In Love, Never Say Never

“I just met an old acquaintance, so we chatted a bit,” I answered. “Come on. We have to go to Uncle Louis’ later tonight, too!”

Summer clung to me during the entire car ride. The poor thing had become so fragile that she was nearly just skin and bones, and it felt slightly unnerving when she hugged my arm. “Mommy, are you guys going out on a business trip again? Can you take me with you this time? I don’t wanna be alone again. You’ve been so busy that you never come to visit me. Do you not want me anymore, Mommy?”

Her words reminded me that she was still an innocent and naïve child. Running a hand over her smooth scalp, I smiled wryly as I responded, “I will never abandon you, Summer. It’s just that I still have a lot of tasks left unfinished. When everything is over and done with, we’ll stay in K City with you every day, okay?”

Puffing her cheeks out indignantly, she nodded in acknowledgment and tightened her grip on my arm. When we arrived at the Moore residence, her caregiver helped bring Summer into the house before Ashton and I left for the Stovall residence.

“Did Jared get out of jail early?” I asked while on the way there.

“Why do you bring him up so suddenly?” Ashton was stunned as he looked at me out of the corner of his eye. “What happened?”

“Nothing. He just randomly came to mind.” I shook my head. “Knowing the Crest family’s influence, I thought that they’d try to get him out as soon as possible. After all, he’s one of them.”

Ashton didn’t seem as sensitive regarding the topic anymore. Perhaps he would feel relieved and even happy if Jared could get out of jail sooner rather than later. After all, they used to be best friends. Even though there had been some arguments, he had likely chosen to forgive and forget and let time heal his wounds.

“I’m sure the Crest family will take care of Jared’s situation,” he said, keeping his eyes on the road. “Besides, he might be going to W City in the future, so we’ll probably fall out of contact with each other.”

I pursed my lips. Ashton’s resentment and hatred towards Jared had all disappeared by then.

I turned and fixed him with a solemn stare. “If I didn’t want him to come out, and prefer him to stay in there forever until he dies alone, would you be against that?”

I wasn’t even sure what my own answer to that question was. “Is it because of Summer’s illness?” He glanced at me in confusion. “You resent him and don’t want him to come out because you want him to suffer more?”

“Yes, but not completely.” If I had only felt shocked by Jared initially, those feelings had all turned to detest by then. Everyone had a dark side to them, even the most angelic and righteous of people. Some were just better at hiding it from others.

Jared was especially despicable because he appeared to be a good person, but there was not a single trace of kindness to be found in his heart at all. If Summer’s illness was an accident, then Kristina’s couldn’t have been an accident too.

He was clearly out to commit murder. I didn’t know what he did to Kristina to cause her to be diagnosed with lung cancer, but I was absolutely sure that he had placed Summer in the chemical plant with the intention to make her sick.

It couldn’t be a coincidence that Kristina and Summer had both stayed in a chemical plant before, and both had gotten sick. That meant that the rest of the employees at that plant also had to be suffering some side effects from working there in order to earn money for their families. Unfortunately, those employees might now have to live with a crippling sickness for the rest of their lives.

The blatant disregard for other people’s wellbeing was exactly why I resented Jared so much. After leaving the hospital, I couldn’t stop thinking about how much I wanted him to remain in jail forever, and about how I would never let Summer near him ever again.

Ashton’s eyebrows knitted together as he stayed silent for a minute. “What do you want to do?”

“Have you ever thought about investigating the chemical plants in W City registered under the Crest family name?”

He frowned. “Exactly who did you bump into today?”

“It’s Kristina. She is diagnosed with terminal stage lung cancer!” I was aware that my way of handling this problem might have been a little extreme, but I couldn’t think of any other methods to go about it.

Ashton wasn’t dumb. He understood what I was implying, deep in contemplation before saying, “I’ll instruct someone to go and investigate for you. If Jared really has something to do with this, I’ll contact the police and get them involved. You don’t need to get your hands dirty or think about matters that have nothing to do with us anymore, Scarlett. We’re just normal people now. All we can do now is protect those we hold dear to us, you understand?”

His words took me aback, causing a wave of unrecognizable emotions to rise within me. It was as if I had suddenly realized the true nature of the person I was in love with. He had a point—we were all just a small part of this huge world, and being able to care for those around us was good enough. We didn’t have an obligation to sacrifice our time and energy to interfere with other people’s lives.

In love, never say never chapter 1052

Hannah and Chandler were already at the Stovall residence when Ashton and I arrived. Clearly excited to be with Kiki after a long while, Hannah was holding her son in her arms as they played together in the child’s room while Chandler watching over them warmly. The whole image looked very heartwarming.

I had a sneaking suspicion that John might actually be a masochist of some sort. He knew that he would be upset by the sight, yet insisted on making up random excuses to keep going to Kiki’s room to take another look at them, and then returning to the living room and plopping down on the sofa in a daze. Even Louis couldn’t stand it anymore after watching this process repeat itself over and over, scolding him outright, “Get ahold of yourself! Didn’t you invite Ms. Lyons over? Go out and welcome her in; this house is too large for her to find her way around.”

“There are servants at the door that will help lead the way, so why should I go?” John kicked back and leaned against the sofa lazily.

“Greeting people at the door is the very basic manners of the Stovall family!” Louis shouted at him. “You know damn well why you should go greet her!”

