Jerome was treating his wife nicely in front of Thaddeus. After doing that, Jerome even called Thaddeus protective. This was going over Thaddeus' line.Of course, Thaddeus wasn't friendly to him. "Let's discuss it now. Otherwise, forget it."People had always begged him to do things for them. Thus, Thaddeus had never been at the mercy of others.Jerome looked on innocently as he didn't know why Thaddeus was angry. The latter had invited him to pick a celebrity with a good reputation to become their brand's ambassador. Yet, Thaddeus seemed mad before they even started their meal. Jerome had only asked his best friend to sit beside him and didn't do anything that crossed the line."No way. You're so possessive. Why can't I talk to Jessie?" Jerome complained.Jessamine couldn't even talk to another man. Jerome wondered how she was going to get married in the future.Thaddeus furrowed his eyebrows. He turned around to face the confused Jessamine with a questioning gaze.Jerome was
"Noah helped me a lot, so what if I treat him to a meal? If you can parade around with your ex-girlfriend, why can't I go out with a friend? Besides, I came here to talk about work!" "Then what's going on with you and Jerome? Are you pretending to be Sasha to flirt with men?" Thaddeus replied angrily, reminding him of the man in the room again.The words "flirt with men" made Jessamine flush with anger. She knew he was jealous, but he shouldn't have said such hurtful words. When was she flirting with anyone?Her heart was only set on this scum of a man in front of her. She felt so wronged at how many times he had misjudged her like this. "Thaddeus, who gave you the right to say such things about me?"He noticed how upset she looked and realized he had gone too far with his words. "Don't associate yourself with him." With those words, he went back to the driver's seat.Right then, his phone rang. It was a call from Amy. "Teddy, are you coming back? Mr. Langston wants to talk
Jessamine had just woken up. She was still groggy when she found herself being bullied by Thaddeus again. It seemed like he was punishing her for giving him the cold shoulder. He would bite hard from time to time, then let go. When it came to torturing her, he was best at it. His actions left her feeling confused, so she involuntarily whimpered."Ouch, stop biting."He finally let her go after he had bitten her enough. "Now, delete all the scumbags' contacts," he commanded.She looked at him blankly. Jerome's number had been blocked the day she received his message. As for Noah, she considered him family. Besides, he had helped her so much. Deleting his contact seemed absurd. When he saw her hesitating, he reached for her phone and forcefully unlocked it with her thumbprint."Delete Noah's contact!"Jessamine looked at him helplessly. "Thaddeus, are you really that insecure? To a point where you're even against your own uncle?"He raised an eyebrow. "So what if I don't like
Jessamine can't deny that Thaddeus pleased her in bed. She paused for a moment before kissing the same spot again. "I'll… I'll use my hands." Her voice was soft as she spoke. She really couldn't accept his kisses, even though he loved to kiss all over her body. Thaddeus was in a dilemma, but he reluctantly accepted her offer. Their morning antics caused them both to be late. Jessamine quickly put on some light makeup and even skipped breakfast. Yet, she still couldn't clock in before nine. Thaddeus, on the other hand, could go whenever he wanted to. He was the boss, after all, and no one dared to berate him. She stepped into the design department, and Yvonne rolled her eyes. "Jessamine! Even the boss came in earlier than you."Jessamine knew who the "boss" referred to. Amy was sitting at her workstation glaring at them. "I just overslept, deduct my salary then," Jessamine replied nonchalantly. Yvonne rolled her eyes. "The design department is hosting the annual work comp
This was the first time she had been so focused on work after being in Holt Jewelry for so long. At the end of the day, her whole body was stiff from sitting so still. When her shift ended, Jessamine remembered the yoga class Jordan had signed her up for a long time ago. She had missed the classes several times. Since she had some free time, she decided to relax her body and mind.She stepped on the gas and drove straight to the yoga studio. She had left some clothes there before, so she went to the changing room first to put on her yoga outfit. In front of the mirror, she gently touched her belly. Anyone who paid attention could see her usually flat belly had a slight bump. She was carrying twins, so she would show up earlier than if she were carrying a single baby.Considering the rate at which her weight was increasing, she wouldn't be able to wear this maternity yoga wear for long before needing to change sizes.Thaddeus had bluntly kept telling her that she had gained weigh
Amy's words and unhinged smile showed her true feelings. Her reaction made Jessamine happy. After all, she didn't have to do anything now.Amy was so angry she was about to explode. Besides, she was the one who first provoked Jessamine with the ultrasound picture. Now, seeing Jessamine with a pregnant belly, even the sourest lemon couldn't match her bitterness. "It seems like you're very interested in our marital life. I'm sorry, I'm not used to sharing the privacy of my relationship with anyone." Amy wasn't in the mood to practice yoga anymore. Jessamine's pregnancy had shocked her. After all the effort she had put in, it seemed like she had gained nothing. She was so close to getting the title of Mrs. Holt. Now, it was getting secured by another woman. How could she accept it?"Being pregnant is nothing. The only thing that matters is if you're able to carry it to term." Her words were both a threat and a curse.After what she had done in the past, a chill ran down Jessamine
