Chapter 267: Handling the Little Devil

Facing Jade’s bright, expectant gaze, Marcus let out a quiet sigh before answering. As the words left his mouth, a faint shadow of melancholy passed across his face.

“Jade, how could I not care about your cousin? I never wanted to leave her. But some things… they aren’t within our control. Sometimes you’re forced into choices you never wanted to make.”

His thoughts drifted back to the turmoil that had struck his family a year ago. If it had only involved him, he would never have let Snow go. But for his mother, for Amber, for the sake of everything holding his family together, he had been forced to bow to Snow’s father’s demands. It was a decision that still weighed heavily on him, one he had never truly forgiven himself for.

“Marcus,” Jade called softly, pulling him back from his memories.

When he looked at her, she was pouting, but there was a playful sparkle in her eyes, and a wide smile spread across her face. She looked delighted, almost glowing, even as she began to scold him.

“Marcus, that’s where you got it wrong.”

He blinked, staring down at her. Her expression made no sense. She was clearly criticizing him, yet she looked happier than ever. As he tried to understand what she meant, Jade suddenly burst into giggles, her delight only growing.

“Marcus, Lily risked her life to save you and became your woman. Of course you have to take responsibility and stay with her,” she said matter-of-factly. “But why didn’t you explain everything to Serena? Why choose to leave her instead? That’s the mistake.”

She kept talking, completely unfazed by his confusion. In fact, the more puzzled he looked, the more enthusiastic she became.

“Marcus, if that’s the reason, Serena would never stop you from being with Lily. Then you, Serena, and Lily could all stay together. Wouldn’t that be perfect?”

By the time she finished, Jade was practically glowing with excitement. She hugged him tightly, a faint blush spreading across her delicate face, and lowered her voice to a soft whisper.

“And of course… your ’little devil’ wants to stay with you too.”

Marcus felt his head spin.

He had already been struggling to keep up halfway through her explanation, but now his thoughts were in complete disarray. Jade had believed every word of the story he had made up, every fabricated reason.

But what truly stunned him was the way she thought.

True to her nature, Jade’s logic was simple, direct, and completely unrestrained. She had said aloud what most people would never dare to voice. The idea of Snow and Lily both being with him had crossed his mind before, fleeting and half-formed, but hearing it stated so plainly still caught him off guard.

What he did not realize was that Jade’s thinking was not as naive as it seemed. The real issue was his own lack of understanding of her world, and the kind of family she came from.

The difference lay in their upbringing.

Marcus had grown up in an ordinary household, with ordinary values. He had never truly grasped the traditions that shaped powerful, long-established families like Jade’s. In those circles, especially among old lineages, women were raised with strict expectations of loyalty and devotion once married.

But at the same time, it was not unusual for men of status to have multiple wives or companions. The stronger the family, the more deeply rooted these ideas tended to be. Powerful men were expected to carry both responsibility and legacy, and such arrangements were often seen as natural.

Jade’s father himself had multiple wives and partners. Snow’s family followed similar customs. In that context, Jade’s suggestion was not strange at all. To her, it was simply a reasonable solution.

Even beyond those ancient families, wealth and power often made such arrangements easier to accept. The divide between what was possible for the rich and what was not for the ordinary was vast.

“Marcus, don’t you think it’s a good idea?” Jade asked proudly, completely unaware of the storm in his mind.

She beamed up at him. “Don’t worry, Serena isn’t petty. She’ll understand. And Lily is so beautiful and amazing. Only you are worthy of her anyway.”

Clearly pleased with herself, she suddenly brightened even more. “Marcus, I’ll call my cousin right now and explain everything. Then you can be together again!”

She moved as if to act immediately, which startled Marcus into reacting at once. None of this could be allowed to unravel.

“Jade, wait,” he said quickly, stopping her. “I’ll handle this myself. Don’t tell Snow anything for now.”

He had to resolve this on his own.

Jade hesitated, her eagerness faltering. “You’ll handle it? When?”

