Chapter 518 Promise To Help
Derrick crossed his arms and said boldly, “Jennifer, if you don’t tell me everything that happened, it’s hard for me to be of help. Tiff cares about Amelia a lot. At times, she’d even prioritize her over me. Hence, I’m sorry. If you don’t tell me what happened, I’d have to reject you. I don’t want my relationship with Tiff to get affected.”
Jennifer could only stare at him with a conflicted expression. However, her glasses were blocking her face. That was why Derrick could speak to her frankly, as he could hardly see her expression the whole time.
Derrick shrugged and added, “Jennifer, you’re like a sister to me. If it were something else, I would’ve accepted your request in an instant. However, it concerns Tiff. I’m sorry I can’t help you. In my heart, no one is more important than her.”
Upon hearing that, Jennifer smiled, albeit a bitter one. “Derrick, can’t you just lie to me once? Indeed, regardless of gender, once someone has gotten into a relationship, they’ll ditch their friends for their significant others.” Jennifer then mocked herself on purpose when she said, “It seems like I’m nothing compared to the woman you hold dearly to your heart. However, I still hope you can help me this time around. I have nowhere to turn to anymore. Please, help me.”
“You’d have to tell me why Mrs. Larson hurt Amelia first. I have to know exactly what happened so that I know what to say to Amelia, right? Otherwise, I might make things worse.”
“Are you willing to help me?”
“Well, tell me what happened first.” Derrick didn’t straight out reject her request for help.
Finally, Jennifer told him roughly what had happened.
Derrick listened and processed it before asking, “Are you saying that Mrs. Larson went there on purpose to find trouble with Amelia? After that, she accidentally injured her?”
Embarrassment flashed across Jennifer’s face, and she kept mum. Her silence suggested that she was admitting to it.
Derrick changed his posture and said, “Jennifer, I can’t help you. The moment I say something about it, Tiff will hate me for it.”
Jennifer widened her eyes and stared at Derrick intently through her glasses.
“Derrick, are you really not going to help me?” Jennifer was unwilling to give up.
“I’m sorry. It’s not that I don’t want to help you, but I can’t. If it were something else, I’d have helped you in a heartbeat. But since it concerns Amelia, there’s nothing I can do to help.” Derrick rejected straightforwardly.
Jennifer then sank deep into her thoughts.
Suddenly, she stood up before dropping to her knees. Derrick was stumped when she did that.
In fact, he was utterly startled.
He then stood up and bent down before trying to help Jennifer up. “Get up, Jennifer.”
Jennifer kneeled on the floor stubbornly. Humbly, she said, “Derrick, I really can’t find anyone else to help my mom. When I looked for those who are close to us, all of them excused themselves when they heard we were dealing with the Clintons. There’s no way my family is capable of going up against the Clintons on our own. I beg of you. I really don’t want my mom to be jailed. Since she’s already of age, how could she possibly get used to the harsh environment in jail?”
Derrick’s heart was growing soft when he looked down at her from high above.
“Just get up first, will you? I’ll try,” Derrick uttered.
Jennifer took off her glasses and raised her gaze toward him. “You’re really going to help me?”
“Well, how could I say no if you’re acting like this?” Derrick reached out his hand to help her up and said, “Get up.”
Jennifer eventually got up from the floor, and she was very grateful to Derrick.
Because of what happened to Laura, Jennifer had experienced the true nature of people for the first time in her life. Prior to that, she was highly regarded wherever she went. Besides, all her family’s friends had always told her how much they liked her. That was why she thought if she were to ask for help from them, they’d surely help her. However, from that incident, she found out that wasn’t the case, and she’d been too full of herself.
Jennifer stood up and thanked him sincerely. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me just yet. I can’t promise it’d work,” Derrick said.
“That doesn’t matter. I’m grateful enough knowing that you’re willing to help.” Jennifer smiled bitterly and continued, “Before this, I thought I was someone everyone adores, and everyone would cater to my needs. But ever since my mom had been detained, none of my family’s friends were willing to help. Instead, they’d find excuses to reject me. That was the heaviest blow. I’ve just realized I’m not above everyone else. Instead, I’m only a girl who grew up with a silver spoon in my mouth. I’m nothing compared to the Clintons.”
Derrick looked into her eyes, and he could tell she was quite remorseful.
“I bet you’ve gone through a lot in the past few days, right?” Derrick asked light-heartedly.
