Burning Passion

CHAPTER 360: STEVEN'S BEHAVIOR

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"Steven, stop stressing your mother," Jerome warned his son. However, Steven returns a glare at him. It annoys him how this son of his becomes insolent. But he could not raise his voice to scold him.

Steven would love to talk back to his father if only his mother weren't here. He would never back down from arguing with his father. 

Mely raised her head to look at her husband and son. She could see the clashes' gaze they were throwing at each other.

"Both of you, please... I don't want to hear any arguing anymore," said Mely. It stressed her out witnessing how Steven would talk back to his father, but her heart also aches for him. However, even Steven forced them to allow him to see Nina. It will only cause more trouble after Li warned before they separate ways today. It made her feel devastated. "I need water."

Not long, a servant brought a pitcher and glass. Before Nelson could reach the pitcher, Steven already picked it up, poured water on the glass, and offered it to his mother. 

Mely softened her gaze, staring at Steven. He is the sweetest among her sons. Steven is always the one who is ecstatic about her condition. But now, honestly, he is the reason it depressed her. 

Gulping the water, she scanned Steven. He let his beard grow this time. Not only that, but he also has plastered on his hand. 

Jerome also notices Steven's hand, it surprised him. Harry also wounded his hand. 

Before he left Zen City, Steven had wounds on his right hand. Now it was his left. Good thing, what Harry injured is his right, or else he'll think it was him he was seeing right now and not Steven.

"How did you get the wound in your hand, Steven?" he asked afterward. 

Steven only shrugged his shoulder and uttered timidly, "Nothing..." 

Jerome gathered all his sanity not to roar at his son in front of his wife. Pressing his lips, he controlled his voice "Why don't you just tell us where you get your other wound?" 

"New? What did that mean, Steven? What's going on with you?" Her eyes are pleading at Steven. Her son is being careless. Now she could not have peace of mind to leave him alone with the state of mind he has now. She feared his son was turning into someone. 

Mely held her hands, and it didn't hide from Jerome; Mely's hand was trembling. It was a bad sign. 

"Mely, Let's go. Take some rest." 

She nodded instantly, "Yes… please." 

Steven felt sudden guilt seeing his mother paled like a ghost now. He called her, "Ma…" But no more words came out of his mouth. He wanted to apologize, but not in front of his father. He would never apologize to this man.

Jerome guided his wife to their bedroom. He wanted to deal with Steven, but he could only limit his question and lecture at him when Mely is acting like this. 

He helped Mely lay on the bed and pulled the quilt up to her waist. It worries him how Mely suddenly acted. He knew what was running to her head now. 

"Mely calmed down." 

Now that they were alone, the tears that she held have now erupted freely down her face. Jerome reaches for his wife, rubbing her back. It was his way to comfort her. He let her cry to lighten the weight in her chest. "That's enough now. You cried a lot already. It won't help you worry too much." 

He softened his voice to soothe his wife. Mely tried to settle down. She knows she must stay strong. But things are even getting complicated. As time goes by, Steven's behavior is worsening. 

"Jerome, my worries about Steven won't disappear." 

"Mely…" There are no words form in his mouth to cheer his wife. 

"Jerome… our son… Steven is…" It made her hard to utter the words. A nightmare she wanted to run from… Now? Does it really have to repeat? 

"Mely, please, stop thinking much. I will try my best to handle Steven's behavior. I need to discipline him seriously. I informed you ahead that…" 

Jerome is trying to console his wife, however, Mely wasn't listening to him. She has other things in mind that break her heart. 

"Jerome! What we should do?" 

"Mely…" 

"Steven started showing behavior like his grandfather… He…" A flash of sad childhood memories passing in her mind. "Jerome…" 

Tears start flooding her eyes one more time. A great pain crept toward his heart, seeing Mely breaking down like this. Mely was from a broken family. Her father is short-tempered, and she witnessed how her father is cruel to her mother. 

And times did come that even she was beaten up by her father. The reason he understood why Mely broke down easily, and the reason Mely wishes for a peaceful life with him and their children. 

At first, it was hard for her to understand when he would discipline their sons. So then, he has to choose a proper way of punishing their sons, or Mely would freak out; remembering her past. 

She later had improvement, but now Steven is triggering her moods. 

"Mely, get a hold of yourself. Please, remember that I'm always here. Whatever I am doing for Steven is for his good. Besides, think of Nina…" 

Think of Nina… The words echoing inside her head. That poor little girl she loves so much. 

"We can't let Nina be sad…" she uttered timidly, still lost in her thoughts. 

She grew up seeing how her mother has bruises all over her body the next day. Those are painful years for her. 

But then, when her father beat her up, one day, her mother stabbed his father. It was a tremendous scandal in the Lin family. But her mother didn't regret it. And she was grateful that her uncle took her in after. Dona is the one who helps her get through her teenage years. That is why she and Dona get close like sisters. 

She could not let Dona's daughter experience what she and her mother get through. She must protect that girl. 

"Jerome, I'm sorry…" she felt the need to apologize. Although, there are family members of Shang that behave like her father. But to think that the blood running in her veins is playing a big role in Steven's behavior.. "Jerome, do everything that Steven stays away from Nina."