Burning Passion

CHAPTER 323: MISTAKEN AGAIN

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The Queen's Medical Center

Mely is peeling an apple while Dona ate an orange. Mely is actually well and for a week already.

However, she and Jerome agreed to keep pretending she needs to stay in the hospital for another couple of weeks. 

Jerome talked to the doctor to keep it a secret from the others, especially from Steven. He is determined to bring Steven to China and make sure he won't escape getting near Nina again until he won't stop losing his head. 

"I have to keep an eye on Steven. I'm already planning to get people to watch him closely if I wasn't around and busy in the office." Jerome told his wife, Mely. He added, "Grandfather lent his men until Steven accepted that Nina is already breaking up with him."

"Jerome, did we do the right thing for our sons?" Mely knew that they were making unfair decisions for Steven when the engagement was now given to Harry. But Nina doesn't love him, but Harry. 

"It is the only way, Mely. You need to understand and support my plans. Steven doesn't want to accept that Nina doesn't love him. And that son of ours couldn't see that he is hurting Nina. He thought he was doing the right thing." 

"I'm just worried that Steven would hate Harry. They are not just brothers, Jerome. I carried both in my womb for a long nine months!" 

Jerome sees the pain in Mely's wife. So he tried to comfort his wife. "I know, and I understand what you are feeling right now. But when should we do the right thing by ourselves as Steven's parents? We should separate them as early as now to avoid making the conflict huge. It's already in an unpleasant situation for us all. Moreover, I'm ashamed that this happens to the princess of the Li family. We can't afford to lose face and cut our friendship because we can't discipline our son." 

"I got your point, Jerome. Nina is a wonderful girl. If she is my daughter, I would also do everything to make the man who hurt her disappear and won't get near her ever again. But please, we have to handle Steven's behavior. I see that he is being aggressive now." 

"Don't worry. I'm thinking of giving him some work in the company. Maybe this way, he will forget Nina. Also, we can set blind dates with our business partners. Maybe if he meets another woman, his mind changes and pursues another girl." 

"Jerome, you need to think over these blind dates. Might Steven even gets mad at us." Mely was somewhat certain that Steven would not forget Nina just like that. They need to watch him closely.

"Don't worry. I will think of other things to make him busy. I will contact Dean Collins if they can consider Steven to complete his paperwork and do his thesis, even if he stayed here in China. Maybe they could consider him to pass and be listed among the graduate soon." 

"We should encourage him to continue his master's degree in China instead. Steven already made a plan for him and Nina. He wants to continue his other course in England to be with Nina after her Exchange Student Program. Jerome, Steven already set a goal when he and Nina got married. He has so many dreams he wanted to achieve to be recognized by Grandpa Shang and as a son-in-law of the Li Household. Steven is ready to do everything for Nina... So I am worried, Jerome." 

Jerome hurls a long sigh. He felt happy that Steven is also ambitious like him. However, Nina doesn't want him. He could not support his son when Li didn't want him to be the son-in-law. 

"I prayed that Steven would listen to me, Mely. But you already witness that Steven has violent behavior. It means I have to use force to keep him in China." 

Mely didn't notice that she was in a trance as she recalled her conversation with her husband, Jerome. Honestly, she does not completely agree that they were like imprisoning Steven inside the Shang mansion and putting bodyguards when he was outside. But they had no other choice. 

"Sister Mely, are you okay?" Asked Dona. She notices when the woman stops peeling her apple and remains motionless. 

Mely came back to her senses. She nodded at Dona and replied. "I'm fine, Dona. I just recalled what Jerome and I talked about before he left for China with Steven and the two elderly. Until now, I'm still feeling ashamed, at the same time, worried." 

"Sister Mely... All I wanted is for my daughter to have a peaceful life and have the freedom to love the man she has a feeling for... I never dream of Nina being in a toxic marriage. She doesn't love Steven, in which her refusal of having intimacy with him, leading Nina to get hurt. Nelson never forces himself on me. So, I can't imagine my daughter had to experience that, sister Mely. And she even keeps it a secret from us. I know you would understand why we want Steven to vanish and stay away from Nina." 

"We do. Don't worry, Dona. We are watching him. Soon, I will fly to China to comfort Steven. I will do my best to make him understand the situation. It hurts me to see my sons fighting each other." Mely assures Dona, whom she thinks like her real sister.

"Harry is behaving well, between the twins," Dona remarked.

"I'm glad that Harry is calmer than Steven, yes. That's something I am grateful for. So, all we have to deal with is Steven." 

"Sister Mely..." Dona could see the sadness in her eyes. Even she doesn't want this to happen to their families. She doesn't want to put a wall between her and Mely, so then, as parents, they should settle the problem accordingly.

After a moment of silence, Mely stated. "I'm happy that Nina would be my daughter-in-law. However, it was the twins who fell in love with her... But Steven made lies to win Nina over Harry." 

"But Nina and Harry love each other, something Steven doesn't want to accept. It was the reason I'm not at ease until now, sister Mely." 

"I promise to watch Steven closely and to pacify him. Harry will remain in the US... As you said, that he and Nelson had an agreement, I'm sure he will hold on to his words." 

Mely and Dona continued chatting when someone knocked on the door. One bodyguard that was watching Mely reported that someone wished to visit her. 

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Shang." 

"Mrs. Harris, come in!" 

"Hi! My husband and I wanted to drop by to see your condition, Mrs. Shang." 

"Thank you, Mrs. Harris. I'm surprised to see you here! But I remembered your husband was assigned here in Hawaii." 

"Oh, yes! I take a few days of vacation to visit my husband and celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary. And you know..." Mrs. Harris winks, and the two women understand. They giggled.

"I'm glad you know where I was staying." 

"Oh, I met Steven and his girlfriend walking toward the same restaurant we ate our lunch." 

Dona and Mely shared a glance. Definitely, that would be Harry, not Steven. But it made Mely rendered speechlessly. She was weighing if she should correct what Mrs. Harris thought. 

Harry was mistaken for Steven as what everyone knew, he is Nina's boyfriend, while Harry has his girlfriend. But before she could decide, Dona introduced herself. 

"Hello, Mrs. Harris. I'm Dona Li, Nina's mother." 

"Oh, that's right! Now I wonder if you look familiar. Your daughter has a huge resemblance."

Dona nodded at the woman. She glanced at Mely, hinting that maybe just let Mrs. Harris believes it was Steven as they haven't fixed the problem. 

"I'm glad the two are having a good time touring Hawaii."

"Yes, they are! They actually like newlyweds on a honeymoon! Not to mention the two are so perfect for each other! You could tell in their eyes how in love they are with each other. You know, being intimate while walking hand in hand." 

There's a huge smile across Mrs. Harris' face, remembering her own love story from her younger days as to how she would look at her husband. 

Dona and Mely smiled, occasionally shared a glance. Not that long, Mrs. Harris and Captain Harris did not stay longer, as their children waited in the parking lot. 

When the couple left, Dona and Mely felt thrilled. 

It seems Nina and Harry's relationship developed overnight. And it was good news for them. Despite all the worries and troubles, they are feeling...

Both mothers wish for Nina and Harry to be happy. 

"I'm glad the two clearings up the misunderstanding in between them," said Mely. 

"But those two are not talking around us." Dona noticed these passing two days.

Mely agreed to what Dona observes. "Well, let's see when they come over later. They promised to come by for dinner." 

And later, before dusk, Harry phones Mely to ask what dinner she preferred.. She requested Chinese food and steak.