CHAPTER 81: HELPING A FRIEND
"Thank you for the ride." Jade bid Zion goodbye before she sadly trekked the path to the house. She looked downcast.
She was abnormally silent for the whole ride and Zion knew the reason why--- She didn't get the answer she was hoping for.
FLASHBACK:
"Jade, sweetheart, I wish I could give you the answer you were looking for but even I doesn't know your story." Mother Tess voiced. "You were referred by the hospital to us when your mother passed away due to her illness. Other than that, I do not know anything else."
"I don't even know the names of my parents." She sighed in grief. "Did anyone came searching for me for the past years? Maybe one of my mother or my father's kin?"
Mother Tess became anxious all of a sudden. The truth is, someone came looking for her during her first years in the orphanage. The guy introduced himself as her father's friend however, Suzette warned her never to tell anyone about her existence. They even changed her name just to protect her identity and among all the children in the orphanage, she was the only one whom they didn't put for adoption.
'She's safer here.' Mother Tess remembered what Suzette, the chairwoman, told her. 'I want to monitor her growth so don't put her name for adoption.'
"No one. No one from your parent's kin came to see you." She looked at the young lady regrettably. She might not voice it out but she kept apologizing to the young lady in her mind. She knew a bit of her childhood life but she is not allowed to disclose it because of the chairwoman's grave warning.
'Never ever disclose her identity nor her past life to her. Not even to anyone. Cause if you do, her life will be in danger.'
The old woman maintained her stand about not knowing anything about the young woman's past. However, when they were about to leave the orphanage, Zion accidentally saw the old woman talking to someone on the phone. She looked anxious for whatever reason so he tried to get closer to hear just a bit.
She heard the name Jade but unluckily, one of the staff appeared out of nowhere.
"Can I help you, sir?" The staff asked the surprised man.
He faked a smile. "No, thank you." Once again, he glanced at the old woman from a distance before turning his heels away from the place.
He was sure he heard something…
**End of Flashback**
He watched the woman until she entered the door before he drove his car away. He was a bit worried since they didn't have dinner together. She might go to bed straight without eating because she was obviously disheartened for some reasons.
If only he can help her…
It was already nine in the evening when Jade came home. She didn't bother turning on the lights at the living room since she went straight to her bedroom.
She twisted the knob and entered the room. And without switching on the lights, she went straight to her bed and laid her tired body.
She heaved a heavy sigh. "How can I possibly remember my past then." She muttered softly.
"What is it that you want to remember?" She immediately rose in shock when she heard a familiar husky voice.
Marcus! She looked around and saw the man's silhouette sitting on his study table.
"M-marcus, you're back!" Happiness filled the young woman's eyes.
The man emotionlessly rose up and switched on the light.
"I didn't know you would be home. You don't know how worried I am f---"
"Worried? You don't seem worried at all." He spoke in sarcasm. "It seemed to me that you are enjoying my absence by hanging out with your guy."
Jade was speechless for a few second. What is this that she is seeing? She can smell a jealous husband! She wanted to smile but she held it in.
"I shouldn't have come home." He scoffed and walked towards his bed and immediately laid down. He even took his blanket and covered his head.
He might have not notice but he seems like a little kid sulking for who knows why! Ha-ha.
Jade smiled sweetly before walking near his bed.
"I slept at grandmother's house last night. I brought the dog to her so she could watch over him for the meantime. As for Zion, I heard that he's visiting the orphanage for an important reason so I asked him if he can fetch me. I had a meeting with mother Tess a while ago." She explained. "You didn't come home for a few days just because of the dog so I decided to ask grandma a favor. I'm sorry."
Still, she didn't hear the man replied.
"I should have asked your permission before bringing the dog here. I'm truly sorry. I promise I will never bring a dog inside the house moving forward. Will you forgive this foolish friend of yours? Hmm?" She spoke sweetly with sincerity.
He didn't say a word.
"Hey! Marcus!" She was shaking the man's muscular body when she suddenly halted after hearing an embarrassing sound.
Krrrrttttt….. Her stomach was growling!
She gulped in embarrassment while Marcus faced her. He held a mocking gaze that says 'Seriously?'
Jade fakes a smile as she clenched her stomach in shame. "I'm sorry." She grinned playfully. "Dinner?"
"Did Zion starved you?" He mocked the man.
"No… No… It's just that… We… I… didn't have an appetite a while ago." She replied after a thorough consideration.
She doesn't know but Marcus seemed to dislike Zion for whatever reason it may be.
****************
He opened his laptop as soon as he arrived at his condominium. Then he immediately typed a code in his computer and voila! He was able to hack the orphanage's computer already.
"Bingo!" Zion was smiling from ear to ear as he starts browsing and sorting their documents according to his preference. He should be able to see all the children's information in one click.
However, the thought that he should start looking at the files 10 years ago gave him a headache! Dang! He cursed aloud.
He was browsing the orphanage records when he suddenly remembered Jade and her conversation with the old woman. She was asking about her childhood life but the old woman couldn't even give her any information.
The old woman definitely knew something but she was hiding the truth from her. Could it be that Jade's family doesn't like her? If he heard it right, mother Tess said that her mother passed away due to sickness and as soon as she died, she was sent to the orphanage at once.
Doesn't she have any family member who would take her in? Or could it be that Jade was actually a daughter of a rich family and that they want to get rid of her?
Hmm… possible. Zion was pondering about his thoughts but he immediately shook his head.
"Dang it Zion! Stop watching dramas now!" He scolded his self. But somehow, his curiosity spiked up, therefore he tried searching for Jade's information sheet.
"It won't hurt to help a friend." He muttered to himself as soon as he clicked on Jade's records. However, the thing that he saw on her record made him widened his eyes in surprise.
"What is this?!" He yelped shocked.