Chapter 11 Charles‘ Companion
“She…” Charles faltered, his mind racing as he tried to find the words to describe her.
+8 Pearls
“Mr. Hensley, did you forget to bring me inside? I’m your companion for the night.” Jessica, halted at the door, played the part of the wronged woman.
Charles raised an eyebrow, his gaze flicking between her and the door. Companion?
“Let her pass,” Dom’s voice cut through the silence, sharp and commanding.
His eyes swept over Jessica, calculating, as if trying to decide if she was an anomaly or an exception. He had never seen Charles with a woman like her before. Was she someone important, or just passing through?
Jessica stepped forward, her heart thundering in her chest. She walked with poise, every step deliberate. She forced a smile, though the tension coiled in her stomach.
“Mr. Hensley Sr., it’s an honor,” she said, her voice steady, but the weight of his gaze made her skin prickle.
She turned her head and met Charles’s eyes–cold, unreadable. Her breath caught in her throat, and she quickly looked away, unsure if she could bear the intensity of his stare.
Is he upset?
“Charles,” Dom asked, his voice low with suspicion, “is this your … companion?”
Charles did not respond immediately. His gaze lingered on Jessica, measuring, weighing. The air thickened between them, suffocating her, and the silence stretched longer than she could bear.
Her pulse quickened. The pressure of his eyes pressed into her, making her feel small, exposed. What if he denies it? The thought knotted her stomach.
She considered rushing forward, storming into the hotel, but the image of being thrown out like an intruder stopped her.
No, that would be foolish. She had to stay close to Charles. She had to keep her place by his side.
With a surge of courage she didn’t quite feel, she slipped her arm through his, her smile wide, almost too bright. “I’m Jessica Scott. Mr. Hensley asked me to be his companion for the evening.” Her words tumbled out before she could fully grasp the daringness of speaking so openly to Dom.
She looked up, meeting Charles’s eyes once more. The coldness in his gaze made her feel vulnerable, exposed in a manner she hadn’t expected.
She wasn’t sure what would happen next. If he rejected her, it would be more than embarrassing. It would feel like a betrayal.
Chapter 11 Charles Companion
What game is she playing at now?
in Pearls
At that moment, Hugh strode into view. He approached them with a wide grin, but the smile faltered as his eyes fell on Jessica, his gaze shifting back and forth between Charles and her.
“Ah, Grandpa, you made it.” And he turned his gaze to Charles, Inevitably, he saw the woman standing with him, Jessica.
His pupils dilated in surprise. Jessica?
He looked at her hand resting on Charles’s arm. A sickening jolt ran through him. How did she get so close to Uncle Charles?
“Uncle Charles,” he said, his voice icy, “what is she doing here?”
Dom, still puzzled, turned toward his grandson, “What? Do you know her? She’s Charles companion for the night.”
“His companion?” Hugh’s voice cracked with disbelief, cutting through the air like a blade. How could Uncle Charles choose her?
His mind simmered with anger. He was certain that Jessica, that brazen woman, had used some manipulative trick to capture his uncle’s attention.
“Mr. Hugh,” Jessica’s smile was sharp, and her voice, sweet but laced with venom, slid out like a well–placed dagger. “I heard you’re celebrating your wedding anniversary tonight. I wanted to congratulate you.” Her eyes, however, glittered with a colder edge..
The words of Dr. Chortleheim rang in her mind. It was Hugh who ordered the halt to her father’s
treatment.
She tightened her grip on Charles’s arm, her anger simmering beneath her composed exterior.
Charles felt the subtle shift in her. Her skin had gone taut with fury, a brief flash of it crossing her face. Suspicion stirred inside him. Was it just resentment for his nephew, or something more?
“Hah… “Hugh bit off the words, his jaw clenched tight. “Thanks for the congratulations.”
“Shall we go inside?” Jessica’s voice was calm now, as though nothing had happened. She leaned into Charles slightly, meeting Hugh’s gaze with a steady, unwavering stare.
Hugh’s fists tightened. Every instinct told
-not with his grandfather watch him to lash out, but he knew this wasn’t the place for it
He shoved the rage down deep and turned to Dom. “Grandpa, let me escort you inside.”
As they walked through the doors, Jessica breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Dom hadn’t seemed to question her presence, at least not yet.
But Charles–his eyes never left her–kept her on edge. She forced a strained smile. “Mr. Hensley,
Chapter 11 Charles‘ Companion
Pearis
Charles’s eyes narrowed, his voice dropping to a dark, silken murmur, “What are you up to, hmm?”
With no way out now, Jessica’s heart fluttered. She took a steadying breath, meeting his gaze directly. “I’m your nephew’s ex–girlfriend. I’m here just to wish him well.”
His stare was sharp, slicing through her, making her feel exposed and fragile. He doesn’t believe me, she thought.
She braced herself, expecting the next words to be an order to throw her out. Instead, Charles’s fingers slid beneath her chin, tilting her face toward his. His gaze locked with hers–deep, probing, as though trying to uncover every secret she’d ever hidden.
“Is that all?” he asked, his lips curling into a smile that held both intrigue and danger.
For a moment, Jessica felt as though he might see straight through her, read her thoughts, unravel her soul.
But she fought the feeling, forcing a smile of her own. “Yes. It’s that simple.”
Charles held her gaze for several long moments, his expression unreadable. Finally, he spoke, his voice slow, deliberate. “Then I suppose you’ll be my companion for the evening.
“Of course,” she answered, her voice steady, though her pulse quickened, betraying her calm
exterior.
A flicker of amusement sparked in Charles’s eyes. He knew she was lying, but his curiosity got the better of him. What was she really after?
He allowed her to keep her hold on his arm, guiding her further into the hotel.
Jessica let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. At least now, she was inside. Whatever Charles‘ motives, it was better than being caught outside in the cold.
The ballroom was a vision of luxury. Gold and crystal gleamed, the air thick with perfume and. the hum of conversation. Guests, adorned in their finest attire, swirled around like a sea of jewels, celebrating in excess.
“Dom, slow down Jane approached Dom with a warm, affectionate smile.
She turned to her son. “Hugh, watch over Rhea. She’s pregnant, and she needs someone close.”
“Dom.” Rhea walked over, her high–fashion gown billowing with elegance, radiating an aura of refinement.
As her gaze flicked to Charles, her smile faltered, her steps slowing as her eyes narrowed. But the real shock hit when she saw the woman at his side.
Jessica?! Her smile froze, replaced by a look of stunned disbelief.
