Eric found himself visiting Jackie almost every single day. Sometimes, they simply stayed indoors, sharing a quiet space, while other times they ventured out for casual activities to keep her mind occupied. Today, however, marked her mother's final journey, and a heavy silence hung over the gathering of friends who had come to pay their respects at the funeral. Yet, even in the depths of this tragedy, Jackie refused to shed a single tear. Her rigid composure deeply worried Eric. He had been by her side since the very beginning of this nightmare, determined to ensure she wouldn't sink any deeper into misery than she already had.
The only time he broke his vigil was when Andrew pulled him aside. "Eric, bro, I need your help for just a second," Andrew whispered urgently.
"Alright, just a few minutes," Eric muttered, glancing back at Jackie before stepping away.
When Eric returned, his heart dropped. Jackie was no longer alone. She was conversing with a stranger—a man who bore a striking, uncanny physical resemblance to Eric himself. Eric paused out of sight, his blood turning scorching hot. "Why are you here? You are not invited." Jackie said annoyed with the man's presence.
"Why," the man insisted, stepping closer into her personal space. "What do he have that i don't." The man questioned.
An unfamiliar, dark emotion surged through Eric's veins. One side of his mind screamed at him to turn around and walk away, while the other fiercely urged him to march over and intervene. He was locked in a brutal internal conflict, completely bewildered by the intensity of his own reaction, especially since he knew perfectly well whatever they were talking about was none of his business.
Jackie took a step back to put a little more space between them but Lon grabbed her hand tightly.
At that moment, Eric's blood truly boiled. Instinct took over, and he subconsciously took a sharp step forward, his fists clenching as he prepared to break them apart. But a sudden, cautious instinct forced him to halt, battling the desperate urge to take another step. What was wrong with him. The feeling he was have at that moment was very unfamiliar to him.
Eric felt a dark, unfamiliar rage boiling up inside him and he couldn't hold himself back any longer. Watching Jackie desperately try to twist her wrist free—while that man only tightened his iron grip—made something snap.
With two long strides, Eric closed the distance. He shoved his way forward and forcefully snatched Jackie away, pulling her behind his shoulder.
"Get your filthy hands off her!" Eric hissed, his voice trembling with a protective fury that surprised even himself. He didn't completely understand why this stranger sparked such intense anger in him, but his every instinct told him to protect her.
The man stumbled back, his eyes flashing with sudden malice. "You again!" he spat, adjusting his jacket. "Why are you always interrupting everything I want? Why didn't you just die? What business do you even have in our conversation?"
Eric stared at him blankly. He had absolutely no idea who this person was, and the wild, unhinged accusations made no sense at all. Deciding it wasn't worth his time, Eric gripped Jackie's hand firmly and began to walk away, pulling her along through the space.
"We haven't finished our talk, Jackie! We will continue this later!" Lon shouted after them.
Hearing the man's words, Eric froze for a split second. A fierce urge surged through him to turn around and drive his fist straight into the man's face, but he forced his fingers to unclench. Breathing heavily, he restrained himself and kept moving.
They didn't stop walking until they reached the rooftop. The air was exceptionally cool that day, and the sudden quiet felt heavy between them. Eric turned to face her, the adrenaline still pumping through his veins, and immediately began to scold her.
"How can you mingle with a person like that?" he demanded, throwing his hands up in frustration. "Don't you know how dangerous he is? You shouldn't ever meet up with him again! What if I hadn't been there on time? That guy is a complete maniac!"
Jackie licked her dry lips, looking down at her shoes. Inside, her heart was doing backflips; she didn't know whether to be happy that he cared so much, or sad because of the mess they were in.
Slowly, she looked up to meet his eyes. "He is your cousin," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "And I am not trying to get myself involved with him. He started to pester me the moment I was taken to their family mansion."
Eric went completely rigid. The anger drained from his face, replaced by a cold, numbing guilt. He stared at her, unable to process the words. He couldn't believe Lon was his family member.
"That psycho was..." Eric muttered, his voice trailing off into the quiet cool air as he cursed himself silently
This entire disaster was Bob's fault for recklessly dragging Jackie into their volatile family issues. Yet, a crushing weight of self-blame settled in his chest; it was his own fault, too. If he had never allowed Jackie into his life in the first place, Bob wouldn't even know she existed. He made a silent, fierce promise to himself: the moment this agonizing day was over, he would speak to Bob and settle the score regarding his nephew once and for all.
He gently guided Jackie toward a weathered wooden bench nearby. He waited until she sank into the seat before sitting down right beside her, the distance between them feeling both incredibly close yet miles apart.
Letting out a heavy, exhausted sigh, he finally found the courage to look at her. "I'm so sorry, Jackie," he began, his voice thick with emotion. "All you ever did was try to help me, and look how I've repaid you. I ended up dragging you straight into the middle of my chaotic mess. I am so incredibly sorry."
Eric's sudden vulnerability caught Jackie completely off guard. She blinked, staring at him for a moment before a soft, reassuring smile touched her lips. "Why on earth are you apologizing, Eric?" she asked gently. "Lest you forget, I was the one who approached you first. By recognizing and accepting how crucial you are to me, I already chose to accept whatever storms come along with you."
Her unconditional loyalty only made Eric's heart ache with a deeper, sharper guilt. Looking at her, he felt she was simply too good to be true. Despite the absolute dilemma he had caused her, and the danger he had exposed her to, she was still standing by his side without a single hint of regret.
A sudden, heavy thought crossed his mind, but he hesitated, the words catching in his throat. The uncertainty of their situation troubled him deeply. Looking around at their fragile surroundings, he realized he didn't know when—or if—he would ever get a quiet, safe chance for a heart-to-heart chat like this again.
"Jackie..." he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Hmm?" she responded, turning her gaze fully toward him, her eyes reflecting the dimming afternoon light.
"You know by my actions... you know that you truly matter to me, right?"
Jackie didn't hesitate. She nodded softly, her silent affirmation speaking louder than any words could.
Eric closed his eyes, letting out one more long, shuddering sigh before forcing himself to continue opening his heart. "I might be a person who grew up without a parent's love," he admitted, his voice trembling slightly, "and because of that, I know I seem someone with less knowledge and understanding to others, but I still have emotions. I know exactly how it feels to lose a dear one. I am so sorry that because of me, you couldn't say goodbye to your mother. But..."
He trailed off, stopping mid-sentence to gaze down at Jackie's hands, which he now held gently within his own.
"Jackie, one of the worst kinds of pain is hoping for the impossible. At a young age, I had to cope with the reality that my parents might be dead, or that they simply didn't want me. Sometimes, I wondered if they were out there, searching desperately for me. For years, I waited for an uncertain reunion, and that false hope never allowed me to truly grieve or cry. But as for you, you don't have to live in that agonizing limbo. You know what happened, and you have people ready to lend you a shoulder to lean on. I might not know the exact reason for your pain, but crying does not mean you are weak, nor does it mean you have given up. Women who weep only come back stronger."
Jackie bowed her head, her lips trembling. For years, she had never shed a single tear, burying her grief deep inside. But now, the tears welling up in her eyes were impossible to hide. She tried desperately to control them, fighting to maintain her usual composure, but the walls she had built over a lifetime were crumbling. For years, she had locked her emotions away, trapped behind a facade of strength. Now, those long-hindered feelings were suddenly triggered by Eric's words, rushing to the surface like a broken dam.