Chapter 7

They were still stunned, thinking that they had been stuck in some sort of dream world.

It was beyond what they could dare to imagine. The best candidate, Clinton, wasn't able to pay the Jailer. Not even Miss Linda.

But it turned out to be him? Jim?

Mr. Jail kept on refreshing the machine, not wanting to believe his eyes.

He had never had anyone taking away a potential client in the past and it was not going to start happening now.

Not especially from this sort of worthless person.

"If you aim to break the machine, you can by all means continue. Cause I have already been debited!" These words from Jim together with the screen of his debit receipt finally made him stop his acts.

He sneered at them, his hands clenched with the raging effect that caused his blood to boil as he stared at the young girl who was still on the floor.

He felt hopeless with nothing he could do about this situation.

"How's this even possible? I think that this is some sort of scam! It should be investigated properly!" Said Clinton, who was still quivering at the sight.

His fan's glares were evident and he was so afraid that he could barely turn around to face their stone rage.

"He already told you, didn't you? If you can't afford it, that doesn't mean others can!" These words from his crush, Miss. Linda chopped his self-esteem.

Ignoring almost everyone, he stared at the young child who still had her ragged face itching with disbelief.

She was finally free by the most unexpected person she could have thought of.

"Let's go now!" Jim smiled at the girl and she smiled back, revealing her cute dimples.

Leaving them to continue frozen in their awe, Jim walked off, with his hands interlocked into that of the little girl, smiling.

Jim felt so fulfilled, that he barely noticed the earth vibrating under him.

"Thanks, Kind sir!" Lily mustered her first set of words since she was taken away from her parents.

"You don't have to thank me! I will get you back to your parents and help them as much as I can.

Jail or anyone else should never treat you like that. Promise me that you are always going to stand up for yourself!" Jim imploded.

Lily hesitated before eventually she nodded her head and said. "I will try!"

"Wait!" The both of them paused, their eyes interlocked with that of Mr. Linda as she ran forward.

Jim was now so preoccupied with the task that he had at hand that he had almost forgotten about the person who had helped him earlier on.

Seeing her now, he bowed respectfully.

"I'm sorry we ran off! Thanks for helping us back there!" Appreciated Jim

"Thank you, Miss!" Lilly knelt.

"You're so cute! I should apologize to you instead. That I wasn't able to help back there!"

"You did as much as you could, Miss... Linda!" Smiled Jim and Linda smiled back at him.

"Since we are all heading in the same direction! Why don't we have Launch together? The bill's on me! Since I wasn't able to help back there!" Miss. Linda proposed.

Heading to the table that they had booked from the entrance, the meal was fun with Lilly gradually opening up to them.

Until a call from Miss. Linda came. Jim could see the hesitation that graced her face as she stared at the phone ringing, her hands shaking while she tried to hide them under the linens of the table.

The beating of her heart grew louder even to his ears and with all the courage that she muttered, she took the phone.

It was on loudspeaker and she was so distressed that she wasn't even worried about the other people that were watching her.

"Don't tell me there's another problem!" She drew out all the air in her lungs in response.

"I'm afraid Miss. Li but I don't have any good news. The KK co-operation turned out to be the highest bidder for the construction site

And you know what that means, with the construction in their hands... they will stop all future development of our project. And with the investment that we have made" The caller explained.

Miss. Linda didn't need anyone to tell her the consequences of this. She had worked hard to stop this, almost spending all her money on this one project. But it seemed like the results were inevitable.

Her heart pounded louder in her ears, her body aching all over at this instant. She had tried her best, to keep the company that her father left behind for her.

First, it was the stakeholder, and now, that family that felt a family should never be among the driving forces of the city. Just because she was a lady.

Her hands were clenched tightly in a futile attempt to curb the rage and the pain that coursed through her body, only to bang her hands on the table.

"I'm sorry about that!" Miss Linda quickly apologized seeing what she had done in the moment of her rage.

"I have to meet with the board! And see what I can do!" She ended quickly, packing up her things to leave.

Ending the call, she first shot a sad look at the duo of Lilly and Jim before she muttered, letting out an awkward smile.

"I'm afraid I have to leave now and make you guys continue without me. I will make it up in the future. If that opportunity ever comes!" She smiled once again, a very sad one.

"Business calls!"

With those words, she was off from the place. Lilly and Jim could easily connote that everything was wrong.

"Uncle Jim! Why aren't you going with Miss. Linda. It looks like she's in trouble!"

"I think that she would be okay!" Jim returned with a smile, trying to smoothen her mood that seemed to have been upset by the happenings around her.

"But my mom always tells me that married couples go everywhere together! Holding hands! From the one that she defended you back there? Aren't you both married?

My mom always tells me that if a girl defends a boy, it's because they are married or about to be!" Lily explained, so innocently.

Jim almost choked on the juice that he was drinking hearing these words.

"You should not say such things, Lily !" Jim was still coughing, his skin had turned pink, while he tried not to stumble over.

"We aren't married! And aren't planning to!"

Lily nodded sadly. She hoped that they were married. However, as her parents termed it adult talk, she could not push further.

"Do you think that she's going to be fine?" Lily's clear and pure eyes inked with pain and a deep sense of sadness.

How could anyone even dream of hurting such a child? Jim ran his hands softly through her hair and said.

Linda was the only one who had helped them when every other person stood to watch their pain and take glory from it.

Save her timely intervention, Maybe he might not have been able to help Lilly.

"Don't worry! She's going to be! I am going to make sure of that." Jim assured.