Ice and Fire

Chapter 299 I Am The Loser (Part One)

Jackson looked at Cherry with surprise and was at a complete loss for words.

Cherry pushed Jackson away slowly. After a long silence, she turned and walked out of the room,

because Jackson didn't reply.

Cherry felt a numbness in her heart as she walked through the laughing crowds celebrating at the

party, wondering, how many people there wore masks and hid?

Suddenly, Cherry heard someone shouting, "Here comes Mond! Here comes Mond!" Nôvel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

Cherry couldn't help but stop walking as she wondered, 'Mond Xu, the mysterious CEO of the ZM

Group. Who on Earth is he?'

She looked to where the voice had carried from and along with everyone saw Jean and Mond walking

with Jean on Mond's arm. Jean smiled when she noticed a pair of green eyes watching her.

Mond was quite calm next to Jean. Someone greeted him, and he nodded in return. He didn't see the

person he wanted there, which was the purpose for his visit tonight. Where was he?

Jackson walked up and stood beside Cherry, quietly, as she was looking at the crowd.

"Is that Mond Xu?" Cherry asked when she saw Jackson beside her. Although Cherry could see the

man in red in the distance, she didn't recognize him. She knew instinctively he must be Mond because

his presence was different from others and was as strong as Jackson's.

Jackson didn't respond to her question as he stared at Mond, who looked like a golden haired cherub

in a red suit.

Mond was looking through the crowd trying to see Jackson, but he didn't see him.

Suddenly, the two familiar figures, not far off, caught his attention.

Mond turned to Jean next to him, and in a cold but gentle voice, "Come with me."

"Okay." Jean replied with a delighted and graceful smile, which made her look so pretty to others.

Mond and Jean headed slowly over to Jackson and Cherry.

When Cherry saw the two coming closer to them, she couldn't help staring at Jean. Why would she be

here, at the party?

"Jean!" Cherry called out, greeting Jean. She felt compelled to step forward until she was in front of

Jean.

Jackson followed Cherry as she walked toward the couple and stood at her side.

Jean glimpsed over at Jackson before turning her attention to Cherry.

"Jean, why are you here?" Cherry asked with concern in her voice. She had been looking for Jean, but

she hadn't seen her. She had no idea Jean would be at the party, and yet, here Jean was, looking

stunning as always, and divinely dressed as if she was and always had been a member of the Royal

family.

"What is that supposed to mean? Why wouldn't I be here? Are you the only one entitled to be here?"

Jean snapped waspishly and turned to Jackson saying gently, "Hi, Jackson, it's been too long time

since we met last."

Jackson didn't want to even glance in Jean's direction and then turned to Mond. He thought maybe he

figured out Mond's purpose.

It was very awkward for Jean when she didn't receive a response from Jackson and she thought,

'Jackson is as cold as ever.'

Cherry slowly turned to the person who sat beside Jean and thought she recognized Mond' face.

"It's you!" Cherry uttered in surprise. She recalled that she had met Mond when she went to Andrew's.

Did he...

"Mrs. Cherry, you finally recognize me." Mond's voice was cold as he looked at Cherry. He had a

feeling serenity in his heart as Cherry stood in front of him, he didn't care about the rest of the world

anymore.

"Are you, Mond Xu?" Cherry asked, with surprise in her voice.

"What do you think, Mrs. Cherry?" Mond asked instead of giving a reply.

Jackson, standing beside them, was irate as he turned to Cherry questioning, "You two know each

other?"

"We..." Cherry started to say and Mond interrupted her before she could finish.

Mond pretended to fondly look at Cherry as he said, "Mrs. Cherry, please, you didn't tell anyone about

our first encounter. I cherish you as a friend."

"Friend?" Cherry was confused, because she didn't know Mond at all, and they just talked for a short

time at Stephen's office. Were they friends after just that meeting?

Jackson was very angry at Mond's statement and turned to Mond demanding, "What on Earth do you

want?"

Mond turned to Jackson and coldly stated, "But you know what I want, don't you?"

Jackson stared at Mond and didn't answer Mond's question, because he had no idea what Mond would

do next and was concerned Mond would spoil all the past scores in front of Cherry and Jean.

Cherry didn't know what Jackson and Mond were discussing and she was more concerned about Jean.

Cherry asked, "Jean, when did you get back to the city? Where have you been the past few days? Why

are you with him?"

Jean didn't want to answer Cherry at all and thought, 'Cherry, ugh! What a bitch, and so annoying. Why

does she have to mention the miserable past on such a pleasant day?'

Jean slowly loosed Mond's arm and took a step forward closer to Cherry, her eyes full of hatred, and

said, "Oh My God, Cherry Shen! Don't you recognize the significance of this party? Why did you show

your face?" Her slender fingers held Cherry's chin, tilting her head as she continued, "Look, this side of

your face is apparently swollen and you tried covering it with makeup! Cherry Shen, do you really

believe that others won't see?"

Jackson heard Jean and kept silent, and deep in his heart he felt remorse for his wrongdoing. He had

slapped her in an fit of emotion, although he hadn't meant it.

Hatred welled in Mond's heart as he stood listening to the exchange. Someone smacked Cherry, who?

Mond turned and looked at Jackson deciding, 'It must have been Jackson. Jackson Chu, you are such

an asshole! You even slap your wife.'

Cherry knew Jean was laughing at her and she remembered how Jean mocked and bullied her all

these years. How could she forget?

"Jean, I just want to talk to you peacefully." Cherry told her. She hoped that she and Jean could stop

fighting with each other. She had never wanted to compete with her, not because she couldn't win

against Jean, but she didn't see any worth in fighting. Even though Jean and Jade had hurt her in the

past, Cherry would rather forget it all and live in harmony, because hatred was exhausting.

Jean didn't respond.

Cherry looked into Jean's eyes questioning, "Do you still hate me, after all these years?"

Cherry grasped Jean's arm and said, "Let's talk in a quiet place."

Cherry and Jean walked away.

Jackson watched Cherry leave and wanted to follow because he feared what Cherry might come

across accidentally.

"What? You want to meddle in issues between women?" Mond asked, his tone full of venom. Hatred

showed in his eyes.

Jackson controlled himself and didn't follow Cherry and instead turned to Mond, "Are you at the party to

improve your reputation?"

Mond suddenly smiled gently as he told Jackson, "Indeed and I believe that I have done just that, didn't

I?"

"Did the ZM Group aim for me as well?" Jackson inquired.

"Don't you think you are uttering nonsense?" Mond became emotional and gave Jackson a malicious

look, "You know what I want, don't you?"

"You have prepared for a long time to beat me and even enlisted Sally as your tool, didn't you?"

Jackson probed, realizing he had looked down on Mond. He had thought Sally would live as he had

planned, but the fact was, he had underestimated Mond, who had been with Sally all these years.

"Jackson Chu, have I beaten you?" Mond sneered cruelly at Jackson saying, "You rebelled against

everyone and saved Sally at the risk of the entire Chu Family, costing the lives of others, but you never

expected me to own her life. What do you think about it? Do you feel good?"

"Don't hurt her, she is still innocent and pure." Jackson may not love Sally any more, but, he believed

he should protect her, after all, he had risked many to save her.

Mond furiously asked, "Jackson Chu, you still love Sally, don't you? That's why you abuse your wife."

"Shut up." Jackson retorted, "Sally and I are done."

"Then why did you slap Cherry?" Mond really cared and wanted to know why.