178 I Don't Want To Hurt Her

"Does it still hurt so much, Sel? "

Casey asked as she stood up to usher them into their seats.

"Not so bad anymore." Giselle smiled politely at Casey before Anthon pulled out a seat for her.

After the meal prayer, everyone stood up to get their food. Jim helped Jian with his choice of food while Jia prepared the coffee for her and Jim. She waited for everyone to finish before she stood up to get some food for her and Jim.

While she was occupied with placing food in her plate, Anthon was suddenly standing beside her. She glanced up to him then resumed to her food picking.

"Need help? " He said while he watched her with a plate in one hand and a soup bowl on the other hand.

She smiled thinly and shook her head. "Thanks. "

They were seated around a big, round table so everyone was facing each other as they ate and talked. While Jim was helping Jian with his food, Anthon was also helping Giselle with hers. Not only that, he was also the one who put the sugar and creamer to both of their coffee.

"Ton, only my limbs are bruised, not my hands. " Giselle whispered softly to his ears but Jia heard it well.

Their conversation went jolly and interesting that they all got carried away. No one noticed that Jia did not eat anything except Anthon who stole glances at her, wondering what could it be that bothered her. She just kept on placing food on Jim's plate while he engrossed himself with the conversation. Once again, Kuya Nap was the initiator of it all.

While no one expected it, Casey suddenly changed the topic and raised a question that made everyone burst into laughter.

"Nap, have you ever thought about having a woman in your life? "

Kuya Nap laughed. "That's too troublesome. I'm so fed up with the heartaches of these two that I become afraid for my own fate. And then, to hear about dad's story lately makes me all the more scared."

Jia shranked in discomfort to see them all laughing. Of course, she was the subject of the 'heartaches of these two' that Kuya Nap talked about.

"There will always be heartaches, Nap, but the sense of fulfillment and the wonderful feeling of having someone you can call your own will be incomparable to the pain you will encounter along the way." Casey tried her best to explain , being the only one around whose lovelife was not complicated.

"I'll think about it." Kuya Nap said, still amused and uncomfortable to become the sudden subject of the conversation.

Anthon, on the other hand, suddenly grieved about the fact that while he was sure of who was the love of his life, she was someone he could never call his own in this lifetime.

To free herself from the awkward atmosphere, she excused herself.

"Please excuse me, I'll get Pearl over here so that she could take her

breakfast." Pearl was the name of Jianna's nanny.

"Stay here, sweetheart. I have already sent a packed meal for her. "

Jia sanked in her seat. It meant that she had to bear the discomfort of this topic.

Then from a distance, someone was walking towards them, waving his hand.

"Hello, good morning everyone! "

"Dr. Aijohn! "

"Koko! "

"I just happened to be just nearby when Anna informed me that you are all here. "

Jia suddenly became worried that he might slip his tounge.

Dr. Aijohn must have read her mind.

"I personally checked the forestry of Mantalungon to see if we could possibly grow our plants here."

Mantalungon is a municipality where there are significant rainfalls even during driest months. Its stable temperature is one of the factors that makes the place a vegetable basket of Cebu.

"Then how about it?" Jim became curious. He stood up to pull out a chair for Aijohn.

" There are still many factors to consider... " He said as he settled himself in the chair then went ahead on explaining it.

"Get your food first, Dr. Aijohn. " Casey said as she saw how the men instantly got engrossed with the topic.

Dr. Aijohn glanced up as he was interrupted, then smiled and thanked her.

"By the way, Anna, I've heard that the pool is deep here. Can we go swimming? " He said excitedly at Jia.

"Yes, but I'll get your food first so that you can go ahead with your discussion. " Jia then stood up and headed towards the table of food.

While she got occupied in picking food for Koko, Anthon stood by her side bringing a coffee cup. "I'll prepare the coffee for him."

Jia lifted her head and looked at him. "Thank you. "

"I think I know why he is here. Take your food first before you go wild again."

"I'm full. "

" Just fill your stomach even a little. Don't wait for me to place it at your table." His warning was firm as he glared at her before he left.

After giving Koko his food, she returned to her seat and leaned her head on Jim's shoulder as she listened to them. However, she caught Anthon's glaring eyes once again. As he stood up, she hurrriedly sprang up to her feet to get food, afraid that Anthon might do as he threatened.

As their conversation on a certain topic ended, Koko turned to Jia.

"Anna, see you later at the pool after an hour. "

"Okay. "

They all went back then to their respective rooms for their morning care.

While Jia was feeding Jianna and Jim assisting Jian in the bathroom, someone knocked at the door. Jim hurriedly wrapped Jian with a towel then went forward to open the door.

"Ton, come in. " Jim said as he opened the door widely for him to get in.

"Jia, may I ask a favor, please? " Anthon said while he picked Jianna up from her arms.

"What is it? " Jia asked as she stood up to get Jian's clothes.

"Can you do the dressing for Giselle? I don't want to hurt her. "