Silently admitting defeat, John slumped away to the main entrance to wait for Emma to arrive.

Ashton then started up a conversation with Louis while Kiki started sticking by Chandler’s side, insisting on playing with him and him only.

Realizing that she was being left out, Hannah left the bedroom and sat down beside me. “I can’t believe I spent ten months fretting and worrying over my pregnancy only to give birth to a traitor,” she joked. “I couldn’t even get a good night’s sleep, but look at my son now.”

“Kiki kept looking for you these past few days, though,” I pointed out, laughing. “And his Uncle Louis has already been tormented enough. Kids are born mischievous and playful, so don’t blame him for it. He’ll come back to you when he gets tired and sleepy.”

She nodded and sighed. “I think Kiki stopped drinking breastmilk way too early. I’m a little worried whenever I see that his body is smaller compared to other kids his age. Did Summer not drink much breastmilk as well?”

that time, there were too many things happening at once and I was unable to take care of Summer, so Jackson and Nick essentially raised her. I did consider later on feeding her breastmilk, but it loses nutritional value after it expires, so I never ended up doing it. She used to be smaller than what Kiki looks like now, actually. Afterward, I brought her to live in R Province for a few years, where the environment was great and clean. She was getting better and healthier, and then I brought her back to K City again. Looking

blame yourself,” she argued. “Besides, Summer still has a chance at growing up healthily if she just

invited his blind date, a woman from the Lyons family. I think you’ve

being made up entirely of scholars, and their children

woman is around thirty years old, and this would be her second marriage. She doesn’t have any children because she’s physically unable to give birth to any. Maybe they agreed to let John marry her purely because they were afraid no one else would. On the other hand, John already has a child, so he doesn’t need to produce any more heirs or anything; he just wants to get married solely because he wants someone to stay at home to take care of the children and Uncle Louis. When Uncle Louis eventually grows old

glanced at me. “But John is such a prideful guy. Do

the one who invited Ms. Lyons

living room during our conversation. Emma had changed into an outfit with softer textures and warmer, lighter colors, and had also removed some of her makeup to appear kinder than

at her. “Welcome to the Stovall

casually. When she turned to Hannah, something flashed through the depths of her eyes. “Are you

Wow. She came prepared.

the sudden question but quickly regained her composure. “Yes. It’s nice

Hannah like he always did, gazing at her with a cold stare that had hints of regret and

he was

the maids to serve the food. Chandler carried Kiki in his arms as he

say never

right next to me and I spotted her gaze darting back and forth

was stunned for a moment but quickly regained his calm. “You can say so,” he admitted without

by John’s forthright answer, but instead, she shrugged indifferently. “Serves you right. You should’ve treated them nicely when

me by utter

would have lashed out at her on usual days, at least that was what I expected, but I got it all wrong. John looked back at her nonchalantly and emulated her shrug. “If you say so,”

could not get my head around those two. How they interacted with each other was just

back for a little

ready to leave when a loud ruckus sounded from the outside, so Louis

right toward John. “Mr. Stovall,

“Me? Who is it?”

housekeeper looked stumped. “It’s the lady who

her out before she dirties

stared at him uneasily for a second and went

was getting late, Hannah and Chandler decided to make a move first. Louis asked John to send Emma back

at the front gate, we saw Yvonne outside, with a few security guards blocking her way. She looked frail and weak

of her voice, accusing John of being cruel toward her. If a random stranger were to pass

worry for her at all. I was sure she would not take Yvonne’s behavior

I worried about was Louis’ reputation if Yvonne kept shouting outside like

won’t be able to sleep in peace tonight,” I

at Yvonne, who was throwing a tantrum

I’ll do anything you want me to, so just let me stay by your side. I know you’ll marry a woman from a wealthy family,

the same time, and you still cling to John shamelessly when you

hated her. She did not deserve to be

in her eyes when she heard my voice. “You again? What did I do to make you hate me so much? Why do

you still can’t get over him. It’s your greed that’s stopping you from letting him go. He’s already compensated you enough, so you should just take the money and lead your own life. But of course, you can keep hounding us, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. You’ll regret it when I decide to get rid of you on

glared at me, holding her arms as she shivered in

unless you don’t want to live in K City or continue mingling in the rich circle anymore. By the way, didn’t you run a background check on that little boyfriend of yours, Franklin, before you guys

never say never chapter

and disbelief as

what I gathered, he’s a womanizer through and through. He hooked up with rich women and also those with questionable backgrounds. I heard he

tongue!” she bellowed, “I don’t even know who

out. It’s already late and everyone needs to rest. Call the police if

left

when we reached the car park.

own good. The Stovall family will

“I’ve wanted to discuss Kiki’s custody with Uncle Louis because I thought John would marry her. I’d never let someone like her come

lips as she thanked me. “Don’t mention it. The Stovall family helped me before, and John had supported me through my hardest time. Although

give John my blessing if he’s able to meet someone suitable. Kiki is his child, and no one can ever change that. If he meets someone he likes and they have a family together, I’ll still be happy for him,” Hannah replied with a hint of resignation in her

the car over and I bid Hannah goodbye before hopping on. I fell into slumber not long after the car drove off. It had

time I woke up, we were already back at the villa. It was not until I saw Ashton packing his stuff that I remembered we were

our travel documents and ID,” I

voice with a gentle smile on his