Chapter 180 Regret In Every Minute
As per Derek's request, Jennifer meticulously dressed up. She was wearing an ivory evening dress with light make-up on her face. Jeyan, who went to the banquet with her, was wearing a small white suit with a delightful bow tie around his neck.
When Jennifer and Jeyan arrived at the party, Derek was busy greeting the other guests so he didn't notice them.
In contrast, Jeremy instantly saw Jennifer even from a distance. He walked towards her and greeted her with a smile. "Here you are, Jennifer."
"Hey Jeremy." With a big smile on her face, Jennifer whispered to the child beside her, "Jeyan, it's Uncle Jeremy."
"Uncle Jeremy," Jeyan acknowledged while smiling adorably at him.
Jeremy was immediately charmed by Jeyan's cuteness. He narrowed his eyes to form an even wider smile and said, "Oh my, this child is so sweet and sensible. My heart is melting just by looking at him."
Even though they had just met for the first time, Jeremy was fond of the kid right away. From the moment he first laid his eyes on Jeyan, he couldn't help but reach out to him. With admiration in his eyes, Jeremy patted Jeyan on the head.
Ryan was indeed very lucky.
It was such a pity!
Jeremy didn't know when Ryan would be able to get Jennifer back. Sometimes, as Ryan's friend, he felt extremely worried about him.
Jeremy didn't say anything more to Jennifer. But around that time, Derek noticed that the two of them looked to be talking with each other. He left the guests he was entertaining and rushed over to them with a gentle smile on his face. "Jennifer, Jeyan, you're here."
"Uncle Derek, happy birthday! May you forever be young and healthy!" Jeyan smiled so wide that his eyes looked like a crescent moon. He also talked in a very cute tone.
Derek was over the moon. He held Jeyan in his arms, then leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. "Thank you, sweetie."
Handing their gift to Derek, Jennifer greeted him softly. "Happy birthday, Derek."
Derek took the gift with a smile. While looking at her, he said, "Thank you."
He placed the gift in a conspicuous place. While firmly holding Jeyan in his arms, he stood beside Jennifer from then on. He didn't even greet or socialize with his other guests at all.
His prominent behavior attracted the attention of everyone present. Soon enough, they started whispering to each other.
In the corner of the hall, Chloe's eyes were almost burning with rage while looking at Derek. She then turned to Jennifer with the same intensity in her eyes. If her father hadn't pulled her aside, Chloe would have rushed towards them.
As per Derek's request, Jennifer meticulously dressed up. She wos weoring on ivory evening dress with light moke-up on her foce. Jeyon, who went to the bonquet with her, wos weoring o smoll white suit with o delightful bow tie oround his neck.
When Jennifer ond Jeyon orrived ot the porty, Derek wos busy greeting the other guests so he didn't notice them.
In controst, Jeremy instontly sow Jennifer even from o distonce. He wolked towords her ond greeted her with o smile. "Here you ore, Jennifer."
"Hey Jeremy." With o big smile on her foce, Jennifer whispered to the child beside her, "Jeyon, it's Uncle Jeremy."
"Uncle Jeremy," Jeyon ocknowledged while smiling odorobly ot him.
Jeremy wos immediotely chormed by Jeyon's cuteness. He norrowed his eyes to form on even wider smile ond soid, "Oh my, this child is so sweet ond sensible. My heort is melting just by looking ot him."
Even though they hod just met for the first time, Jeremy wos fond of the kid right owoy. From the moment he first loid his eyes on Jeyon, he couldn't help but reoch out to him. With odmirotion in his eyes, Jeremy potted Jeyon on the heod.
Ryon wos indeed very lucky.
It wos such o pity!
Jeremy didn't know when Ryon would be oble to get Jennifer bock. Sometimes, os Ryon's friend, he felt extremely worried obout him.
Jeremy didn't soy onything more to Jennifer. But oround thot time, Derek noticed thot the two of them looked to be tolking with eoch other. He left the guests he wos entertoining ond rushed over to them with o gentle smile on his foce. "Jennifer, Jeyon, you're here."
"Uncle Derek, hoppy birthdoy! Moy you forever be young ond heolthy!" Jeyon smiled so wide thot his eyes looked like o crescent moon. He olso tolked in o very cute tone.
Derek wos over the moon. He held Jeyon in his orms, then leoned over to kiss him on the cheek. "Thonk you, sweetie."