"Give me your number so I can contact you if anything happens," Jessamine said. Jaxon took out his phone and dialed her number. Soon, her phone rang."Ms. Patton, this is my number. I'll be at your service 24/7."Jessamine looked at the caller ID on the screen. The nickname she had given to the person who had secretly helped her some time ago was "Mysterious Jaxon".It turned out she was right. The person behind Jaxon was definitely Noah."Being on call 24 hours wouldn't be necessary. I usually won't need you at night.""We're on standby at all times. It's our duty. If you need anything, just call this number. I can guarantee an immediate response.""Alright." Jessamine was impressed by the dedication this man had. She had never expected that the most reassuring words she had ever heard in her life would come from a stranger.If Thaddeus were to utter those words, she would be moved to tears. Jessamine chuckled bitterly, thinking about her wishful thoughts. "I'll be heading
Thaddeus pursed his lips as if he never had any expectations of her in the first place. "Don't be nervous. If your design doesn't make it, you can just continue resting at home like before."As if Jessamine would be nervous. He made it sound like she was eager to stay in his company. "I'll be going on a business trip to Hajera tomorrow. I'll be back in about a week." He was telling her his schedule again. Jessamine let out a little noise. She was uncomfortable with how he was acting. She recalled the time Thaddeus went on a business trip to Marita. He was gone for a week and disappeared from the world without even a goodbye.She had called him countless times and almost called the police. Finally, Jordan found out that Thaddeus was in Masnor. Because of that, Jessamine decided to never ask him about his business trips again.Now that he took the initiative to explain clearly, it made her feel more confused. She had even thought she was dreaming.Thaddeus snapped his fingers i
Thaddeus was dumbfounded. Why hadn't he considered using blood types to eliminate the possibility first?"My dad has type O blood."Jessamine's stroked his Adam's apple softly and deliberately. "My mom has type B blood, and I have type AB blood. Do you think it's possible that we could be long-lost siblings?"Thaddeus thought for some time and couldn't help but burst out in hearty laughter. It was impossible for someone with type B blood and someone with type O blood to have a child with AB type blood. What was he worrying about?At that moment, he couldn't believe how foolish he'd been. Biology was his best subject in school, yet he didn't think about this until Jessamine reminded him. His biology teacher would be furious if they knew."Why didn't you say so earlier, Jessie?" He regretted not talking to her about it sooner and ended up suffering in prolonged silence by himself.After Jessamine got bored touching his Adam's apple, she started playing with his rough chin. "I just
Jessamine lay still for a long time, aware that Thaddeus was also awake, battling insomnia just like her.This visit to Zenville to solve one mystery ended up bringing her an even bigger one.The gathering took place years ago in the restaurant owned by Benji's family. She had even asked Benji about it. The surveillance footage from over 20 years ago wouldn't be around now, and even the staff had changed several times. The restaurant's manager from back then had left the job many years ago.It wasn't easy to uncover the truth from back then unless they found the people who were directly involved. The closer they got to the truth, the more pressure she felt.By investigating this matter now, she was essentially peeling back the layers that had been hiding a much deeper issue. As she confronted the dark side of human nature, the ultimate victim ended up being her beloved mother.If Jessamine didn't look into this matter, she felt like she would be letting Elizabeth down. She wanted
Thaddeus frowned immensely at his request. "Don't be ridiculous!""I'm serious. You could help me rent one too. You know, the kind that charges by the day. I'll fool my dad first. We'll deal with everything else once he gets better," Benji said.Thaddeus cursed inwardly, "Dude, don't drag me into this, especially with my wife watching. It sounds like you're implying I have ways to get or rent women."Thaddeus glanced back at Jessamine and said, "I don't know about this. You should ask someone else. If you're at your wits end, go ask one of the assistants in your company to help you out."Benji seemed to come to a realization. He said, "It's getting late. You all should go back and rest. There are doctors here. I'll stay and keep watch."Jessamine asked, "Can you handle this on your own, Mr. Moore?""Sure, thank you… all of you," Benji replied.After saying a few more words of comfort, Jessamine and Thaddeus went downstairs to the car. Thaddeus' phone started ringing again."Mr.
