Chapter 1977


    ''Bullshit, respect!''


    "Don''t use this nonsense to corner me. She''s someone I love. How can I let her go so easily?"


    ''Nicole, I won''t ever let go, not ever.''


    Lawrence was overjoyed to see Jared''s emotionsing to the surface. He could not help but smile


    wider. "It''s your choice to make. I won''t mind it anyway, but you should know that the prettiest looking


    fruits won''t end up being the sweetest."


    Jared''s face darkened. The entire Riddle family were looking at the two of them. Daniel looked at


    Lawrence with discontent. Everyone in the room was aware that Lawrence wanted to separate Jared


    and Nicole, not wanting them to have any chance of reconciliation.


    With a cold face, Daniel spoke up. "Everyone in this family agreed with this marriage. Coming as an


    outsider, you have no right to talk about this. I''d like to know from this gentleman here, what right did


    you have to keep my daughter hostage abroad for so many years, and five years at that? Letting her be


    unable to be reunited with her family for so long?"


    It was unexpected that Daniel spoke up and questioned Lawrence. Nicole sighed helplessly. "Dad..."


    Though Nicole was conflicted with her emotions between Lawrence''s care for the past five years, she


    had no right to refuse his kindness.


    Lawrence did not seem bothered by the usation. "I understand what you''re feeling, but I have never,


    in my intentions, kept her hostage. It was Mr. Johnston who gave up searching, and no one had been


    to that ind. Thus, I''ve always respected her choice and since she wanted toe back after five


    years, I supported her to go home, but..."


    Lawrence paused before looking at Nicole. Nicole had no choice but to help him out.


    "Five years ago, after I had given birth, I dide back to San Joto once. It''s just that after I had


    landed, I was attacked..."


    At the time, Nicole''s body was still frail and was still healing from her pregnancy. Nicole did not continue


    to speak afterwards.


    Lawrence continued, speaking with stern eyes. "I wasn''t sure if she was Ms. Riddle at the time but


    because of her looks there were countless people in this country that had their eye out for


    her.novelebook They fired four shots at her. Her arms and legs were shot. If someone hadn''t sent


    her to the hospital, she would''ve been long gone."


    "What?!" Gloria''s heart tightened as she heard the news. She could not help gasping, "Oh my


    goodness... Nicole, just what did you have to go through alone? Why didn''t you talk to me when you


    came home?"


    At this moment, Nicole could not help staring at Lawrence. She wanted to avoid telling the important


    bits of the story but instead, he told them all on purpose. Jared''s eyes were full of shock, he could not


    help but look at Nicole.


    It was at that moment Jared understood why Nicole''s strength had gotten so weak.


    "Why didn''t you tell me about this?" Jared''s voice was filled with worry and guilt.


    ''She''s mine. No one cany a finger on her. I won''t let any one of them go! But, from the way she''d


    been treating me like a stranger and kept this from me... this feeling of alienation is quite depressing.''


    "I just didn''t want you guys to worry..."


    ''Before, I wasn''t that close with them, so I didn''t tell them, but now that I am, I''m worried that they''ll be


    worried about me since that happened a long time ago and caused me psychological trauma. I didn''t


    want any of them to go through what I went through.''


    Jared and the Riddle family fell silent.


    Lawrence took a deep breath. "I''m not here to use anyone of anything. It''s just that I''ve seen her


    being hurt so badly with my two eyes. I don''t have the power to protect her here in San Joto, thus I


    didn''t let here back as soon as possible."


    Jared stared at Lawrence. "But you could''ve handed her over to me."


    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    ''I can and of course will protect my own woman! This guy is too self-righteous.''


    Lawrence noticed Jared''s cold look, before making a big move. "Really? But what if she wasn''t the


    person you were looking for? Would you still protect her? But even if you did find her and find out she''s


    the person you''ve been searching for, she had already died twice. If you really had the ability to truly


    protect her, she wouldn''t have gone through any of that."


    Lawrence''s words pierced through Jared''s heart like a knife.