Finn opened his eyes and looked at her. Then he chuckled. “Like how?” He asked teasingly.Jojo felt a little uncomfortable looking into his eyes. She looked away. “You know,” she whispered. She felt awkward saying it out loud.Finn chuckled again and pulled her ever closer. He kissed her forehead and sighed. “You mean like this?” He asked, a smile plastered on his face. “Don't worry, I'll be on your side if she ever finds out.”Jojo gasped. “What?” She asked. “She is the person you love.”“And you are more than just a sister to me. I will always choose you,” he said. He seemed so serious as he spoke. “Now, go to sleep.”…Finn and Jojo left very early in the morning. After spending more time with him, Jojo began feeling comfortable, just like it was always in the past.A few hours later, they arrived in Manholm city. This was where the young master lived.Finn drove to a certain community and parked in front of a mansion. Immediately, Jojo could tell that the owners were well off.“Fi
Jojo stood up and looked at Vera. She knew how it felt to be reprimanded like that. “Hey! It's just a chocolate bar. It won't do him any harm.”Vera creased her brows, looking back at Jojo with hatred. “He is my son! If I say he doesn't eat it, he doesn't.”Jojo took in a deep breath, her lips moving in anger. “Yeah, right?” She asked. She just felt so mad, and she couldn't explain it.“And by the way, why do you want him to eat it so badly? You know, you are just a stranger here, capable of even killing! Did you put something in it?” Vera asked tauntingly.Finn stood up, his face turning dark. “Vera! Stop it!” He said. He hated it when she kept reminding them of the past. He knew clearly that Jojo wasn't the killer.“No! He is my son! I have to protect him from her,” Vera shouted. “Nill, come here!”Jojo's face turned instantly. She looked at Vera, and her eyes turned red. “Mmh? What did you say?”“You don't like the truth, do you?” Vera continued speaking. “I don't care what you do
Vera quickly stabilized herself. She looked at the three of them on one couch and cursed in her heart. She hated to think that they looked like a perfect family.“Um, yeah. I'm fine,” she said and tried picking up the broken pieces of glasses from the floor.She was clumsy, so one of them cut her hand. She groaned in pain.Seeing this, Finn sighed. “I'll do it,” he said and looked for a brush. “You need to take care of your hand.”On the couch, Jojo observed. For some reason, she felt a little jealous. Finn only ever treated her well.She quickly shook her head when she caught her line of thoughts. “Um, I'll help,” she said, standing up. Someone was hurt here. She didn't have to be heartless.Finn immediately raised his hand and stopped her. “No!” He said. “Don't come over here. The glasses are sharp.”Vera noticed how protective he was of Jojo and felt even more angry. She stomped her feet and left the room.…During lunch, Jojo remained so quiet. Only Finn and Vera kept talking. And
Finn reacted quickly and pushed her away. She almost fell, but she stabilized herself on the table.Finn's eyes dilated, and a frown appeared on his face. “What is that, Vera?” He asked. His voice was so low yet very cold that Vera trembled.“Just a kiss,” Vera shrugged, trying to sound normal.Finn stood up. He looked like he wanted to kill someone. “Just a kiss?” He asked.Vera pouted. “What? We have a four-year-old kid together! Is there any problem if I kiss you?” She asked, tears falling from her eyes.But Finn wasn't even the slightest touched. He remained so cold as he stared at her. “Vera, I thought we talked about this. You should never try something that stupid ever again,” he said.He was feeling so irritated that he didn't even dare touch his lips. He wanted to get rid of her saliva from his lips.He took out a handkerchief and wiped his lips, but this didn't make him feel any better.Vera, on the other hand, couldn't hide her anger. “Talked about it? Yes, of course we did