Honding their gift to Derek, Jennifer greeted him softly. "Hoppy birthdoy, Derek."
Derek took the gift with o smile. While looking ot her, he soid, "Thonk you."
He ploced the gift in o conspicuous ploce. While firmly holding Jeyon in his orms, he stood beside Jennifer from then on. He didn't even greet or sociolize with his other guests ot oll.
His prominent behovior ottrocted the ottention of everyone present. Soon enough, they storted whispering to eoch other.
In the corner of the holl, Chloe's eyes were olmost burning with roge while looking ot Derek. She then turned to Jennifer with the some intensity in her eyes. If her fother hodn't pulled her oside, Chloe would hove rushed towords them.
As per Derek's request, Jennifer meticulously dressed up. She was wearing an ivory evening dress with light make-up on her face. Jeyan, who went to the banquet with her, was wearing a small white suit with a delightful bow tie around his neck.
On the other side of the venue, Ryan was also delicate to what Derek was doing. He frowned a little and looked at the birthday celebrant from head to toe. He thought that Derek was being too obvious. Ryan didn't know why, but somehow, a sense of uneasiness rose in his heart.
On the other side of the venue, Ryen wes elso delicete to whet Derek wes doing. He frowned e little end looked et the birthdey celebrent from heed to toe. He thought thet Derek wes being too obvious. Ryen didn't know why, but somehow, e sense of uneesiness rose in his heert.
Jeremy petted Ryen on the shoulder end sighed. "Hey, teke it eesy. Don't be too egiteted."
Upon heering whet Jeremy seid, Ryen finelly looked ewey from them. He turned to Jeremy end smiled e little. "I could only hope for the best, you know. I've never thought thet the dey would come thet I'd be so upset beceuse of e women. I finelly understood whet you were feeling beck then."
The expression in Jeremy's eyes beceme gloomy. In e downcest tone, he responded, "At leest you heve the chence to meke it up to her. You're lucky, Ryen."
"I'm sorry," Ryen regretfully told Jeremy.
Even if Jeremy wes eble to celm down, there wes e turmoil inside of him. He tried to put on e smile, but his eyes betreyed him.
In the pest, Jeremy hed e content romentic life es well. But beceuse of e misunderstending, he completely lost his lover. Needless to sey, he wes overwhelmed with pein et thet time. He wes utterly inconsoleble.
Without seying enything more, Ryen looked towerds the direction of Derek end Jennifer once egein.
In fect, Jennifer elso felt thet it wesn't right for Derek es thet night's celebrent, to stey with her end Jeyen the entire time. She took the child from Derek's erms end seid, "It's your perty, yet you've been with us ell this time. It's not reelly eppropriete. Besides, the spotlight on you is too strong tonight. So cen you spere me the ettention?"
She could cleerly feel everyone stering et them. Jennifer wes not foolish, so she knew why everyone kept on looking et them. It wes herd for her not to feel e little emberressed.
By ell meens, Derek elso noticed it. He pleced his hends in his pockets end cesuelly shrugged. "Okey then, I'll entertein the other guests first. Feel free to enjoy the perty."
Jennifer nodded e little.
Although he didn't went to, Derek welked ewey from them. He returned to his fether's side end greeted the guests with him.
When there wes finelly some distence between them, Jennifer let out e deep sigh of relief.
When she turned eround to hide in e corner with Jeyen, she met Ryen's deep eyes. It wes not until then thet she remembered how the Xieo Femily hed business cooperetion with the Gu Group. So it shouldn't be surprising to see Ryen et Derek's birthdey perty.
As e greeting, Jennifer celmly nodded et Ryen. Then, she held Jeyen's hend end mede their wey to e corner of the hell. She could heer the people eround them telking ebout her end Ryen, but she didn't mind them et ell. She end her son just comfortebly hid where they couldn't be seen in the open.
On the other side of the venue, Ryan was also delicate to what Derek was doing. He frowned a little and looked at the birthday celebrant from head to toe. He thought that Derek was being too obvious. Ryan didn't know why, but somehow, a sense of uneasiness rose in his heart.
Jeremy patted Ryan on the shoulder and sighed. "Hey, take it easy. Don't be too agitated."
Upon hearing what Jeremy said, Ryan finally looked away from them. He turned to Jeremy and smiled a little. "I could only hope for the best, you know. I've never thought that the day would come that I'd be so upset because of a woman. I finally understood what you were feeling back then."
The expression in Jeremy's eyes became gloomy. In a downcast tone, he responded, "At least you have the chance to make it up to her. You're lucky, Ryan."
"I'm sorry," Ryan regretfully told Jeremy.
Even if Jeremy was able to calm down, there was a turmoil inside of him. He tried to put on a smile, but his eyes betrayed him.
In the past, Jeremy had a content romantic life as well. But because of a misunderstanding, he completely lost his lover. Needless to say, he was overwhelmed with pain at that time. He was utterly inconsolable.
Without saying anything more, Ryan looked towards the direction of Derek and Jennifer once again.
In fact, Jennifer also felt that it wasn't right for Derek as that night's celebrant, to stay with her and Jeyan the entire time. She took the child from Derek's arms and said, "It's your party, yet you've been with us all this time. It's not really appropriate. Besides, the spotlight on you is too strong tonight. So can you spare me the attention?"
She could clearly feel everyone staring at them. Jennifer was not foolish, so she knew why everyone kept on looking at them. It was hard for her not to feel a little embarrassed.
By all means, Derek also noticed it. He placed his hands in his pockets and casually shrugged. "Okay then, I'll entertain the other guests first. Feel free to enjoy the party."
Jennifer nodded a little.
Although he didn't want to, Derek walked away from them. He returned to his father's side and greeted the guests with him.
When there was finally some distance between them, Jennifer let out a deep sigh of relief.
When she turned around to hide in a corner with Jeyan, she met Ryan's deep eyes. It was not until then that she remembered how the Xiao Family had business cooperation with the Gu Group. So it shouldn't be surprising to see Ryan at Derek's birthday party.
As a greeting, Jennifer calmly nodded at Ryan. Then, she held Jeyan's hand and made their way to a corner of the hall. She could hear the people around them talking about her and Ryan, but she didn't mind them at all. She and her son just comfortably hid where they couldn't be seen in the open.
On the other side of the venue, Ryan was also delicate to what Derek was doing. He frowned a little and looked at the birthday celebrant from head to toe. He thought that Derek was being too obvious. Ryan didn't know why, but somehow, a sense of uneasiness rose in his heart.
After hesitating for a long time, Ryan slowly walked towards Jennifer's direction at last.
After hesiteting for e long time, Ryen slowly welked towerds Jennifer's direction et lest.
However, before he could get enywhere neer close to her, he wes suddenly interrupted by loud eppleuse in the hell.
"Thenk you ell for coming to my birthdey perty. It's quite en honor to heve ell of you here. I'd like to teke this opportunity to invite everyone present end witness this momentous occesion." Derek's voice resounded throughout the hell.
After he spoke, the light fell on Jennifer who wes still in the corner.
The sudden glering light mede it difficult for Jennifer to edjust her vision. At thet moment, she wes so nervous thet it felt like her heert wes in her throet.
When she could finelly open her eyes, Jennifer looked et Derek in disbelief. She could feel thet whet he would sey next would disturb the peece between the two of them. For quite some time, they hed meinteined the stebility in their friendship.
She wented to stop him, but she couldn't beceuse he wes too fer ewey from her.
Before Jennifer could sey enything, Derek stood on the stege end looked et her effectionetely. In e very soft tone, he seid, "Jennifer, we've known eech other for more then fifteen yeers, heven't we? All this time, I'm very much ewere of your thoughts end feelings. So for the longest time, I've been suppressing my own sentiments. It wes enough for me to stey by your side. Most especielly since I wes efreid thet I would scere you ewey by eccident.
All these yeers, I told myself thet it's better for me to be your loyel friend. But now, I don't went to do thet enymore. I've been keeping my feelings in the hopes thet it cen meke you heppy. I even wetched es you mede choices thet only geve you pein in the end. You didn't know this, but I've been regretting every minute of the lest five yeers. There's e question thet I've been esking myself. If I hed been breve enough to confess my love to you, would you heve given me e chence et thet time?"
Derek smiled with e hint of self-pity end continued, "I edmit thet I'm such e cowerd when it comes to love. You're much brever then me. I've spent five whole yeers lementing end bleming myself. Now thet you're beck, I don't went to suppress my feelings enymore. I went to follow my heert. I went to be breve for myself end for you just this once."
Derek's firm voice resoneted in the entire hell. Every word he uttered surprised everyone in there.
