The Devil's Good Girl-Chapter 288: In my next life, don’t love me.

In the past lifetimes, Jackson only came close to Fil once. The rest, he simply tried to help her from the sidelines. After all, meeting her in all those twenty-one lifetimes were all different stages in her life.

Some, he would meet her when she was just a young toddler. Other times, she was already at the last straw of her life. If he met her as a young adult, she was either too crazy to even make any relationship or already happily married to someone else.

Only in this lifetime was he given a chance to be with her, to tell her his vows, to love her, and to be loved back by her. It was not a stretch to say they finally aligned. In this lifetime, they could continue the story that had ended in tragedy.

But alas, with Jackson losing his senses, he couldn’t help but wonder.

Was this because he had been so close to her that she was unknowingly sucking his energy away? Fil was the reason Jackson lived as a non-human. She was his lover, but also his master. The one who gave him life, strength, and power. The very person who could claim his life whenever or wherever she wanted.

And with him so close to her, Fil, who had no memories of the past, was sucking his energy? Or was it Jackson’s energy transferring to her because they originally came from her?

Either way, Jackson was certain it was between the two.

"From what I think? It’s not a spell or even if it was, it’s not a work of Quentin. It’s her."

Hearing this, Dustin opened and closed his mouth, but his voice was stuck in his throat. He didn’t think of this option because he was too focused on Quentin. But now that Jackson mentioned it, he couldn’t refute it.

"Ugh..."

After a long silence, a soft grunt slashed through the thick air.

Jackson and Dustin quickly shifted their attention to the bed. The former moved forward, scanning her with worry in his eyes.

"You said you had something to talk to her about," said Dustin, while Jackson didn’t cast him a look. "I’ll wait outside."

After saying his piece, Dustin quietly walked away with a heavy heart. When he closed the door behind him, he cast his eyes down as he secretly clenched his teeth.

’Why... does this life doesn’t seem as bright as we all thought in the beginning?’

****

Back in the ward, Jackson watched Fil moan as she moved her head weakly. Her eyes weakly cracked open, blinking a few times until the face hovering over her grew clearer.

His eyes carried equal worry and uncertainty. It was almost as though he was holding his breath, waiting for her to say her first word. What she would say first or how her eyes would shine would tell him clarity.

"Jack?" Fil called with a coarse voice before a subtle smile appeared on her face.

Hearing this, Jackson felt like an entire pipeline was pulled out of his throat. He sighed heavily and smiled back, nodding at her.

"Don’t get up yet," he said, placing his hand on her shoulder to keep her on the bed. "The doctor said you should rest first."

Fil winced a little as she touched her temple. As she did so, she caught the tubes injected into the back of her hand.

Deep lines appeared between her brows as she looked back at him and asked, "Jack, what’s going on? Why am I in the hospital?"

"You don’t remember?"

"Well... you dropped me off at the hospital so I could meet chairman. Then on my way back, Vincent came to harass me..." Fil trailed off as her breath suddenly hitched while her eyes slowly dilated.

Seeing her reaction, Jackson could immediately tell she remembered.

"How did you..." she trailed off as she looked back at him, confused. "... find me?"

"You used the device Michael gave you," he summarized in simple terms. "If not for him, I wouldn’t even know something happened. Or even if I do, it’ll be a lot later."

Regret flickered across his eyes as his eyelids drooped. "I’m sorry..." for failing to protect her.

"Jack." Fil reached out for his hand and clasped it. She waited for him to lift his eyes to her, smiling at him reassuringly. "It’s not your fault."

"How is it not my fault? I was in the same place, but I — I didn’t even know something bad was happening."

"You wouldn’t have known, right?" she returned and squeezed his hand. "Don’t blame yourself, Jack. If there was anyone who should be blamed, that is the person behind this. Did you find him?"

"Michael is with the police right now. They already captured the men who pretended to be nurses and abducted you," he said, but deep in his heart, he already knew the culprit.

It was Quentin.

Who else would hire those people if not him? Even so, Jackson asked his own people to investigate further in case Quentin manipulated someone as his accomplice.

"I see." Fil sighed. "If so, I’m certain the mastermind of all of this would be caught soon."

Jackson pressed his lips into a thin line and forcibly nodded. "You should rest more, Fil."

"Mhm." Fil breathed out heavily and closed her eyes. Her body was still too weak right now, and thus, she easily fell asleep.

As for Jackson, he remained by her side for the next hour. Currently, the hospital was surrounded by more of his people in case Quentin would come in. Since Jackson couldn’t trust himself anymore, it would be much better if there were more eyes, ears, and noses around.

When Fil was deep asleep again, he held her hand tightly. His eyes never left hers, feeling all sorts of emotions at the moment. Cradling her hand with both his hands, he rested his forehead on them.

[In my next life, don’t love me.]

Jackson flinched when suddenly he heard her voice ring in his head, saying the words she had told him back in the day.