For the last four days, Gavin Pierre had cooped up himself in the house. He couldn’t bring himself to go to work, or do anything else for that matter. He couldn't even face anyone else.The text message on his phone was the only thing he looked at even though it was driving him crazy.After that night— the night Greg answered her phone, Gavin felt like he was losing his mind.He refused to believe that Jess was there permanently. He repeatedly told himself that Jess was there that night for work, and she would not just throw away their marriage.He patiently waited for her to return his call. He waited for her to come back home. He didn’t even go to work, not want to miss her when she came home.But the longer he waited, the more he lost his mind.He had gotten so tired watching his phone, expecting her call such that he buried the phone in his closet just to stay sane.On the fourth day, his phone buzzed in the closet, persistently. Reluctantly, Gavin grabbed it. Realizing it was
Jess found her way to her mother’s hospital room after saying goodbye to Greg. The familiar scent of antiseptic and beeping from machines filled the air as she stepped in. Though her mother was still unconscious, the doctors assured her that she would alright. Jess ran her fingers lightly across the bed’s edge, watching the faint rise and fall of her mother’s chest.As she went over to the counter to settle the bills, the nurse gave her a soft smile. “Your husband already paid ma’am.” Jess stood, too stunned to speak. Gavin’s hurt expression flashed through her mind and a lump formed in her chest, bringing tears welled up her eyes.“Is everything alright, dear?” Uncle Sam’s voice broke her thoughts.“Yes uncle,” she answered quickly, wiping the tears that had bean to fall.Uncle Sam nodded even though he didn’t believe her. Offering her a bottle of water, he said, “You look pale, Jess. I will take care of her, you go back home and rest.”Jessie turned to Uncle Sam, on some other
Gavin had not expected anyone in his house. Let alone Jessie. From what he remembered, she was living with Greg. She was in his arms last night. She came to the hospital with him. But when he saw her sleeping on his couch, his first instinct was to clean up since he looked like a mess. While in the bathroom, he couldn’t stop wondering why she came. “Did she come to get her things?”“Is she moving out already?”He hurried out of the bathroom, his heart filled with thoughts and questions.It was until he saw the shocked expression on Jessie’s face that he realized he had been asking the wrong questions. The right one was… “what if she had come to talk things out?”“Shit.” He cussed, as he entered the living room. The brown envelope in Jessie’s hand contained the document that would their marriage and even though he wanted to take it from her and rip it into pieces, he held his cool.He had been pathetic for the last four days, he refused to continue in that way.“Thanks for clean
On that fateful day, the very day she left Gavin’s home, Ryan kept calling her, pestering her, texting her to meet up.She had ignored them all. She didn’t want to meet with him. If anything, she wanted him to vanish from her life. But Ryan persisted, calling like she was owing him. Finally, she answered and gave him a place to meet.“He did what?!” Gavin exploded, his voice thundering the quiet house.“He… uh… proposed in a grand style,” Jessie repeated, as if the words themselves could express the embarrassment she felt that day.“When I walked into that fancy restaurant, it was decorated with a proposal theme, and I thought it was for someone else, instead he knelt down and proposed in front of every one.”Gavin could not believe his ears. He had not expected that Ryan would make good his threat, yet he couldn’t also ignore the gnawing omen in his mind that there was a reason for his behavior. “I was so embarrassed." Jess continued, "People started taking pictures of us and cheer
Gavin reclined on his car seat, seeing nothing, hearing nothing, mind blank. The question repeatedly playing on his mind was one. How could he protect Jess from the impending disaster?She probably had no idea what was happening.The internet didn’t care about the truth— they only believed whatever they wanted to believe.And now, Ryan had given them what to believe— she was his beloved girlfriend, who was snatched from him by his wealthy uncle. He could almost see the headlines boldly written on his windscreen, and he honestly didn’t care about them but… Jessie. She was just 24, she still had her life ahead of her. Would she survive the hate?Candace’s offer stood, staring at him in the face. He had flatly rejected the offer, but looking at the situation, he needed any help he could get, and Candace Remington was good at manipulating people.Gavin tightened his seat belt, stepped on the gas, and drove out of the cardboard building Ryan called his office.As if Candace had known, sh
Chapter 42Greg Benedict had openly admitted his interest in Jess. In addition to that, he declared himself Gavin’s rival when he stepped into his house to threaten him.“You won’t see me coming,” Greg smirked, his eyes filled with mischief as he turned to leave.Gavin stood there, his mind reeling at the audacity. As the door slammed shut, Gavin let out a soft, breath. “That brazen lunatic.” He muttered, loosening his tie. He slumped into the couch, the exhaustion and the remnants of his hangover rushed in sinking him deeper into the plush couch. In no time, sleep took over. Meanwhile, Jess had been pacing their bedroom. She was restless and uneasy.She and Gavin had just made up, and now Greg showed up and complicated everything. What was he thinking, coming here?Instinctively, she searched for her phone, only to remember that it was still with Gavin.“Is Greg gone?” She wondered, carefully pulling the door open. She peered into the hallway and when she didn’t hear any voice
“Ryan?” Jess repeated under her breath. What was there to talk about? She had been expecting to talk about Greg. Actually, she was going to apologize to him.As they each took their seats at the table, Jess reached for a glass of water— hoping to cleanse her mind from the lingering flashes of her steamy dream— and to calm her nerves.Across from her, Gavin sat quietly, his eyes fixed on her, deep in thoughts.He had done all these to protect her from knowing the truth but seeing Greg today made him realize that they couldn’t have any secrets between them, it would sink their ship.While Gavin was searching for the best way to tell her what was going on, Jess shifted uncomfortably, squirming under the intensity of his gaze. “Jess,” Gavin finally broke the silence between them, his voice both serious and tender.“Huh?” Jess looked up.“There’s been some talk going around about our relationship…” “If this is about Greg, I swear, I didn’t do anything with him. I didn’t tell him anythi
The internet went wild. Wilder than Gavin expected. The story was a cliche, yet why were many people so intrigued by it? Why were they so interested in it? Ryan cackled to himself, while the internet was on fire, he was benefitting. He had gained more recognition as the ‘poor boy’ while Gavin and Jess suffered. Where ever they went, hushed voices and whispered gossips followed them. Even in Gavin’s company. He had only come to work to close a deal. His workers treated him with respect as usual, but as soon as he turned his back, they were gossiping and whispering. Conversations stopped whenever he walked into the room. Glances were exchanged. The gossips wasn’t just on the internet, it had spread across his office too.Gavin clenched his jaw all day, wondering if Jess was having a better day. Meanwhile, Jess was mortified. At the grocery store where she was buying some food for the house, people weren’t taking it lightly with her. They were calling her names to her face.“Ho