“Just give me some time,” he said firmly. “I’ll sort everything out properly. I’ll bring Snow back to me.”

If Snow ever learned the real reason behind their separation, it would only hurt her. He refused to let that happen. He would make her father acknowledge him, admit his mistake, and accept him, all without Snow ever needing to know the truth. That, to him, was what it meant to take responsibility.

Jade studied him for a moment, then nodded, her expression softening into trust.

“Of course I believe you, Marcus. You’re planning to surprise Serena, aren’t you? Then I’ll listen to you.”

Her dark, lively eyes lingered on him, and suddenly, as if something inside her could no longer be held back, her emotions broke through.

“Marcus…”

Her voice trembled as she said his name. The joy, the longing, the sadness she had kept buried for so long surged all at once. She threw herself into his arms, tears spilling freely down her cheeks.

“Jade, what’s wrong?” he asked, his heart tightening at the sight.

“I’m just so happy,” she said through her tears, clinging to him. “Marcus… you’re back.”

She looked up at him, smiling despite the tears, his reflection shining clearly in her eyes.

“Little devil,” he murmured softly, holding her close and brushing his fingers near her ear, catching the faint, delicate scent that lingered around her.

Jade lifted her face, her expression bright again. “When you call me that, you have to flick my nose.”

She scrunched her small, delicate nose in a familiar gesture, one he used to tease her and Amber with.

“Little devil,” he repeated with a quiet laugh.

He reached out, gently flicked her nose, then pinched it lightly.

“Marcus!” she laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck.

At last, he had managed to calm her.

Only then did he notice how much she had grown in the past year. She was taller now, her slender figure nearly reaching his forehead. There was a quiet elegance about her, like a lotus rising from still water.

The memory of their earlier closeness flickered through his mind. Though she was still young, her figure had begun to take on soft, defined curves that made her presence difficult to ignore. The realization stirred something in him, subtle but undeniable.

He quickly steadied himself, forcing his thoughts elsewhere. Especially with Crystal nearby, her cold, watchful presence made the situation all the more awkward.

As if remembering something important, Jade suddenly straightened.

“Marcus, let me introduce you properly. This is my sister, Crystal. I’ve told you about her before. She just got into Crestwood University’s literature program this year. She’s the pride of our family, and my proudest sister.”

She beamed, clearly delighted. “It’s because she got into Crestwood that I was able to come here and find you.”

Then she turned to Crystal, her voice bright and affectionate. “Crystal, this is Marcus.”

Marcus felt a flicker of awkwardness as he met Crystal’s gaze, memories of their previous encounter surfacing uncomfortably. Crystal only glanced at him briefly before lowering her eyes, her expression cool and unreadable.

Fortunately, with Jade’s lively presence bridging the gap, the atmosphere gradually eased.

Crystal lived up to her name. She sat quietly, composed and distant, her demeanor as cool as ice. She spoke little, simply listening as Marcus and Jade talked, her presence calm but reserved.

“Jade!”

“Amber!”

By lunchtime, Lily and Amber returned from school. The moment Amber saw Jade, the two rushed toward each other, laughing and embracing as if they had been separated for years.

Whenever those two got together, chaos was inevitable. Marcus knew that all too well.

After their reunion, Jade walked up to Lily with unexpected seriousness.

“Lily, thank you. Thank you for saving Marcus. Not just from me, but also on behalf of Serena.”

Lily and Amber both froze, caught off guard by the sudden gratitude. They exchanged confused looks before turning to Marcus, clearly searching for an explanation.

“Jade, it’s nothing,” Marcus cut in quickly, giving Lily and Amber a meaningful glance. “You don’t need to be so formal with Lily.”

Lily caught the hint immediately. Even without understanding the full story, she chose not to press further.

“Lunch is ready,” she said smoothly. “I’m starving. Come on, let’s eat.”

And just like that, the moment passed, buried beneath unspoken understanding.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep