novelxo Chapter 1948
"If it weren't for you, would there be a case for me to investigate in the first place?" Adrienne asked.
Each time Sheridan spoke, Adrienne would have a whole new perception of him. Before meeting him, she thought he had done all those heinous things because he was threatened to. Now, it seemed that she was being too naive. "Do you not think that what you did was wrong even now?"
"All I did was choose a different path from everyone else and lived as I wished. What did I do wrong?" Sheridan grinned at Adrienne as if he was looking at a fool. "Wake up, Adrienne. You're already an adult. Don't look at the world with such innocence. You have to understand that only the strong will survive. If you don't become a predator, you will be the prey instead."
"You think that I have an innocent view of the world?" Although Sheridan was attacking her outlook on life over and over again, she still hoped that he could recall all the life lessons he had taught her before. "Do you still remember all the lessons you taught me about life?"
When she was little, he often told her that the world was beautiful and life was great. He encouraged her to be a kind person who would give back to society. He told her that life was like a mirror. When you smiled at it, it would smile back at you.
Adrienne had always remembered his teachings and looked at the world with kindness. Even though her parents were killed, she still believed that society was good, that life was beautiful, and that there were only a few bad apples in this world.
"How could I forget? I taught you to be a good person who gives back to society." Sheridan was still smiling, but unlike before, it was tainted with sarcasm. "I said all that just to coax you as a child. I didn't think you'd remember it until now. How foolish you are."
"You taught me all the life lessons just to coax me?" In a flash, all the uneasiness in Adrienne's heart seemed to dissipate slowly as she loosened her hand that was clutching onto her chest. Sheridan nodded. "Adrienne, you've grown up. It's time for you to take a realistic approach to your worldview."
"I don't need you to teach me how to look at the world." The man in front of her was the leader of a drug cartel, Stephen. He was no longer Sheridan, her father. Adrienne understood this clearly. She stood up and uttered, "I have nothing more to say to you. I hope that you're prepared to face the consequences of your actions."
"Adrienne!" He shouted out to her, who was about to leave, and continued, "Life is short. I did what I wanted to do and followed my heart. Tell me, what did I do wrong?"
Adrienne stood in place and looked down at him, who was still seated. "Those who are selfish and don't follow the law will always have a hundred different excuses to defend themselves. If you don't know wha you've done wrong, then stay here. I'm sure there will be someone who will tell you what your mistakes are."
"I've been living cautiously in the past few decades of my life. I was a good son to my parents, a good husband to my wife, a good father to my daughter, and a good employee to my boss... I obeyed the rules and lived how everyone wanted me to. However, I was not happy at all. I felt like an emotionless robot doing whatever people thought was best. Although I've lived life on the edge the past two years, I was happy. I was in danger every day, but it's so exciting. I no longer need to care about what other people think or take orders from anyone. I live freely and I think that is what life really means. Even if my life is short, I am happy," Sheridan confessed passionately. It was clear that these words had really come from the bottom of his heart.
"You are really hopeless!" Adrienne didn't want to take another look or waste her breath on him anymore, so she turned around and left.
However, Sheridan's voice once again sounded behind her like a magical curse. "Adrienne, you are my child. My blood flows within you, and what you inherited from me is engraved in your bones. You will eventually become what I am now. One day in the future, you will definitely understand why I did this, and you will understand what kind of life I'm living."
"No, I'm different from you." Adrienne said as she covered her ears.
Even if she was his daughter, and even if his blood flowed within her, she was still different from him. They were different... She would never become a cruel person like him.
"Adrienne, I'm sure that day will come very soon. I'll be waiting for it..." Sheridan spoke with an evil smile on his face.
"No! I will never become you!" Adrienne ran out like she was running for her life. She wanted to leave this place, away from this horrifying person.
She was her, and she was her own person. She would never become like Sheridan.
"Little Specky..." As soon as she stepped out, she bumped into a strong figure. Jefferson held her in his embrace and called her name over and over again, "It's okay, it's okay. It's all over now."
His warm breath surrounded her and warmed up her cold body and her trembling heart. She buried her head in his arms and whispered, "I know it's all over now. I know that it's just a nightmare, and it's time fo me to wake up."
"Little Specky!" Jefferson rested his chin on her head as he patted her on the back and comforted her gently, "Don't be afraid. I'll be with you no matter what happens."
"Mm." Adrienne nodded and held his waist tightly. She needed to feel his warmth to know that he was truly beside her.
Jefferson picked her up by her waist and urged, "We're done here. Let's go home now."
"Okay." Adrienne let him hold her and murmured in reply.
When they reached the parking lot, Jefferson received a notification on his mobile phone. He took out his phone and read the text message before keeping it back in his pocket again. "Sierra had returned to the capital."
Adrienne apologized in a low voice, "I'm sorry, Jeff. You haven't been able to spend any proper time with Sierra because of me."
"What are you talking about? There's plenty of time to spend with her in the future." Jefferson opened the car door and set her down in the front passenger seat. Then, he buckled her in and bit her on the cheek lightly before getting in the driver's seat. "Little Specky, don't think about anything else, okay? Let's get some rest when we get home, then well leave for our honeymoon the day after tomorrow."