Chapter 9
“Jessica?” On the other end of the line, Simon Bennett’s voice trembled slightly through the phone.
Jessica’s eyes immediately turned red. “It’s me.”
Simon teased, “Well, what is it? Did pigs start flying, or did Brian get into a car crash?”
They hadn’t seen each other in years, and Simon’s familiar sharp tongue made Jessica laugh. He was exactly as she remembered him.
Jessica didn’t bother with pleasantries. “Simon, I heard you’ve become the hotshot lawyer–undefeated streak and all. So guess what? I’m bringing you a paycheck.”
Simon went quiet for a few seconds. Then he understood what she meant. “You pick the place.”
By the time Jessica was ready to go, Brian and the others were no longer in the living room. She didn’t think much of it and simply drove off from Atkinson Villa.
At the café, Jessica’s lips twitched as she sat across from Simon, who was practically staring her down like a hawk.
After a long moment, she finally squirmed. “Simon, do you stare at all your clients like this?”
“That’s different. None of my clients have been as miserable as you. If I don’t take a good look now, I won’t get the chance later,” Simon said.
Jessica was speechless.
Simon’s tongue was still as sharp as ever. At one point, as he got more worked up, he even tapped Jessica’s forehead in frustration. The gesture looked pretty intimate from an outsider’s point of view.
What Jessica didn’t know was that someone hidden nearby had already snapped photos of the whole scene.
But Jessica wasn’t here to waste time. She got straight to the point and asked Simon to draft a divorce agreement that left her with nothing, along with contracts to cleanly sever all financial ties with Brian.
“Nothing?” Simon nearly stood up and left when he heard what she wanted in the divorce agreement. “Jessica, are you a masochist? He cheated on you, and you want to walk away with nothing? Have you completely lost your mind?”
Jessica let out a bitter smile. She just didn’t want to be entangled with Brian anymore. She had no interest in his wealth and didn’t want any of it.
“I’m not saying I want nothing. Take a look at this material again,” Jessica remarked. Then she briefly explained the dividends she received from the shares in Brian’s company.
She had no desire to take a cut of Brian’s assets, but the annual dividends from the company were rightfully hers. During the toughest years, she was the one out chasing clients and securing deals. Half of the company’s success today was because of her.
“Jessi, you’re just too soft. If it were me, I’d take at least half his assets and then find a way to burn his whole company to the ground,” Simon said, seething.
Jessica remained calm. “I just want the divorce finalized as soon as possible. I don’t want to drag this out.”
“Alright. Leave it to me. Jessi, all these years, you…” Simon paused, then suddenly changed the subject. “Forget it. Jessi, welcome back.”
Jessica thought, ‘Yeah. I should’ve come back long ago.
After parting ways with Simon, Jessica returned to Atkinson Villa.
The housekeeper she’d scheduled for an interview a few days ago had arrived. The woman greeted her politely, “Ms. Grant, nice to meet you. Here’s my resume.”
The woman’s name was Sylvie Reed. Jessica already knew her background well.
“Sylvie, I’ve gone through your information already.” Jessica handed her a stack of documents she had prepared in advance, each page densely filled with notes about Brian and Jacob’s eating preferences and personal routines.
Sylvie looked a bit stunned. Jessica didn’t come off like the lady of the house–she looked more like the head butler serving whoever the real master
was.
Jessica knew everything about Brian and Jacob from their lifestyle patterns to the brand of toothpaste and the exact sock length they preferred.
11/2
5:58 AM
Chapter 9
“This is the recipe list. Sylvie, make a few dishes for lunch. I’ll taste them,” Jessica said.
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