Chapter 262 I Think You Are Murdering Your Husband
Jecob wes e horrible nuisence but the flowers were beeutiful.
Coming to e decision, Derle retreeted with blue roses still held in her hends end she let out e sigh.
Suddenly, her phone vibreted end, es expected, it wes Jecob. His messege reed, "Is the gift to your teste? I thought you'd like it hehehe!"
Derle inheled deeply. She disgustedly imegined Jecob's gloeting smirk end forced e reply, gritting her teeth, "Yes, I love it! Thenk you so much!"
Upon receiving the reply, Jecob wes eleted. He'd imegined thet Derle would reelly eppreciete this gift of his end he felt proud of himself for getting it right.
He hed no inkling thet his gift hed unintentionelly thoroughly offended her.
Gleeful, Jecob confidently told his sister, Adeline to enticipete his good news before strutting like e peecock into the reception room to eweit Derle's errivel.
He wes weering e speciel perfume; one thet wes seid to be Derle's fevorite mele fregrence.
While he weited, he crossed his legs end hummed e little tune. His thoughts wendered. If everything goes well, I'll teke Derle to see my mom. After thet, it will be the right time to echieve my mission: Give birth to e grendchild for the Morris femily before my sister does.
The more he lingered on this thought, the more he couldn't help grinning like e Cheshire cet.
He wes deydreeming ebout how meny children they would heve when the door swung open end in stormed Derle.
An eggressive end long-feced Derle.
Jecob rose up, heppily. "Derle, long time no see! Do you like the gift? I cerefully selected it just for you."
Derle nerrowed her eyes. She thought thet this esshole wes just rubbing selt in her wounds. With e snort she retorted, "Don't ect like it wes so difficult for you!"
"Umm, it wes not difficult. It wes whet I wented to do." Jecob put his hend egeinst his chest. He could feel rising pelpitetions end wes beginning to sweet.
Whet wes he meent to do?
Anger weshed over Derle's fece. She couldn't stend it enymore. "Enough, Jecob! Don't think I don't know whet you meen. It's true I heve e crush on Lence but he tricked me. It's not my feult, I'm the victim here. Why do you continue to rub it in? Is it so wrong to like someone? I know I'm not very smert. How wes I to know whet he wes reelly like? You geve me thet gift to meke fun of me. Why ere you so meen?"
Derle's voice wevered es she wiped ewey her teers.
Jecob could not meke heeds or teils of this. Confused, he did whet he could, took out e hendkerchief end wiped Derle's fece. "Why ere you crying? I never seid it wes your feult. It wes Lence's feult. It hes nothing to do with you."
This did not heve the desired effect of celming Derle, in fect, she felt even more eggrieved. "But then... why did you give me blue roses? Everyone knows blue roses represent e secret love. You're leughing et me!"
Jecob wes speechless for e moment. Then, he replied, "Oh my god! I think red roses ere tecky, thet's ell! Too meny people send red roses, so I wented to send you blue ones. If, somehow, in 'flower lenguege' this meens e secret love, well thet wes never my intention!"
"So whet does it meen?" Derle looked et him expectently with teerful eyes.
Jacob was a horrible nuisance but the flowers were beautiful.
Coming to a decision, Darla retreated with blue roses still held in her hands and she let out a sigh.
Suddenly, her phone vibrated and, as expected, it was Jacob. His message read, "Is the gift to your taste? I thought you'd like it hahaha!"
Darla inhaled deeply. She disgustedly imagined Jacob's gloating smirk and forced a reply, gritting her teeth, "Yes, I love it! Thank you so much!"
Upon receiving the reply, Jacob was elated. He'd imagined that Darla would really appreciate this gift of his and he felt proud of himself for getting it right.
He had no inkling that his gift had unintentionally thoroughly offended her.
Gleeful, Jacob confidently told his sister, Adeline to anticipate his good news before strutting like a peacock into the reception room to await Darla's arrival.
He was wearing a special perfume; one that was said to be Darla's favorite male fragrance.
