Ch. 541..550

Chapter 541

Growing even more terrified, Jessica explained in a panic, “H-He didn’t touch me. All he did was steady me when I nearly fell that time. The only person I’ve slept with is you. I’m not dirty.”

It made Wyatt’s heart ache to see her like that. “I know. I’m not saying that in a disdainful way. What I mean is you’ve been sweating and need to take a bath.”

After hearing that, she finally loosened her grip.

Nonetheless, her body was still tense as she leaned back inside the bathtub.

He was very patient as he helped her wash up, occasionally sliding his fingers over the gentle swell of her belly. The knowledge that inside her belly was his child warmed the cockles of his heart.

When she sat up and turned her back toward him, he saw several scars running across her back.

It was as though someone had whipped her until she bled and her wounds left untreated for some time, thus leaving behind those marks.

The scars were shocking to behold, and rage rose within Wyatt at the sight of them. Lightly brushing his fingers over them, he asked Jessica, “Why are there injuries on your back? Who hit you?”

She shook her head and answered softly, “It’s nothing. I accidentally fell.”

“Would a fall cause welts? Do you think I’m blind?” he responded with a dry laugh.

Jessica was silent.

Seeing that she lowered her head and was reluctant to tell him the truth, he did not press further, fearing he would lose his temper and startle her.

After the bath, he wrapped a bathrobe around her and carried her out.

The moment her body touched the bed, she fumbled to sit up and untie the bathrobe.

Wyatt’s eyebrows twitched in annoyance.

Ever since she got back, everything she does keeps pushing my buttons. I hate seeing her so timid and lacking self-assurance!

Tamping down his anger, he helped her change into her nightgown. Then, he tucked her under the covers. “Go to sleep.”

She blinked, a little confused. “Aren’t you sleeping?”

“No.”

Her hand groped around in the air before finally clutching his hand. In a cautious tone, she said, “Then, can you let them go?”

Without saying anything, he tucked her hand back under the covers.

After exiting the bedroom, Wyatt dialed Jeremy’s number immediately. “Jessie can’t see. I need a doctor to come over and check on her, and I want it done tomorrow.”

Jeremy was annoyed at being rudely awakened from his sleep for no good reason. “D*mn it… It’s three in the morning over here, for goodness’ sake! You’re calling just because she’s blind? If she’s blind, don’t you know how to take her to the hospital and look for a doctor there?”

Wyatt paced up and down next to the window, riddled with worry. “She’s pregnant, so looking for a doctor at the hospital is a no-go.”

“Well, my friends can’t do it either. Who would want to get involved in this?”

“I’m begging you. I need a doctor who can come to Norwal City tomorrow. I’m willing to agree to anything the person wants,” Wyatt replied, clutching his hair in desperation.

Jeremy was quiet for a long time before letting out a sigh. “I’ll give you an address later. Send someone to pick the person up.

“Thank you.”

“Wyatt, if you really have feelings for her, don’t waste any more time. If you lose her, you can continue living your life without her. If she’s handicapped, you’ll suffer for the rest of your life,” Jeremy said before ending the call.

However, Wyatt hung up immediately without uttering a single word.

A few minutes later, he received an address from Jeremy.

He forwarded the address to the pilot who had flown him to Yartran and asked the latter to pick up the doctor.

By the time he returned to the bedroom, Jessica was already curled up in bed, fast asleep. Outside the window, the sky was starting to light up with the first rays of sunlight.

Holding her in his arms, he slept for a while before waking up less than three hours later.

Wyatt gazed at the woman lying beside him. She was still sound asleep with her brows furrowed, and he caressed her face tenderly with the tips of his fingers. Then, he climbed out of bed gingerly, washed up, and changed before leaving the bedroom.

He hurried downstairs, and when he saw the housekeeper in the living room, he instructed the latter coldly, “Take good care of her.”

The housekeeper nodded fearfully.

