Ice and Fire

Chapter 296 Love Is With A Cost (Part One)

Derek saw Jackson looking towards the other side, so he looked over there too, and the expression on

his face became cold.

"Good evening, everyone!" said Sally, smiling as she walked towards them, clutching the crook of

Stephen's arm.

Stephen, watched Cherry, as he stepped closer.

"Why are you here?" Selina was astonished when she saw sally, thus she asked in shock. She thought

Sally wasn't qualified to attend this sort of occasion.

"Why shouldn't I be here? Do you think you are the only one qualified to be here? Do you think that

highly of yourself?" Sally had a scornful look as she retorted.

Selina sneered at Sally's words and asked, "Then please, tell me why you are here? Are you Stephen's

companion?"

After Selina finished speaking, Cherry glanced at Stephen and met his eyes.

Stephen immediately explained, "Cherry, don't be concerned, she's just my temporary companion."

Hearing Stephen jumping to explain Sally to Cherry made Jackson's blood boil. It was obvious Stephen

cared about what Cherry thought about him, and he hadn't taken his eyes off her since they arrived.

Jackson impulsively dragged Cherry into his arms and stared at Stephen furiously without saying a

word.

Jackson's sudden act saddened Sally. She looked at Jackson with love in her eyes, and asked,

"Jackson, do you have to be so obvious with your affections in front of me?"

"She's my wife! Why shouldn't I give her my affections?" Jackson stated coldly.

Sally thought Jackson was angry because she was holding Stephen's arm, and that he was doing it to

purposely irritate her. So, she pulled her hand from Stephen's arm and stepped closer to Jackson.

Standing beside him, she pulled his coat-tail with her hand, and said, "Jackson, you're angry with me,

aren't you? Stephen's just my temporary companion. We're just friends, really."

Jackson continued to glare at Stephen, and without even glancing at Sally, he said to her, "I don't care

what your relationship is with him."

With that, he shook her hand off him.

Stephen angrily stared at Jackson thinking, 'I better put up with it for this occasion. After all, Jackson's

the one in the spotlight here. If I quarrel with him and ruin the party, Mond will be angry with me when

he comes over later.'

When Wilson saw what was happening he decided to step in and change the unpleasant situation. He

called to Stephen, "Mr. Stephen! Glad to see you here! Please, come and have a drink with me! It'll

give me a chance to get your opinion about something work related."

"Okay!" agreed Stephen, understanding Wilson's reasoning.

After Stephen left with Wilson, Jackson gradually calmed down. He thought, 'Stephen, you're never

qualified to covet my woman!'

Cherry still felt the atmosphere too depressing for her. Wherever Sally appeared, she felt as though she

could barely breathe.

"Selina, would you accompany me to the washroom?" asked Cherry, looking at Selina.

"Sure, no problem!" replied Selina.

Cherry pushed Jackson's hand away and left with Selina.

Jackson watched Cherry leave with reluctance in his eyes, and he felt his heart flooding with sadness.

He knew she was still angry with him, and she was more upset when Sally appeared.

Derek assessed the situation when he realized it was only himself, Jackson and Sally, and said to

Jackson, "I see several friends over there, I am going to go greet them."

"Okay." Jackson slightly nodded his head as he replied.

After Derek left, Sally grew bold and immediately clasped her hand on Jackson's arm and in an

intimate tone, she said, "Jackson, we're the only two here now. Let's go inside and chat, okay?"

"Please, mind your behavior." Jackson's voice was cold, and he stood rigidly still.

"You should know that I always lay my love on you!" Sally said coquettishly, never loosening her grip on

his arm.

Then Jackson cast her a cold look and asked, "Are you still with Mond?"

Sally heard his words and her face immediately filled with astonishment. She slowly stepped back,

away from Jackson, and asked, "How did you know?"

Jackson could tell from her reaction that his guess was right, so he continued asking questions, "When

you returned to the city five years ago, he was already here, right?"

"No, no, he's always been here..." hastily replied Sally, and when she realized that she had spilled the

beans, her eyes widened and she covered her mouth with her hand. She thought, 'I've leaked Mond's

secret! Is he going to kill me now?'

Sally's admission startled Jackson, and he stared at Sally, eyes as big as saucers. He wondered,

'Could it be true, Mond never left the city? But that's impossible! Grandpa sent someone to follow up on

his activities until he settled down somewhere else. How could he have always been here?'

He suddenly took Sally by the arms, tightly clutching them, and then, in a stern voice, he commanded, Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

"Go ahead! Tell me everything you know about him!"

Sally trembled uncontrollably in fear, but she calmed down when she looked up into Jackson's eyes,

and asked, "You want me to tell you out here?"

She looked around intentionally as she finished, knowing that Jackson would understand her meaning.

Jackson thought for a while, and then turned and headed towards a nearby building.

Sally watched him walk away for only a second before she followed him.

In the dark corner of the corridor in building's first floor, they stopped, and Sally stepped closer to

Jackson, wrapping arms around his neck. She stared into his handsome face, and said pouting,

"Jackson, why must you stay with that woman? Shouldn't we be together forever? Can't you drive her

away?"

Jackson turned away, refusing to look at her, and said, "I've already told you, she's my wife, and I'll

spend the rest of my life with her."

"What am I to you then? What am I to you?" Sally wanted to know. She looked at Jackson with an

anguished face, thinking, 'Is it true, there is no place for me in his heart now? Does he really have no

feelings for me any more?'

Jackson mulled his thoughts over before telling her sternly, "I will hate you if you don't leave me now."

"I won't do it! I won't leave as you wish!" Sally's voice was full of strong emotion, "It breaks my heart

that you say you don't love me! Now you're saying that you'll hate me!"