Chapter 337 - 336: I’m Here

Silence descended upon the private room, broken only by Nina Jennings’s faint sobs.

Yvonne Lowell tilted her chin toward the tissue dispenser on the table. Miles Morgan immediately understood and brought it over.

’Oh my god,’ Miles thought. ’I can’t believe I’m living to see the legendary scene of the T-rex crying! Everything I’ve seen and heard today is enough to get me silenced eight hundred times over!’

’Mr. Policeman! The T-rex was the one who dragged me here for drinks, I swear! Come save me, save me!!’

Without even looking, Yvonne Lowell pulled out a thick wad of tissues and slapped it onto Nina Jennings’s face.

"If you dare get snot on my leg, I’ll kill you right now."

"Hey, don’t be so rough. My nose isn’t even running." Nina Jennings took the tissues and sniffled.

"I’m just so conflicted right now. Even though I don’t plan on acknowledging him, and the money those beasts left behind is more than enough for him, we were just supposed to go our separate ways.

But I’m still scared. I’m afraid that when I see him again in the near future, the adoration in his eyes today will have turned to hatred."

If Owen Ward had never sought her out, or if he’d become a scumbag like Ken Ward and his wife, Nina Jennings wouldn’t have shown the slightest mercy in this matter.

Even though she didn’t hate him, and even though she knew he would hate her for it, she wouldn’t have hesitated for a second to act.

But now, this whole situation had tied her hands, making it impossible for her to completely harden her heart.

"You’re caught in a mental loop. Look at what you just said—it’s a clear contradiction, isn’t it?" Zachary Jacobs couldn’t help but chime in.

Yvonne Lowell shot him a sidelong glance, and Zachary Jacobs immediately shut his mouth.

’Hey, wait!’

’That’s not right... Did my sister’s glance just now mean she was praising me?’

’It means I was right!!!’

Yvonne Lowell nonchalantly twirled a strand of her hair, her tone casual as she spoke.

"No one can predict the future. Since that’s the case, why borrow trouble from tomorrow? At least he doesn’t hate you now, right?"

Recalling her observations from the afternoon and the information she’d looked up, Yvonne Lowell had a gut feeling the kid wasn’t that kind of person. At least, not yet.

As for what came later... well, that was a problem for later.

But Yvonne Lowell knew, deep down, that Nina Jennings’s hesitation wasn’t just about the fear of seeing hatred in Owen Ward’s eyes.

It was more because she had never received any love from her parents, and Owen Ward, before he turned two, was the only one in that home who had ever shown her any warmth.

Moreover, Owen Ward was a child who had grown up surrounded by love. She didn’t want him to suddenly face such a drastic change and end up like her.

Seeing her remain silent, Yvonne Lowell spoke again.

"Do you remember why you chose that new name for yourself?"

Nina Jennings’s hand clutching the tissues tightened. She spoke in a hoarse voice,

"It’s because you said you would ensure I’d have a lifetime of peace, and I believed you."

Even though they were just a little over ten years old when she said it, Nina had always held onto that belief.

Even if the entire world turned against her, she had always been certain that Yvonne Lowell and Zachary Jacobs would stand firmly by her side.

"So what is there to be afraid of? What if people are fickle? So what if the outcome isn’t what you hoped for?" Yvonne Lowell said gently.

"So many people in this world already hate us, and it’s not like you’re short on brothers. Just do what you can. I’m here. Don’t forget, I’m the one who has your back."

Nina Jennings felt as though a giant boulder had materialized out of thin air and plunged into the stagnant, dead lake in the depths of her soul.

In that instant, the splash sent water flying, breathing new life into the barren lands around it.

’That’s right, what do I have to worry about?’

’Having two brothers in Zachary Jacobs and Adrian Lowell is already enough of a headache. It’s not like I’m short on brothers.’

’Hate me? Which of my identities doesn’t come with its fair share of enemies?’

’The most important thing is, I’m Nina Jennings now—the Nina Jennings who is protected by Yvonne Lowell. I’m not the pathetic Bridget Walsh, who was as good as murdered by her own parents at the age of six.’

’So I just need to do what I can. The rest can be left to time and the people involved.’

’If we can get along, great. If not, to hell with it.’

’Whether Owen Ward ends up hating me or resenting me, that will have nothing to do with me.’

’As long as he doesn’t do something stupid to provoke me, I won’t do anything to him.’

’But if he pisses me off, I’ll spare his life for old times’ sake, sure, but he shouldn’t blame me when I ship him off to Continent F to shovel shit.’

"You’re right! With you guys here, what do I have to worry about!"

Nina Jennings sat up, pulled out a tissue to wipe her face, and then started blowing her nose.

"Thank god I’m not wearing any makeup today. All this crying is so not what a strong woman like me should be doing!"

Yvonne Lowell glanced at the patch of fabric on her own thigh, which was now several shades darker, and her lips twitched. ’Some "strong woman," indeed.’

Noticing her gaze, Nina Jennings gave a sheepish smile and tried dabbing at the spot with a tissue.

"Don’t worry, it’s just tears! All tears! Don’t believe me? Have a taste! I guarantee it’s salty!"

"Get lost!"

Nina Jennings pushed her hair back and shot her an apologetic, fawning smile.

"I’m going to Fairfield tomorrow myself. I’ll deal with those beasts face-to-face."

Zachary Jacobs and Miles Morgan exchanged a look, both letting out a huge sigh of relief. The waterworks had finally stopped.

If she’d kept crying, the room would have flooded sooner or later.

"Oh, right, Jackie. I wasn’t the first one they sold. I remember they started out as middlemen, selling a few other families’ kids before they got the idea to sell me.

I vaguely remember a few names, but I’m not sure of the exact spellings. Have your people look into it. If we’re going to take them down, we need to make sure they can never get back up. Consider it a public service."

The ’strong woman’ was back. Nina Jennings, reverting to her usual decisive manner, immediately reeled off a long list of names to Zachary Jacobs.

Zachary Jacobs noted down the names. "No problem, leave it to me. What time are we heading out tomorrow?"

Nina Jennings froze for a second. "You’re coming with me, too?"

"What kind of stupid question is that? How could I miss out on an epic scene of raiding and pillaging?"

"I told you to stop hanging out with Brother Harrison so much. You’ve learned nothing from him except how to call yourself ’yours truly’ all the time." Nina Jennings rolled her eyes.

"Fine, you can come. Let’s call it a night. Go home and get some sleep. We’ll head out first thing in the morning."

"Me too, me too! Can I come?"

Miles Morgan shot his hand up like a schoolboy. He was dying to get back to his old line of work—raiding and pillaging!

He couldn’t stand another day of this nine-to-midnight grind!