“…”
Jasper’s interest was frozen between the wrinkles.
Outside the window, the wind seemed to have picked up, and the fine snow was dancing wildly.
Jasper sat on the bed with a thick quilt over his legs. After a long time, he reached out and unplugged the needle in his hand. Looking at her pale and indifferent face, he said, “Do you hate me that much”
“I don’t know,” said Paige indifferently, getting up and handing him the cotton swab prepared on the bedside table.
The infusion dripped down, dripping medicine.
Jasper was, after all, getting old. One hand was as thin as a skeleton, and blood oozed from the needle hole. He took the cotton swab and pressed it down, looking up at the snowstorm outside the French windows.
The howling wind swept past the glass.
“That day, I had a falling out with my son, and I beat him up.”
Jasper looked out at the fine snow and suddenly started talking about something unrelated, “Everyone came running up to me, and what they meant was that they felt I was different from before, that I was now senile.”
“…”
Paige stood there without saying a word.
“I was the one who decided to use Emery back then, the one who took you as my apprentice without handing over the book of secrets, and the one who wanted you to work for the Folsom family after you came knocking on my door.”
Jasper threw the cotton swab aside and sat on the bed, wearing only thin clothing.
After a long while, he looked back at the young girl in front of him and said slowly, “I have only ever thought about maximizing the interests of the Folsom family for my entire life. Once there is a deviation, they cannot accept it.”
“…”
“I was confused at the time too. When I heard that you wanted to die, I panicked. At this age, I have never been so panicked before.”
Jasper laughed self-deprecatingly, “Paige, do you know that in my life, Jasper has never had a child who disobeyed me, and you are the only exception.”
He kept disobeying him, and he, a child who was reluctant to do anything.
“…”
Paige looked at him in silence. The old man in front of her was already in his eighties, old and wrinkled, but she could still see the decisiveness of his past from between his wrinkles.
She didn’t know what to say.
After the River Town trip, she decided that Jasper was a ruthless person, but this time, it was also he who gave her and Enrico hope to survive.
He is very conflicted. He actually cares about the master-disciple relationship. He could have treated her better, but he didn’t. If he only wanted the Folsom family business, he could have treated her worse, but he didn’t.
Jasper lifted the quilt and got out of bed. He walked step by step towards the French windows. Perhaps because he had been lying down for too long, he stumbled.
“…”
Paige stepped forward silently and reached out to help him.
Jasper looked at her and smiled, and just like that, he took her hand and walked forward. He stood in front of the French windows and raised his hand to touch the glass, which was extremely cold.
“Why” Paige asked from the side, wondering why he was so conflicted.
Why…
Jasper stood there, looking out the window at the white expanse, deep in thought, as if he was seriously considering the question. After a while, his expression became a little absent-minded, “Maybe it’s because I’m getting old that I’ve just realized… I haven’t properly loved a child, have I”
Paige was stunned. She had never expected such a reason.
Back in River Town, she had thought that Jasper did not have any children, so she would not talk about this with him. This was somewhat of a surprise.
She said, “I am not your child.”
Jasper looked at her sideways and smiled, “Do you know that you actually look a lot like my youngest daughter”
“What”
Paige was stunned. Brangelina mistook her for Blanca, and now the old man was saying this
“It’s not just the appearance, but the kind of strength in her bones,”
said Jasper, but seemed reluctant to talk more about his youngest daughter and quickly changed the subject, “Okay, let’s not talk about that. Just rest assured that you will be staying with the Folsom family for a while, and I will have Beatrice give you the divorce decree.”
She couldn’t wait.
Paige looked at him and said, “If I have to leave today with the divorce decree, will you let me go”
“…”
Jasper was silent at this question, and his brows gradually knitted together.
Seeing him like this, Paige understood, and she said indifferently, “Perhaps that is why you cannot love your children.”
He was always conflicted, just like with Brangelina. He let her marry Jeremiah, used her in every way, and then fell in love with Jeremiah, only to experience separation and death, until he went mad.
Perhaps he also loved Brangelina, but unfortunately, in the face of the great cause of the Folsom family, he always maintained the order of first and second.
“…”
Hearing this, Jasper’s body stiffened and he looked at her fixedly.
This kid, he’s still as capable as ever.
He gave a bitter smile and said, “Forget it, let’s not talk about that, just sit with me for a while and chat about something else.”
Jasper turned around and sat down in the chair by the window. In front of him was a table with a chessboard set up.
Paige sat down opposite him and didn’t touch the chess set.
“Here comes the Folsom family. Is there anything you want to ask” Jasper asked her with a smile.
Paige sat in the chair and said, ‘I have looked up Germany before, but I didn’t find anything about Eastdown. The Folsom family is very good at concealing their whereabouts. I haven’t even been able to find out your real industry.”
Jasper laughed as he listened, ‘The Folsom family’s industry is wide and diverse, involving several countries, but it is not listed, so it is not surprising that you can’t find it.”
It turns out that the Folsom family is not a large public company.
Paige understands, “No wonder I was allowed to enter here. Even if I want to come here for revenge in the future, this place may be empty overnight.”
Anyway, they still have the Folsom family manor in another country.
“There’s no way. A hundred years ago, the chaebols fought each other, and the Folsom family learned a lesson. Since my father, the Folsom family’s low-key approach has been the top priority,” Jasper said slowly.
“I see.” Paige nodded, ‘So the Folsom family has been messing with Country A over the years while ensuring the growth of their own family.”
“Mm,’ Jasper nodded, “Over the years, I have kept placing chess pieces, setting up strategies, and dropping chess pieces in Country A. The zaifus of Country A have always lived high above, and I don’t know if I will see the day of revenge before I die.”
“If you see it, then it will be the day when many people have new grudges.” Paige’s expression was extremely indifferent.
“…”
Jasper looked at her and shook his head helplessly. She was never willing to stand on his side.
It seemed like they couldn’t continue the conversation again.
Paige glanced at the time on the old wall clock in the room. It was still early, and she guessed that at this moment, Beinice had not yet finished playing Casey.
She looked out the window at the snowstorm, and every minute and second felt unbearable to her.
After a while, Paige looked away, removed the chessboard in front of her, and placed the tea set on the table again. She then bowed her head and poured the tea.
“It’s been a long time since I drank the tea you poured for me.”
Jasper lifted the teacup in front of him, bowed his head and took a sip, and then added, “By the way, don’t you dare think about stealing the rare books. This manor is full of traps.”
He kindly reminded her, hoping that she wouldn’t accidentally fall into any traps.
“Really”
Paige responded indifferently, as if she were just making conversation, “I find that the Folsom family is not only full of intricate layouts, but their clothing is also quite interesting. Their subordinates all wear different uniforms, but all have buttons made of gold thread. Is that a symbol”