Jennifer forced a smile and answered, “Yes, indeed. This incident had been a wake-up call for me. Finally, I realized the world doesn’t revolve around me. When something bad happens to my family, no one is obliged to clean up the mess for me.”
“Jennifer, this isn’t your style.”
Jennifer picked up a cup of tea from the table and took a sip. After calming herself down, she said softly, “Style? How does that matter? Even the man I’ve been after for two years had refused to help me. I thought even if he didn’t like me, he’d at least help me out of the friendship we’ve had. I’ve utterly overestimated my charm and underestimated his cold-heartedness. Frankly, I feel like the confidence and pride I’ve had for twenty-odd years had just been trampled and stepped on.”
“Well, you can’t expect people to help you because no one is obligated to do so. It has nothing to do with your charm. Cheer up, will you? From what I know, you’re a capable, sensible, and prideful girl. Don’t think too much about it,” Derrick comforted her. “I guess Carter didn’t help because he was wary of Amelia.”
Jennifer smiled bitterly and didn’t want to add on to that.
Instead, she said, “Derrick, I’ll count on you regarding my mom, okay? I shall make a move now before taking up too much of your time.” Jennifer stood up and grabbed her purse. “I’ll go now. Regardless of the outcome, I’m still very grateful.”
After Jennifer left, Derrick sat on the couch and pondered. Finally, he whipped out his phone and rang Tiffany.
It took a long time for the call to be picked up.
“Hello? Who’s this? Whatever it is, it better be important. Otherwise, I’m going to show up in your face and beat you up.” Tiffany was rather grumpy as she was woken up from her sleep.
Derrick couldn’t help but find her response adorable. “Tiff, it’s me.”
Hearing that, Tiffany was instantly wide awake. From the phone, Derrick heard the sounds of her getting out of bed abruptly before tripping on her blanket and falling to the floor.
Derrick couldn’t help but guffaw.
“What are you laughing at? Stop laughing.” Tiffany was so embarrassed that she got furious.
Upon hearing that, Derrick was even more amused.
Tiffany burst out laughing as well as she recalled her comical fall.
After laughing for a while, Derrick returned to the main topic and said, “Tiff, get up for breakfast. After breakfast, come over to the office, okay? We shall have lunch together afterward. I heard there’s a new restaurant serving tasty dishes. Perhaps you’ll like it.”
“Sure! Wait for me.”
After hanging up, a smile appeared on Derrick’s face.
Although Tiffany tried her best to get to the office as early as possible, she only got there at around eleven. However, she was right in time for lunch.
She got on an elevator and headed toward the top floor. When she got out of the elevator, she noticed how polite and full of courtesy Derrick’s secretary was toward her.
“Tiffany, you’re here! Mr. Hisson is waiting for you inside.” The secretary opened the door for her.
Tiffany knew exactly the reason behind the secretary’s change of attitude. Not only am I Derrick’s real girlfriend, but I’m also the best-selling author. I’m practically the company’s cash cow. No wonder these secretaries are so nice to me.
When Tiffany walked in, Derrick was on the phone with someone. He was speaking a foreign language, and there was a serious look on his face. He was undoubtedly on a business call.
When Derrick saw her coming in, he pointed at his phone before pointing toward the couch. He was telling Tiffany he was on the phone and would like her to sit while she waited.
Upon seeing that, Tiffany sat down on the couch and scrolled through her phone boringly.
After Derrick was done with the call, he walked toward her and touched her head. With a smile, he said, “Let’s go get some food. I’ve already reserved us a table.”
Tiffany kept her phone and stood up before flashing him a half-smile and asking, “Derrick, why are you suddenly so romantic? Are you trying to make it up to me for what you did wrong a couple of days ago?”
“Did I do something wrong?”
Well, I guess he didn’t, and I misunderstood him, she thought to herself.
“Let’s go. I’ll get you something delicious!”
Tiffany held his arm like a woman who was deeply in love. In fact, she was blissfully smiling the whole time.
Derrick drove Tiffany to the restaurant he told her about. After getting a parking spot, they both made their way into the restaurant. Tiffany threw a cursory glance around the restaurant, and she liked how the place was decorated.
“Not too shabby! The place is nicely decorated, and it feels comfortable. I wonder how the food will taste, though. But it’s fine. I believe in your taste,” Tiffany said.
In response, Derrick merely gave her a smile.