After driving to Lopez Group, Wyatt sent Jacob a text, asking the latter to drop by upon his return to the country.

Wyatt’s assistant, who had been waiting for him for quite some time, approached him the moment he exited the elevator.

The assistant looked grim as he said, “Mr. Lopez, the collaboration we had already negotiated with two companies fell through. Both of them have signed an agreement with the same large corporation. Someone acted as a middleman between them.”

“Who dares to interfere in our business deals?” Wyatt demanded with a frown, feeling a little disgruntled.

Glancing at him, the assistant answered hesitantly, “I did some investigation and found that the middleman was Ms. Garland from Glory Corporation.”

There was only one Ms. Garland at Glory.

As soon as the assistant mentioned that name, Wyatt could guess Rayna’s intentions.

The reason Rayna would secretly sabotage my company can only be that she thinks I hurt Jessica and wants to seek revenge.

“Should I go and meet with Ms. Garland?” the assistant enquired.

“It’s only two companies. Who cares if they don’t want to work with us anymore?” Wyatt snapped impatiently.

I’m more worried about whether it’ll be possible to restore Jessica’s eyesight, so I’ve no time to argue with Rayna.

The assistant murmured an acknowledgment.

Then, he followed Wyatt to his office and reported on the progress of some work matters. He placed some documents on Wyatt’s desk and was about to leave when the latter stopped him.

“Remember, I flew out of the country on a private plane alone and returned alone as well. Make sure you handle this matter properly. Don’t let that woman find out,” Wyatt instructed grimly.

If Rayna discovers that I found and brought Jessica back, she’ll surely come here to take her from me.

“I understand.”

“Are there any clues related to the death of Oliver Marsh and his wife?”

The assistant broke out in a cold sweat. He stammered, “W-We’re checking the surveillance cameras with the police. I’ll inform you the minute we come across any clues.”

Wyatt shot him an icy glare. “You’re doing the same job as Faymon Group’s Mr. Tylinski, yet look at how competent he is.”

Stung by that remark, the assistant went out quietly.

His temperament has shifted drastically after his birthday, and he’s becoming increasingly disagreeable. Gosh, working for others is hard.

Wyatt busied himself with work the entire morning, then called the housekeeper at noon to check on the situation back home. He learned that Jessica had gone downstairs to have breakfast after nine that morning, but she had thrown up after eating.

Massaging his temples, he replied with a sigh, “Find out what’s safe for pregnant women to eat, then prepare them for her.”

“Yes, of course.”

Preoccupied about how the pregnant Jessica was experiencing such a severe reaction to food and was hardly eating, he lost his appetite too. Hence, he merely ate a few mouthfuls of his lunch.

Just as he rested his arms and head on his desk, planning to take a break, he heard a commotion.

Jacob came storming into Wyatt’s office and looked around before fixing his gaze on the latter.

“Where is she, Wyatt? Where did you take her?”

Wyatt frowned. “I texted you this morning. Why are you only here now?”

“You carried that person off so quickly that I had to buy a flight ticket and fly back on my own!” Jacob ranted. Feeling parched, he went to pick up the pitcher of water on the coffee table and poured himself a tall glass of water.

After downing the water, he asked Wyatt, “Shouldn’t you tell me first where that person is?”

“Oh, quit saying ‘that person.’ She’s my woman, so she’s at my house, of course!” Then, Wyatt added darkly, “Get over here. I’ve something to ask you.”

Rushing forward, Jacob jabbed a finger at Wyatt’s face and snapped in exasperation, “How the h*ll would I have known you were looking for her? Besides, you really went too far last night. She just learned her relatives had passed away, yet you berated her like that.”

Wyatt’s head snapped up, and he stared at Jacob. “She just learned that her relatives passed away? What are you talking about?”

Jacob sighed. “Remember I remained in Yartran for a few days after you left? I took her out to get some fresh air and relax because I noticed she was too depressed. Honestly, I didn’t lay a finger on her.”

 

 

 

Chapter 542

Jacob took a few steps back as he was worried that Wyatt might hit him.

“Stop beating around the bush and get straight to the point!” Wyatt snapped.

Jacob raised his hands to surrender and quickly said, “The point is, she called me on the second day after I returned to the country to ask me for help to investigate two people, and I got someone to do that. That evening when I asked to meet you at the club to discuss business, I received updates from my subordinate on the investigation. When I called her to tell her that the two people are both dead, she cried.”

“Was Oliver Marsh the man you investigated? And the other person was his wife?” Wyatt asked.

“Yes! That’s right!” Jacob nodded continuously. Letting out a sigh, he continued, “I didn’t know they were her relatives. If I had known, I wouldn’t have told her the bad news.”

Wyatt’s expression darkened when he heard that.

He had thought that Jessica knew her uncle and aunt had passed away. It turned out that she was completely unaware of it.

Who was the person who told her then?

Images of Jessica from the previous night flashed in Wyatt’s mind. She had knelt before him and pleaded with him to let Oliver and Danielle off. It turned out that she had misunderstood that he was the one who killed her family! Realization dawned on the man at once.

With a menacing gaze in his eyes, a mirthless smile appeared on Wyatt’s face. “D*mn it! How dare someone set me up!”

The culprit’s intention must have been to sow discord between him and Jessica.

“Set you up? Who?” Jacob asked curiously. Rubbing his chin, he said, “Wyatt, I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

Ignoring his friend, Wyatt asked, “How did she contact you previously?”

“Oh. I bought her a phone.”

“Who else knows her number?”

“Other than me, my mom has her number too.” Wyatt’s expression became even gloomier after he heard Jacob’s reply.

Wyatt had managed to get some important clues from his conversation with Jacob.

What he could be sure of was that someone had been spying on Jessica. In addition to having Jessica’s number, that person seemed to know every move of hers and Jacob’s.

The man drummed on the table with his fingers and asked Jacob coldly, “How did you know her?”

“Didn’t you already know?” Jacob questioned back.

“What the f*cking hell do I know?” When Wyatt heard that, anger welled up in his chest. “I was unable to find her after her friend arranged for her to go overseas. How could I have known how you two got acquainted with each other?”

“Oh,” Jacob finally understood what Wyatt meant and replied, “She told me that her boyfriend had dumped her overseas after they had a fight. So that was actually a lie.”

Jacob spent the next three minutes telling Wyatt all about where and how he had met Jessica, what Jessica looked like when he first saw her, and how they ended up together. He did not dare to leave out

any details.

Even though Wyatt remained expressionless as he listened quietly, he was gripping his pen so hard that his knuckles had turned white.

His crimson-red eyes were filled with rage as he pressed his lips tightly together.

The man was shocked to know how much Jessica had suffered when she was in Yartran. She was even almost raped!

How did she manage to keep the baby safe under those circumstances?

“Wyatt, are you… okay?” Sensing the hostile aura around Wyatt, a shiver ran down Jacob’s spine, and he took a few steps backward. It felt as if Wyatt could murder someone right then.

Jacob was well aware that he would not be able to beat Wyatt in a fight and did not want to risk provoking him.

“I’m all right. I’m very calm right now.” Wyatt took a deep breath while trying to suppress his emotions.

He knew that it was important for him to keep a clear mind as his current priority was to find out the truth.

Jacob was at a loss for words.

“Since it was her friend who arranged for her to go overseas, why would she…” Jacob stopped himself mid-sentence but could not help being curious. As such, he continued cautiously, “When I first saw her, she looked as if she had been badly tortured.”

Wyatt clasped his hands together and replied, “Someone was already watching Jessie when she left the country. After finding out her address, they destroyed the surveillance cameras and took her away

after killing her housekeeper.”

Wyatt explained in such a direct manner that there was no way Jacob wouldn’t understand.

