Her return to the city

★★

Seven years later;

In South Hampton City, it was pouring cats and dogs. Even the gloomy sky gave off the impression that it was about to fall on the city.

Seven years after Jessica's departure, South Hampton was still thriving and growing. Jessica arrived at the airport of the city and emerged from the entry gate carrying a sizable bag. A boy, age six, with curly hair was standing next to her.

The young fella with grey eyes exuded charisma and a commanding aura. One hand was firmly grasping his mother's hand while the other held a storybook.

With that stylish coat on, she resembled a fashion model strutting down a runway. Her beauty was enhanced by her straight locks and fiery red lips. She caused a stir everywhere she went.

She wasn't surprised that people were paying more attention to her style. She walked on while still holding the boy's hand.

When Jessica and her son Cornell passed a stranger, the man abruptly halted in his tracks. After six months away for a business meeting, he also came back to South Hampton.

A stirring occurred in Liam's heart as he watched the mother and son walk forward.

“What exactly is this in my heart?” Liam pondered as he fixed his gaze on the mother and son. He had an intuitive sense that he knew the girl.

“It's your girlfriend's step-sister, boss," Liam's bodyguard said in a firm voice, "I don't know much, but I heard they sent her to Poland because she had an unplanned pregnancy before marriage.”

“Girlfriend?” Liam muttered confusingly.

The bodyguard wanted to slap his bad luck. He had to repeatedly remind his boss that he had a girlfriend.

“Miss Rilika Lawrence!! You've been dating her for seven years. Everybody in the city is aware of it,” The same bodyguard reminded Liam about Miss Rilika, something he frequently forgot as if she was unimportant. The bodyguard occasionally wondered if he had actually forgotten about his girlfriend or if he was just trying to ignore it.

“What is her name??!” Liam asked about the woman who walked past him with her son while ignoring Rilika.

“Miss Jessica!! But since that accident, she has been forbidden from using her father's last name, so she no longer does," the bodyguard said as he followed Liam to his car.

Liam put on his sunglasses while his bodyguard held the car door open for him to enter but he couldn't help but be drawn to that woman.

On the other hand, Jessica and Cornell were waiting for their car, suddenly a muscular and familiar person walked up to her.

“It's nice to see you again, Sister," Stefen said, spreading his arms.

Jessica did not appear to be welcoming to Stefen, but he still said and hugged her.

"You grow more beautiful," Stefen added before pulling him out of the hug.

"I've never been ugly, Stefen!! By the way, what are you doing here?" Jessica asked as she removed her sunglasses.

“Obviously, I have come to take you home,” Stefen replied in a jubilant manner, as if he had been anticipating Jessica's return for a long time and was now unable to contain his excitement.

“Did your parents give you permission to come here for me?" Jessica's lips pulled up in a sneer as she chided.

"They are also your parents. In addition, I'm not a teenager," Stefen added, turning to face the driver who had opened the door for them.

“Huh!” Jessica did not respond to it; instead, she only smiled in front of her son, who had not been told of Jessica's life prior to him.

"You did not notice my son," Jessica said as she moved her son to the backseat and sat next to him.

“Jess, I've seen him. And we'll have a boy-to-boy conversation later on. Do you agree, Cornell?” Stefen muttered and shifted his head to the backseat as the car sped away.

“In terms of noticing how much you adore Mother, it is obvious that you are familiar with my name, so I won't ask how you know it. It is nice to meet you, Uncle Stefen," Cornell added with a smile that left Stefen uncertain as to whether the boy was making fun of him.

“You are excellent!" Stefen said and smiled, then his eyes went to Jessica who was busy on the phone. Stefen withdrew his gaze to the road and the smile immediately left his face.

Liam boarded his Maybach and asked, “Is it her boyfriend?” His voice was gloomy and heavy.

“No, boss. Her stepbrother,” the bodyguard replied.

He glanced out the window with an unappealing line through his eyes.

Seeing that woman, who he did not know, being hugged by her brother, he felt dissatisfied inside of him. He was furious about it and he could not control it no matter where he settled his eyes.

Suddenly his phone rang, the name on the screen was Rilika. He intentionally kept his phone out of network for the past six months so that Rilika's call would not come.

He struggled to convey his desire to break the promise he made that night seven years prior. He no longer felt as good as he did that evening. He now thought that the drug was to blame for his rambling inanities and absurd promises.

If she hadn't experienced a miscarriage, perhaps he could still have taken action to escape from all of this.

“Fuck!” With his current predicament, Liam was under a lot of stress.

Liam received the call and put it in his ear.

“Why are you torturing me like this, Liam? I am dying to speak with you. I searched everywhere for you, but all I found was a disappointment. Kill me if you think I'm a nuisance to your life,” Rilika cried and said, "I can't live like this and I can't live without you."

“You are overthinking. Let's meet tonight in the restaurant nearby your house. We will talk there,” Liam said, shutting his eyes in annoyance.

“I don't want it to be like before, where I sat all night and you forgot to meet," Rilika reminded Liam, pulling her hair in rage, because she no longer felt like the haughty princess she used to be. She had to rub her nose in front of his feet everytime to meet him.

“If you want to see me calm, stop speaking in such a tone,” Liam commanded before ending the call.

Rilika screamed aloud while tossing her phone onto the bed. She was terrified because Jessica had come back.