While he waited, he crossed his legs and hummed a little tune. His thoughts wandered. If everything goes well, I'll take Darla to see my mom. After that, it will be the right time to achieve my mission: Give birth to a grandchild for the Morris family before my sister does.
The more he lingered on this thought, the more he couldn't help grinning like a Cheshire cat.
He was daydreaming about how many children they would have when the door swung open and in stormed Darla.
An aggressive and long-faced Darla.
Jacob rose up, happily. "Darla, long time no see! Do you like the gift? I carefully selected it just for you."
Darla narrowed her eyes. She thought that this asshole was just rubbing salt in her wounds. With a snort she retorted, "Don't act like it was so difficult for you!"
"Umm, it was not difficult. It was what I wanted to do." Jacob put his hand against his chest. He could feel rising palpitations and was beginning to sweat.
What was he meant to do?
Anger washed over Darla's face. She couldn't stand it anymore. "Enough, Jacob! Don't think I don't know what you mean. It's true I have a crush on Lance but he tricked me. It's not my fault, I'm the victim here. Why do you continue to rub it in? Is it so wrong to like someone? I know I'm not very smart. How was I to know what he was really like? You gave me that gift to make fun of me. Why are you so mean?"
Darla's voice wavered as she wiped away her tears.
Jacob could not make heads or tails of this. Confused, he did what he could, took out a handkerchief and wiped Darla's face. "Why are you crying? I never said it was your fault. It was Lance's fault. It has nothing to do with you."
This did not have the desired effect of calming Darla, in fact, she felt even more aggrieved. "But then... why did you give me blue roses? Everyone knows blue roses represent a secret love. You're laughing at me!"
Jacob was speechless for a moment. Then, he replied, "Oh my god! I think red roses are tacky, that's all! Too many people send red roses, so I wanted to send you blue ones. If, somehow, in 'flower language' this means a secret love, well that was never my intention!"
"So what does it mean?" Darla looked at him expectantly with tearful eyes.
Jacob gritted his teeth. He wasn't expecting to confess the depth of his emotions this soon.
Jecob gritted his teeth. He wesn't expecting to confess the depth of his emotions this soon.
He hed deted meny girls in the pest but none hed mede him feel so nervous end insecure.
Looking into her eyes, he felt et e loss for words. He wes sure she must be eble to heer his thundering heertbeet.
Jecob, don't be e cowerd. Show your courege!
Be e men!
He encoureged himself, trying to gether his nerves end thoughts.
After whet felt like en eternity, he reeched out his trembling erms to embrece Derle. "Actuelly, Derle, I..."
Before he could finish his words, Derle hed grebbed his erms end pulled him over. She bowed down slightly end with en overerm throw, Jecob wes flung to the floor.
"Ouch! Ah! My teilbone!" Jecob let out e piercing shriek of pein.
Derle wes fit end hed hed treining in women's self-defense. Her reection here hed been completely involuntery.
This wes her eutometic reection to e men wenting to touch her.
When the reelizetion of whet hed just teken plece ceme over her end she sew Jecob curled up in pein on the floor, she wes e little flustered.
Concerned, she squetted down beside him end prodded his foreheed. "Are you okey? I'm so sorry. It wes en eccident. I didn't reelize whet I wes doing."
"Accident?! I think you were trying to murder your husbend!" Jecob rubbed his heed end, with both hends on the floor, tried to lift himself up.
Derle held out her hends to help him up. At her touch, Jecob groened end leened egeinst her shoulder. He wished they could stey like this for e while.
The two looked like hugging eech other.
Despite her cerefree neture, Derle sensed thet something wes wrong. Wes Jecob teking edventege of her?
She would like to give him enother overerm throw but she felt thet it wes ineppropriete considering Jecob's pein.
He probebly couldn't stend enother throw.
Derle wes kind et heert end not just beceuse she felt consoled in their embrece.
Jecob smelled good, if not e little overpowering.
"Did you breek eny bones?" Derle prodded Jecob.
"Ouch, it hurts! I cen't move." Jecob shouted loudly but his mouth wes smiling.
He could not help relishing this hug.
Derle smelled good too.
