Arrogant Man VS Unyielding Woman

Joy's face turned pale at once, trembling as soon as she heard every word Jean had spoken out.

Joy got so frustrated as she didn't expect Jean would have the puzzle pieces together. All she needed now was the connecting dots. At this point, it didn't matter now if Joy would tell how Jean's mother died. Joy was that desperate.

Silence enveloped them for a while. Finally, Joy made up her mind and looked at Jean firmly. "Fine. You want to know how I got your mother killed, right? I can tell you all about the whole truth, but you have to promise me that in return, you have to save Shirley. When I mean save her, I meant that you get her out of the police office instead of leaving her in the jail for the rest of her life. If you promise me that, I will tell you what happened then."

Finding the deal offered ridiculous, Jean scoffed. "Joy, I know you are smart. You also know that whether or not you tell me about the details, you will still be charged of murder. Now, you want to save Shirley by sacrificing yourself. How do you make sure that I will agree to it when it is easier to just get rid of the both of you, heartless murderers?"

"I am confident that you'll agree. I know that you set Shirley up so you could threaten me into spilling the beans about what happened to your mother. Because deep in your heart, your mother's death means a lot - a lot more important than everything else for you. See, if it wasn't then you won't trade it with Shirley's life, and you won't be dealing with me now. I understand that you think it will be easier for you to threaten me to tell you the truth after Shirley is sentenced, right? You don't want to place yourself in much trouble, and I have only such a little request, of course then you will agree."

Joy pointed it out with conviction on her tone and a confident look on her face.

Jean frowned at Joy, pondering about Joy's new proposition. "May I remind you that just now, we had a deal that I will make sure Shirley is going to stay alive, but I didn't promise you that she could live free."

"Yes, I know, but I have found your weak point, so you have to promise me and take this new deal or leave it." Lifting the corner of her lips into a smirk, Joy looked at Jean, satisfied at how Jean was already half considering the new deal despite what she said. Jean remained silent for a while to weigh in her options. She then looked at Joy with a face that couldn't be painted. "Then, why don't you ask me a deal that will benefit yourself? Since you are fully aware that as long as it is concerned with my mother, you can threaten me."

"I'm fine. I don't need it." Joy looked away and into the distance. She put on a sad smile before adding, "Do you really think that my heart is made of stone? Winner was my son. His death tortured me every single day ever since the day I lost him. The only reason why I am motivated to wake up every day and pray for my life is because I still have another child, and that's Shirley. I know I haven't been the mother she always hoped for, but I am hoping that I would take back all those depressing years of her and replace it with at least, a memory of me sacrificing myself for her. I want to fight for her and give her another chance to be alive and turn into a new leaf just as any mother would do to her child.

Now if you have this deal with me, I have my full trust on you that you will keep your side of the bargain. With that, I am ready to lose my life anytime. My job in this world as a mother is done. As long as you can give Shirley another chance, regardless of what she had done and how much she tried to compromise so much for her own selfish gains, I'm sure she will cherish it. As for me, I can finally go accompany Winner."

After saying that, Joy put on a sad but satisfied smile on her face as she looked up above the sky, thinking about Winner, waiting for his mother from down below.

Jean was surprised by Joy's words that she dazed for a while. She didn't find any hint of lie in what Joy had said. All Jean could see right now was a mother, desperately asking her to save her only living child. Finally, Jean let out a sigh and said, "Fine, we have a deal." Joy turned to Jean with eyes already brimming with tears and replied, "Thank you, Jean."

Shaking her head, Jean gave Joy a glum face as she couldn't help but feel sorry for Joy.

Jean realized that she had wrongly judged Joy in the past. It seemed like Joy did innately have a sincere and caring mother inside of her.

Right now, Jean thought that Joy wasn't as heartless as she thought Joy was.

She was just doing everything that she could do to save Shirley and give her another chance to live a new life.

As for her own life, Joy didn't seemed to care anymore as long as her only child would be saved from her tragic fate.

It was true then that your whole life, no matter who you are, seemed to be settled from the very beginning even before you were conceived.

Jean couldn't help but sigh as she thought that everyone did indeed have their own destiny.

"Come," Jean said after a short while, nodding at Joy, and then turned to walk inside the house.

Satisfied, Joy didn't say anything more and just followed Jean inside.

As soon as they saw Joy trailing behind Jean, Zed and Moore, who were waiting patiently for Jean, were surprised, not fully understanding what was going on at the moment. Jean turned to both of them and said, "Zed, Moore, you are going to be my witnesses. Joy will tell the truth about my mother's death. If she doesn't leave anything behind or lie about any detail, then we'll get Shirley out for her."

