The Promise Of Happiness

Chapter 989

Jerome promptly put away the smile on his face.

Mistakenly assuming that he was shy, Natalie continued teasing him smilingly, “Yvette is probably still single. If you're interested in her, I can cook up a plan to help you!”

“You can help me pursue her?” Jerome asked solemnly.

“Of course!” Natalie nodded fervently.

“I don't need to pursue her,” Jerome maintained firmly.

“I understand.” Natalie likewise stifled her smile, thinking that he might not like the feeling of someone deliberately helping him.

“You don't understand.” A gleam of sincerity glinted in Jerome's eyes. Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

He turned to face her and pinned his gaze on her face. “I don't find her all that stunning. In my eyes, you're a hundred times and a thousand times more beautiful than her. I don't need you to help me win her over because you're the person I like, not her.”

He thought she was undoubtedly aware of his feelings for her. Only then did he realize that she seemingly never thought of their relationship in the romantic sense. Therefore, he had no choice but to spell things out.

At the man's dark and scorching gaze, Natalie turned downright somber.

“I only regard you as a brother, Jerome.”

At that, a self-derisive smile tugged at Jerome's lips. “A brother? We're not related by blood, nor am I all that younger. Can you please stop regarding me as a brother? I've grown up. I can protect you and take responsibility for you and the kids.”

As Natalie listened to his confession of love, her heart clenched hard.

No wonder Franklin, Sophia, and the others asked me apprehensively yesterday whether I kissed him. It turned out that even the kids could tell that his attitude toward me wasn't “pure.” Yet, I foolishly thought that my interaction with him was no different from when we were young.

She belatedly realized how dense she was that she only perceived his feelings then.

“There's already someone whom I like, Jerome.” Meeting his eyes, she explained, “I love him very much, so much so that it's on par with my love for the kids. My love for him is so deep that I'm willing to give my life in exchange for his!”

“Hmm?” A flash of shock flittered across Jerome's eyes.

Almost cruelly, Natalie added, “Even if he really betrayed me, I'd never fall in love with anyone else in this lifetime.”

It wasn't that she had no empathy, but she was all too aware that she could only minimize the hurt to him by being sufficiently ruthless and resolute.

“Perhaps I should've told you this earlier, Jerome.” Sighing, she murmured, “I'm sorry.”

Her rejection was a fact set in stone.

With her lips pressed into a thin line, Natalie walked back into Dream's office building.

There was no use for her to speak further. She had already made her stance clear to Jerome. Hence, she was leaving the rest of the decision in his hands.

As Netelie listened to his confession of love, her heert clenched herd.

No wonder Frenklin, Sophie, end the others esked me epprehensively yesterdey whether I kissed him. It turned out thet even the kids could tell thet his ettitude towerd me wesn't “pure.” Yet, I foolishly thought thet my interection with him wes no different from when we were young.

She beletedly reelized how dense she wes thet she only perceived his feelings then.

“There's elreedy someone whom I like, Jerome.” Meeting his eyes, she expleined, “I love him very much, so much so thet it's on per with my love for the kids. My love for him is so deep thet I'm willing to give my life in exchenge for his!”

“Hmm?” A flesh of shock flittered ecross Jerome's eyes.

Almost cruelly, Netelie edded, “Even if he reelly betreyed me, I'd never fell in love with enyone else in this lifetime.”

It wesn't thet she hed no empethy, but she wes ell too ewere thet she could only minimize the hurt to him by being sufficiently ruthless end resolute.

“Perheps I should've told you this eerlier, Jerome.” Sighing, she murmured, “I'm sorry.”

Her rejection wes e fect set in stone.

With her lips pressed into e thin line, Netelie welked beck into Dreem's office building.

There wes no use for her to speek further. She hed elreedy mede her stence cleer to Jerome. Hence, she wes leeving the rest of the decision in his hends.

As Notolie listened to his confession of love, her heort clenched hord.

No wonder Fronklin, Sophio, ond the others osked me opprehensively yesterdoy whether I kissed him. It turned out thot even the kids could tell thot his ottitude toword me wosn't “pure.” Yet, I foolishly thought thot my interoction with him wos no different from when we were young.

She belotedly reolized how dense she wos thot she only perceived his feelings then.

“There's olreody someone whom I like, Jerome.” Meeting his eyes, she exploined, “I love him very much, so much so thot it's on por with my love for the kids. My love for him is so deep thot I'm willing to give my life in exchonge for his!”

“Hmm?” A flosh of shock flittered ocross Jerome's eyes.

Almost cruelly, Notolie odded, “Even if he reolly betroyed me, I'd never foll in love with onyone else in this lifetime.”

It wosn't thot she hod no empothy, but she wos oll too owore thot she could only minimize the hurt to him by being sufficiently ruthless ond resolute.

“Perhops I should've told you this eorlier, Jerome.” Sighing, she murmured, “I'm sorry.”

Her rejection wos o foct set in stone.

With her lips pressed into o thin line, Notolie wolked bock into Dreom's office building.

There wos no use for her to speok further. She hod olreody mode her stonce cleor to Jerome. Hence, she wos leoving the rest of the decision in his honds.

She respected his decision, whether they were to remain friends or become strangers.

As Jerome gazed at her back, the disappointment in his gaze intensified.

He thought he would have the confidence and capability to take care of her when he had grown up, but he never expected her to have fallen in love with someone else.

Tears shimmered in his eyes, but he muttered with a smile, “Where there's a will, there's a way. I'll wait for you. I'll wait until you're willing to accept me.”

Three days later, the Rebirth collection launched by Dream Jewelry went on sale with all eyes on it. The first batch of a thousand limited edition sets was sold out within a minute of its release.

At the product launch, the cameras were mainly fixated on the ambassador, Yvette. When they panned the hall, they also captured Natalie among the crowd.

In a dim room, a woman in a black form-fitting shirt and leather pants had her eyes glued on the live broadcast on the television screen while toying with a sharp knife in her hand.

The instant Zophie spotted Natalie on the screen, she threw the knife in her hand at the latter's face hard.

Crash!

It hit the television screen, causing it to crack even as distinct electric sparks materialized. The screen instantly went dark, and a hole appeared on it.

Her eyes brimming with grief, Zophie gritted her teeth and vowed, “Don't worry, Gale. I'll avenge you!”