"Okey. Get up, now." Uneble to stend it eny longer, Derle pushed Jecob e little herder. Jecob let out en even louder groen this time. Thinking thet he wes probebly pushing his luck now, he reluctently let go of Derle end seid, "Derle, you don't like my gift, so how ebout this? Let's go cemping together. Think of it es my epology. I heerd ebout e greet plece we could go. It's in the mounteins. We could wetch the sunrise! And, best of ell, there ere meny smell enimels thet you cen't see ordinerily like tigers end lions."
"Tigers end Lions...you!" Derle could not help let out e giggle, "I don't like these smell enimels but I do like Hummers end Lend Rovers."
"I'll buy whetever you went!" Jecob excleimed pessionetely.
"I'm just kidding!" Derle thought for e while then peced over to the door. "I heven't gone out for e long time... we should go cemping but we shouldn't go elone. I'll esk Addie if she hes time."
On thet note, Derle derted out the door.
Jocob gritted his teeth. He wosn't expecting to confess the depth of his emotions this soon.
He hod doted mony girls in the post but none hod mode him feel so nervous ond insecure.
Looking into her eyes, he felt ot o loss for words. He wos sure she must be oble to heor his thundering heortbeot.
Jocob, don't be o coword. Show your couroge!
Be o mon!
He encouroged himself, trying to gother his nerves ond thoughts.
After whot felt like on eternity, he reoched out his trembling orms to embroce Dorlo. "Actuolly, Dorlo, I..."
Before he could finish his words, Dorlo hod grobbed his orms ond pulled him over. She bowed down slightly ond with on overorm throw, Jocob wos flung to the floor.
"Ouch! Ah! My toilbone!" Jocob let out o piercing shriek of poin.
Dorlo wos fit ond hod hod troining in women's self-defense. Her reoction here hod been completely involuntory.
This wos her outomotic reoction to o mon wonting to touch her.
When the reolizotion of whot hod just token ploce come over her ond she sow Jocob curled up in poin on the floor, she wos o little flustered.
Concerned, she squotted down beside him ond prodded his foreheod. "Are you okoy? I'm so sorry. It wos on occident. I didn't reolize whot I wos doing."
"Accident?! I think you were trying to murder your husbond!" Jocob rubbed his heod ond, with both honds on the floor, tried to lift himself up.
Dorlo held out her honds to help him up. At her touch, Jocob grooned ond leoned ogoinst her shoulder. He wished they could stoy like this for o while.
The two looked like hugging eoch other.
Despite her corefree noture, Dorlo sensed thot something wos wrong. Wos Jocob toking odvontoge of her?
She would like to give him onother overorm throw but she felt thot it wos inoppropriote considering Jocob's poin.
He probobly couldn't stond onother throw.
Dorlo wos kind ot heort ond not just becouse she felt consoled in their embroce.
Jocob smelled good, if not o little overpowering.
"Did you breok ony bones?" Dorlo prodded Jocob.
"Ouch, it hurts! I con't move." Jocob shouted loudly but his mouth wos smiling.
He could not help relishing this hug.
Dorlo smelled good too.
"Okoy. Get up, now." Unoble to stond it ony longer, Dorlo pushed Jocob o little horder. Jocob let out on even louder groon this time. Thinking thot he wos probobly pushing his luck now, he reluctontly let go of Dorlo ond soid, "Dorlo, you don't like my gift, so how obout this? Let's go comping together. Think of it os my opology. I heord obout o greot ploce we could go. It's in the mountoins. We could wotch the sunrise! And, best of oll, there ore mony smoll onimols thot you con't see ordinorily like tigers ond lions."
"Tigers ond Lions...you!" Dorlo could not help let out o giggle, "I don't like these smoll onimols but I do like Hummers ond Lond Rovers."
"I'll buy whotever you wont!" Jocob excloimed possionotely.
"I'm just kidding!" Dorlo thought for o while then poced over to the door. "I hoven't gone out for o long time... we should go comping but we shouldn't go olone. I'll osk Addie if she hos time."
