Jessica Johnson happily accepts to enter into an arranged marriage with Ethan Mitchell, her first love, even when she knows that he feels nothing for her romantically. She dedicates her time and effort for the first few years of their marriage in hopes of getting Ethan to change his mind and finally fall in love with her. Her whole world comes crashing down when he reveals to her that another woman is carrying his child and requests that she leaves their matrimonial home immediately. “I love you, Ethan” Jessica says watching as her words fall on deaf ears. Unknown to him was the positive result of the pregnancy test that Jessica had gotten from the hospital earlier on in the day. Years later, their paths cross again at his mother’s birthday party, where Ethan is surprised to see Jessica with a baby boy that looked like him. “Is he my child,Jess?” Ethan asks, backing Jessica into a corner. “No child of mine will ever have you as a father.” Jessica replied furiously, watching as guilt consumed Ethan.
View MoreThe courtroom emptied, leaving behind an air of tension that seemed to live out with Jessica as she hastily made her way through the heavy double doors. Her heels hit against the cold marble floor, each step echoing the desperation screaming in her heart.Avery’s cries still rang in her ears, fueling the urgency that she felt. She spotted her daughter in the hallway, her tiny body forced against her grandmother’s tight embrace, hiccupping as the leftover tears ran down her eyes. Jessica rushed forward, her voice filled with regret.“Avery,” she whispered, kneeling. “Baby, I’m so sorry. Please don’t cry anymore.”Avery lifted her face ruined by tears, her cheeks red from the continuous crying. “Mummy...mummy, you were yelling? Did daddy do something?”Jessica’s heart clenched when she heard her daughter’s words. “No, no, my love. Not at all. Mummy wasn’t angry at Daddy. I was...I was upset at something that was happening in there.”Avery sniffled, clinging to her mother’s arm this time
The courtroom had fallen into a session of uneasy silence, the kind that pricked against the skin and made breaths seem shallow. Jessica sat on the witness stand, her knuckles white as she held on to its edges. Gregory Welsh adjusted his tie as he saw this, the perfect example of calculated confidence, his every move deliberate as he moved forward.“Ms. Williams,” he began, his voice still smooth but filled with accusation, “You have still given me an answer to my question.” Jessica’s throat tightened. Gregory’s gaze pinned her on her seat like a predator who finally caught its prey. He continued. “Why did you take Ethan’s unborn child abroad, raising her far from her biological father for five years?” Every eye in the courtroom was fixed on her, waiting to hear her answer, the same one that she hadn’t summoned the courage to give. She glanced at her later, Lois, who gave her a steady nod, urging her to remain calm and answer. But Jessica could feel the weight of judgement coming fr
The court reconvened shortly after the brief recess, the tension in the air was palpable to everyone. The jury made their way back to their seats, their earlier expressions of doubt surrounding Ethan Mitchell still roaming g in the air. Jessica Williams sat beside her lawyer, Lois, who leaned in and spoke in a low tone.“We’ve started well, Jessica,” Lois said, her eyes narrowing with determination in them. “But now’s where the real test begins. Stay calm, answer the questions truthfully, and don’t let his lawyer try to corner you. We already have momentum on our side, let’s keep it up.”Jessica nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. Her heart began to pound heavily as the judge stepped in, announcing that the proceedings should continue. It wasn’t long before that her name was called. “Ms. Williams,” the court clerk called out to her. “Please take the stand.”Jessica rose, her hands trembling as she made her way to the witness stand. She took the oat with a clear and steady voic
The room fell silent as Ethan Mitchell made his way to the witness stand. His steps were steady and calculated, but his face betrayed the unease he felt in his heart as he sat down, adjusted his tie and took the oat that was administered by the bailiff. The jury watched very closely, their expressions remaining neutral but very attentive, ready to weigh every word that proceeded out of his mouth.Lois rose from her seat, her every movement planned and deliberate. Her navy blue suit remained crisp and sharp, her expression calm but determined to bring Ethan down. She approached the stand, her bind in between her hands.“Mr Mitchell,” Lois began, her voice smooth but having a sharp undertone to it. “Thank you for being here today, we all know how busy you are. I want to just ask a very simple question. Can you please tell the court why your marriage to my client, Jessica Williams, came to an end?”Ethan shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his teeth gnashing against each other. “Our marri
