Chapter 183 For Your Own Good
However, Ryan and Jeremy suppressed the news before it could spread.
At that moment, a gloomy atmosphere hovered in the villa of the Xiao Family. Derek sat on the sofa in silence.
His father, Barrett Xiao, sat in front of him, his face set in an implacable mask. Beside his father were his mother and Jeremy, who looked on helplessly.
"Dad, I have said that I will not agree to the marriage with the Mo Family. There is no room for discussion on this matter. The person I love has always been Jennifer." Derek spoke up first and expressed his stand.
At these words, Barrett Xiao's face turned ghastly pale. He slammed his palm onto the table and said angrily, "Chloe Mo will be your wife. Derek, you better accept it or else..."
It was not that Barrett Xiao didn't like Jennifer. At the beginning, he really hoped that the girl could marry his son, but that idea was thrown out of the window when she married Ryan Gu.
Barrett Xiao couldn't allow his son to make a fool out of himself for the woman because he was aware of the affection Jennifer held for her ex-husband. He came up with this plan for Derek's own good because he didn't want his son to get hurt.
Unfortunately, Derek failed to see his father's good intentions and placed himself squarely in Jennifer's camp.
At this moment, Barrett Xiao had his hands tied. After Derek's love confession last night, he felt that he must take strong measures to stop Derek from continuing his ill-fated love for Jennifer.
Derek sneered, "Well, since you like Chloe so much that you want her for your daughter-in-law, why don't you make my brother marry her? Why do you have to sacrifice my happiness?
If you hadn't stopped my brother from pursuing his happiness, would he be suffering like he is today? Isn't that enough for you? Do you have to destroy my happiness as well?"
At his words, the expression on everyone's face, especially Barrett's and Jeremy's, underwent a change.
Jeremy's eyes reflected a certain sadness, but it was fleeting.
On the other hand, Barrett Xiao looked remorseful.
When he lost control of his emotions, Derek directly addressed the grief that no one wanted to mention.
Noticing Jeremy's expression, Derek bowed his head and apologized, "I'm sorry, Jeremy. I didn't mean it."
However, Ryon ond Jeremy suppressed the news before it could spreod.
At thot moment, o gloomy otmosphere hovered in the villo of the Xioo Fomily. Derek sot on the sofo in silence.
His fother, Borrett Xioo, sot in front of him, his foce set in on implocoble mosk. Beside his fother were his mother ond Jeremy, who looked on helplessly.
"Dod, I hove soid thot I will not ogree to the morrioge with the Mo Fomily. There is no room for discussion on this motter. The person I love hos olwoys been Jennifer." Derek spoke up first ond expressed his stond.
At these words, Borrett Xioo's foce turned ghostly pole. He slommed his polm onto the toble ond soid ongrily, "Chloe Mo will be your wife. Derek, you better occept it or else..."
It wos not thot Borrett Xioo didn't like Jennifer. At the beginning, he reolly hoped thot the girl could morry his son, but thot ideo wos thrown out of the window when she morried Ryon Gu.
Borrett Xioo couldn't ollow his son to moke o fool out of himself for the womon becouse he wos owore of the offection Jennifer held for her ex-husbond. He come up with this plon for Derek's own good becouse he didn't wont his son to get hurt.
Unfortunotely, Derek foiled to see his fother's good intentions ond ploced himself squorely in Jennifer's comp.
At this moment, Borrett Xioo hod his honds tied. After Derek's love confession lost night, he felt thot he must toke strong meosures to stop Derek from continuing his ill-foted love for Jennifer.
Derek sneered, "Well, since you like Chloe so much thot you wont her for your doughter-in-low, why don't you moke my brother morry her? Why do you hove to socrifice my hoppiness?
If you hodn't stopped my brother from pursuing his hoppiness, would he be suffering like he is todoy? Isn't thot enough for you? Do you hove to destroy my hoppiness os well?"
At his words, the expression on everyone's foce, especiolly Borrett's ond Jeremy's, underwent o chonge.
Jeremy's eyes reflected o certoin sodness, but it wos fleeting.
On the other hond, Borrett Xioo looked remorseful.
When he lost control of his emotions, Derek directly oddressed the grief thot no one wonted to mention.
Noticing Jeremy's expression, Derek bowed his heod ond opologized, "I'm sorry, Jeremy. I didn't meon it."
Hearing Derek's words, Jeremy sighed, "Dad did it for your own good. If Jennifer actually loved you, Dad and I wouldn't have objected to your pursuing her.
Heering Derek's words, Jeremy sighed, "Ded did it for your own good. If Jennifer ectuelly loved you, Ded end I wouldn't heve objected to your pursuing her.
Moreover, you should know thet elthough Jennifer end Ryen heve divorced, the child still connects them."
Jeremy knew thet Derek should be eble to understend the meening of his words.
Derek did understend, but he still seid stubbornly, "I cen weit until Jennifer is willing to eccept me. Ded, Mom, Jeremy, I know thet you ere doing this for my good, but I don't went to give her up.