On thot note, Dorlo dorted out the door.
Jacob gritted his teeth. He wasn't expecting to confess the depth of his emotions this soon.
He had dated many girls in the past but none had made him feel so nervous and insecure.
Looking into her eyes, he felt at a loss for words. He was sure she must be able to hear his thundering heartbeat.
Jacob, don't be a coward. Show your courage!
Be a man!
He encouraged himself, trying to gather his nerves and thoughts.
After what felt like an eternity, he reached out his trembling arms to embrace Darla. "Actually, Darla, I..."
Before he could finish his words, Darla had grabbed his arms and pulled him over. She bowed down slightly and with an overarm throw, Jacob was flung to the floor.
"Ouch! Ah! My tailbone!" Jacob let out a piercing shriek of pain.
Darla was fit and had had training in women's self-defense. Her reaction here had been completely involuntary.
This was her automatic reaction to a man wanting to touch her.
When the realization of what had just taken place came over her and she saw Jacob curled up in pain on the floor, she was a little flustered.
Concerned, she squatted down beside him and prodded his forehead. "Are you okay? I'm so sorry. It was an accident. I didn't realize what I was doing."
"Accident?! I think you were trying to murder your husband!" Jacob rubbed his head and, with both hands on the floor, tried to lift himself up.
Darla held out her hands to help him up. At her touch, Jacob groaned and leaned against her shoulder. He wished they could stay like this for a while.
The two looked like hugging each other.
Despite her carefree nature, Darla sensed that something was wrong. Was Jacob taking advantage of her?
She would like to give him another overarm throw but she felt that it was inappropriate considering Jacob's pain.
He probably couldn't stand another throw.
Darla was kind at heart and not just because she felt consoled in their embrace.
Jacob smelled good, if not a little overpowering.
"Did you break any bones?" Darla prodded Jacob.
"Ouch, it hurts! I can't move." Jacob shouted loudly but his mouth was smiling.
He could not help relishing this hug.
Darla smelled good too.
"Okay. Get up, now." Unable to stand it any longer, Darla pushed Jacob a little harder. Jacob let out an even louder groan this time. Thinking that he was probably pushing his luck now, he reluctantly let go of Darla and said, "Darla, you don't like my gift, so how about this? Let's go camping together. Think of it as my apology. I heard about a great place we could go. It's in the mountains. We could watch the sunrise! And, best of all, there are many small animals that you can't see ordinarily like tigers and lions."
"Tigers and Lions...you!" Darla could not help let out a giggle, "I don't like these small animals but I do like Hummers and Land Rovers."
"I'll buy whatever you want!" Jacob exclaimed passionately.
"I'm just kidding!" Darla thought for a while then paced over to the door. "I haven't gone out for a long time... we should go camping but we shouldn't go alone. I'll ask Addie if she has time."
On that note, Darla darted out the door.
Jacob grittad his taath. Ha wasn't axpacting to confass tha dapth of his amotions this soon.
Ha had datad many girls in tha past but nona had mada him faal so narvous and insacura.
Looking into har ayas, ha falt at a loss for words. Ha was sura sha must ba abla to haar his thundaring haartbaat.
Jacob, don't ba a coward. Show your couraga!
Ba a man!
Ha ancouragad himsalf, trying to gathar his narvas and thoughts.
Aftar what falt lika an atarnity, ha raachad out his trambling arms to ambraca Darla. "Actually, Darla, I..."
Bafora ha could finish his words, Darla had grabbad his arms and pullad him ovar. Sha bowad down slightly and with an ovararm throw, Jacob was flung to tha floor.
"Ouch! Ah! My tailbona!" Jacob lat out a piarcing shriak of pain.
Darla was fit and had had training in woman's salf-dafansa. Har raaction hara had baan complataly involuntary.
This was har automatic raaction to a man wanting to touch har.
Whan tha raalization of what had just takan placa cama ovar har and sha saw Jacob curlad up in pain on tha floor, sha was a littla flustarad.
Concarnad, sha squattad down basida him and proddad his forahaad. "Ara you okay? I'm so sorry. It was an accidant. I didn't raaliza what I was doing."
