CHAPTER 124: CHAPTER 124: "RENEE, YOU’RE FREE.

Renee knew very well that Jack wasn’t being alarmist; he was speaking the truth.

Being with Jack could be said to have angered The Yates Family, yet with Jack around, she could remain peaceful.

If Jack suddenly had an accident at this time, not even considering whether the Yateses would transfer their hatred and anger onto her, even if the elders didn’t hold it against her, what about Rina Bell?

Rina Bell hated her to the core; she’d even had Renee kidnapped before and only refrained from causing her substantial harm due to Jack’s authority.

But if Jack were gone, Rina wouldn’t rest until she’d destroyed her, or at least ruin her to the extent of making her suffer a pain worse than death, as seen in the videos.

Thinking of that scene, Renee felt both frightened and sad, her voice choked: "Jack, you absolutely cannot have an accident; you must come back safe and sound. I’ll go to Taron Temple tomorrow to pray for you, bless you with safety, health, and a long life."

She sent her blessings sincerely, genuinely hoping Jack could live a long life, at least long enough for them to part amicably.

Jack chuckled with a deep voice: "Alright, I will definitely return safely."

Renee sniffled: "Hmm, I’ll wait for you to come back. Don’t worry, I won’t run around; I’m attending school, where could I possibly go?"

Jack: "Good girl, don’t cry. Your ID and cards are with Butler Pierce; he’s temporarily keeping them. If you want to buy something, let him accompany you, Benjamin Lane and Henry Hayes will also protect you closely."

Renee obediently agreed: "Alright, understood."

Jack lowered his voice to a whisper: "I’ll try to come back as soon as possible."

After hanging up the phone, Renee sat back on the sofa, Aunty Warren brought her freshly stewed coconut milk bird’s nest, and Shay asked whether she wanted durian or mango.

Renee said she wanted durian, and Shay eagerly ran to the kitchen to open the durian, taking out two large pieces of golden fruit and placing them on a plate, along with a small spoon for Renee to eat conveniently.

Originally, there was another maid, Rainie, whom Jack specially hired for Renee when they first started dating.

Rainie left last winter, and afterwards Renee casually asked why Rainie wasn’t around.

Jack said she had some family matters and resigned.

It’s normal for employees to leave, so Renee didn’t ask further.

Previously, when Renee lived in the Cloudstream Lake Apartments near school, the household servants didn’t follow her; it was only after she went to class each day that Aunty Warren would arrange someone responsible for cleaning to tidy up the apartment.

Now that she lived in the villa at The Winslow Estate with Jack, Aunty Warren and Shay, and of course Butler Pierce, all followed her over.

Beside the villa, there are two staff dormitories; one is where Butler Pierce stays, and the other is where Aunty Warren and Shay live.

Butler Pierce travels back and forth between The Winslow Estate and Thatcher Manor daily, having to take care of both places.

In addition to his role as a butler, he also manages Jack’s private farm, residence, and some real estate.

Currently, all of Renee’s bank cards, including the card for her tuition fees and campus meal card, are temporarily kept by Butler Pierce; she can only retrieve them once Jack returns.

Renee couldn’t leave the house, having to stay at home.

After eating, she returned to the study to read for a while, taking a nap later until she woke up at around three in the afternoon.

Outside, the sun seemed bright and golden, yet it wasn’t hot, and a cool breeze blew.

The autumn season was perfect for taking a stroll outside.

Renee invited Shay to accompany her for a walk in the garden area.

The garden path lined with pebble stones and flanked by grass was wide enough for two people to walk side by side.

Renee walked alongside Shay, strolling leisurely and casually chatting about everyday matters.

Only now did Renee become familiar with Shay, as she hadn’t been very close before.

Previously, having lived in the Cloudstream Lake Apartments for a long time, she seldom saw Shay; occasionally accompanying Jack back to Thatcher Manor, she only greeted politely.

It was until Jack confined her at Thatcher Manor during the summer vacation that Shay accompanied her every day, comforting her, and only then did they gradually become close.

Shay wasn’t very old, just two years older than Renee, turning twenty-one this year and running away from home.

Compared to Shay’s background, Renee felt she was fortunate and blessed.

Shay’s father was a cripple, having married three wives, none of whom were normal.

The first wife had a mental illness, giving birth to a daughter with a mental illness.

The second wife was deaf and mute, not congenitally, but became so after a high fever in childhood wasn’t treated in time, leading to deafness and muteness, which was Shay’s mother.

Shay’s mother died on the bed from massive bleeding during childbirth.

Her father quickly married a third time, to a mentally challenged woman, known biologically as Down syndrome, commonly referred to as a fool.

Her father and the third foolish wife had two more children, who were also born mentally challenged.

Shay was the only one normal in her family, mentally, intellectually, and physically sound, but was unfortunately born into such a family, causing her to stop studying after middle school.

Looking at the sky, Shay spread her arms, took a deep breath, and let out a satisfied sigh: "Ah, life is so beautiful!"

Renee looked at Shay with surprise; ever since learning about Shay’s background, she never expressed thoughts of life being beautiful in front of Shay.

Although she personally believed that life was mostly beautiful, she dared not say it outright, afraid it might sadden Shay.

After all, Shay’s life could hardly be called beautiful.

She just didn’t expect Shay to say something like this herself.

So she smiled and asked, "Why such sudden sentiment?"

Shay smiled at her, "Because I’m lucky to have been chosen by Mr. Yates to take care of you. The work is easy, and the pay is high. I’ve only worked for a year, and I’m already able to buy a house in my hometown, with plenty left over for the down payment; after two more years, I could buy one outright without a problem."

