The President’s Stubborn Love

Sherry’s movements jerked to a halt.

For a moment, the reasons that had been swirling around in my head for days vanished into thin air.

She could even feel her breathing starting to get out of control and become rapid and restless.

“In reply to your wife, I’ve only recently …”

Her hands were covered in fine sweat.

Both Reto brothers are familiar with who she is and will dismantle her at any moment.

Sherry had been prepared for this before she arrived, but when the moment came, she hesitated.

“Why are you stammering?”

“Weren’t you very articulating around that boy when we met the other day?” Reto sneered out, with a strong note of sarcasm.

Sherry’s eyelashes fluttered and her head dropped even lower.

She had overestimated her tolerance after all. The wound on her hand kept on aching, and the pain was numb and itchy, sweeping through her body and disrupting her thoughts.

Lousie, sitting in the main seat, was still as mild-mannered as ever.

“So it’s you, I’ve heard Alex mention it.”

Alex?

Sherry’s heart was filled with even more alarm bells.

I know it’s been a difficult time for her, so if you need anything, you can always ask me and I’ll do my best.”

Sherry didn’t know what to say and with her mind blank, she heard Kirsty next to her say, “Thank you Mrs. Colin for your concern.”

She had to follow with a bow.

Lousie smiled gently, her beautiful eyes flicking over Sherry with a slightly deeper meaning, only no one noticed.

At the end of dinner, Monica fell asleep against the table, her elbows interlocking and pressing out red marks.

“Why don’t you all take her to her room first, the child must be tired.” Lousie smiled faintly and got up to leave the table.

With her gone, Sherry’s attitude towards the Henry Family people changed in her mind.

Are they too worried?

Maybe the Henry Family people just wanted to meet Monica.

“What are you standing there for, help her up.” Kirsty whispered urgently.

Sherry snapped back to attention then and joined her in a joint effort to help Monica into the wheelchair, the two Reto brothers across the room just sitting and watching, two pairs of beady eyes staring straight at Monica and occasionally glancing at Sherry.

“No fun.”

“Gee, I guess it’s really stupid.”

Not daring to hesitate, Sherry hurriedly joined Kirsty and accompanied Monica back to her room.

Just before entering the door, Monica woke up.

A pair of dazed eyes, with a little bit of sleep, woke up asking for Aaron, and Kirsty had no choice but to take her to a video call.

“Get your wound treated quickly and don’t delay the next few days.”

Kirsty frowned, “Don’t get wet.”

“Okay, thanks.” Sherry said softly and went to get the maid for the medicine cabinet.

Just as I pulled open the door, I saw Uncle Bob, the old butler, approaching.

“Sherry, this is the medicine that Madam has ordered to be given to you, you must disinfect it properly so that you don’t get a scar.” Uncle Bob’s face was gentle and there was concern in his voice.

“Thanks.”

Uncle Bob looked at Sherry and mumbled something else with intent.

But he turned and walked away, and Sherry didn’t hear him.

It was a luxurious looking wooden case that, when opened, smelled faintly of pine. Sherry had just finished decontaminating and was about to put some medicine on when she noticed an envelope wedged underneath the case.

It had her name on it and contained just a few words and a card, “Take care of Monica, it’s a small token of the Henry Family’s appreciation.”

The card was gold with a peony flower painted on it; Sherry had seen such cards in Aaron’s wallet, but Aaron’s one was plain black.

There were footsteps behind her and Sherry, in her haste, pulled the envelope out and tucked it under the covers.

“Still not ready? Do you need help?”

Looking a little impatient, Kirsty came over and sat down, mumbling as she did so, “Monica’s asleep now, she might wake up again in the night, so remember to call me when you do.”

“… is good.”

“Bring it, I’ll wipe it for you.”

Sherry held out her hand, the wound in her palm looking less gruesome after it had been cleaned.

Instead, Kirsty stared at the wound, “You really would do anything for Monica.”

The nursing staff at the nursing home, who are paid to do their jobs, are concerned for Monica, but only in a superficial way, and even when she is entrusted by Aaron with dinner, she is not as dedicated as Sherry.

Kirsty frowned at her, wanting to say something.

Sherry drew her drugged hand back.

Turning back around, “Like you said, I just want us all to get back safely.”

If only the next few days could be as peaceful as tonight.

Before Kirsty went to the next room, she said, “Mr. Swift’s flight is tonight and he’s bringing Nola with him.”

Sherry stood there for a long time, unable to come back to her senses.

The door to the room creaked shut, and she suddenly felt the wound in her hand, and it began to hurt again.

Was it because the wound stung after the dressing, or was it because the day had finally come for Aaron to take Nola to meet the Henry Family parents?

With Nola working so hard for so many years, and with the Garcia Family backing her up, it was only a matter of time before the Henry Family acknowledged her presence.

Several moments had passed when Sherry found herself floundering.

She hastily hid that envelope in her suitcase, and all night she slept on the floor beside her bed, keeping watch over Monica.

The night was harder than she thought it would be.

Monica takes a nap and then wakes up wanting water and to go to the toilet and pestering her for a story. She doesn’t have time to call Kirsty and is afraid of disturbing the Henry Family.

It was only with great physical effort that Monica could be calmed down.

But Monica was getting rowdy, like a seven- or eight-year-old, and insisted on taking Sherry’s hand.

“You lie here!” She moved to the side and asked Sherry to sleep next to her.

“Monica, I …”

Sherry’s throat lurched, and by the moonlight she saw the tear-stained marks on Monica’s cheeks.

“Are you scared?”

She asked in a soft voice.From NôvelDrama.Org.

Monica, however, began to shout relentlessly, “Come on, hurry up!”

Sherry had no choice but to do what she said.

It wasn’t long before Monica’s light snoring could be heard, she shouldn’t even remember, the last time they had fallen asleep together like this was before that incident.

They lie together in the narrow dormitory beds of the school.

Together we look forward to the future.

Sherry smiled bitterly and closed her eyes. She owed her brother and sister more than she could ever repay in her lifetime.

When the first rays of the morning sun hit Sherry’s face, she felt as if her body was falling apart with no strength at all.

Opening her eyes, Kirsty was helping Monica get dressed.

When she woke up, she frowned and said, “You’ve got a cold, get your medication, you mustn’t infect Monica.”

Cold?

As soon as Sherry sat up, her head sank hard.

Nearly falling head over heels under the bed, his ears buzzed with Kirsty’s words from behind.

“The Henry Family will have guests this afternoon, and Mr. Swift will be there.”

And Nola.