Chapter 15 Take It Off
+8 Pearls
Charles lifted Jessica from the hotel’s threshold, the night air biting at her skin.A soft shiver ran through her, the unexpected cold piercing deeper than she had anticipated.
Rhea’s wine had soaked into her dress, rendering the fabric heavy and damp. Her hair, once styled, now hung limp, weighed down by the spilled drink. The remnants of cake clung to her gown, sticky and humiliating. She glanced down at herself, her face burning with shame.
“Thank you,” she whispered, her voice soft, almost drowned by the night. “You can let me down
now.”
A car rolled up to them, its engine a low hum in the quiet of the evening.
Charles released her, and Jessica noticed his suit now bore splatters of cake and frosting. A wave of guilt washed over her. “Sorry… I’ve ruined your clothes again. Maybe you should take it off and let me clean it for you?”
He remained silent, his eyes cold and unreadable, fixated on her.From the beginning, he’d wondered why she insisted on being his companion to the hotel. At first, he’d thought she was merely trying to stir trouble. Now, it seemed clear: she’d sought to ruin the evening, but had instead tangled herself in a mess of her own making-
Charles didn’t speak. His gaze fixed on her, sharp as ice, and it sent a shiver down her spine. She forced a strained smile, trying to mask her discomfort. “I know I look awful, but you really don’t have to look at me like that.”
Before she could speak further, his hand shot out, pinning her back against the side of the car. His towering form blocked her in, looming over her like a shadow…
“I don’t care what you’ve got with my nephew,” he said, his voice low and laced with a warning. “I won’t be dragged into your mess.”
His words pressed heavily against her chest, suffocating her. She had used him to gain entry to the party–he’d allowed it, perhaps out of curiosity. But if she thought she could use him to get back at Hugh, she was mistaken.
The coldness radiating from him made her heart flutter with unease. Now she understood–it wasn’t her she was saving, but his own dignity.
A bitter smile curled at her lips. Of course, he was angry. It made sense.
Her
gaze fell to the ground, hiding the turmoil she couldn’t mask. She spoke softly, her voice steady, yet laced with sincerity. “Mr. Hensley, this won’t happen again. I swear it.”
She hadn’t meant to use him as a pawn against Hugh. That was her burden to carry.
Charles studied her for a long moment, his silence as chilling as his stare. Finally, his expression softened, if only slightly.
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Chapter 15 Take It Off
tinged with something less cold.
+8 Pearls
Jessica hesitated, uncertainty flickering in her eyes. But he met her gaze with a calm indifference, as if he were entirely unaffected. “I’m taking you home.”
“No.. it’s fine. Really,” she began to protest, but before the words fully left her lips, he guided her
into the car.
He climbed in after her, motioning to the driver with a quiet command.
Jessica sank into the seat, careful not to move too much. She didn’t want to risk making his car as messy as her clothes.
“What about Mr. Hensley Sr.?” she asked, recalling that he had come with Dom.
“He’ll have his own ride,” Charles replied with a cool glance.
She nodded, a small sense of understanding settling in. Of course, a family like theirs wouldn’t settle for just one car.
The car pulled to a stop beneath Jessica’s apartment building.
She glanced at the man beside her. His eyes were closed, his expression unreadable, as if the world beyond the car didn’t exist. “Mr. Hensley, I’m home. Thank you for the ride,” she murmured softly..
A faint grunt came from him in response, the sound more a vibration in the air than a word. His eyes stayed shut.
A thick silence hung between them, oppressive and unsettling. Without another word, Jessical quickly opened the door and stepped out, eager to escape the weight of it.
As her foot touched the ground, his voice cut through the air, sharp as a knife. “Wait.”
Something was tossed from the car. She barely had time to react, her hands snapping up to catch it. His suit jacket.
“You said you’d wash it.” His voice, laced with a subtle challenge, drifted over her, the arch of his brow almost visible in the way his words landed.
Her throat tightened, a sense of confusion washing over her. “Oh, yeah. Yes… I’ll wash it.” She had assumed that, given his cool detachment, he would’ve discarded it–perhaps too offended by the cake stains to care. Yet, he handed it to her, as if entrusting her with it.
“You’ll wash it yourself,” he added, his gaze still hidden.
“Of course, I’ll take care of it,” she said, the words leaving her lips quickly. She wasn’t sure if he was trying to avoid having the jacket dry–cleaned or if it was something else entirely.
The car began to pull away, leaving Jessica standing in the night with his jacket in her hands. She
Chapter 15 Take It Off
+8 Pearls
The real problem? Her gown. It was a rental, and now it was stained beyond saving–completely ruined.
She returned to her apartment later than she had planned. Fortunately, she’d called Selene in advance, letting her know she’d be working late and asking her to keep an eye on the boy.
When she entered, the quiet was comforting. Both Selene and her son were already sound asleep. She was relieved they hadn’t seen her in such a state.
After cleaning herself up, Jessica walked to the room she shared with her son. He was nestled snugly in sleep, his small arms wrapped around a dinosaur plush.
A smile spread across her lips as she brushed a lock of hair from his forehead. The tenderness of the moment made her heart ache in the best way.
Carefully, she lay down on the other side of the bed, not wanting to disturb him. The exhaustion from the night hit her all at once, but sleep refused to come.
Her thoughts raced. Rhea’s panic had confirmed what Jessica had suspected all along. The child Rhea carried wasn’t Hugh’s.
That child had ties to the man Jessica had seen at the hospital–the doctor.
She would find him. She had to. The truth about the scandalous photos from years ago still eluded her, but she would uncover it, no matter the cost.
Charles didn’t return to the Hensleys‘ estate until he was certain Jessica was safe at her apartment.
Entering the front door, he found his father, Jane, and Hugh and his wife waiting in the living room.The atmosphere was thick with anticipation.