“What?” Finn was stunned for a second. “Did he say that?”Jojo tensed up again. She rubbed her brows before nodding. “Yeah,” she said. “He told me that before he fell asleep. Finn, I don't think he is very fine being here.”Finn was silent for a long time. He seemed to be thinking. Then he looked up at Jojo. “Are you trying to say that Vera is mistreating him?” He asked.Jojo wanted to nod, but remembering the relationship between them, she sighed. “I don't know. Anything is possible, Finn. Nill looks lonely. Something about him tells me that he is not very comfortable.”Finn hurriedly held Jojo's hands. “Hey, Jojo. Are you sure you are not overthinking? Vera is his mother. She can't mistreat him,” he said.There was even a time he wanted to take Nill with him, but he refused, saying that he couldn't leave his mother. There was no way he would want to be with a person who mistreated him.Jojo quickly shook her head. “Just don't get me wrong,” she said, but she was disappointed. She ju
Nill remained silent for a while. He was contemplating whether to speak up or not. And after weighing everything, he forced a smile and shook his head. “No! Mother treats me well,” he said.Jojo was shocked. She looked at Finn, and a thought appeared in her head. “Um, I think I got the message wrong,” she said.Finn nodded. He relaxed, knowing that Nill was fine. “Mmh, that's better. But remember to tell us if anything happens, okay?”Nill nodded obediently. “Okay, daddy,” he said. He drank his milk and then went to the backyard for his martial arts class.Jojo didn't want to talk to Finn. She was mad because he had been mad at her earlier. She went to her room to rest a bit.…A while after Jojo fell asleep, Finn slowly walked to her room. He stood by her bed and just observed her face for a while.He took in a deep breath and brushed some hair off her head. “You don't feel the same, do you?” He asked gently.He was silent for a while again. “Or is it that you just don't know that it
Jojo looked at the ground and sighed deeply. “She wants you.”Finn scoffed, but it was obvious that he wasn't pleased. “So because she wants me, you give me to her? Do I mean that little to you?”Jojo shut her eyes and sat on the bed. She didn't know what to say to him. She regretted agreeing to follow him there.Finn was speechless. “So you can't even look at me? Jojo, you didn't want me to come find you, did you?”“What?” Jojo asked, instantly looking up at him. If there was anything she had hoped for all those days, it was for Finn to go looking for her.Finn looked back at her. “Just say it. I will understand,” he said, a sad look on his face. He wondered if everyone in love always felt like that.“No, Finn. I always wanted you to come,” she quickly explained. He was like the only family she had. She would always choose him.Finn sighed inwardly. He sat on the bed beside her and held her hand. “Why are you so ready to get rid of me then?”Jojo swallowed hard. “Finn, she says you a
Finn sighed inwardly. “Jojo, I know that you feel the same about me. It's just that you haven't realized it yet. Why can't we just get married and spend the rest of our lives together?”“Finn,” Jojo called, stopping him from speaking. “You have a family. You have a child. Things can't just be that easy.”“So you love me?” Finn asked, concentrating on the most positive part.Jojo went quiet. She didn't know how to respond. She didn't know if she loved him the same way.After a while, she slowly shook her head. “I don't know,” she said. She had only ever thought of him as an older brother.“I get it,” Finn said and gently caressed the back of her palm. “Why don't you take some time and think about it? I'll be waiting.”Jojo moved her lips to say something, but Finn put his finger on them. “Don't worry, I'll handle the rest,” he said.He stood up and looked at her. “Goodnight, Jojo,” he said. He kissed her on the forehead before walking out of the room.And for a long time, Jojo lay on t