Both of their eyes widened in response. "What?!" they both said out loud simultaneously. "Jean, do you know what you're talking about?" Stunned after what he had heard Jean said, Moore couldn't help but ask.

"Have you lost your mind?" Zed replied with his eyebrows furrowed into a frown. Do you know how serious Shirley's crime is to get her out? It is even very difficult for her to be alive, and you want to get her out?"

"Zed, with your help, I know I can," Jean said and looked at Zed as she trusted him on that. "You know my mother's death means a lot to me, and I will do anything to know about the truth. I have no better choice other than this."

'No better choice.' Jean's words echoed in Zed's mind for a while.

He took an intensive look at Jean, and when he realized that she wasn't kidding, the look on Zed's face darkened.

"That is, as long as you agree with me, Joy will tell the truth, and you will help me do my part of the deal." Jean looked at Zed, ignoring the look on his face as she waited for his answer.

Zed shook his head. "So this was what you were discussing outside? This impossible deal? Jean, you are not asking me for my opinion on this, so we could decide together. No, you are telling me your decision, aren't you?" Zed bellowed in an angry tone as he didn't expect that Jean would make such a big decision without considering his own opinions and thoughts about the matter.

Jean knew it was no use to deny that fact, so she said with a desperate look on her face, "Zed, I'm sorry." She couldn't help but sigh seeing Zed angry as she added, "When I knew that my mother's death wasn't as simple as I had known growing up, I couldn't fall asleep. My heart is bothered in wonder every single day, yearning for justice. As my mother's daughter, I certainly have the responsibility to find out about the truth, so not only can my heart be cleared, but so can my mother rest in peace. Now that I am only one step away from the truth, I will do everything that I can to know no matter what or how much I need to pay for it."

Jean wasn't fazed at all by Zed's frustration. She was completely firm with her decision, and her voice was extremely serious. Noticing that, Zed was unable to respond or even make a sound. His face darkened even more and fume was already coming out of his nostrils. Moore felt the tension and broke the silence that hovered at them. "Jean." After hearing Jean's words, he couldn't help but pity her. "I don't know that you have suffered so much. Yes, I understand that it is very important for you to find out the truth about your mother's death, but you can't just let the killer get away. What Shirley has done is beyond Zed's capability."

Jean turned to Moore. "Moore, I know your intention, and I appreciate you for that. You don't want me to break the law, right, but you see, I don't have any other choice. I will sacrifice everything I have for the sake of my mother." Jean paused and put on a bitter smile. "Regardless of what you think about my decision, I don't want anything else right now, and I only want my wish to be granted no matter how insane or ignorant of the law I look to you now."

Jean then couldn't help but look at Zed and beg him silently with her pleading eyes.

Zed turned away, not daring to look into Jean's eyes, and looked down. He knew that he was not able to refuse her when she was determined.

However, if he promised her that, then what about his faith? How was he going to face his grandpa, parents, and even his brothers, knowing what he did?

Then again, if he refused Jean, then she...

Thinking about that, Zed shook her head and got upset at once as he couldn't think of a way that would satisfy everyone.

Standing aside without any sound, Joy watched the whole scene. She saw how upset this deal made Zed and how puzzled Moore had become.

But she also saw how much determination Jean had. Despite the extreme emotions that she was receiving from Zed and Moore, Jean didn't draw back. Instead, she stood there and gazed her eyes on Zed, waiting for him to agree and promise to do his part. Even then, Joy knew that it was truly difficult for Zed to agree to the deal given the position he had.

However, Joy was still firm on that deal regardless. Besides, it was her last parting wish to trade herself for Shirley's freedom.

Now both Joy and Jean were on the same side to both Zed and Moore's disbelief.

Finally, after a while of tensed silence, Zed eventually opened his mouth, but he didn't look at Jean. "Give me some time to think about this. I still need to check if there's any chance to do that." He then took a look at Joy and said, "You don't want the deal to go wrong as well, right? If I can't get Shirley out, then I can't promise you anything."

Without another word and without another look at Jean, Zed turned around and quickly stormed off upstairs.

Jean's face darkened as well as she watched Zed's retreating figure.

She thought about what Zed said. He meant then that he couldn't agree to the deal if he didn't have any chance to get Shirley out.

If that's the case, then there's a possibility that what Jean had planned would be in vain.

Joy would die with the secret buried with her to the grave. 0000☐☐☐☐☐☐☐