Chapter 246: It Shouldn’t Be.
[The Young Residence]
A group of women enjoyed a cup of tea in the residence’s beautiful garden with Jasmine.
"My goodness. Madam Young, you should introduce us to Mrs. Bennet as well!" one of the madams quipped. "I also heard that Melissa has been attending Celestine’s tea party. You might forget about us."
"The Young family is just so well-connected," another madam mused. "Goodness. Marrying into the Lancaster family, and building another bridge with the Bennets. Even though the Bennets are based in Anteca, their influence reaches Novera."
Jasmine chuckled as she basked in the compliments from the other madams she had invited for tea. They had been nagging her to meet, so she finally gave them a chance.
"It’s just pure luck," Jasmine humbled. "And Mrs. Bennet is young, so she gets along with Melissa well."
"Goodness. Madam Young, you don’t have to be so humble," one of the ladies waved. "We all know that since you married Lawrence Young, the Young family’s luck has been good."
"Ladies, it’s not just Madam Young," another chimed in. "It’s also because Mr. Young listens to his wife. If our husbands only listened to us, just like Mr. Young listens to his wife, we’d be in a much better situation too."
"I’m so envious..."
The ladies continued to curry favor and boost Jasmine’s ego. However, even if she denied it and pushed the credit to Lawrence, they all knew Jasmine was heavily involved with LL Construction.
*****
[Back to the Cabin]
Atlas remained silent, studying Lola’s side profile as she processed the files. When she let out a deep exhale, he raised one question:
"What are you going to do with these?"
Lola turned to him. "To be honest?" She shrugged. "I’m not sure yet. It’s not like I’m completely blank because at this point, there’s one obvious move. That is to send these files to the police and have them start an investigation."
"However, I’m also not naive enough to think that doing that couldn’t backfire or that they wouldn’t get away with it," she continued, looking away. "Considering how sly Jasmine is, she probably saw something like this coming and prepared a resolution beforehand."
Atlas nodded approvingly, pleased with her quick, reasoned answer.
"If I’m going to reveal all of this... there’s only one way to make sure they can’t escape it," she muttered, biting her inner bottom lip. "That is for the entire world to know. Public attention plays a huge part in many things."
"Or I can just give the word," he commented, watching her turn to him. "And I can make them disappear."
"Like getting them... killed?" she asked. He didn’t answer, leaving her to conclude what he meant by disappear.
Lola stayed quiet for a moment, studying him. "Atlas, I appreciate your help, but... they’re my family. Even when I know they never saw me as one, they still are, no matter how shameful it is. No matter how much I hate them... I’m not like them. I never wish for them to die."
A moment of silence filled the room as she lowered her gaze.
"I want them to live for as long as they can, especially Lawrence Young. I want him to live a very long... long life." Her voice lowered, but the sincerity in it deepened. "And suffer with every breath he takes."
The corners of her eyes reddened, but no tears fell. Atlas remained quiet before he nodded in understanding.
"Then I will not help," he said, watching her look back at him. "Not until you exhaust all your resources and you’re at the last straw. Only then will I step in."
The corners of her mouth hooked up faintly as she nodded back at him.
"Thank you," she whispered, eyeing the files in her hands again. Her thumb pressed against the paper as her hand trembled slightly, but she kept a strong front.
"You can cry," he suggested. "I can leave the room if I’m the one stopping you from breaking."
She chuckled, looking back at him. "I will not cry. I’m... I’m numb. They emptied my tears. I can’t cry anymore... not for them, at least."
"Yet you’re not smiling about this either."
"Ah..." She shrugged and lowered her shoulders. "Well, I guess I should be happy, right? Jasmine is stealing from her beloved husband, even though he gives everything he can to her and their daughter. And Melissa knows about it, letting her mother use her name and accounts for their money-laundering scheme."
She licked her lips, biting them as she tried to make sense of the complicated feelings in her heart.
"And yet, I’m not hurt, nor am I happy about it." She laughed briefly. "Maybe because they’re family. Family... what a complicated thing. You can hate them so much, but also not wish for them to die. Why? Because no matter how I flip this world, he is my father, and Melissa is my sister."
Another wave of laughter escaped Lola as she realized she was rambling.
"Said too much, didn’t I?" she joked, glancing at him. "Don’t worry. I’m not sentimental, and I’m okay."
Atlas, like always, didn’t say a word. His eyes stayed on her, and after a few seconds, he pushed himself to stand. As he sat on the side of the bed, he opened his palm.
"Hand."
Confused, Lola still placed her hand in his. Then, very gently, he pulled her close and wrapped his arm around her. Her eyes dilated as her brows rose.
"Atlas, are you trying to comfort me?" she asked, glancing at him.
"I’m not good at it, but it works for the children," he hummed, patting her back mildly. "And... family isn’t that complicated. It shouldn’t be."
Lola stiffened, clearing her throat to get rid of the tension building in it. She pressed her lips together, forcing a smile as she rested her chin on his shoulder, letting him pat her back for whatever reason.
Now, I really feel like crying.
Yet, she didn’t. Instead, she smiled faintly, because for the first time, she felt comforted.