CHAPTER 4

Dylan loved Jessica very much, but Rosie had returned to his life. Rosie was very beautiful—and most importantly, slim and simple—the way he would have preferred Jessica to be.

It would have been easy for him to carry Jessica up to his chest and make love to her while standing in their bedroom, whenever he wanted. But now Jessica was too heavy for him to lift and try all those adventurous lovemaking positions he used to enjoy with her. Because of her chubby body, their sèxual life as husband and wife had diminished and become dull. He couldn't do all the fun things he liked anymore.

Jessica was also preoccupied with housework and taking care of their two children, and Dylan didn't like how their playful moments had faded.

Dylan found himself bullying Jessica every day about her chubby body, but she always smiled it off, not realizing he was serious. No matter what Dylan did to annoy Jessica, she would just smile and never get upset. Dylan grew frustrated because he couldn't leave their matrimonial home to cheat on Jessica or sleep with random women—it would ruin his reputation and his company if anyone who knew him saw him in a club or emerging from a hotel with a stranger.

Jessica's father was a billionaire in their state and a very influential man. Dylan knew he couldn't just cheat and indulge in the wild pleasures he craved. But with Rosie back in the country and them reunited, everything had changed.

Dylan had visited Rosie at her home, where she told him she was still single and even encouraged him to divorce Jessica so they could be together again.

In Rosie's words, "Dylan, babe, you're not the first man to divorce his wife, and you won't be the last. So please divorce that woman you have at home, so we can marry—like you promised me when I was 16 years old."

Dylan remembered making love to Rosie in her home when she brought up divorcing Jessica. He had lifted her easily onto his chest, wrapping her slender legs around his waist in that favorite position of his.

Dylan agreed to divorce Jessica so he wouldn't feel guilty about cheating. Rosie even helped him prepare the divorce papers. He couldn't believe he was doing this—he hadn't gone to the bureau of marriage affairs or consulted his lawyer. He had simply given Rosie his full name and Jessica's, and he hadn't even read the papers yet.

Dylan still loved Jessica after everything she had done for him. A part of him didn't want to divorce her—the mother of his two children. She had never done anything wrong, aside from gaining weight. She truly loved him and had supported him to become the billionaire he was today.

When Dylan stepped out of the guest room where he had slept the previous night and into the living room. He saw his two children playing and running around at that early hour.

It was already after 8 a.m., and Dylan wondered what Jessica was still doing upstairs in their bedroom instead of preparing the kids for school.

"Daddy! Daddy!" Caleb and Nina rushed up to hug Dylan's legs when they saw him step out from the guest-room corridor into the living room.

Dylan lifted Caleb onto his chest with his right arm and Nina with his left, then asked, "No school today?"

Nina looked so much like Jessica, with her pretty fair skin and cute chubby cheeks, while Caleb resembled Dylan with his dark skin and short black hair.

Caleb shook his head and replied, "I don't know, Dad."

"Mm, okay. Wait here—let me find out from your mommy first. And don't play too rough with your sister, okay? I'll be right back." Dylan climbed the living-room stairs. He knew he had fired their last maid and insisted Jessica handle all the housework and childcare alone—she couldn't just sit around lazily while leaving everything to the maid.

Dylan went upstairs and into the bedroom. He saw Jessica crying out on the bed in her sleep, calling his name loudly as she screamed.

Dylan didn't know when he rushed to Jessica's side. He scooped her up in his arms and tried to wake her. "Jessica, babe, it's me, Dylan. Wake up—I'm here now, babe."

Dylan shook Jessica gently as she kept calling his name and crying. "Dylan, Dylan, please don't send me away. I'm sorry, Dylan. Dylan, please."

"I'm here, babe. I won't send you away. Wake up, Jessica—I'm here now." Dylan wondered if it was one of Jessica's tricks to stop the divorce, but he had never seen her like this before. It worried him deeply, and he finally roused her.

Jessica's forehead and face were covered in sweat. She had been crying and begging in her dream until she heard his deep, masculine voice close to her ear. Her blue eyes fluttered open, and she looked up at his handsome Black face, meeting his sharp blue eyes.

"Dylan..." Jessica called her husband's name softly, to make sure it was really him. She reached up with her right hand to touch his chin and fine jawline, confirming he was truly there and not part of her dream.

Jessica caressed Dylan's jaw and blushed under his strong blue gaze. She couldn't believe he was really with her in their bedroom—she remembered him leaving the night before, leaving her to sleep alone on their big bed.

Dylan saw that Jessica was finally awake as their unique blue eyes met. He carefully sat her up on the bed, then moved away and stood up, staring at her face coldly.

Dylan raked his short black hair in frustration as he met her gaze.

Jessica was embarrassed to realize she had cried all through the previous night and even into her sleep, calling out Dylan's name in real life because of the nightmare.

The dream had felt so real. Jessica had seen Dylan throw her things outside, but as she kept crying and calling his name, he came to his senses and didn't send her away. He got confused by the strange woman in their home, who angrily left after he refused to let Jessica go.

Jessica knew she had to consult her pastor to pray against any strange woman trying to destroy her home and marriage. She looked at Dylan's face as he stood beside the bed, raking his short black hair and staring away from her.

His former gentle smile had turned stern again. Finally, Dylan asked, "Aren't the kids going to school today?"

"The kids?" Jessica looked perplexed. She had completely forgotten about them. She was still seated on the bed in her white nightgown.

Jessica used the hem of her nightgown to wipe her sweaty forehead and tears, then sniffled and asked, "Which kids?"

Dylan's expression harden as he asked, "Our kids, Jessica. Aren't they going to school today?"

"Oh! I forgot—they're already late!" Jessica jumped off the bed and started to rush out of the bedroom. She remembered she wasn't wearing a bra or panties, so she quickly went back to the wardrobe, grabbed them, and put them on—not minding that Dylan was watching.

Dylan still stood beside the bed as Jessica hurriedly took a jacket and pulled it over her white nightgown. Then she exited the bedroom and rushed downstairs to the living room to meet her children—their rooms were on the second side of the mansion downstairs.