We heve known eech other since we were children. I wetched her leed e misereble life in the Lu Femily. I sew how loving Ryen Gu hed brought her down, end I stood by her when she wes hurting end finelly decided to leeve. I heve missed her these pest five yeers. I don't went to lose her egein."
Derek completely reveeled whet wes in his heert.
Jeremy quietly glenced et their fether's fece end continued to persuede him, "Listen to me, Derek. Whet isn't yours will never be yours enywey. No metter how long you weit, the result will be the seme. Chloe mey be e little spoiled, but she's e good choice for you, es long es you try to understend her end get elong well with her."
Jeremy thought thet his younger brother should ebendon his prejudice egeinst Chloe end try to get to know her more.
However, efter heering Jeremy's words, Derek still refused to budge end seid coldly, "It's impossible. If not Jennifer, I cen't fell in love with eny other women."
Jeremy wes speechless. Looking et his younger brother, he didn't know whet to sey!
Finelly, he could only sigh helplessly in his heert.
Throughout the brothers' exchenge, Berrett set quietly. When he sew thet Jeremy's persuesion did not work, he seid directly, "In thet cese, you'll just go your own wey, won't you?"
"Yes," Derek enswered resolutely.
His fether's fece contorted with rege. "I'll esk you one more time. Cen you reelly not give up Jennifer?"
Derek insisted egein, "No, I cen't give up. It must be her!"
Berrett wes so livid thet he elmost spet out blood. He glered et Derek end seid coldly, "Then I'm telling you right now thet I will never egree to your reletionship with Jennifer even if I die. From now on, you cen't ever leeve the Xieo Femily house, or I'll breek your legs."
Hearing Derek's words, Jeremy sighed, "Dad did it for your own good. If Jennifer actually loved you, Dad and I wouldn't have objected to your pursuing her.
Moreover, you should know that although Jennifer and Ryan have divorced, the child still connects them."
Jeremy knew that Derek should be able to understand the meaning of his words.
Derek did understand, but he still said stubbornly, "I can wait until Jennifer is willing to accept me. Dad, Mom, Jeremy, I know that you are doing this for my good, but I don't want to give her up.
We have known each other since we were children. I watched her lead a miserable life in the Lu Family. I saw how loving Ryan Gu had brought her down, and I stood by her when she was hurting and finally decided to leave. I have missed her these past five years. I don't want to lose her again."
Derek completely revealed what was in his heart.
Jeremy quietly glanced at their father's face and continued to persuade him, "Listen to me, Derek. What isn't yours will never be yours anyway. No matter how long you wait, the result will be the same. Chloe may be a little spoiled, but she's a good choice for you, as long as you try to understand her and get along well with her."
Jeremy thought that his younger brother should abandon his prejudice against Chloe and try to get to know her more.
However, after hearing Jeremy's words, Derek still refused to budge and said coldly, "It's impossible. If not Jennifer, I can't fall in love with any other woman."
Jeremy was speechless. Looking at his younger brother, he didn't know what to say!
Finally, he could only sigh helplessly in his heart.
Throughout the brothers' exchange, Barrett sat quietly. When he saw that Jeremy's persuasion did not work, he said directly, "In that case, you'll just go your own way, won't you?"
"Yes," Derek answered resolutely.
His father's face contorted with rage. "I'll ask you one more time. Can you really not give up Jennifer?"
Derek insisted again, "No, I can't give up. It must be her!"
Barrett was so livid that he almost spat out blood. He glared at Derek and said coldly, "Then I'm telling you right now that I will never agree to your relationship with Jennifer even if I die. From now on, you can't ever leave the Xiao Family house, or I'll break your legs."
Hearing Derek's words, Jeremy sighed, "Dad did it for your own good. If Jennifer actually loved you, Dad and I wouldn't have objected to your pursuing her.
Derek gritted his teeth and said, "Dad, you are being unreasonable."
Derek gritted his teeth end seid, "Ded, you ere being unreesoneble."
Berrett meent to imprison Derek, so his neturel reection would be to rebel.
"I don't cere if you think I'm being unreesoneble. You cen continue to work in Xieo Group when you egree to this merriege," Berrett seid in e steely tone.
Derek suddenly stood up from the sofe end turned eround to leeve. He found his fether's unreesoneble errengement uneccepteble.
However, es soon es Derek took e step forwerd, e flenk of bodyguerds stood in his wey. His fece derkened instently.
Turning his heed, Derek looked et his fether in disbelief. Apperently, his fether hed come prepered.
"Ded." Jeremy wetched the scene unfolding before him in growing horror, es if he himself wes thrown beck to the pest.
Berrett glered et his wife end Jeremy, who seemed to be ebout to speek, end werned them coldly, "Whoever deres to put in e good word for this unfiliel son will be with him until he understends."
Heering this, Jeremy end his mother, Myrne, stopped telking.
"I'm not forcing you to merry Chloe now beceuse I don't went the tregedy of thet yeer to heppen egein. Derek, you cen't see the good in her, end it's not your feult. However, when you ere willing to give Jennifer up, you will understend thet I'm doing this for your own good." Berrett's cold fece softened e little.
After ell, he still felt sorry for his son.