Jessica sat quietly on the bench in the courthouse waiting room, her fingers gently caressing Avery’s hair as her little girl continued to hold on to her stuffed bunny. Around her, the air was filled with tension and anxiety. The polished floors around her gleamed under the light from the ceiling, but to Jessica, the space felt terrifying and uninviting.Joseph and Janet, her parents, sat behind her, their presence making sure she knew that she wasn’t alone. Janet reached out and squeezed her daughter’s hand, her lips forming into a firm line, while Joseph leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, staring at the ground as he made a silent prayer for his daughter. Ricky stood near the window, his arms crossed together, watching as though he could protect Jessica from the storm that was on its way for her.Lois, impeccably dressed in a nicely tailored navy blue suit, paced a few feet away from them, flipping through her binder and speaking quietly to herself. Ever so often, she glanced a
Jessica sat at the edge of her chair, hands cleaned tightly around her cup of tea making her knuckles turn white. The steam turned in the air, but the tea inside the cup had become cold, forgotten due to her nerves. Lois stood a few feet away from her, flipping through a binder filled with notes, legal jargon and a few highlighted sections.“Jessica,” Lois said, her voice bold but not unkind to her friend. “I need you to focus. Tomorrow isn’t just going to be about formality. The jury will decide Avery’s future. I need you to be prepared to answer their questions properly.”Jessica nodded, but her gaze was still fixed on the floor. Across the room, Ricky leaned against the wall, his arms crossed with a confidence hovering around him that she wished she had right now.Lois sighed, pulling out a chair across from where Jessica sat. She leaned forward, placing her hands on the table. “Let’s try again. What will you say when you are asked if you would like to co-parent with Ethan?”Jessic
Ethan sat in the dim light of his penthouse, his fingers drumming a rhythm on the edge of the glass in front of him. The whiskey swirled inside in the glass, a deep amber colour that looked like his current situation. His phone vibrated on the table, drawing his attention as he checked to see if Jessica had finally replied to his message.I want to see AveryHis message had been read but he had not gotten any reply. He had texted her many hours ago, every word showing his frustration, especially after the revelation he had gotten from his mum. He had called and sent messages to follow up, but this was all he got in return. Her cold detachment, her refusal to even let him spend a little time with their daughter.His thumb hovered over his phone screen, his mind racing, but the words seemed to leave before he could even think of them. He threw the phone back down on the table, the screen lighting up one more time to mock him.His penthouse had become noisy and chaotic. Laughter filled t
Ricky’s apartment had this cosy feeling to it, exuding a sense of wealth and warmth that Jessica found herself happy to be part of, admitting all the chaos from the recent days. The scent of garlic and herbs took over the air, making her stomach rumble once she stepped inside.“Ricky, this smells amazing,” Jessica said, taking off her coat and placing it on the rack that was by his door.Ricky emerged from the kitchen, a huge smile on his face. “Of course, I would prepare only the best for you. I know you’ve been through enough, Jess. Tonight is a night where you forget about the rest of the world, even though it is for a short while “Jessica smiled at him, touched by the thoughtfulness in his heart. “Thank you, Ricky. You didn’t have to do all of this for me.”“Are you kidding? This is just the beginning. Wait until you see what I have planned for dessert.” He winked, leading her into his dining room where the table was already set for two. A single candle standing in between the pl
The study was cold; on the desk were shadows flickering as the only desk lamp did its best to illuminate the room. Ethan stood at the window, his gaze fixed on the horizon far ahead of him. His mind continued to race, each thought fighting with the other, dragging for his attention. Olivia’s release didn’t make any sense to him. The bail, the timing, and the secrecy involved in it showed that someone had gone to great lengths to ensure that she walked out of there free.Clenching his fists, Ethan let out a very much-needed sigh of relief that he hadn’t realized he was holding for minutes. His hand moved to the paperwork on his desk, the reports he had gathered to find Olivia’s secret benefactor. Every lead he found pointed to the same conclusion that kept him unsettled. He grabbed his phone and dialled a number.“Ethan, darling, why are you calling so late at night?” His mother’s voice came in very warm, the kind of warmth that had helped him get away with being pampered as a young ch
“This marriage is over, Jessica!” Ethan Mitchell screamed at the top of his voice, his eyes red and filled with anger as his shaking wife tried to keep her test results away from his wrath. Behind her was the pregnancy test kit she had earlier peed on which showed her a positive sign meaning she was pregnant for Ethan, after 5 long years of trying. Love making with the man of her dreams, Ethan, these past few years had only happened when he was intoxicated so she was elated when she realized that soon she would be hearing the cries of a baby in their home.. “What is the meaning of this, Ethan?” Jessica asked as she felt tears run down her eyes uncontrollably. How could this happen now? Why did the universe hate her? “Olivia is pregnant with my child and I can’t let you hold me back from being a father to my unborn child.” Ethan informed her without any warning, no hint of remorse on his face. “Olivia? Your personal assistant from the office?” Jessica echoed back at him, her ...
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