Renee Winslow smiled and said, "Jack Yates has a sharp eye and is very strict. Being chosen by him means you’re capable."

Shay shook her head with a smile, "No, it’s not because I’m exceptionally skilled. On the contrary, it’s because I’m unskilled, stay out of trouble, so Mr. Yates chose me."

Renee Winslow: "Are you just guessing on your own, or did you hear it from Aunty Warren?"

Shay: "I heard it from Aunty Warren. She’s been taking care of Mr. Yates for many years as an old employee. Aunty Warren said, according to Mr. Yates’ previous standards, he would never hire a young nanny with middle school education and no experience. But at that time, he was choosing for you, afraid that the person selected would be too proud for you to handle, so he picked me and Rainie."

Renee Winslow felt a warmth in her heart, followed by a bit of discomfort, and a little sadness, she didn’t expect Jack Yates to be so concerned about her.

Shay continued, "Rainie also has a middle school education, but she studied an extra year of high school. Her grades weren’t bad, but she fell in love early. During sophomore year, she moved out with her boyfriend, and soon after became pregnant. However, after she got pregnant, that boy went back to school. She had an abortion out of anger, left home, and came to Northcity."

At this point, Shay lowered her head, speaking in a low voice, "Actually, Rainie didn’t leave her job voluntarily, she was dismissed by Mr. Yates."

"Dismissed?" Renee Winslow was surprised, "Why did he dismiss her?"

Shay explained, "Last winter, after you went home for winter break. Mr. Yates gave us a long vacation, but I didn’t want to return home, so I stayed, and Rainie stayed too. We both stayed at Thatcher Manor for the New Year."

"On New Year’s Eve, Mr. Yates returned to Thatcher Manor drunk and sat alone in the dark living room without turning on the lights."

"Rainie went to bring him water, deliberately spilled it on his pants, and then flusteredly tried to wipe them."

"At that time, I was behind the screen in the tea room, and I saw Mr. Yates kick her away with my own eyes and coldly curse her to get lost. Then he had Butler Pierce fire her."

"I thought I would be implicated too and prepared to be fired, but Mr. Yates didn’t dismiss me; he let me continue working until now."

Renee Winslow was a bit stunned, involuntarily thinking of what Jack Yates had said to her the night before.

He said except when he was willing, rarely could any woman forcibly violate him.

Now it seems, he was being modest.

At that moment, Renee Winslow’s phone rang. She picked it up to see an unfamiliar foreign number.

Renee Winslow thought it was Jack Yates calling her with a new number, answered without suspicion, and asked softly, "What’s up?"

The voice of Caleb Yates came through the line, "Renee, you’re free."

Renee Winslow’s body suddenly tensed, and her voice involuntarily rose, "What do you mean?"

Caleb Yates laughed with an irreverent tone, "It’s likely Jack Yates is dead."

Renee Winslow: "..."

At this moment, her mind was completely blank.

Caleb Yates said again, "It wasn’t me; I’m not that despicable."

Renee Winslow’s voice trembling, "Who was it then?"

Caleb Yates’ voice remained smiling, "Remember I told you before? He used to come to The South to fight drugs and eradicated the largest drug cartel here. And there’s one thing I haven’t told you, he also eradicated the largest gang in The Northern State and killed the gang’s second-in-command, cutting off his head and hanging it above the village, left hanging for three days and nights."

Renee Winslow: "..."

"Because of this, he faced severe disciplinary action from the organization. And he’s always been cold and proud, so in anger, he applied for retirement."

Renee Winslow wasn’t sure if Caleb Yates was speaking truthfully, but she tightly gripped the phone nonetheless.

Caleb Yates: "Over here, there’s still a high bounty for his head, and many hitmen domestically and abroad have taken the contract. As soon as he sets foot into The Gilded Delta, it’s like stepping halfway into hell."

Renee Winslow: "Did you lead him there or not?"

After asking, Renee Winslow suddenly realized, her voice cold as she spoke.

"No wonder you mentioned taking me to Maekong and said there was your little wife’s uncle there, so I wouldn’t be afraid. It’s clear now you knew he couldn’t go to Maekong, so you took me there."

Caleb Yates heard Renee Winslow’s cold interrogation but wasn’t angry; instead, he chuckled, "Why is Renee blaming me now? I’m helping you. Do you understand Jack Yates?"

Renee Winslow didn’t speak; indeed, she didn’t understand him.

Caleb Yates: "Everyone who’s come in contact with my third uncle and has a certain level of understanding knows he’s inherently cold and ruthless, when he gets fierce, he doesn’t recognize kinship, even my great-grandfather said he had a heavy aura, like a sword tainted by years of blood. In Sardonia or ancient times of chaos, he’d definitely be a war maniac."

"Renee Winslow, do you think you can handle someone like him?"

Renee Winslow: "I never thought about handling him; I just hope he can live safely and peacefully."

Caleb Yates’ voice suddenly sank, "Renee Winslow, have you really fallen in love with Jack Yates?"

Meanwhile, in The Vah State, somewhere below Mount Vah.

Jack Yates listened to the audio of the conversation, and upon hearing Renee Winslow say, "I never thought about handling him; I just hope he can live safely and peacefully," his lips curled up.

Yet when hearing Caleb ask, "Have you really fallen in love with Jack Yates?" his sharp eyes narrowed suddenly, coldness emanating all around him, his jawline tightening, making his facial contours cold and hard, with an even heavier hostile aura.

For a moment, on each end of the phone, there was dead silence.

Both men waited tensely for Renee Winslow’s answer...