Ice and Fire

Later that afternoon, Jackson and Cherry headed downstairs. Grandpa was down there already, sitting in the living room.

Cherry greeted Andrew respectfully when she got to the living room, "Grandpa."

Andrew nodded, smiling at his beloved grandson and granddaughter-in-law, "Hello! There you are! When will you be going home?"

Jackson glanced at the wall clock and replied, "In a minute. We were just going find Joe now."

Andrew said, "Oh, maybe he is still playing out in the yard. Check out there."

Cherry nodded and followed Jackson out of the room.

The moment they got outside, Cherry saw Joe playing with a group of children not far away.

"Look how happy they are!" Cherry's voice sounded happy.

Jackson put his arm around her shoulder and smiled, "Childhood always looks like this, doesn't it?"

Cherry didn't smile. Instead, she said bitterly, "Jackson, when I was away, I blamed myself for not giving Joe a happy childhood or family."

Jackson understood Cherry's feelings. Over the past five years, he had suffered a lot too. He had tried to hate Cherry and wanted to punish her, kill her even; but, in his heart, he secretly hoped she could come back to him. So, when Cherry did return, and he saw her at the hotel, all he wanted was to hold her in his arms and be with her forever. He abandoned all his principles and was entirely out of control with her. The fact was that he couldn't hate her. He wanted nothing more than to love and spoil her. Even though she had hided Joe from him, he couldn't stay angry at her for long. To get her, to keep her, he realized, he was willing to do anything. The only thing he wanted was to spend the rest of his life loving her.

Jackson gripped her shoulder, watching their son playing and said in an earnest tone, "Babe, you and Joe will be extremely happy in the future. I'll try my best to make you the happiest wife and son in the world."

Cherry turned and studied him carefully and then nodded her head. She believed in the man standing in front of her, which was why she had married him and let him control her destiny.

Jackson tenderly touched her face, and they looked into each other's eyes smiling contentedly.

When Cherry turned back around to watch her son again, she noticed that a woman was standing silently in front of the gate, watching the group of children.

"Sally!" Cherry couldn't help but yell and her smile soured at the sight of the woman.

When she yelled, Jackson turned and looked in the direction Cherry was glaring at.

recovered from her astonishment and released herself from Jackson. She rushed to the children, because

she must be looking for Joe, and Cherry's actions convinced him that Sally was there

She guessed Cherry must

the

Jackson saw Sally approaching Cherry

as she was approaching the group

to Cherry and took her

home now. So say goodbye to your friends." Cherry whispered

a little upset, but he knew it was time for him to go home. He turned back to his friends and told them, "Guys, I need to go home

"Okay, Joe, bye!"

"Joe, call us!"

don't forget, you must come to play

to his friends, Cherry tugged her son leading him back to the Chu House. But she had

as she drew nearer, cutting off Cherry's

and stood in front of Cherry, looking down at

she stood behind Jackson, clutching

face with disappointment, because Jackson was here to protect his little family, not

thought Joe's face looked like an exact replica of Jackson when he was a child. That beautiful, handsome, angelic

emotional immediately. She shivered, looked at Jackson's face again and

Sally but

"Why is he yours and Cherry's son? Why

Sally's face as she asked. She thought to herself, 'I have loved Jackson since I was a little girl. Why is the real life

her from seeing Sally's face, but Sally's words terrified her

filled with hate, and knew this was the woman who had torn his parents apart. She was

stood next to his daddy, looked

to talk to her like this. She couldn't believe a little boy

at Joe angrily, entirely out of her mind, yelling, "If it hadn't been for your mommy, Jackson and I would have married. I

her twisted face and continued, "But my daddy wants to marry to my mommy. Besides, my daddy promised he would love my mommy forever. You know what? I don't think

words incited Sally's rage. She took a step forward, standing mere inches in front of