Chapter 21: if only...
"Jade, How are you. You got us so worried when we did not receive any letter from you." Joseph who had not uttered a word finally spoke. She would have said that she was fine but no words came out of her mouth. joseph had told her how he felt and though she did not give him an appropriate answer, she had hoped that she would also reciprocate his feelings but she was never given a chance to think about it because the king showed up . "Sweetheart, you did not tell me that you had a brother." Alvin's words gave different expressions to the three people who stood there. Lydia was happy with the thought that her friend had finally found true love. Jade who did not expect him to show his affections in front of others had the urge to stab him, while Joseph's hands tightened into a fist when the doubt he had was confirmed that there was another man in jade's life.
"I am not her brother." joseph clarified. It was already painful for him to see that Jade had not even greeted him and hearing that man call her an endearing name hurt him to the core. "Let us go home, Mrs Lowrence will be so happy to see you. We had planned start a journey in the evening to go to the border so that we could know if you were okay but seeing you safe: It made me so relieved, common let's hurry." Lydia said and grabbed Jade's hand so that they could run leaving the two men behind. Alvin did not stop the girls and after they had covered a good distance, he finally spoke. "You should give up the thought that one day she will be yours. Don't try to push your lack because I may not be as good as I look." He said, his words calm as if they were having a friendly conversation. Alvin did not wait for any reply. He quickened his pace leaving Joseph behind.
"Jade, you came back!" Mrs Lowrence who heard the girls speaking said while putting the watering can down so that she could embrace Jade. "Are you planning to stay?" Mrs Lowrence asked, but before she could answer, someone else answered on her behalf. "No. We came to pay a short visit." Alvin said. His answer made Mrs Lowrence smile lower. She had thought that her son and Jade would end up together but Lowrence asked hopefully. Maybe there was still a chance for her son. She thought. "No madam, maybe some other time. Jade and I need time for ourselves, isn't that right sweetheart?" Alvin asked and walked right where Jade was. Jade who was extremely mortified could not say a word. Why was this man making it difficult for her to face her family by speaking so shamelessly ? She asked herself while setting her lips into thin line. When she did not say a word for a long time, Alvin sneaked his hand on her waist and as she turned to look at him, he had lowered his as if he wanted to kiss her but he didn't. "Don't do something that may anger me my dear, You know I wouldn't mind kissing you right here, so, go along with everything I say." He told Jade using a low tone such that even Lydia who tried to listen could not hear anything. "I will say whatever I want!" Jade retaliated in a huff. "Just do it but don't blame me for what will happen next. This time the his warning worked because Jade did not have any word to say.
"joseph, you are here!" Lydia who saw him standing by the door spoke and at the same time Jade stepped away from Alvin who let go of her waist and put his hand into the pocket. joseph who saw the way the couple was standing in an intimate position without caring about the people who were there turned around and walked away. He felt cheated and betrayed, he held on to the hope that Jade would come to reciprocate his feelings one day he started to question if that would ever happen. She should have given him just one chance to prove how much he cared for her. He thought.
Mrs Lowrence who saw how her son walk away abruptly followed him outside while giving Jade a side glance to show her how disappointed she was. "She doesn't seem to be happy with your decision." Came Alvin's words in which Jade replied with a glare. Lydia who felt that the couple needed their own privacy was also about to leave but Jade stopped her. "Lydia, where are you going?" Jade asked and walked towards her. "To the kitchen." Came her reply in which Jade decided to follow her friend. She desperately needed Lydia who had always listened to her.
"Jade you don't seem to be okay. What are you trying to hide from me?" Jade who parted her lips so that she could tell her friend what had been going on recalled how Alvin had threatened her. She was not ready to lose her friend who had always stood by her through thick and thin. "I am fine Lydia. You don't have to worry about anything. So, how have you been?" She asked so that she could divert the topic. "Not so good, everyone was so worried about you we were planning to go to the border to look for you. She replied while holding jade's hand. "You and joseph wanted to look for me?!" She asked as a feeling of guilt started to eat her. If only she gave joseph a chance, that night he confessed to her, maybe she would not have been trapped by that overbearing king. She thought with a heavy sigh. "So..., tell me how you two met. That man is so handsome. Does he have a brother because if he does, I would not mind marrying him." Lydia said excitedly.
Jade only pursed her lips. She wanted to tell her friend a lot of things but no word came out of her mouth. If she could turn back time, she would have given Joseph a chance but that was impossible now. All that she had to do was to change her future.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone