Ice and Fire

Outside the shopping mall, Cherry hurried to a vacant corner. Leaning against the wall, she felt weak all over.
"Cherry, are you okay?" Stephen asked, anxiously, though he had guessed that it was Jackson who had upset her so much.
"I'm okay, " Cherry replied to Stephen, in spite of her true feeling.
"It's about Jackson, right?" Stephen asked.
Cherry realized that Stephen had figured out what she was thinking about. Since she treated Stephen as her friend, Cherry believed it was
unnecessary to conceal her true feelings from him.
"That woman is actually the person he cares about most in his heart." Cherry's mind wandered back to Sally He.
Looking at Cherry, Stephen explained, "They grew up together. If that accident hadn't happened, they would have been married."
"You just referred to an accident. So what exactly happened back then?" Cherry turned her gaze to Stephen, looking forward to his answer.
But Stephen appeared to avoid this question. He averted his eyes from Cherry and said, "Cherry, it's our affair. Jackson will tell you if he want you to
know."
On one hand, Stephen was a bit afraid of Jackson, since he would not forgive him if Stephen revealed details about that accident. On the other hand,
he did not want Cherry to know too much about it, because it was obvious that she had fallen in love with Jackson. She might do something bad and
hurt herself if she knew the truth. He wanted to avoid that possibility.

"Why would he tell me?" Cherry said, hopelessly, "I'm nothing in his heart. Maybe it's true that his affair has nothing to do with me."
Stephen knew that Cherry was aching in her heart, but there was nothing he could do about it. He couldn't reveal the facts to her, and he couldn't
drag her into his nightmare.
After a while, Cherry felt normal again and she said, "Let's go eat something. It will be time for the party when we finish."
"Okay, good idea, " Stephen replied. Everything was okay by him as long as it made Cherry feel better. He did not want to see her in pain.
Night fell. In the doorway of an old five-star villa hotel, Cherry held Stephen's arm demurely, and walked inside with him. As Stephen's female
companion, Cherry did not think too much about it. All she wanted to do was ease her mind a bit.
They walked in and Stephen informed Cherry, "This villa hotel has been reserved by my friend. All of the guests are elites from this city. Later, you'd
better just stand by my side, Do not run around."

"Okay, I get it. I don't know them at all. So how could I run around?" Cherry said, tenderly.
Stephen just smiled at her, without saying a word.
Cherry went along with Stephen and greeted several of his friends. She felt a bit dizzy after drinking some wine.
Realizing there was something wrong with Cherry, Stephen asked with concern, "Are you okay?"
"Yes, I'm okay, " Cherry nodded.
"Would you like to rest at that vacant spot?" Stephen's care and concern made Cherry feel soft and warm in her heart.
Cherry nodded.
As they were about to leave, Stephen and Cherry saw John and Jean standing not far from them.

Jean recognized Cherry immediately. To her surprise, Cherry's male companion was Stephen instead of Jackson.
Cherry and Stephen stopped, and watched John and Jean walking towards them. Cherry knew that today was not her lucky day.
"What a surprise! Is that the daughter-in-law of the Chu family? How could she become Mr. An's female companion?" These sarcastic remarks
reached the ears of Cherry and Stephen.
Cherry did not say a word.
John kept his eyes on Cherry. "Has my uncle come here?" he asked.
"You do know the answer. There is no need to ask me." Cherry stared at John and replied in a cold tone.
As soon as Cherry finished her words, Jean asked, "What do you mean? Has the young master of the Chu family abandoned you?"
Cherry felt angry but found no way to vent to her rage. So she could not stand the sight of Jean anymore. "You are right, my sister. Since he has
abandoned me, I feel an necessity to be back to my ex-boyfriend, the married one."
"You!" Jean felt too wrathful to say another word. She had figured out what Cherry's words meant. It was obvious that she wanted to get John back
from her. John had become the governor of this city, a successful man that so many girls wanted to marry. How could she allow Cherry to snatch him
away?

Stephen, standing by Cherry, did not take what she had said seriously because he knew these were just angry words. Being acquainted with Cherry
for so long, he was familiar with her tone.
John turned his gaze to Stephen, and then looked back at Cherry, "Cherry, what are you doing with him?"
"What's wrong? Can't I be with him?" Cherry asked.
"Why can't Cherry do that? Whatever she does is supported by Master Chu." Jean felt so indignant. Especially when she saw Cherry's fortune, as
well as the men around her, Jean just wanted to step forward and kill her.
John did not say a word. He just quietly kept staring at Cherry.
Cherry was not keen on talking with him. "Let's go, " she said to Stephen, who was standing next to her.