Ceres and Belle were both utterly stunned. A wave of ice-cold adrenaline crashed through Belle's veins, and Ceres instantly went on full alert in her mind. Belle forced her voice to remain steady, blurting out the question that would completely decide the trajectory of their future relationship with Jackson.
"I heard that some of his ancestors were soldiers," Belle said, her tone deliberately casual. "I don't know which specific general he's supposed to share features with."
"Oh! You might not know him," Jackson replied, looking out over the yard thoughtfully. "It was General Francisco Joaquin."
Before Belle could even process the name, Ceres violently seized control of her body, forcefully pushing Belle back into her subconscious space. The sudden, unnatural shift in Belle's posture and aura sent a violent chill straight down Jackson's spine. His instincts screamed at him, and he instantly leaped back to create distance between them.
