Chapter 102
Michael, flustered, followed closely behind her. He placed the item he was holding on the table and walked with Jessica to the sofa, sitting down beside her.
Instinctively, he looked around. There was no sign of Chris in the house – it seemed the two of them were still at odds. With that thought in mind, Michael felt much more at ease. If Jessica was still upset over his scandal, it meant she still cared about him. Chris was bound to be eliminated eventually.
“Please don’t be mad,” Michael pleaded. “It was just a rumor. She only came to my place to visit Jordan. Didn’t Jordan get into a car accident a while ago? She hasn’t recovered yet. And since the company needed publicity, I asked her to come help look after the child to fuel the gossip.”
The explanation felt weak and unconvincing.
Michael did have feelings for Jessica, and he was determined to win her over. But unfortunately… Michael was a man. And worse, a man with typical flaws. In ancient times, men could have multiple wives. In modern times, men could openly cheat and still feel justified. To Michael, since he and Jessica weren’t legally married, anything he did with other women was technically allowed.
So when Jennifer sent Jessica the video from inside the bedroom, she felt Michael’s hypocrisy had reached its peak. Just minutes earlier, he had claimed it was only a fabricated rumor, saying they had never even spent the night in the same room, never even made eye contact. Yet the next moment, the two of them entered the bathroom together.
Of course, the reason the news had spread so quickly was because Jessica had also helped fuel the gossip. The more explosive the scandal became, the more "innocent" she and Michael appeared to the public.
“Really?” Jessica tilted her head with feigned curiosity. “You two really had nothing going on?”
Michael said, “Of course! You already know the truth. I’ve only ever loved you in this life – who else could I love?”
Inside the room, Chris listened to those words and couldn’t help but find it hilarious. He felt like his life had become a soap opera. He knew Jessica and Michael were putting on a show. What amused him was that Michael’s words – those same declarations of love – he himself had once said, but with sincerity. He had truly loved Jessica, and had only ever loved her.
But Michael? He didn’t believe that for a second. After all, he had also seen the videos – generously shared with him by Jessica herself.
Chris sat on the bed in the bedroom, watching Michael pledge his loyalty outside, uttering those grand promises, while he – her legal husband… no, ex-husband – hid in the room like a secret lover. What kind of life was that? Who said it wasn’t entertaining? Chris suddenly understood the phrase: There is endless joy in battling with people.
Michael lingered for quite a while before finally leaving, thinking he had smoothed things over with Jessica. He even made her drink some soup before receiving a call from the company and rushing off in a hurry.
Jessica immediately ran to the bathroom and threw up the soup she had just consumed. Then, with a dark expression, she began scrubbing her hands. When Chris opened the door and walked out, she was still washing her hands. The backs of her hands were bright red from the water. The tap was running fast, and the bathroom was quiet – only the sounds of her movements could be heard.
“It’s okay, you’re clean now. You’re the most innocent girl in the world, Jessica.”
Chris hugged her from behind and turned off the tap. Jessica lifted her head, and their eyes met in the mirror. Chris saw her eyes, bloodshot with unshed tears still hanging in her lashes. One by one, they began to fall.
“I know the Hall family was involved in my father’s death,” she said softly. “But I still have to put on an act in front of Michael.”
“I’m afraid… my dad will be disappointed in me when he sees me in the heavens.”