“How could that be?” Chris coaxed her softly. “Your father must have seen how much you’ve suffered in silence. Everything you’ve done was to uncover the truth. I understand what you’re doing, so your parents must understand as well.”

Jessica cried, her voice soft and fragile–completely different from the strong, capable woman she usually appeared to be.

“What was I thinking back then? Why did I choose Michael? Why…”

“Mom told me that, at first, you didn’t know the Hall family was involved in your father’s death. She didn’t want to tell you, afraid that hatred would consume you. Later, when you took over the Wilder Group, you discovered it yourself and severed your feelings for Michael. You’ve already done more than enough.”

Jessica cried in Chris’s arms for a while, then lifted her head.

“No, I haven’t done enough. It took me so long to fall in love with you–you suffered so much because of me. If I had found out earlier…”

“If you had found out earlier, then you wouldn’t have married me when you were heartbroken when Michael got engaged abroad. And we wouldn’t have had a beginning.”

So many things had gone awry in the beginning, but those missteps had led to the best outcome.

The start may not have been right, but thankfully, they were now walking the path toward something perfect.

Looking at the thermos on the table, Jessica felt disgusted and tossed it straight into the trash. She was planning to take the trash out in the morning.

“Michael is panicking now,” said Jessica.

Their mood to watch a film wasn’t ruined–they still sat together on the sofa and watched a movie.

Jessica chose a suspense film.

The two of them had only recently developed this hobby.

On evenings when they had time, they would pick a suspense film and start guessing who the killer was from the beginning.

As the plot unfolded, they would analyze every clue.

Whoever guessed wrong had to fulfill one request from the other.

The sofa unfolded into a soft bed, and they lay cuddled up together.

Chris fed fruit into Jessica’s mouth.

He said, “I can tell your giving the cold shoulder recently really paid off. But the most important part is your partnership with Nina.”

Jessica snorted, “Nina, huh? You sound pretty affectionate. Just admit it–you two were childhood sweethearts, weren’t you?”

She pinched him, and Chris laughed and dodged.

“Even childhood sweethearts don’t necessarily end up together. Sometimes it’s just a sibling-like relationship.”

Jessica kept watching the film.

She had already made her guess about the killer–quicker than Chris.

“If I guess right this time, let’s go overseas for our honeymoon,” said Chris.

“Okay.”

Their wedding had been grand but rushed.

None of it had been in Jessica’s original plans.

She hadn’t even smiled much at the ceremony.

They got married one day, and she returned to work the very next, leaving Chris alone at home.

Since then, Chris had lived through five long years of being neglected.

Now that they wanted a fresh start, and since they hadn’t officially remarried yet, it was the perfect chance to make up for all that had been missed.

Jessica wanted to give Chris the very best of everything.

Once everything was settled, she wanted to hold another wedding with him.

But that was something for later.

Two hours later, the film ended–Chris had won.

He picked Jessica up into his arms and carried her to bed.

Lying face to face, their noses brushing, he said, “Don’t forget what you promised me–set aside time after the New Year for our honeymoon.”

“Okay.”

“Ms. Wilder wouldn’t stand me up, would she?”

Hearing that title, Jessica remembered that day in the hospital–and her face turned red.