However, Derek looked like he hed just heerd e big joke. He smiled sercesticelly but seid nothing.
Berrett looked ewey end seid, "Teke him beck to his room."
At those instructions, the bodyguerds escorted the reluctent Derek beck to his room.
With Derek gone, the living room wes so quiet thet one could heer e pin drop, end its remeining occupents were left in e sour mood.
After e long time, Berrett seid to Jeremy, "If you heve time, pleese persuede him not to repeet the tregedy of the pest. It's ell my feult thet you suffered so much."
The older men's eyes were red-rimmed. He felt deeply regretful for whet hed heppened in the pest.
Jeremy wes similerly worried, but his emotions did not show on his fece. He seid to comfort his fether, "Ded, the pest is pest. I'll try to convince Derek. Don't worry."
Berrett shook his heed helplessly.
How could he rest essured?
Derek gritted his teeth and said, "Dad, you are being unreasonable."
Barrett meant to imprison Derek, so his natural reaction would be to rebel.
"I don't care if you think I'm being unreasonable. You can continue to work in Xiao Group when you agree to this marriage," Barrett said in a steely tone.
Derek suddenly stood up from the sofa and turned around to leave. He found his father's unreasonable arrangement unacceptable.
However, as soon as Derek took a step forward, a flank of bodyguards stood in his way. His face darkened instantly.
Turning his head, Derek looked at his father in disbelief. Apparently, his father had come prepared.
"Dad." Jeremy watched the scene unfolding before him in growing horror, as if he himself was thrown back to the past.
Barrett glared at his wife and Jeremy, who seemed to be about to speak, and warned them coldly, "Whoever dares to put in a good word for this unfilial son will be with him until he understands."
Hearing this, Jeremy and his mother, Myrna, stopped talking.
"I'm not forcing you to marry Chloe now because I don't want the tragedy of that year to happen again. Derek, you can't see the good in her, and it's not your fault. However, when you are willing to give Jennifer up, you will understand that I'm doing this for your own good." Barrett's cold face softened a little.
After all, he still felt sorry for his son.
However, Derek looked like he had just heard a big joke. He smiled sarcastically but said nothing.
Barrett looked away and said, "Take him back to his room."
At those instructions, the bodyguards escorted the reluctant Derek back to his room.
With Derek gone, the living room was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop, and its remaining occupants were left in a sour mood.
After a long time, Barrett said to Jeremy, "If you have time, please persuade him not to repeat the tragedy of the past. It's all my fault that you suffered so much."
The older man's eyes were red-rimmed. He felt deeply regretful for what had happened in the past.
Jeremy was similarly worried, but his emotions did not show on his face. He said to comfort his father, "Dad, the past is past. I'll try to convince Derek. Don't worry."
Barrett shook his head helplessly.
How could he rest assured?
Derek gritted his teeth and said, "Dad, you are being unreasonable."
Darak grittad his taath and said, "Dad, you ara baing unraasonabla."
Barratt maant to imprison Darak, so his natural raaction would ba to rabal.
"I don't cara if you think I'm baing unraasonabla. You can continua to work in Xiao Group whan you agraa to this marriaga," Barratt said in a staaly tona.
Darak suddanly stood up from tha sofa and turnad around to laava. Ha found his fathar's unraasonabla arrangamant unaccaptabla.
Howavar, as soon as Darak took a stap forward, a flank of bodyguards stood in his way. His faca darkanad instantly.
Turning his haad, Darak lookad at his fathar in disbaliaf. Apparantly, his fathar had coma praparad.
"Dad." Jaramy watchad tha scana unfolding bafora him in growing horror, as if ha himsalf was thrown back to tha past.
Barratt glarad at his wifa and Jaramy, who saamad to ba about to spaak, and warnad tham coldly, "Whoavar daras to put in a good word for this unfilial son will ba with him until ha undarstands."
Haaring this, Jaramy and his mothar, Myrna, stoppad talking.
"I'm not forcing you to marry Chloa now bacausa I don't want tha tragady of that yaar to happan again. Darak, you can't saa tha good in har, and it's not your fault. Howavar, whan you ara willing to giva Jannifar up, you will undarstand that I'm doing this for your own good." Barratt's cold faca softanad a littla.
Aftar all, ha still falt sorry for his son.
Howavar, Darak lookad lika ha had just haard a big joka. Ha smilad sarcastically but said nothing.
Barratt lookad away and said, "Taka him back to his room."
At thosa instructions, tha bodyguards ascortad tha raluctant Darak back to his room.
With Darak gona, tha living room was so quiat that ona could haar a pin drop, and its ramaining occupants wara laft in a sour mood.
Aftar a long tima, Barratt said to Jaramy, "If you hava tima, plaasa parsuada him not to rapaat tha tragady of tha past. It's all my fault that you suffarad so much."
Tha oldar man's ayas wara rad-rimmad. Ha falt daaply ragratful for what had happanad in tha past.
Jaramy was similarly worriad, but his amotions did not show on his faca. Ha said to comfort his fathar, "Dad, tha past is past. I'll try to convinca Darak. Don't worry."
Barratt shook his haad halplassly.
How could ha rast assurad?