Jade slowly entered the house to find her mother sitting on the couch, waiting for her return. She noticed the deep scowl plastered on her face. Her face was drawn and red in anger. It looked like she had waited all night for her return.
Jade cautiously walked closer in small steps. She didn't know how to face her mother. She had not only disappointed her mother, but she had also disregarded everything her mother had taught her while bringing her up.
"Good morn..." Jade's greeting got stuck in her throat as her mother raised a hand to stop her.
"Mom... I'm sorry," Jade said with her head lowered. She was too afraid to look up at her.
She was shocked when her mother threw a slap across her face. She raised her hand to touch her palm-printed cheek, gradually swelling. A tear slipped down her cheeks, not for the fact her mother had hit her for the first time, but for the fact that she deserved it.
"I didn't give birth to a child who could easily sell her body," Jade's mother said as her body shook in anger.
"I didn't raise a foolish child, Jade. My daughter is a smart and beautiful girl who deserves the world, not a girl who throws herself in the bed of a random man she didn't know, all in the name of love and money. You, Jade..." she seethed, pointing a shaky finger to her face, "...you broke my heart. You shamed my upbringing! I hope he's worth it," She said with teary eyes before walking past Jade.
She wanted to understand how Jade felt, but she couldn't. She was disappointed. She tried to console her child and cry with her because she knew how Jade was feeling right now.
Jade was her child. A sweet and innocent child she'd give the world to if she could. But she couldn't stand to look at her right now. Maybe later, she would help her get through this, but not right now. She felt suffocated. She looked at her palm, which she had used to hit her child, and her heart ached. She regretted hitting Jade for the first time. And that sick Cale had better be worth her child's sacrifice or else...
Jade stood at the same spot she had been standing earlier, still holding her cheek. Tears flowed freely down her face. She had hurt her mother and broken her trust and pride. She hated herself even more. But what was she supposed to do when the man she loved was dying? She'd do the same had it been her mother. But how could she still live with herself after this? How will she tell Cale that she had slept with another man for money to save him? He'd be hurt, but she hoped he got to forgive and not resent her.
She wouldn't know how to live if he hated her after this.
Jade jerked back to reality when her phone started ringing. She quickly answered it when she saw it was Helen, Cale's mother, calling. She had come home to freshen up before leaving for the hospital to check up on Cale.
"Hello, Jade", Helen called in a lively voice. Jade let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding when she heard Mrs Stuart's voice... She was sounding like her usual self, and that could only mean one thing.
"Mom"
"Jade, where are you? Cale just regained consciousness. Hurry down here, okay," She said excitedly.
"Okay, mom. I'll be there soon," She replied. She felt a weight had been taken off her shoulders. Her man was alive!
*******
Jake hurried home so he could refresh himself before heading for the office. But what he wanted was to see his grandfather. He walked into his grandfather's room after knocking on the door.
He stood by the door as he greeted with a bow, "Grandfather", making his grandfather humped, shooting him a disgusting look.
"What woman grazed your bed last night, you rascal?" Grandfather Beau asked his grandson as he removed the automated sphygmomanometer from his arm.
"Grandfather, you haven't been spying on me, have you?" Jake asked his grandfather, not denying that he had spent the night with a woman.
"Do I need to do that?" Grandfather Beau asked, eyeing Jake. Wasn't it obvious only a woman could keep his grandson from spending the night at home on his first day back in the country? He sighed at the thought that his grandson might not change anytime soon.
"You should go take a shower; you look like you had it rough," He said with a deeper meaning, making Jake roll his eyes at him. His grandfather shouldn't give him that look. Wasn't it obvious he got his traits from him?
"Jake, be careful at the office. Hillary's back," Grandfather Beau warned as a dark glint flashed across Jake's eyes.