In the quiet cafe, Jessica took a big gulp of coffee without saying a word.


    It was bitter, so bitter that her heart clenched.


    For the first time in these years, someone had dug up her past that she had been cautiously hiding.


    Nobody knew that was her biggest pain during her youth.


    "No one has made more sacrifices than you have." Ryan looked at her gently.


    "Are you really willing to give up thepany to someone else?"


    "Ryan, how did you learn all these things?" Jessica suddenly asked.


    "I learned it long ago."


    Jessica stared fixedly at Ryan for a while before sheughed. "Ryan, has anyone told that you''re actually scarier than your dad? You were so young back then, but you already had control over many things."


    you


    "Jessica, I''m like you. When I was a child, Grandpa told me that my dad wanted to be the prime minister. Given that I''m his only son, I have to be more alert than anyone else, or I''ll be a drag on my dad."


    Ryan gave a bitter smile, but his gaze was sincere. "I''ve never thought of threatening you with this issue since this is your secret. I did feel sad for you, but I know that you''re not someone who''ll easily regret your decisions."


    "You''re right. Even if I were given a second chance, I''d make the same decision."


    Jessica said in a self-deprecating manner, "I''m a cruel devil, just like when I broke up with Forrest earlier. When I threatened Freya during her pregnancy, he even came to bag on me. He imed that I''m despicable and shameless and that his biggest regret was having fallen in love with me."


    "Jessica, it wasn''t your fault. Everyone wanted to be a good person, so you had no choice but to y the heavy. Even if you didn''t y the heavy, someone else would do it."


    Ryanforted her gently, "What''s more, you''ve been taking care of us brothers since we were young. Because of you, we had a happy childhood. To me, you''ve never been a pawn, which is why I respect you from the bottom of my heart."


    Jessica did not utter a word, her eyes fixed on the Snow Corporation building outside.


    "Jessica, I know you still care about Forrest." Ryan said, "The Lynch family has been able to do so well in thest few years all because you''ve been secretly assisting them. You''ve started taking care of the


    Lynches even before Freya came to Canberra."


    "Ryan, I must seem like a naked person in front of you now." A mocking look washed over Jessica''s face." What else do you know? Just tell me everything in one go.


    "I even know that the Lynches recently introduced a woman to Forrest. The two of them get along very well. By the look of things, they''ll probably get married next year."


    Ryan took out another photo, which featured Forrest and a pretty girl having coffee together.


    Jessica looked at the photo in a daze, and her eyes began to sting.


    "Jessica, with the earlier part of your life manipted by your family, don''t you want to grab the chance to live for yourself? Only when we can hold our ground can we do whatever we want. Do you want to lose both your rtionship and career?"


    Ryan slowly rose to his feet and put on his coat." What''s more, are you sure Rodney and Carson''s wife will be able to put up with you? Being a stepping stone means that you''ll be abandoned once you''ve been used."


    "You''re the smartest among everyone in my uncle''s family. I hope that when I rise to the top in the future, you''ll be the one helping me, rather than someone else. I''ll wait for your news."


    With that, he left.


    Jessica sat in the cafe alone for a long time.


    20 minutes after Ryan drove away, he received a message from Jessica. [I''ll work with you.]


    He smiled.


    It was impossible for someone who had dedicated and sacrificed so much to be satisfied, i