"... Ok." He thought she would be angry. However, such things were nothing to her.

Ryan laughed ironically. His strong biological urge had vanished, and he turned back to his room.

Her mind was in such a turmoil that she did not notice the change in his look, and when he left, she closed the door.

"Whew ... " She exhaled deeply. The thought that she had pondered on her brother's size panicked her.

That was her brother. And he already had a girlfriend. How could she...

Beep-

The vibration of the mobile phone interrupted her confused thoughts.

It's grandmother's call, "Jessica, it's eleven o 'clock at night and you're still at work? Staying up late is not good for girls. You will get pimples and dark circle under your eyes and it's bad for your health. Why don't you just change your job!"

"I'm done for!" She forgot to call grandmother.

She hurried to call her grandmother, explained carefully, and then decided that she would meet Mrs. Jone and her grandson the day after tomorrow at noon.

When she hung up, she looked at the black screen, and felt like a thorn in her throat.

She didn't want to get married and have children so early, but she didn't want to make grandmother angry... You couldn't have your cake and eat it.

With a ironic smile, she threw down her phone and went to the bathroom.

The next day, Jessica slept until noon and went downstairs in her pajamas. Her mother and her brother were not there. It was sunny, but the living room was empty, which made her feel empty, too.

"Jessica, are you awake?" Mary the cook went into the living room and said, "What do you want to eat? I'll make it now."

"Whatever. Mary, where's my mother?" Perhaps because she was adopted, Jessica didn't like the feeling of being home alone.

It was like ... being abandoned by the whole world.

"Your mother went to the Wagners' house with Ryan." Mary sighed and said, "It seems that Mrs. Wagner passed away."

Wagner family and Howard family had been on friendly terms. Mrs. Wagner was her mother's confidante, and they had been best friends since high school.

Jessica always went to the Wagners' house, and was on good terms with Mrs. Wagner. So when she suddenly heard the news that Mrs. Wagner might had passed away, she went blank.

It was a moment before she recovered herself and asked hoarsely, "When did that happen?"

I had never heard of the aunt's illness or anything. Why did she die so suddenly?

"I don't know exactly. Madame may call you later." Mary said, "Don't be too sad. You eat something first, in case it is inconvenient for you to eat when you get to their house this afternoon."

"Okay."

Mary acted very quickly and soon came up with a lot of food. But she didn't taste good.

Sudden death without warning was more unacceptable than illness.

At one o 'clock in the afternoon, Jessica received a phone call as expected, but it was not from her mother, but from Ryan.

"Mom and I are in the hospital. Come here."

Jessica asked the address and drove there in a hurry. She had so much exposure in the media yesterday that she was recognized at the gate of the hospital. It took her a long time to get to the ward.

In the VIP single room, Ryan's mother was lying on the bed in her hospital dress. She looked haggard, whose eyes were red and swollen. Meanwhile, Ryan stood by the bed, comforting her in a low voice.

"What's the matter? " Jessica asked.

Her mother sighed. "It's nothing, just your... your..."

As soon as she spoke, she choked up and couldn't continue.

"Aunt Louisa died, and mother's blood pressure is a little high because of her grief." Ryan took some tissues, handed them to his mother and explained briefly.

"Oh." Jessica answered in an undertone. At first he said they were in the hospital, so she thought aunt Louisa was still alive.

"All right, I'm fine, and you don't have to worry. I'll just have Mary come and stay with me. Jessie, your aunt used to be very kind to you. Go to her house and see her for the last time."

"Ryan ... go and comfort Jeffrey. And express our condolences to him." When the mother spoke, she still couldn't help sobbing.

They called Mary and walked out of the hospital without speaking.

When they got to the car, Jessica asked, "When did it happen?"

"A few days ago." Ryan started the car, paused, and then said, "Suicide. They said to the public that she died of a sudden illness and she will be buried tomorrow."

"I see."

The car started, and the scenery outside the window went backwards, which was depressing.

She looked around at Ryan several times and was about to say something, but she was hesitant. Finally he said, "What do you want to say?"

"Are you sad because of aunt Louisa's death?"

"Yes."

But she could not see that he was sad.

Jessica pressed her lips and whispered, "Would you be sad if I died?"

There was no response.

The car pulled up to the side of the road suddenly with a squeal of brakes.

Jessica turned away and saw Ryan's handsome face was approaching. His eyes were dark, as if the storm were suddenly coming and going to devour everything.

She leaned against the seat, whose lips were slightly parted and hairs prickled. "What, what's wrong?"

"Don't say the word "die" so casually." He didn't like it. "Got it?"

Ryan pinched her chin and said every word seriously.

She thought it was something serious. But when she heard his words, she shrugged it off and said, "I'm just making an assumption..."

"It's not allowed even if you are making assumption. I don't want to hear that again." Ryan, frowning, interrupted her.

She bowed her head and made no sound.

"Huh?" He forced her head up so she could look straight at him. He was the only figure in her pupils, as if he were the only one in her world, and the thought made him breathe heavily.

Jessica had something on her mind and did not notice his change at all. She complained, "Don't talk like you care about me. Last time Carol almost killed me. Even if I didn't die, I was crippled. But you gave her resources instead of punishing her."

She wanted to ask the question last night, but she didn't have time to ask because of a minor accident.

He paused for a moment, avoiding her eyes. "You won't be crippled."

He knew the limits.

"How do you know I won't?" He actually spoke up for Carol. Jessica had a tight chest. She slapped away his hand which was pinching her chin.

She just believed him, so when he said he had dealt with it, she didn't hesitate for a moment about believing him. But she didn't expect him to lie to her.

Ryan didn't want to cheat her, but it was impossible to admit what he had done before. He said coolly, "Her situation is not as well as you see."

Jessica curled her lip and did not believe it.