Chapter 16
Brian’s temples throbbed with irritation. He thought back to the phone call with Jessica and how cold she’d sounded. Even when he used their son, the one she loved the most, as leverage, she didn’t flinch.
“Mr. Jacob Atkinson, this really does taste just like the corn chowder your mom used to make,” Sylvie replied.
She grew anxious and quickly turned to Brian. “I followed Ms. Grant’s recipe exactly, step by step. And Ms. Grant approved of my cooking. She said the food I made tasted exactly like hers.”
Brian thought, ‘Sylvie’s only been at Atkinson Villa for two days. When would Jessica have had time to teach her anything?‘ He couldn’t help but ask her outright.
“The day I arrived,” Sylvie explained, “Ms. Grant handed me a thick stack of meal plans, and notes about both your and Jacob’s daily routines and preferences.”
She’d worked for quite a few wealthy families and seen enough to tell something was off. On her very first day here, she sensed that Jessica might be planning to leave Atkinson Villa and walk away from this home.
Brian’s expression darkened further. He thought to himself, ‘Jessica had already planned everything for Jacob and me behind our backs? Was she so ready to leave us? Could she really be this heartless?‘
He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to steady himself. He hadn’t slept a wink last night. When Jacob threw a fit first thing in the morning demanding corn chowder, Brian canceled his entire work schedule and rushed straight to the hospital.
Jacob sobbed, “I want Mommy’s corn chowder. This one tastes wrong.”
But he just kept crying and wouldn’t stop. Brian thought for a moment, then called Madeline and asked her to come to the hospital.
Not long after, Madeline, who had been on her way to work, headed straight to the hospital.
“Don’t cry, Jake. I’ll make you corn chowder myself, okay?” she said softly, her voice full of gentle affection.
She actually did know how to make corn chowder. Back when she was obsessed with imitating Jessica, she made it her business to learn every little detail about Brian and Jacob’s preferences.”
But Jacob was too busy crying to care, completely ignoring her as she stood right in front of him.
“Jake, how about I take you to see Paw Patrol and get you a big Chase plushie?” Madeline coaxed again, patiently listing his favorite cartoons and
toys.
Unfortunately, none of her usual tricks worked today. Jacob didn’t hear a word.
Still trying to soothe him, Madeline reached out again. But Jacob, irritated by her actions, swatted her hand away and wailed at Brian, “Dad, I want Mommy’s corn chowder. If I can’t have it, I’d rather starve.”
They all knew that kids tended to forget things easily. Yesterday he had shouted about how much he hated Jessica. One night apart, and now he was already panicking, desperate to see her again.
Jacob’s cries didn’t stop. He just kept saying he wanted Jessica. A flicker of coldness flashed in Madeline’s eyes.
Madeline thought, ‘Of course. He’s that wretch’s brat. No matter how nice I am, it’s useless. If Jacob keeps clinging to her like this, she’ll always hold a special place in Brian’s heart!
She felt a flash of resentment. She thought, ‘This little punk Jacob always says how much he loves me, even says he wants me to be his mom. But when it really matters, he bails on me!
Seeing that Madeline couldn’t calm Jacob down either, Brian had no choice but to keep calling Jessica. But she never picked up.
Jacob seemed to catch on from Brian’s reaction that he wasn’t getting through to Jessica.
He jumped off the bed and walked toward the door, choking back tears. “I just want Mom’s corn chowder.”
He figured if Jessica wouldn’t come to the hospital, then he’d go back to Atkinson Villa and ask her to make it there.
Jacob ran out so suddenly that by the time Brian and the others chased after him, he was already at the elevator.
The elevator dinged as the doors opened, and Jacob ran straight into Jessica’s legs. He looked up, his eyes lighting up.
He thought, ‘I knew it. Mom would never leave me.
“Mom, did you come to bring me corn chowder?” Jacob asked.
11/2
5:59 AM d
Chapter 16
Jessica gave him a once–over. He only had a small scrape on his knee. “It’s just a little scratch, and you still haven’t been discharged?” she questioned.
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