Chapter 5 You Belong to Me Now

The snowstorm grew stronger, turning the whole world into a vast expanse of white.

There were no pedestrians on the street. Max and Lillian relied on the faint and blurry lights from the households to orient themselves.

Lillian, exhausted, stumbled and fell to the ground. Max, with his not so broad back, lifted Lillian up. In this blizzard, any hesitation could risk both of them succumbing to the cold.

In Max's heart, a decision had already been made.

The snow-covered road was sometimes uneven, but Max stepped cautiously and steadily with each step.

His determined eyes fixed firmly on the path ahead, while Lillian, exhausted, fainted on his back.

Gritting his teeth, Max admonished himself, ‘Hold on! I must safely deliver Lillian.’

In the distance, a warm light shone through a wooden window frame, gradually rising into Max's view. With each step he took, the warm and bright building grew closer.

The sound of a wooden door opening echoed in the howling wind and snow.

A young man approached them, his eyes exuding a serene composure that made Max think he was a few years older than himself.

"She's badly injured. Hand her over to me." The young man reached out his hand towards Max.

Max hesitated, frozen in place.

"You can trust me. My name is Jackson Frane."

When Max heard his last name was Frane, his tense heart completely relaxed, and he gently lowered Lillian from his back. Jackson then lifted the unconscious Lillian onto his back, and the two young men walked towards the distant bright house together.

Entering the house, Jackson laid Lillian flat on the sofa, shook off the snow, wrapped Lillian in a blanket, heated the fireplace, prepared a basin of hot water, and carefully wiped the bloodstains from her face.

Max breathed a sigh of relief, slumping to the ground. He heard footsteps approaching slowly, and a dignified and elegant woman descended the stairs from the second floor.

Jackson immediately bowed respectfully and said, "Grandma, I have brought the person back."

Lyra Frane approached Lillian, gently touching her face with her fingertips. "I once had a chance encounter with this girl at the Sivan family," Lyra said.

Upon hearing Lyra's words, Max knelt down immediately. "Mrs. Frane, please, for the sake of Mrs. Sivan, take care of Lillian!"

Lyra looked at Max's sincere eyes, hesitated for a moment, and then asked slowly, "Jackson, how many children are there in the house now?"

Jackson replied, "Six."

Lyra said, "Now she is the seventh."

Jackson's expression turned serious, maintaining silence but not going against Lyra's decision.

Lyra then said, "There is a prepared guest room upstairs. Jackson, take Lillian to that room. Butler, take care of the young man, feed him well, and then drive him home."

Max hurriedly thanked her, "Thank you, Mrs. Frane!"

After a while, Lillian woke up on the soft mattress, looking at the warm room enveloped in orange light. She subconsciously touched the velvet blanket covering her, unable to believe what she saw.

"Is this heaven? How can heaven look like this?" Lillian muttered to herself.

Jackson spoke slowly, "This is not heaven. You seem to have been hit silly. Do you remember who you are?"

Jackson's features were exceptionally attractive, leaving Lillian momentarily stunned. As he approached and bent down, their faces almost felt each other's breath, prompting Lillian to finally react. "I'm sorry! My name is Lillian."

Jackson, with his commanding voice, ordered, "Forget that damn name of yours. From now on, you belong to me."