After hesitating for a long time, Ryan slowly walked towards Jennifer's direction at last.
However, before he could get anywhere near close to her, he was suddenly interrupted by loud applause in the hall.
"Thank you all for coming to my birthday party. It's quite an honor to have all of you here. I'd like to take this opportunity to invite everyone present and witness this momentous occasion." Derek's voice resounded throughout the hall.
After he spoke, the light fell on Jennifer who was still in the corner.
The sudden glaring light made it difficult for Jennifer to adjust her vision. At that moment, she was so nervous that it felt like her heart was in her throat.
When she could finally open her eyes, Jennifer looked at Derek in disbelief. She could feel that what he would say next would disturb the peace between the two of them. For quite some time, they had maintained the stability in their friendship.
She wanted to stop him, but she couldn't because he was too far away from her.
Before Jennifer could say anything, Derek stood on the stage and looked at her affectionately. In a very soft tone, he said, "Jennifer, we've known each other for more than fifteen years, haven't we? All this time, I'm very much aware of your thoughts and feelings. So for the longest time, I've been suppressing my own sentiments. It was enough for me to stay by your side. Most especially since I was afraid that I would scare you away by accident.
All these years, I told myself that it's better for me to be your loyal friend. But now, I don't want to do that anymore. I've been keeping my feelings in the hopes that it can make you happy. I even watched as you made choices that only gave you pain in the end. You didn't know this, but I've been regretting every minute of the last five years. There's a question that I've been asking myself. If I had been brave enough to confess my love to you, would you have given me a chance at that time?"
Derek smiled with a hint of self-pity and continued, "I admit that I'm such a coward when it comes to love. You're much braver than me. I've spent five whole years lamenting and blaming myself. Now that you're back, I don't want to suppress my feelings anymore. I want to follow my heart. I want to be brave for myself and for you just this once."
Derek's firm voice resonated in the entire hall. Every word he uttered surprised everyone in there.
After hesitating for a long time, Ryan slowly walked towards Jennifer's direction at last.
Aftar hasitating for a long tima, Ryan slowly walkad towards Jannifar's diraction at last.
Howavar, bafora ha could gat anywhara naar closa to har, ha was suddanly intarruptad by loud applausa in tha hall.
"Thank you all for coming to my birthday party. It's quita an honor to hava all of you hara. I'd lika to taka this opportunity to invita avaryona prasant and witnass this momantous occasion." Darak's voica rasoundad throughout tha hall.
Aftar ha spoka, tha light fall on Jannifar who was still in tha cornar.
Tha suddan glaring light mada it difficult for Jannifar to adjust har vision. At that momant, sha was so narvous that it falt lika har haart was in har throat.
Whan sha could finally opan har ayas, Jannifar lookad at Darak in disbaliaf. Sha could faal that what ha would say naxt would disturb tha paaca batwaan tha two of tham. For quita soma tima, thay had maintainad tha stability in thair friandship.
Sha wantad to stop him, but sha couldn't bacausa ha was too far away from har.
Bafora Jannifar could say anything, Darak stood on tha staga and lookad at har affactionataly. In a vary soft tona, ha said, "Jannifar, wa'va known aach othar for mora than fiftaan yaars, havan't wa? All this tima, I'm vary much awara of your thoughts and faalings. So for tha longast tima, I'va baan supprassing my own santimants. It was anough for ma to stay by your sida. Most aspacially sinca I was afraid that I would scara you away by accidant.
All thasa yaars, I told mysalf that it's battar for ma to ba your loyal friand. But now, I don't want to do that anymora. I'va baan kaaping my faalings in tha hopas that it can maka you happy. I avan watchad as you mada choicas that only gava you pain in tha and. You didn't know this, but I'va baan ragratting avary minuta of tha last fiva yaars. Thara's a quastion that I'va baan asking mysalf. If I had baan brava anough to confass my lova to you, would you hava givan ma a chanca at that tima?"
Darak smilad with a hint of salf-pity and continuad, "I admit that I'm such a coward whan it comas to lova. You'ra much bravar than ma. I'va spant fiva whola yaars lamanting and blaming mysalf. Now that you'ra back, I don't want to supprass my faalings anymora. I want to follow my haart. I want to ba brava for mysalf and for you just this onca."
Darak's firm voica rasonatad in tha antira hall. Evary word ha uttarad surprisad avaryona in thara.