That night, Lilia called Louis and asked his permission to take a few days off. She wouldn't be able to return to Magetan anytime soon because she needed to attend Uncle Hans's funeral. Moreover, Jean was still devastated by the death of his butler. Lilia didn't have the heart to leave her husband grieving on his own.
Fortunately, Louis was quite understanding and did not question her further. The director repeatedly confirmed that Lilia would return to filming before finally giving permission.
Meanwhile, the Widjaya Family planned to hold Uncle Hans' funeral the next morning. The ceremony was not only attended by the Widjaya family, but also various distinguished families from all over Indonesia. This was due to Uncle Hans' extensive and deep connection with them.
The man was respected by the extended family for his ability as the butler of the Widjaya Family. Uncle Hans was able to stay in his position for many years and even helped to calm the internal conflicts within the Widjaya Family. No wonder many expressed their desire to attend his funeral.
As a result, James and Irene had to handle various arrangements for the funeral service. Claire, Andrew, Jean, and Lilia also helped the couple organize the funeral ceremony late into the night. Even so, there were still many things that needed to be resolved. Irene finally drove the four people into their respective rooms as guests were coming.
With no other choice, Lilia said goodbye to Claire and Andrew before following Jean to the bedroom on the third floor. Jean used the room when he was still living in this house. Even though it had been years since the man had last used it, the room still looked clean and well-groomed. Lilia guessed that the servants must be cleaning Jean's room regularly.
When Lilia walked out of the bathroom, she found that the bedroom was empty. The decoration in the room was very simple, even more plain than the guest room. There was only necessary furniture, as if the owner of the room did not have any personal items.
Then Lilia's gaze fell on the glass door that led to the balcony. She saw the figure of Jean leaning against the balcony railing while smoking. The man was wearing only a light T-shirt and jeans, though the wind was blowing hard outside.
Lilia walked out onto the balcony, but Jean didn't notice her presence at all. The man kept his back to her while staring into the distance. His figure looked so fragile and lonely, as if he could be lost to the night wind.
Lilia felt her chest clenched as she stared at Jean's figure that was different from usual. She could not see the proud and cold man she had met in Jean at this time. The man had changed by his brief encounter with Uncle Hans. It felt as if Jean had returned to remembering how to be a good person, as the former butler had taught him.
Lilia had been standing there and observing Jean for a long time, but the man didn't notice her presence. Finally, Lilia approached Jean from behind and wrapped her arms around the man's waist. She pressed her cheek against Jean's back while holding him tightly.
"Jean, I know this is a silly question, but are you okay?" Lilia asked softly.
"Lilia..." Jean just realized that his wife was on the balcony with him. He stubbed out his cigarette before turning towards Lilia. "I am fine," he said with a faint smile.
Lilia looked at Jean with an expression of disbelief. Even though the man tried to smile, his eyes showed that he had lost his joy.
Jean realized that he couldn't trick Lilia and pulled her closer. "Why don't you rest? Aren't you tired?" he deliberately changed the topic of their conversation.
After saying that, Jean felt a little guilty. They had been up all night being carried away by the intimate atmosphere, so he immediately took Lilia to the Widjaya Family house with him without getting enough rest. As the main culprit that made Lilia exhausted, Jean actually had no right to ask that question.
But Lilia just smiled and shook her head. She reached out, then pressed her hand against Jean's cheek. The man's skin felt cold due to the night wind that had been blowing hard all this time.
"Jean, I won't tell you not to be sad. Everyone will feel sad if someone they care about leaves them." Lilia said with a serious face. "But I just want you to remember that every meeting will definitely end with separation. And every farewell will bring a new meeting for you."
Lilia didn't want to see Jean drown in sadness. She was sure that even Uncle Hans would not want this dignified and elegant man to lose his enthusiasm.
Jean sighed and moved Lilia's hand from his cheek, then rested his head on the woman's shoulder. His breath tickled her neck, making Lilia's body tremble. The man was silent for a moment before finally speaking.
"14 years ago, after Uncle Hans found me, he didn't stop there. Uncle Hans spent three months eradicating the human trafficking syndicate in Arum Village together with the police. He was 64 years old at that time."
Jean's voice sounded so low, as if he was talking to himself.
"I don't think he can forgive himself for not coming to my rescue sooner. Besides, I'm sure Uncle Hans wants to help other kids who have the same fate as me."
Lilia was taken aback by Jean's words. This was the first time she had heard of what happened after Jean was saved. She continued to listen carefully.
"After I was rescued, I went into depression with mild PTSD symptoms. When I was sent abroad for treatment, Uncle Hans was always by my side. Only he was with me, because Father, Mother, and Brother Johann died at the same time due to a plane crash." Jean continued in a flat voice.
Lilia's breath seemed to get stuck in her throat. Her body trembled violently and she hugged Jean tighter. She recalled asking Chris for photos of Jean in preparation for the man's birthday present. She had wondered why there were absolutely no photos of Jean from the ages of 12 to 22. Could it be that the man was undergoing treatment abroad during those ten years?
Lilia didn't dare ask about it, because she was afraid that her question would only bring up bad memories for Jean. The PTSD symptoms must have emerged as a result of the torture he received while being held in Arum Village.
As Lilia saw the current Jean, she couldn't imagine such a competent and elegant man suffering from PTSD symptoms. But Jean must have gone through a long and struggling medical process during those ten years.
"…don't cry." Jean muttered as he felt Lilia's body shake with his sobs.
"Jean, I love you. I will always love you, no matter what." Lilia whispered between her sobs. She didn't care about Jean's past. Regardless of all the bad things that had happened to him, it wouldn't change the fact that Jean was the only man she loved.
Those words carried a warmth that sank into Jean's heart. The man stroked his wife's back saying, ???… yeah, I love you too, Lilia.. I'll never let you go again."
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!
Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter