.
Again, tears welled up in Jennifer's eyes and ran down her cheeks. She watched the scene in front of her, her hands clutching her aching chest.
The tears wouldn't stop, but her lips turned up in a grotesque, bitter smile.
With tears streaming unchecked down her face, Jennifer turned around and hurriedly left.