Maya also knelt by the bed and started crying."Dad, don't speak for now. Please be okay."Benji zoned out. Seeing Carmen and Maya crying, his mind was in a mess. He realized that he couldn't continue to live aimlessly—his family needed him now."A girlfriend, a girlfriend..." he mumbled, not even sure of what he was saying.The doctor hurried to the room upon hearing the call, checked on Jonathan again, and then sent the family away."The patient needs rest and should avoid additional emotional stress. You all can wait outside for now. There's no need for everyone to be here, one would be enough. The room can be stuffy if there's too many people here, too."They then left the room. Benji was holding the X-ray images of Jonathan's brain, but he couldn't make any sense of it. He felt completely lost.Shane quietly slipped away from the crowd after watching from afar. He went to an empty hallway and called his father. "Dad, are you free to analyze some X-ray images? It's for a fri
Benji had always lived a smooth and pleasant life. It hit him hard after hearing what the doctor said, leaving him in a state of shock and bewilderment."Mom, hasn't Dad always been in good health? How did he suddenly..."Carmen's eyes were red and swollen from crying."He mentioned feeling dizzy a few times recently and said he'd go for a check-up but actually never did. Plus, he's been swamped with work lately and hasn't got any time. Today, he suddenly fainted at the office. His assistant called an ambulance right away and brought him to the hospital. By the time I got the call, he was already being examined inside."Benji's face turned pale. With Jonathan down, the burden of supporting his family fell on him. He had been free from responsibility for the past 20 years, and now, suddenly having to shoulder this heavy load, he felt completely lost.His father had been asking him to get familiar with the company's operations a long time ago. However, he was too lazy to bother abou
Benji never had any grand ambitions. From the day he was born, people always told him that he didn't need to worry about anything since most problems in this world could be solved with money, and his family had plenty of it. He just wanted to drift through life."I don't need to surpass him. As long as I can cover my daily expenses and not have to ask him for money, that's enough," Benji replied.As they were talking, Shane had prepared a table full of dishes. He set out four sets of plates and cutleries before calling everyone over to eat. "It's time to eat."The four of them hadn't seen each other in a long time, so they had to have a drink.Jessamine looked at the beautifully prepared dishes on the table and couldn't help but offer a compliment. "Shane, your cooking skills have gotten so good."Shane opened a bottle of red wine and poured some for everyone. "What can I do? There's a glutton at home."Benji was not happy with Shane's comment. What did he mean by saying there wa
"It's great that you came by today, Jessie. I'll pay you back the money. Friends who are willing to lend money these days are rare, so I want to thank you again," Benji said.He hadn't repaid the money he borrowed last time yet. Coincidentally, he received some money today, so he decided to settle the debt in person. With that, he picked up his phone to make the transfer.Jessamine's phone chimed, indicating that a payment had been received. The amount was a bit more than what she had lent out."Mr. Moore, I'm not here to ask you to settle your debt. You can keep it for now. I won't need the money for the time being," Jessamine said."If one borrows and returns promptly, borrowing again won't be difficult. You're much easier to talk to than Thaddeus. Despite knowing him for so many years, borrowing money from him is such a hassle. You saw it last time yourself. That scoundrel's attitude was terrible!" Benji complained.At this point in the conversation, Thaddeus happened to arrive
Thaddeus tightened his grip on Jessamine's slender waist. "What am I going to do with you, Jessie?"He thought to himself that if things really were just that coincidental, he would rather play the fool and pretend to know nothing at all. He just couldn't leave her.Jessamine asked softly, "How about you ask your dad?"Thaddeus paused for a moment and took out his phone to call Corey. He couldn't calm his mind at all.After a few seconds of hearing the dial tone, the call was answered."Dad," Thaddeus said.On the other end of the phone, Corey was about to go to sleep. He had been adjusting his routine lately, aiming to go to bed early and wake up early."What’s up?" Corey asked."Do you remember the gathering over 20 years ago with Mr. Hardy, Jacob Langston, Leon Lincoln, Paxton Loomis, and a few others?"After that, Thaddeus added, "That night, a beautiful woman came over. She drank some alcohol and was drugged."There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the ph
On the other side, Jessamine and Thaddeus got into the car.Jessamine and Beatrice were quite familiar with each other. However, it was Jessamine's first time meeting Sabastian. Surprisingly, she had a pretty good impression of him."Do the Hardy and Holt families have business dealings with each other?"Thaddeus drove as he answered her question, "We don't have much interaction. We would occasionally invest in small projects and conduct some charity work in Zenville together."Mr. Hardy is an upright and trustworthy person. He has a good relationship with Grandpa. Hayden would often come to my house with him when I was young."Jessamine paused for a moment and asked, "Does he have a wife?""Hayden's mother passed away from an amniotic fluid embolism during childbirth. Since then, Mr. Hardy has remained single and never remarried."Jessamine was deeply moved. In this era, who would remain loyal for a lifetime to their deceased wives? Most men like Sabastian, who had both power a