CHAPTER 61: CHAPTER 61: SHE’S AFRAID OF FALLING IN

Renee tested herself at home with a pregnancy test kit and it showed only one line. Thankfully, it was a false alarm.

However, Jack Yates was not at ease. He still took her to a Forrester Family private hospital that very night for a full series of tests, including blood test, urine test, and an ultrasound.

The final results confirmed that she indeed wasn’t pregnant.

Not being pregnant naturally made Renee very happy.

However, when she turned her head, she found that Jack Yates wasn’t very happy.

She roughly guessed Jack Yates’ thoughts, shook his hand, and asked with a smile, "What’s wrong? Are you disappointed?"

Jack Yates turned his head to look at her, "Whether you are pregnant or not, I can’t be happy."

Renee frowned, "What do you mean?"

Jack Yates held her by the waist, lowered his head, and planted a kiss on her forehead, with his lips brushing past her ear, he said heavily, "If you were pregnant, I’d be worried and feel guilty for causing you physical harm through a miscarriage. If you’re not pregnant, I feel a bit disappointed."

Renee didn’t understand, "Why would you feel disappointed?"

Shouldn’t it be otherwise!

She honestly didn’t get it. In her opinion, Jack Yates wasn’t someone who was anxious to marry and have children, otherwise he wouldn’t have been with her.

Jack Yates saw through her thought and explained proactively, "I’m not in a rush to marry and have children, but I want to be with you..."

He didn’t continue, just kept looking deeply at her.

Renee found it difficult to withstand his gaze, turned her head away, pretending not to understand his meaning.

She didn’t dare to understand, afraid that if she did, she would really fall for him.

Jack Yates didn’t press her for a response; he had already given her enough scares today and didn’t dare to pressure her further.

Although it was just a false alarm, still, that night, Renee did not sleep soundly.

She dreamt the whole night, even dreamed of herself lying in an operating room undergoing an abortion.

Startled awake by a nightmare, Renee sat up abruptly, taking deep breaths.

Just as she sat up, Jack Yates also awoke, extending an arm to pull her into his embrace, lightly patting her back, "Don’t be scared."

Renee leaned onto his chest and recounted her dream, "Jack Yates, I dreamt about lying in the operating room having an abortion, it was so frightening."

Jack Yates swallowed his dry throat, "It won’t happen, Renee, it won’t happen. Before you turn twenty, I won’t let such an accident occur."

Listening to his words, Renee who was adept at reading between lines immediately discerned Jack Yates’ underlying meaning, lifting her head to ask him, "And after twenty?"

Jack Yates lowered his head, looking at her deeply, "After twenty, we’ll keep it."

Renee: "..."

She suspected she hadn’t woken up, still trapped in a nightmare.

Seeing her fluttering eyelashes and pupils contracting sharply, Jack Yates felt a blockage in his chest; that uncontrollable sense of powerlessness returned, causing inexplicable irritability.

He forcefully suppressed his inner irritation and asked softly, "You’re unwilling?"

Renee licked her lips, whispering back, "I think twenty is still quite young, not to mention..."

"Not to mention what?" Jack Yates narrowed his eyes.

Facing his dangerous gaze, Renee didn’t dare continue, pursed her lips, and shook her head, "No, nothing."

Jack Yates didn’t want to play riddles with her, directly asked, "Renee, haven’t you ever thought about being with me forever during the half year we’ve been together?"

Forever?

Renee lifted the corners of her mouth, almost laughing like she heard a good joke, peach-blossomed eyes bent in a smile.

She laughed, yet Jack Yates did not.

As Jack Yates’ expression grew increasingly sullen, she ceased laughter, gazing softly at him, and gently asked, "Is it something that will just work because I want it to?"

Jack Yates reached out to rub her head, "As long as you want it, it can happen."

Renee buried her head in his embrace again, face against his chest, listening to his steady and strong heartbeat, softly stated, "Jack Yates, you know well, no one would interfere with our short relationship. But if you want to marry me, probably the whole world will oppose."

Jack Yates’ grip around her tightened, his gaze darkened.

Renee looked up again, smiling brightly at Jack Yates, boldly asked from the depths of her heart, "Jack Yates, do you truly dare to go against The Yates Family for me? Dare to destroy your promising path, give up the power in your hand for me?"

No man would dare to abandon overwhelming power for a woman.

Even Jack Yates is no exception.

-

Christmas Eve was not peaceful at all.

Renee’s Christmas Eve was indescribably awkward, yet she wasn’t overly bothered by it.

She never cared for such outlandish festivals anyway, western holidays hold no meaning in Cathan, merely serve capitalists as a marketing gimmick.

She blatantly ignored Christmas night the next day.

On that night, Jack Yates had a drinking engagement and did not dine with her, leaving Renee to enjoy some peace and quiet.

She inquired Jack Yates with three questions in the morning, to which he never replied.

Afterwards, they just lay back down, and those three questions were left unresolved.

She didn’t feel disappointed, rather, she felt at ease, as this was an anticipated result. If Jack Yates was really willing to give up his power and glory from The Yates Family for her, that would indeed be frightening.

Because if that truly happened, The Yates Family definitely wouldn’t let her go.

Approaching New Year’s Day, schools were bustling with activities.

Renee, in her sophomore year, was in a busy period, apart from studies, she participated in the student council and drama club. As the vice president of the drama club, she assisted the president organizing club affairs, coordinated performances, and managed its members.

For the New Year’s festival, a gala by the drama club was indispensable, she had been preparing diligently since December for it.

As vice president, she not only organized the rehearsals, but also participated in a solo singing performance herself.

Though in reality, her singing was average, but as the vice president, the aim was to participate and enliven the atmosphere.

On the eve of the holiday, their club was to hold a performance in the auditorium.

After school that day, she sent a message to Jack Yates, informing him that there was going to be a club event in the evening and that by the time she was done, it would be late, so he needn’t come pick her up in the afternoon.

Jack Yates called her directly, inquiring, "Where is the performance?"

Renee told him the location, jokingly asked, "Are you planning on watching?"

Jack Yates, "Got nothing at night, might as well watch." Then asked, "Are you performing?"

Renee replied with a laugh, "Yes, I’ll sing on stage, do you want to hear it?"

Jack Yates chuckled, "Send me your location later."

After hanging up, Renee rushed to the cafeteria for a quick bite, then headed straight to the auditorium to oversee the club’s key members set up the stage.

The thought of Jack Yates coming to watch the performance made her inexplicably nervous, her breathing became rapid, and she stole some time in the midst of the rush to practice her singing on the side.

Suddenly, someone patted her shoulder, "Feeling nervous?"

Renee turned to see it was Zachary Lynch, the head of the directing department, she smiled, "A little bit."

Zachary Lynch, who was from her year but a year older, majored in drama.

Since Renee had advanced by a year in her studies, almost everyone from her cohort was older than her, at least by one year, some even by two or three.

Zachary Lynch laughed, patting her head, "Don’t be nervous, it’s not a singing competition, just a little show by our club. Think of it as singing in a karaoke booth."

His comment made Renee laugh, her eyes curved into half-moons, dimples dancing on her cheeks.

Zachary Lynch was momentarily dazzled by her smile.

And this scene was witnessed by Jack Yates standing at the doorway.

Jack Yates watched Renee standing before a youthful, radiant boy, her smile enchanting and bewitching, his molars grinding together tightly.