I’ll Teach You, Marianne.

Chapter 268 – Sensitive Topic

Anne, who felt that there was nothing wrong with her words, didn't feel afraid to see Jack get angry. She even tried to challenge Jack with all her might.

"Sir," Erick, who didn't know that there was a war going on between Jack and Anne, just walked into the room. "There's a call from the cleaning service," he said again.

Jack's anger faded away when he heard Erick mention the cleaning service. The cleaning service that Erick meant was just a code for something else. It was a code for Jack's men who were doing their task to watch Anne's apartment under the guise of the head of the cleaning service in the apartment complex.

Jack left Anne soon after he heard what Erick said. He approached Erick and engaged in a serious conversation in a barely audible voice. Anne herself finally decided to check her cellphone which she had not touched since yesterday after meeting Jack. She ran out of power and only charged it a bit at the cosmetic counter where she was waiting for Jack to come when two men were stalking her at the supermarket yesterday. Those stalkers turned out to be Steffi's men.

As soon as her cell phone was active, Anne was immediately busy replying to incoming messages. She got texts both from Linda and Edward about work. Like most women who will immediately drown in their own world when they find their pleasure, so did Anne. She laughed out loud when replying to Linda's messages. Linda was currently in her hometown with Paul. They were both coming back to London in a few days.

"I envy you, Linda. You must be very happy right now. You have a warm and lovely family," Anne mumbled while commenting on the photos Linda sent to her through chats. Warmth and happiness radiated from those pictures. It wasn't wealth and luxury items that made Anne jealous of Linda, it was having a lovely family that made Anne feel like this.

When she was looking at Linda's photos on her cellphone, Anne's tears unconsciously rolled down her cheeks, she was easily swayed by her own emotions. Anne didn't even shed tears when she found out that Steffi wanted to destroy her.

"Everything has been arranged very well, Sir. You don't have to worry. I will take care of Miss Anne's new apartment," Erick ended his report while discussing Anne's new apartment.

Jack, who was satisfied with the work of all his men, seemed very happy to hear Erick's last words. "I trust you, Erick. You can always take care of everything well."

"Thank you, Sir. I'll excuse myself. I have to take care of everything," Erick said goodbye politely. Erick still chose to work even though it was on the weekend. For him, the faster he finished the work, the sooner he could relax.

"Sure, go ahead. You know how I want it to be done, Erick."

Erick nodded his head politely in response to Jack's words. He then walked away from Jack to the basement where his car was parked. The sound of the sports car he drove was quite noisy when he came out of the house onto the road. Jack went back into Anne's new room to continue his unfinished debate with Anne. Jack felt that his debate with Anne had not yet come to light, that was why he intended to settle things right now. But when he just walked in, Jack was already surprised by what he saw. Anne seemed to be wiping her tears while playing with her cell phone. Jack's heart melted, he felt so guilty right now. His heart ached when he saw Anne cry like that.

Jack approached Anne with firm steps, he then hugged Anne's body in his warm embrace. "Sorry, I'm sorry if my words were rude. I'm sorry if I hurt you," he said slowly, full of regret.

"Let me go, Jack," said Anne in a hoarse voice.

"You do know how things work, Anne," Jack answered Anne briefly, reminding her of what he had said a few seconds ago.

Anne relented. "I don't need to forgive you, because you didn't do anything wrong. Let me go now, I can't breathe if you hug me like this."

Jack removed his hand from Anne's body, he looked at Anne's puffy eyes. Slowly, he moved his hand to Anne's face. "Then, why are you crying?" He asked curtly.

"Because of this," Anne kept her voice low, she answered his question shortly.

Seeing Anne handing her phone, Jack was confused. He didn't understand what she meant. However, because Anne insisted that he looked at the phone, Jack couldn't help but grab the cell phone. His eyes narrowed when he saw the gallery full of photos Linda had sent to Anne. In the first few seconds, Jack didn't understand why Anne showed him these pictures, but then he finally understood when he recognized most pictures in the gallery were pictures of Linda and her family.

Without a word, Jack took Anne's body into his arms again. "We can make a family like them if you want to. Our own little family."

Anne's body was frozen after hearing Jack's words, somehow Jack could understand what she was thinking. However, at this time it was impossible for Anne to agree with what Jack said. Anne racked her brain trying to find a way out to end the conversation that she did not want to discuss further.

"That's not what I meant, I just miss Linda. It's been almost ten days since she went home. I miss her annoying voice," Anne spoke casually, letting out whatever was on her mind at the moment. She was trying hard to change the subject.

"So, you just miss that chatty woman?" Asked Jack in disbelief, he looked disappointed as he spoke. Because he was sure that Anne was crying because she missed her family.

Anne nodded her head in Jack's tight embrace. She had to convince Jack to believe what she said.

"I miss Linda, she is my only good friend. She has no ill will towards me, unlike other friends I've had before," answered Anne honestly.

"If you miss her, we can visit her. We can go to her hometown to pick her up," said Jack quickly, giving Anne a good idea to get away from everything and go somewhere else.

Anne shook her head slowly, she rejected the idea that Jack proposed to her.

"I don't want to ruin her happiness, she must be enjoying her time with her entire family right now. Only insensitive people would have the heart to ruin such a warm atmosphere, after all, the college holidays are still quite long. So just let her stay in her hometown with Paul, I don't want to ruin their happiness, Jack," said Anne quietly, Anne seemed to try to control her breathing when she talked so as to not burst into tears. Anne didn't want Jack to know the real reason she cried earlier.

Jack could only be silent, he was trying to digest Anne's words. He was now more convinced that Anne was not crying because she missed Linda. But because Jack didn't want to make her cry again, he finally let it go and just believed what Anne said. Family was a sensitive topic for Anne and he understood it very well. That was why silence was the best choice at this time.

"I have some ice cream in the fridge, do you want it?" Asked Jack suddenly. He was trying to get Anne's mood back by taking her out to eat.

Anne's body slowly relaxed, she then pushed Jack's body away so that she could get out from his embrace. Her wet eyes immediately lit up at Jack's offer.

"Yeah, I want some ice cream now," Anne answered excitedly.

To be continued