Chapter 203: Secret Love (Part 1)
Jack recalled the delivery operator’s mention of “bad luck” last night. A thought suddenly flashed through his mind: Could something have happened to the kids?
“Alison, what happened? Tell me now!” He needed to know why she collapsed outside KFC.
“Jack… Sophia… She’s gone,” Alison said with great effort before she collapsed into Jack’s arms.
“Sophia… Ethan…” She murmured, too exhausted to keep her eyes open.
“Where are Sophia and Ethan?” Jack was certain that something terrible had happened to the children.
“Sophia disappeared yesterday afternoon, and just now after Ethan,” Aidan said.
“What? Sophia is missing?” Jack held Alison in one arm while gripping Aidan’s collar with the other.
Seeing Jack’s eyes go bloodshot with disbelief, Aidan offered a faint smile. “Don’t worry. The children have been found and are on their way back.”
Hearing this, Jack finally sighed in relief. He picked up Alison and headed for the door; he was going to leave.
“Sorry, Mom. I’m not going through with this marriage,” he told Isabella as they walked. His tone was unwavering.
“Jack, how could you be so irresponsible?”
“Calm down, Isabella. Maybe Jack and Miss Fairchild are facing some unspoken hardship.” Stephen hurried forward to mediate.
“What possible hardship could there be? That woman has tried to marry Jack—it’s utterly shameless! With the wedding nearly over, she suddenly shows up? Isn’t this deliberately embarrassing Jack and discrediting the Winston name?” Isabella shouted.
“Jack, give her some water.” Rock reminded Jack.
Jack snapped out of it and gave Alison water.
Yet, no matter how hard he tried, the water kept slipping past her lips and trickling down her collar.
“Jack, try laying her flat across your lap,” Rock suggested.
“Okay.” Jack hurriedly sat down and positioned Alison’s upper body against his chest.
He gently poured water into her mouth but it failed again.
Jack grew desperate, no longer caring about the crowd watching. He took a sip of water, leaned down, and transferred it into Alison’s mouth.
The water, carrying his faint warmth and scent, flowed smoothly into her mouth. She swallowed it gently.
Alison’s strength gradually returned, and she opened her eyes. With so many people watching, she blushed.
“Jack, put me down.” She resolved to expose Aimée’s true colors.
“Alison, you…” Jack said worriedly.
“I’m fine, Jack. Help me up. I have something to say.”
Jack helped her to her feet.
Alison scanned the room, finally fixing her gaze on Aimée.
Pointing at her, she spoke deliberately. “She, Aimée, kept threatening me — if I didn’t persuade Jack to marry her, something would happen to Sophia.”
Jack understood everything now. He never imagined that Aimée would use a child to blackmail Alison.
“Alison, why didn’t you tell me sooner? Why were you so foolish?” Jack asked, his voice filled with anguish. He couldn’t imagine how she had endured after Sophia’s disappearance.
“Sorry, Jack. I was afraid she would hurt Sophia.”
Jack held Alison tightly. Ignoring Aimée, he said, “Alison, let’s go.”
“Jack, stop right there!” Isabella was stunned by Alison’s words, yet she still refused to believe that Aimée could be so venomous — after all, Aimée was the daughter-in-law she had chosen herself.
“Mom, I’m sorry. I can’t marry Aimée. After learning this, do you still want this venomous woman as my wife?”
“But Aimée is carrying your child,” Isabella said.
Aidan took a step forward, about to speak, when he suddenly saw a flash in Aimée’s hand — a dagger plunging toward her abdomen. Instinctively, he lunged forward, trying to wrestle the dagger from her grasp.
“Aidan, don’t come over! Let me die! End everything and silence this woman who framed me!” Aimée screamed, her voice bordering on hysteria.