Chapter 212 <fn4e3c> For original chapters go to f?i?n?d?n?o?v?e?l?</fn4e3c>


    It was the hottest August of the year.


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    Reba wished she could go back in time and ask him, ‘Wasn’t the rooftop burning up in August? Why didn’t you wait for us?‘


    ‘Even just five more minutes would’ve been enough, she thought.


    “After that happened, Jeffrey stopped smiling so much, and he wasn’t nearly as arrogant anymore,” Riley said, a wave of nostalgia washing over her as she remembered those happy days with the four of them. “He used to be so into himself, always getting into it with Stanley over who looked better.”


    Reba felt her chest tighten even more.


    They were just sixteen or seventeen, right in the middle of their teenage years.


    For most people, that’s the time they remember most vividly in their whole lives.


    Going through something like that at that age, it was the kind of thing you could never really forget or get


    over.


    “Back then, Stanley and I were both afraid he’d be messed up for good after what happened,” Riley said. “He barely spoke or smiled anymore, and the way he handled things got colder and more ruthless every time.


    Things didn’t start to change until we saw him with you.


    He finally started to warm up again, and that’s when we felt safe to go and focus on our own lives.”


    Reba remembered her first real encounter with Jeffrey was at a big banquet.


    Her parents were off handling business, and she’d tucked herself away in a quiet corner–only to have a well- connected guy start pestering her. Jeffrey stepped in and got her out of trouble.


    Back then, just like Riley had said, he hardly ever cracked a smile and gave off this icy, distant vibe. Reba always figured he’d be hard to deal with–not someone you wanted to cross–so she instinctively steered clear of him.


    From then on,


    they kept running into each other–always crossing paths again and again.


    Andter, when they finally got married, Jeffrey told her he’d made sure those “coincidences” happened on


    purpose.


    “Reba,” Riley called, pulling her back from her wandering thoughts.


    Reba blinked,ing back to herself.


    Riley’s eyes softened with warmth. “Thank you for dragging that guy back–he’s as stubborn as an ox. We


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    couldn’t have done it without you.”


    “I didn’t really bring him back,” Reba muttered, <i>her </i>mind shing to that time with the knife. The more she thought about it, the more it felt like he was even more messed up now. ‘I honestly don’t think he’s any better off than before,’ she thought.


    “Eh, he’s not too bad,” Riley replied, sounding practical as always.


    Reba just stared at Riley, not getting it.


    Riley exined, “Back then, nobody could get through to him. But now, he actually listens to you.”


    ‘Does he even care?‘ Reba couldn’t help but wonder.


    Honestly, she doubted it. It never really felt like he did.


    To her, a lot of the things he did just seemed… selfish–almost like he was only thinking about himself.


    “Reba, I have a favor to ask,” Riley said, picking up on Reba’s shift in mood but choosing this moment to bring it up anyway.


    Reba hesitated. “What is it?”


    “You’ve seen how he is these days–just the smallest thing sets him off, and he goes straight for self–harm… Riley’s voice was hushed and serious.


    As Riley spoke, Reba couldn’t help but start guessing what she was getting at.


    ‘My thoughts are just going in circles,‘ Reba wondered to herself.


    ‘Is she still hoping I’ll go back to him and help him finally let go of all this?‘


    “I want you to stick to what you did today. Don’t let him walk all over you, don’t cave to his threats or demands,” Riley said, her tone firm. “Let him taste a bit of resistance for once.”


    Reba froze for a moment.


    ‘Wait, this isn’t anything like what I thought she’d ask,‘ Reba thought, feeling kind of thrown.


    Riley nced at her. “Well? What do you think?”


    Reba felt a wave of shame rush over her. “I’m sorry.”


    ‘Riley’s always been so kind, and yet I doubted her for no reason,‘ Reba thought, feeling even more guilty.


    Riley blinked, confused. “Huh?”


    ‘Wait, is she refusing?‘ Riley wondered, momentarily thrown.


    “I thought you wanted me to understand him…” Reba said, feeling a kind of guilt she’d never felt for anyone else.


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    “Does he even deserve that?” Riley replied, totally unfazed. She knew what she’d just said could easily be taken that way. “If he was just a kid, maybe I’d want you to help him out. But he’s a grown man–and honestly, he’s moreplex than anyone I’ve ever met.”


    Reba’s gaze softened, suddenly seeing Riley in a whole new light.


    Up until now, Riley had only ever been Jeffrey’s friend to her. But right then, Reba found herself genuinely wanting to be friends with Riley for real.


    ‘Riley’s…. honestly just such a good person, Reba thought, the feeling hitting her stronger than ever.


