Chapter 800
The voice that stopped her was Keira\'s. Peter also spun around, his gaze shifting to Keira.
Keira looked at them both and said slowly, "I just thought you two could use a proper goodbye."
The words lingered in the air. Peter and Jenkins exchanged a glance but quickly looked away, each refusing to hold the other\'s gaze.
Keira noticed and gave a faint smile as she stepped between them. "Jenkins, you really do care about my brother, don\'t you?"
Jenkins was caught off guard, pausing for a beat.
Peter froze as well.
"If you didn\'t care," Keira continued, "then when you made him choose, you would\'ve simply said yes to his question. If you truly wanted him to choose you over me, you would\'ve told him you cared. But you avoided it, didn\'t you?" n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om
She turned directly to Jenkins. "Why?"
Jenkins\'s face tightened. "I just didn\'t want to lie."
"No," Keira replied. "You just didn\'t want to put Peter in a difficult position."
She glanced at Peter. "Peter, she does care about you."
Peter stared at the ground, silent.
Jenkins\'s jaw clenched. "What\'s the point of saying all this now? You\'re just making things harder for him."
Keira took a step forward. "Lion, have you really thought this through? Do you honestly believe you\'ll come out on top?"
Jenkins faltered, her lips pressing together.
"Let\'s be real," Keira said softly. "You were sent to different countries nearly twenty years ago, right? Back then, assignments were based on status and strength. Even twenty years ago, your so-called \'Country A\' was small potatoes. Doesn\'t that say something about your position?"
Jenkins\'s fists clenched. "And?"
Keira sighed, her gaze dropping. "No one expected Crera to rise like it did. But now that it\'s thriving, suddenly everyone\'s desperate to get a piece. How many of you have actually managed to break in?"
Erin chimed in from nearby, grinning. "None! Crera\'s economy is in the palm of Rabbit\'s hand now, and everyone in Clance\'s inner circle answers only to her. The alliance here is tighter than you could dream of."
Jenkins\'s expression turned stormy. "So what?"
Keira extended her hand without hesitation. "So, let\'s work together. Whatever you and my brother share, that\'s up to you two. But don\'t you both want to avoid ending up on opposite sides of a battlefield someday?"
Jenkins went quiet.
Peter\'s brow furrowed.
Erin folded her arms, her expression smug. "Rabbit\'s giving you a chance, and you better take it. Look, I know that boss over in Country M is ruthless, but Rabbit? She\'s soft-hearted. And working with her is working with me!" Erin grinned with absolute confidence. "Once I take over the South family, you\'ll be my MVPs! Don\'t worry, I\'m not the type to ditch my allies. Lion, think it over! I mean, back when we were kids in the South family nursery, we went to preschool together, right? And you always charged forward without thinking—"
Jenkins\'s face darkened. "Shut up."
"Oh." Erin gave a quiet nod and bit into an apple, spraying juice everywhere, including on Jenkins and Peter.
Jenkins grimaced. Peter blinked.
Keira moved closer to Jenkins, a small smile playing on her lips. "There\'s one more thing."
Jenkins raised an eyebrow. "And that is?"
Keira\'s gaze softened. "I have a feeling you\'re not as welcome in Country A as you think."
Jenkins\'s eyes flickered, betraying a hint of surprise.
Keira smiled. "When we went to Country A recently to bring back the doctor, someone tried to stop us. Back then, we thought it was you… but I checked. You were here, at the Olsen estate, doing absolutely nothing that night. It made me wonder. You\'ve been in Crera for five years now, slipping by in the background, using every trick to survive, even going so far as to pose as household staff. Doesn\'t that tell me something?"
Keira\'s eyes hardened. "You got booted out of Country A. All that you\'d built there was taken from you, wasn\'t it?"
Jenkins stiffened, her gaze locked on Keira.
Keira smirked. "I hit the mark, didn\'t I?"
Jenkins\'s jaw clenched, but she remained silent.
Keira took another step forward, offering her hand once more. "So, partner with me. I\'ll help you reclaim everything you lost in Country A. Deal?"
Jenkins took a deep breath, her eyes narrowing as she stared Keira down. After a long moment, she reached out and shook Keira\'s hand. "Deal."
Keira let out a sigh of relief. It would have been wrong of her to let Jenkins and Peter part like this, she thought. She\'d already caused her family enough trouble; she didn\'t need to split up a pair who clearly had something real.
After they released hands, Keira looked at Peter and said, "Talk to each other, alright? Erin, let\'s go."
"Right." Erin\'s reply was uncharacteristically obedient, making Jenkins glance over with a suspicious look.
Erin stuck out her tongue playfully before making a goofy face and following Keira out the door.