Chapter 372 Recognition in Blood
Several security guards pinned Megan firmly to the ground. The knife was already in James’s hand there was no chance Megan could get up and hurt Lily again.
James kicked him hard, over and over. Megan writhed in pain, groaning, unable to even find his voice. He trembled on the ground,pletely broken.
“Jackson…”
The moment had been far too close.
—
Lily had truly thought that de would plunge into her stomach that she would lose the baby inside her, that she’d die bleeding on the cold hospital floor.
She could never have imagined that Jackson, without hesitation, would throw himself in front of her and take the blow.
He was just a struggling acting student she’d hired for a job. Altogether, she hadn’t even paid him more than a hundred thousand yuan.
She couldn’t understand it. Why would he risk his life for her?
She helped steady his weak, swaying body, her voice hoarse with emotion. “Why? You said… no matter how many years we’re apart, you’d recognize me the moment we meet again.”
Jackson caught a glimpse of James standing in the distance pale–faced and silent.
His injury wasn’t that serious.
—
But to make Lily worry more, to tug at her heart, he let his body wobble, his breath shallow and weak. “But I finally found you again… and we’ve spent so long reunited… and you still didn’t recognize me. You’re a liar…”
Lily froze.
She remembered – when she was six, she’d said those very words to a little boy.
Back then, life at the orphanage had been harsh.
Meals were often spoiled. If you wanted to eat, you had to fight for it.
There were older<b>, </b>stronger kids who bullied the little ones, snatching what little food they had. Going hungry <b>was </b>normal.
When she first arrived, she was beaten often.
She had been bruised and starving when a younger boy named Jack had offered her half of the dry bread he’d hidden.
The two had clicked instantly.
When others picked on Jack, she’d stand in front of him, shielding him <b>– </b>even knowing she couldn’t beat
<b>those </b>older kids.
Together, they defended their food – even if it meant bleeding, they fought back. Eventually, the older kids realized bullying them wasn’t worth it and left them alone.
For three months, they huddled for warmth, looked after each other, survived together.
Then came Jerome and Luna Ginger, who decided to adopt her.
She didn’t want to leave Jack. But she knew the orphanage wasn’t a ce where children could grow up safely. Still, she couldn’t ask strangers to adopt someone else too.
Her n was simple – once the Ginger family liked her enough, she’d ask them to take Jack too.
A monthter, she finally worked up the courage to bring it up. The Gingers agreed to adopt him as well.
But when they went back to the orphanage, Jack had already been taken away by his biological parents and sent abroad. The orphanage refused to give any further details.
They’d been separated for sixteen years.
She thought she’d never see the boy she considered a brother again.
And now, after all these years… they’d reunited.
But she hadn’t recognized him.
“Jack!”
+ 4
+
–
4
Sixteen years of longing surged up all at once. Lily didn’t care who was watching she wrapped her arms around Jackson with all her strength and cried out the name she had kept buried deep in her memory.
The moment she hugged him, she felt something wet on her palm. His blood.
Her heart clenched so tight it nearly stopped beating.
Even though she was already hugging him tightly, her arms instinctively tightened even more.
Her voice was raspy and cracking. “After the Ginger family adopted me, I went back to find you. But the director said you’d gone abroad with your birth parents… I thought I’d never see you again. I can’t believe you came back to Capital City. Jack, does it hurt? Don’t be scared – the doctors areing. You’ll be okay!”
James stood not <b>far </b>away, watching her cling to Jackson with all her might, weeping for him, overwhelmed with worry.
It felt like someone had taken a knife to his chest and twisted it hard.
His pale fingers trembled, and the thermos he’d used to carry the ginger soup he made for her slipped from his hand and <b>crashed </b>to the floor.
Momentster, the medical team arrived with stretchers<b>. </b>
After the injured boy and elderly woman were wheeled into the ER, Lily helped lift the “frail” Jackson onto
a gurney as well.
Her mind was full of nothing but the wound on his back. She didn’t even notice James standing there not once did she look his way.
–
James watched her tears still streaming – push Jackson into the elevator, her figure growing smaller and smaller with each step.
The hollow ache in his chest widened.
It felt like his heart hadpletely copsed.