Chapter 790
The person sent the photo to Jonathan. Jonathan zoomed in and showed the photo to Teresa. Teresa instantly recognized the woman on the rooftop – it was Jennifer.
Teresa thought, “Jennifer is about to jump off the building. She really is trying to end her life!”
Teresa was visibly distressed. Jonathan steadied her as he spoke to the person on the phone, "Call the police and fire department immediately. Let them know someone is about to jump off the building in the development zone."
"Tell them to set up safety nets and be ready for a rescue. I'm heading over now."
"Yes, Mr. Lynn!" the person replied and ended the call.
Jonathan took the opportunity to call Donald, letting him know where Jennifer was. Donald was at Nareigh Bay, which was pretty far away, but he said he'd grab a cab and head to the development zone right away.
Then, they all hurried off toward the abandoned building.
Teresa was wracked with guilt the whole way. She thought, “I should’ve realized this sooner. Jennifer fell off a cliff as a child. Of course she’d choose somewhere high if she wanted to end it all. I really should’ve thought about this.”
"Can you go any faster?" Teresa asked anxiously, unable to sit still. Jonathan freed one hand from the wheel to hold hers.
"I’m already driving as fast as I can. Trust me, it’ll be fine," Jonathan reassured her.
Teresa and Jonathan arrived at the abandoned building first. Teresa looked up and saw Jennifer standing on the rooftop of the 15th floor. Her heart almost stopped right then and there.
She thought, “There’s nothing but bare concrete below, not even a single tree. If she jumped, there’s no way she’d survive!”
The firefighters had already arrived and were setting up an inflatable airbag below. But Jennifer was on the fifteenth floor. Even with the airbag, there was no way to guarantee her safety.
The height was just too much – even if she landed on it, she might not die, but she could end up crippled for life.
Jonathan walked over and spoke with the firefighters, explaining that he and his wife were family members of the woman on the roof.
One of the firefighters said, “Someone should go up and try to talk to her.”
"Let me do it," Teresa quickly stepped forward and volunteered. "I'm her sister. I'll try to talk her down."
Jonathan said, "I'll go with you."
"No, it's fine," Teresa replied. Since Jennifer and Jonathan didn't get along, Teresa was afraid Jonathan's presence might only make things worse. "Let me go alone. Trust me on this."
Up on the rooftop, Jennifer was staring blankly into the night sky, lost in her thoughts. She’d always been afraid of heights. But right now, she didn’t feel a trace of fear.
She thought, “Who cares if it’s a bottomless abyss? I should’ve died when I fell off that cliff as a kid. I’ve already gotten more than twenty extra years.”
She climbed over the railing and took a step forward. She thought, “As long as I jump, it’ll all be over. I’ll finally be free. After all, no one’d care if I died.”
Her mind replayed her short thirty years – every little hardship, every bit of suffering, the hard-won happiness she’d finally tasted, and those fleeting moments of joy and beauty, as brief as fireworks, gone in a flash.
Scenes of her mistakes also flashed through her mind. The arguments, the fear, Teresa’s tears, her confrontation with Donald, and Evelyn’s heartbreaking gaze.
She thought, “I’ve already lost happiness forever. Goodbye.”
She spread her arms wide, stood there with absolute resolve, and was ready to jump.
"Jennifer!" A familiar voice snapped Jennifer back to reality. It felt like she was in a dream. She turned around, dazed and hesitant. Then she saw Teresa, panting and standing right in front of her.