Meanwhile, at the hospital, Jerry finally opened his eyes, only to see a haggard and red-eyed Jada.
âOh, Jerry, youâve come round!â Jada choked out, her voice hoarse from all the crying.
âIâm all right, Mom,â Jerry said, feeling somewhat heartbroken to see his mother in so much anguish. âBy the way, why are you the only one here? Whereâs Dad? Did he not come along?â
Even though Jada had cried until she couldnât cry anymore, her face still contorted in a grimace of pain at the mention of Bridger.
Alas, Jerry noticed her expression and instantly panicked. âSay something, Mom! What happened to Dad?â
Knowing she couldnât hide the truth from her son, Jada replied, âThe police have taken your father away, Jerry. They have material witnesses and evidence and are charging him with intentional homicide. Thatâs even more serious than Oliviaâs...â
Despite his initial shock, Jerry quickly regained his composure. âDonât worry, Mom. Dad will be fine. Trust me! I know Dad did hire someone to kill Natalie, but I jumped out to shield her during the attack. Thatâs why I was the one who got hurt, not her.
When it comes to intentional homicide, the victim has to be the one suing the perpetrator. And since Iâm the victim, Dad will be fine if I donât sue him!â
As it turned out, Jerry had overheard his fatherâs phone conversation with the contract killer.
Given the urgency of the matter, he knew he wouldnât be able to stop the accident in time, so all he could do was think of ways to protect Natalie.
If he managed to protect her, heâd also be protecting his father and their family.
Olivia has already made a grave mistake before. If Dad were to follow in her footsteps, itâd undoubtedly spell the end of the Jones family. I canât let that happen!
To Jerryâs surprise, Jada became even more upset after hearing his words. âItâs too late. Itâs all too late now...â
âMom, whatâs too late? What do you mean by that?â
âYour father did something foolish when you were unconscious,â Jada mumbled as she buried her face in her hands. âHe slashed Natalie with a knife, and she called the police on him. Thatâs why he got arrested.â
Jerryâs eyes widened in shock. âWhat?â
Jada knew her daughter and husband might receive severe sentences, but she was also at her witsâ end. âYour sister and father might have made mistakes, Jerry, but theyâre still your family,â Jada pleaded while clutching her sonâs arm. âWhy donât you try begging Natalie for forgiveness? That could work, couldnât it?â
âMom, what are you talking about?â
âHave I said anything wrong? You got so severely injured because you tried to protect her. Canât she take that into account and go easy on your father and Olivia? Besides, your father only gave her a flesh wound. How can they charge him with intentional homicide over something so minor?â
Jerry pried his motherâs fingers from his arm and looked away. âI wonât beg her.â
âJerry, you...â Jada fumed. âWeâre talking about your sister and father! Isnât blood thicker than water? How can you be so cold even in their hour of need?â
A bitter smile instantly crept across Jerryâs face as he stared at the familiar, yet unfamiliar, woman in front of him.
âBlood is thicker than water, huh? Have I not stopped you guys before? Iâve told Olivia that the other party isnât as simple as we think and warned her not to do anything rash. And yet, she didnât listen to me at all! I begged you guys to lend Dream Jewelry a helping hand because Natalie isnât the kind to make inferior products, but you chose to turn a blind eye to it. You said the business world is like a battlefield where winners get to rejoice, and losers get what they deserve! Dad wanted to stage an accident for Natalie, but I couldnât stop him in time. I had to risk my own life to protect her and hoped itâd deter her from suing him. Alas, Dad just had to pull another stunt when I was in a coma!â
The more Jerry spoke, the louder and more pained his laughter became.
âTell me, Mom. Isnât this a case of reaping what one sows? What else would you call it?â