Her Wicked Ceo (JENLISA/JENLIAM)

Chapter 68

"It's not good if she plays. The professor knows that too."

[He told me that he's taking her to another country next week. She will probably never return.]

"Is that so?"

So, today is the last time.

At least, he could see her for one last time.

***

The father and daughter pair keep their silence during the entire mealtime. Yuhara feels like he can experience the pressure from both sides. The silence is killing him. He doesn't even feel this much pressure when the professor asks him about his thesis.

"Jennie dear, do you want to eat more?" Yuhara asks with fake excitement in his voice.

She stuffs her mouth with the cake and drinks water without a word.

Yuhara turns to his professor. "Professor, do you want to order some wine?"

He mimics Jennie's actions and adjusts his glasses.

No progress.

After a long silence, Chan Yushiro speaks with a mild voice. "What if I tell you that you will regret knowing about your past?"

"That's for me to decide." She tells him with a clear voice, "I deserve to know."

He knows that he cannot force her to come with him. She might do something hasty again if he does that. He wants to protect her, but he doesn't want to cut her wings and keep her as a prisoner. She has a dream now. She's right that it should be her decision. He will reveal it to her. She might change her mind and come with him. If she remembers everything later, it will be easier for her to accept.

"Let's take a stroll through the park."

***

He holds my hand. "I fell in love with your mother at first sight. It was beautiful love that didn't last long. Your mother was a wonderful person, but she had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia not long after we got married. She gave birth to you and gave you that name. She called you the blessing of her life. But, the happiness didn't last long. She became sick and ran away from home with you in her arms. I looked for her everywhere. A few days later, she died in an accident."

I listen to him quietly. His voice is pained. He must have gone through a lot during those times. It seems that I didn't know my mother even before I lost my memories.

"She left you with her friend's family. I didn't know that you were there." He walks slowly. "I couldn't find you for 26 years. When I found you, you were someone who suffered a lot because of other people. Your adopted parents abandoned you when you were only 8. You were raised by your adopted grandparents. You were badly bullied at school. After graduating from high school, you stayed at your home. You didn't like going or meeting with people. You lived the life of a hikikomori."

I, hikikomori? That's hard to imagine.

My father creases his forehead. "Things changed when your adopted mother died. The Manoban family got involved. An old scandal was brought up again. People used you to criticize the Manoban family. The eldest son of the Manoban family decided to take action to save his family's reputation. He broke your house and dragged you to live with him. He forced you to work. He didn't know about your crumbling mental state. You had a severe eating disorder."

I step in front of my father. "Are you sure that you are talking about me? I had an eating disorder? I can eat more than you and Yuhara together can. It sounds like someone else's story."

He pats my head. "Little one, I am glad that you feel that way."

"Is that so?" I am extremely doubtful of the validity of this story. "Please continue."

It doesn't hurt to listen.

"He trigged your condition. Then, you found out that your first love and your best friend left you because of your suicidal thoughts and depression. You tried your best to hold on. That was when I found you. I couldn't tell you that I was your father. You wouldn't have believed me."

I wait for him to tell me more.

"I don't know what exactly happened later. You ran away from Manoban house. When the eldest son tried to force you to come back, your mind crumbled completely. You lost your sanity and lost eight years of memory. I was trying to treat you back then. You started to make progress. Then, one day, you were kidnapped."

It feels like something is itching in the back of my mind and trying to break out. Something else presses its foot and keeps it buried. My feet falter a bit. My father supports me.

"Are you okay?" He asks me anxiously.

"I am fine." I grin at me, but my heart is beating rapidly.

He scans my face. "You don't look fine."

"I will tell you if something happens." I squeeze his hands. "Don't stop. I want to hear everything."

He releases his breath. "When we found you, you were on the brink of death. Your body was beaten badly. Your kidnapper tried to burn you alive. Half of your body was burned. You had broken bones. You had a miscarriage. You barely survived the surgery and slept for two months. In those two months, I lived like a lost man. I only found you and I was already losing you."

I freeze. "Miscarriage?"

He stares at me. "Yes, you were two weeks pregnant."

I touch my belly. I was pregnant. I lost my child because of someone. "Who was the kidnapper?"

"We don't know yet." My father tells me with a grave tone, "That's why I don't want you to stay here. That person will try to kill you again if she finds out that you are alive."