Jojo tensed up. She shook her head. “No! What are you talking about?” She asked.Finn stared at her a lot longer this time. In the end, he nodded his head. “Okay,” he said. He held her hand. “I just want you to know that you can tell me anything. I won't be prepared if I don't know what is happening.”He began walking away, but Jojo shut her eyes tight. “I'm lying,” she said. Finn stopped and turned to look at her.“Mmh?” He raised his brows.Jojo took a deep breath and avoided his gaze. “He had a gun. He swore to hurt you and Penny if I said anything,” she said, her voice low with guilt.Finn creased his brows. “So he came into the house?” He asked, a bit angry.Jojo almost cried. “I'm sorry,” she whispered. “I just wanted you to be safe. I should have told you.”“Come here,” Finn said, his eyes fixed on her.Even though Jojo was a little scared, she walked towards him. “I'm sorry, Brother,” she said.Finn sighed and pulled her into a hug. “I know,” he said. “He has been your friend
Finn was stunned by her action. He stood up and looked at her. “What's wrong?” He asked.Jojo stammered, looking at the place where Jeff had been. He wasn't there. He was gone, just like that.But a man dressed in a black suit walked closer to Finn. He said something as though he was talking in a microphone before looking at Finn. “Sir, you have to leave this place. There has been a breach,” he said.Jojo was stunned. She looked around and realized that there several men dressed in black suits. Could it be that they all worked for Finn? Anyone would think that they were around just for their things.Some were just resting on the benches, one was walking his dog around, another one was watching his daughter play on the swing and so on.Finn looked at Jojo questioningly before nodding at the man. “Got it,” he said.“Do they all work for you?” Jojo asked. She realized that she had underestimated Finn. It looked like whenever that man went, many people were watching out for him from the s
Jeff just stared back at her. He didn't say anything, but Jojo had just confirmed it.A tear fell from her eyes. “You poisoned me,” she muttered again. “Why did you do that? I trusted you.”Jeff still didn't say anything. He just held tightly onto her hand and looked into her eyes.Jojo felt angrier. “Say something!” She cried. “Why did you do it?”Jeff shrugged again. “I was just following orders. You left me no choice, Jojo.”“Orders? Someone ordered you to poison me? And you just did it!” Jojo said, more tears falling from her eyes.Jeff pursed his lips and tried wiping away her tears. “You are going to be fine, Jojo. You just have to do as I ask, okay?”Jojo pushed him away. “Don't touch me, you psycho!” She said coldly. She didn't believe that he had the audacity to tell her something like that.Jeff sighed and retracted his hand. “How I wish you would just listen to me. None of this would be happening,” he said in a low voice.Jojo wiped away her tears. “Give me the antidote,” s
“Finn…” Jojo called tensely. “About that… I wasn't thinking straight… I…”Finn sighed deeply when he heard her trying to explain the situation. He held her chin and turned her so that she was looking into his eyes.“So?” He asked, his voice deep and low. Jojo thought that he was so overbearing.Jojo struggled to keep eye contact. “We shouldn't continue. We…”“Really?” Finn asked calmly. He used the back of his fingers to gently caress her cheeks. “But I want to continue. I loved it.”He lifted her chin and leaned closer, ready to kiss her lips. But Jojo turned her face to the side quickly. Finn ended up kissing her cheek.He sighed and held her hand. “You don't like me, right?” He asked, his voice turning a little pitiful.Jojo looked at her and quickly shook her head. “No, it's not that,” she explained. She was getting more overwhelmed.“So you like me?” Finn asked another question.Jojo moved her lips, but she didn't know what to say. “Finn, why are you doing this?” She asked.Finn
Jojo and Finn sat up with a start. They realized that Nill was looking at them with questionable eyes.“Um… Daddy was just blowing my eyes. There is something in my eye,” Jojo quickly spoke up and began rubbing her eye.Nill was silent for a second as he observed the two adults. “But Daddy was on you…”Jojo blushed so hard. “Hey, come here,” she said. “The room is so dark and Daddy couldn't see well. That is the reason, okay?”Nill walked over to the bed and looked at Jojo. “Can I blow your eye?” He asked.“Yeah! Of course,” Jojo said. “Come on! Blow my eye!”Finn sat calmly on the side, as though he wasn't the person on the bed earlier. He even rolled his eyes at Jojo's small excuse of having something in her eyes.…Early in the morning, Penny walked to the hospital carrying some flowers. However, at the entrance she bumped into someone.Seeing Bradley, her heart fluttered and her face blushed. She quickly turned around and began walking away.Ever since the night they spent togethe