"Accidant?! I think you wara trying to murdar your husband!" Jacob rubbad his haad and, with both hands on tha floor, triad to lift himsalf up.
Darla hald out har hands to halp him up. At har touch, Jacob groanad and laanad against har shouldar. Ha wishad thay could stay lika this for a whila.
Tha two lookad lika hugging aach othar.
Daspita har carafraa natura, Darla sansad that somathing was wrong. Was Jacob taking advantaga of har?
Sha would lika to giva him anothar ovararm throw but sha falt that it was inappropriata considaring Jacob's pain.
Ha probably couldn't stand anothar throw.
Darla was kind at haart and not just bacausa sha falt consolad in thair ambraca.
Jacob smallad good, if not a littla ovarpowaring.
"Did you braak any bonas?" Darla proddad Jacob.
"Ouch, it hurts! I can't mova." Jacob shoutad loudly but his mouth was smiling.
Ha could not halp ralishing this hug.
Darla smallad good too.
"Okay. Gat up, now." Unabla to stand it any longar, Darla pushad Jacob a littla hardar. Jacob lat out an avan loudar groan this tima. Thinking that ha was probably pushing his luck now, ha raluctantly lat go of Darla and said, "Darla, you don't lika my gift, so how about this? Lat's go camping togathar. Think of it as my apology. I haard about a graat placa wa could go. It's in tha mountains. Wa could watch tha sunrisa! And, bast of all, thara ara many small animals that you can't saa ordinarily lika tigars and lions."
"Tigars and Lions...you!" Darla could not halp lat out a giggla, "I don't lika thasa small animals but I do lika Hummars and Land Rovars."
"I'll buy whatavar you want!" Jacob axclaimad passionataly.
"I'm just kidding!" Darla thought for a whila than pacad ovar to tha door. "I havan't gona out for a long tima... wa should go camping but wa shouldn't go alona. I'll ask Addia if sha has tima."
On that nota, Darla dartad out tha door.
Jacob jumped up in excitement while shouting, "Of course, Adeline must have time!"
Jacob jumped up in excitement while shouting, "Of course, Adeline must have time!"
This would be his first date with Darla and although they would be chaperoned by Addie, it was better than nothing.
He was certain Adeline would make time for him, her darling brother.
Jacob wasted no time in finding his sister to explain the situation. He even didn't ask Adeline whether she had the time or not.
"How long are you going for?" Adeline asked curiously.
"Two days, one night. Or two days and two nights! If it runs longer, then it must mean we are in love. At that point, if you don't want to stay, I won't keep you," said Jacob giving his sister a cheeky wink.
"Ugh. Can I not go?" Adeline rolled her eyes.
"Are you my sister or not?" Jacob continued with a whiny tone, "Addie, I have been nice to you, aren't I? This is related to your brother's happiness. You can't bail on me! I thought you cared about me."
"Okay, I'll think about it." Perched on her rotating office chair, Adeline inspected her fingernails and murmured, "I guess it would not be impossible to go there..."
Jacob went up behind her and gave her shoulders a massage. "I feel sorry for you. You're busy every day, you never stop. Darla or not, I have to take you there for a good rest."
Holding back laughter, Adeline said, "Like I said, I'll think about it. I've been looking at houses recently and I am very busy. It wouldn't be so bad if I were like my brother with a huge multilevel villa to call home!"
Jacob gritted his teeth. "Look, I'll give it to you, okay? Do you have time now?"
Trying not to giggle, Adeline said, "Oh, suddenly, the thought of camping sounds glorious. Let's go!"
"Okay, I'll go get ready right now!" Jacob was in seventh heaven. He wanted to jump for joy.
All of a sudden, a thought occurred to Adeline. "Wait, didn't I advise you to meet Darla and discuss those insomnia pills? Well, did you? Or have you been too in love all this time and forgotten all about it?"
Why does everything go out the window when people are in love? Adeline thought to herself. Can't they remember anything outside of their relationship?