    “Just do as I said,” Riley told her.


    Reba was silent for a moment before finally saying, “Okay.”


    By the time their conversation wrapped up, it was lunchtime. Amelia texted that she wouldn’t being back, so Reba just ordered lunch for herself, Riley, and Samuel.


    As soon as they finished eating, Reba’s phone buzzed with a message from Gregory, Mr. Hanson’s assistant: [Ms. Jensen, Mr. Hanson is out of danger.]


    Reba filled Riley in on the news.


    “No matter how wild he gets, he’d never actually go through with killing himself–the worst he’d do is make himself suffer, but never all the way,” Riley said, soundingpletely unbothered. “His goal is just to get you back. Even when he acts crazy, he never pushes himself all the way over the edge.”


    “Was he always this intense?” Reba asked.


    “Back then, he used to lose his cool on other people,” Riley recalled, her voice steady. “Especially his own parents.”


    Reba thought about asking more about Jeffrey and Marcus’splicated rtionship, but stopped herself –she knew the more details she dug up, the harder it would be to keep her guard up.


    For now, she needed to stay strong and not let her resolve weaken.


    Meanwhile, over at the hospital,


    Jeffrey was brought back from surgery looking pretty pale in his hospital gown. Still, the first thing he did was ask, “Has shee back yet?”


    “Not yet,” Gregory said, gripping his phone a little too tight. “She’s probably just caught up with something.”


    Stanley just scoffed quietly, keeping his mouth shut.


    But the sarcasm in the room was thick as ever.


    Jeffrey gave him a sharp look–evenid up and hurt, he still had that dominating vibe.


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    “What are you ring at me for? If you think you’re so tough, get up and swing at me. Stanley shot back,pletely fed up with Jeffrey’s self–harming antics. “Seriously, what the hell is wrong with you? Who in their right mind just starts stabbing themselves like it’s no big deal?”


    Jeffrey’s gaze was pitch–ck and silent; he didn’t say a word.


    All Jeffrey could hear was Reba’s t, emotionless “No,” ringing in his mind.


    “Is the news locked down?” Jeffrey asked, pulling himself together.


    “Yeah, we’ve kept it quiet, bute on–this is Honn,” Stanley said, a bit sarcastic. Gregory had everything sorted by the time I showed up. “Just because Jsburg has no clue doesn’t mean the Big Four Families around here don’t.”


    Jeffrey just gave a low, “Mm.”


    Stanley blinked, looking at Jeffrey like, “Wait, that’s it?”


    Just a “mm“? That’s all?‘ Stanley grumbled to himself, feeling a little speechless.


    “For now, have Riley keep an eye on Reba and the others,” Jeffrey said, his voice a bit weak but still clear. “If the Quinn family makes a move, let her handle it however she sees fit.”


    “The Quinn family?” Stanley blinked, looking confused.


    “Ms. Jensen’s mom was originally named Amelia Quinn–she’s Mr. Sebastian Quinn’s daughter,” Gregory exined, having already dug up all the details from the files before he even got here.


    Stanley blinked, looking confused. “Wait, you mean the Quinn family–the one that’s part of the Big Four Families in Honn?”


    Gregory nodded. “Yeah,”


    “Damn, that’s wild,” Stanley whistled, clearly impressed. “Your mother–inw’s got some serious connections. So how’d she end up changing her name to Amelia Jensen?”


    Gregory didn’t answer.


    The boss never asked him to look into it.


    He said straight up, that’s Ms. Jensen’s mom’s personal business, and it doesn’t affect his rtionship with her, so there’s no reason to dig any deeper.


    “In a while, pull back most of the obvious bodyguards–just keep two stationed by the door,” Jeffrey instructed, decisive as always. “The rest should blend in, go undercover.”


    “What’s this all about?” Stanley asked, sounding skeptical.


    “There are people out there who want a meeting with me,” Jeffrey said, his gaze turning cold and deep. “Might as well give them a shot.”


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    Stanley nced at Gregory. “Who does he mean, anyway?”


    Gregory replied, “Ask him yourself.”


    Stanley muttered, “Seriously? You’re not even gonna drop a name?”


    But Gregory just looked away, clearly refusing to meet Stanley’s <i>eyes</i>.


    Stanley suddenly blurted out, “Wait, you mean Andrea Scott?”


    Jeffrey gave him a look that screamed, ‘Are you serious right now?”


    Stanley grumbled, “Hey, you won’t say who, so how am I supposed to know?”


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    Thinking about Samuel’s allergy, Jeffrey’s eyes grew colder and sharper than before. “The third heir of the Quinn family–Jack Quinn.”