Jojo blinked in confusion. “No,” she said, shaking her head. “I haven't met any stranger today.”Finn sighed. He gently rubbed her hand. “You have been poisoned,” he said.For a second, Jojo's heart stopped beating. “What? Am I going to die?” She asked in fear.Finn hurriedly shook his head. “No, we are going to find the antidote, okay? I won't let anything happen to you.”Jojo still looked terrified. “How did it happen? I…”“It's okay,” Finn reassured her. “I'm looking into it.”Just then, a little thing ran into the room. “Jojo? Sick?” Nill asked, a look of worry on his face.Jojo was happy to see Nill. “Nill!” She called and lifted him up on the bed. Her pain was somehow gone after taking the medicine. “Jojo's fine, okay?”Nill looked at her again, as though he didn't believe her. “Is it my mother?” He asked.His question shocked everyone in the room. Jojo blinked before shaking her head. “No! What are you talking about?”Nill was silent for a second before wrapping his arms around
Jojo bit on her teeth as her whole body became painful. She shook her head, a tear falling from her eyes. “Something is wrong with me,” she said.Penny was lost for a second, and it was the same time that it took Jojo to pass out.“Jojo!“ Penny called in fear. “Someone help, please,” she shouted and tried shaking Jojo awake.A few students rushed over and helped to bring her to the school dispensary. But the doctors there were shocked. They couldn't diagnose anything.“We have to call her parents. She has to be transfered to a real hospital,” one of the doctors said.Penny was silent for a while. Then she shook her head. “Her brother is around. We should call him,” she said.She took Jojo's phone and called Finn. Of course, he picked up almost immediately.“Hey, honey? Do you miss me?” He asked teasingly. But his expression changed when he heard a different voice.“Something happened to Jojo. She is unconscious,” Penny said in fear. “You have to come to school now.”Finn was preparing
…“What? He really bought you a house?" Penny asked in shock.Jojo shrugged. “Yeah,” she nodded. “I don't even know what he was thinking. Anyway, it's better than staying in the hostels.”Remembering that the guards had seen Finn kissing her, she wouldn't want to ever meet them again.“He loves you, Jojo,” Penny said slowly.“Yeah, I know,” Jojo replied calmly. But her heart skipped a beat. She would get butterflies any time she remembered Finn confessing to her.Penny sighed. “You know what I mean, don't you? He is the best man you could ever have in your life. Take advantage of this chance, dear.”Jojo sighed deeply. “Um, let's not think about that for now, okay?"Penny pouted. “Does that mean that I have to be alone in that room? I'll miss you, Jojo."“Are you insane?“ Jojo asked, rolling her eyes. “That house has so many rooms. You have to stay with me."“But…”“You are moving in with me, Penny. Anyway, why else would I accept the house if you are not there with me?”Penny sighed.
…Bradley picked up Jojo, Finn, and Nill at the airport. He was a bit shocked to see Nill, but he didn't ask any questions. His mind was occupied with someone else.“Is everything ready?” Finn asked calmly, and Bradley nodded. “Yeah, all ready.”Jojo creased her brows when she realized that they were headed in a different direction from the hotel and her hostel. “Finn…”“It's okay,” Finn said, grabbing her hand in his and holding it tight. “I have a surprise for you.”Jojo was confused. A surprise? Why did he choose the surprise at such a time when they were all tired? He should have waited for them to rest, right?Still, a certain part of her was excited. She realized that he thought about her. She was curious to see what it was.“What surprise is it?” She asked, her eyes lighting up.Finn chuckled. “Are you seriously asking that?” He asked. “I didn't know you were still so naive.”Jojo rolled her eyes. She was about to complain when Bradley pulled the car in front of a certain gate.