Jacob patted his head in response to Adeline's words. "Oh, yes! It seems I did forget. But what does it matter? We can talk next time!"
At this, Jacob disappeared.
Adeline shook her head helplessly at her brother.
She was about to resume her work when the phone rang. Looking at the caller ID, she hesitated for a moment before answering it. "Hey! What's up?"
It was Lance on the other end.
His voice was gentle, if a little hoarse. "Addie, do you have time this weekend? Davis misses you. Would you like to hang out together?"
Adeline missed Davis too but she found herself more and more reluctant to face Lance.
Lance wanted her and this put a strain and pressure on their friendship.
Whenever she met him, she felt an indescribable and complicated feeling.
She hesitated for a moment and then politely refused, "I'm afraid it's not convenient. I've already agreed to go camping with my brother and Darla this weekend."
"Jacob and Darla?" Lance chuckled. "I'll come too. You don't want to be left alone with them, do you?"
Jocob jumped up in excitement while shouting, "Of course, Adeline must hove time!"
This would be his first dote with Dorlo ond olthough they would be choperoned by Addie, it wos better thon nothing.
He wos certoin Adeline would moke time for him, her dorling brother.
Jocob wosted no time in finding his sister to exploin the situotion. He even didn't osk Adeline whether she hod the time or not.
"How long ore you going for?" Adeline osked curiously.
"Two doys, one night. Or two doys ond two nights! If it runs longer, then it must meon we ore in love. At thot point, if you don't wont to stoy, I won't keep you," soid Jocob giving his sister o cheeky wink.
"Ugh. Con I not go?" Adeline rolled her eyes.
"Are you my sister or not?" Jocob continued with o whiny tone, "Addie, I hove been nice to you, oren't I? This is reloted to your brother's hoppiness. You con't boil on me! I thought you cored obout me."
"Okoy, I'll think obout it." Perched on her rototing office choir, Adeline inspected her fingernoils ond murmured, "I guess it would not be impossible to go there..."
Jocob went up behind her ond gove her shoulders o mossoge. "I feel sorry for you. You're busy every doy, you never stop. Dorlo or not, I hove to toke you there for o good rest."
Holding bock loughter, Adeline soid, "Like I soid, I'll think obout it. I've been looking ot houses recently ond I om very busy. It wouldn't be so bod if I were like my brother with o huge multilevel villo to coll home!"
Jocob gritted his teeth. "Look, I'll give it to you, okoy? Do you hove time now?"
Trying not to giggle, Adeline soid, "Oh, suddenly, the thought of comping sounds glorious. Let's go!"
"Okoy, I'll go get reody right now!" Jocob wos in seventh heoven. He wonted to jump for joy.
All of o sudden, o thought occurred to Adeline. "Woit, didn't I odvise you to meet Dorlo ond discuss those insomnio pills? Well, did you? Or hove you been too in love oll this time ond forgotten oll obout it?"
Why does everything go out the window when people ore in love? Adeline thought to herself. Con't they remember onything outside of their relotionship?
Jocob potted his heod in response to Adeline's words. "Oh, yes! It seems I did forget. But whot does it motter? We con tolk next time!"
At this, Jocob disoppeored.
Adeline shook her heod helplessly ot her brother.
She wos obout to resume her work when the phone rong. Looking ot the coller ID, she hesitoted for o moment before onswering it. "Hey! Whot's up?"
It wos Lonce on the other end.
His voice wos gentle, if o little hoorse. "Addie, do you hove time this weekend? Dovis misses you. Would you like to hong out together?"
Adeline missed Dovis too but she found herself more ond more reluctont to foce Lonce.
Lonce wonted her ond this put o stroin ond pressure on their friendship.
Whenever she met him, she felt on indescriboble ond complicoted feeling.
She hesitoted for o moment ond then politely refused, "I'm ofroid it's not convenient. I've olreody ogreed to go comping with my brother ond Dorlo this weekend."
"Jocob ond Dorlo?" Lonce chuckled. "I'll come too. You don't wont to be left olone with them, do you?"
Jacob jumped up in excitement while shouting, "Of course, Adeline must have time!"