“Were those people intending to do bad things to Josie… I mean, Jessie? They had beaten her up and even made her blind because she had put up a resistance, right? Did Jessie escape when they were not paying attention?”

Wyatt remained silent and clenched his fists tightly, trying to keep a leash on his emotions.

If Jessica had not managed to run away…If she had not run into Jacob outside the club…

If Jacob had not saved her…

Wyatt shut his eyes. He did not dare to imagine what the consequences would be if things had not happened the way they did.

At the thought of all the suffering that Jessica had gone through, the man’s heart wrenched in pain, and he found it hard to breathe.

She had just escaped hell, but not only did he not comfort her when he saw her, but he had also scolded her.

Seeing that Wyatt was keeping quiet with his head lowered, Jacob knew that he was wallowing in self- blame.

Jacob was also feeling bad for Jessica.

He did not expect her to have been through such a traumatic experience. Moreover, he had also told her about what happened to her family…

Jacob walked over to Wyatt and patted his shoulder. He sighed and said, “Wyatt, you’re really too much… Alas! Even if she had angered you, you shouldn’t have hurt her so badly.”

“I don’t know what overcame me.” Wyatt felt miserable as he recalled his previous arguments with Jessica and her frosty attitude toward him at the end.

He held his head and said in agony, “I loved and pampered her so much, but she deceived me and even aborted my baby. I can’t help but want her to experience the same pain I felt whenever I thought about that.”

“Ah! Was she also pregnant with your child before?”

“She had twins,” Wyatt replied softly before continuing, “She had approached me for revenge. Even her pregnancy was part of her plan. How could she… I just can’t bring myself not to hate her!”

“Revenge? What do you mean?” Jacob was confused.

The next moment, he widened his eyes in disbelief as he had suddenly recalled something. “What did you say her name was? Jessica Marsh? Could she be related to Bianca Marsh…”

Wyatt did not reply and continued lowering his head in silence.

Jacob stood on the spot in a daze for some time before snapping out of his shock. “Umm… I shouldn’t interfere in your affairs, but I really don’t think she’s the kind of person who would make use of children,” he stammered.

“How long have you known her for? Do you really think you understand her well?” Wyatt shot a glance at the man and sneered, “Given how well she toyed with my feelings, I don’t think there’s anything she’s not capable of!”

Jacob pulled a chair and sat down as his legs were aching from standing too long.

Then, he said, “But seriously, she doesn’t seem like that sort of person. Back then, when the doctor told her that the baby was doing well, I noticed the relieved expression on her face as she touched her belly. Wyatt, just think about it. If she was really that ruthless, she could have just gotten rid of this baby as well since she had already aborted the twins. Why would she put herself through so much hardship just to keep it safe?”

Wyatt froze upon hearing that.

He’s right. If Jessica wanted, she could have aborted the baby overseas and hurt him once again.

Why didn’t she?

Feeling at a loss, the man asked Jacob, “Why?”

“F*ck! Why are you asking me? You should know better than me since you’re the cause of the problem!” Jacob rolled his eyes in dismay.

“Why am I the cause of the problem?” Wyatt asked.

Jacob was rendered speechless and almost wanted to curse again.

How can he say that I don’t understand Jessica well when he is the one who knows nothing about her!

Letting out a sigh, Wyatt said, “I’m sure she had other reasons for aborting the twins. You should go back and have a proper talk with her about it. Please don’t scold her again.”

 

 

Chapter 543

More to it? Jessica was the one who had an abortion and informed me later. Was there more to it? Wyatt mused as he went over what Jacob said. Jacob is right. If Jessica truly did not want the child, she could have gotten rid of it overseas.

With that, Wyatt’s eyes cleared up. “I’ll ask her. I promise not to get into an argument.”

“You shouldn’t be arguing with her, to begin with,” Jacob muttered exasperatedly.

Recalling the time he brought Jessica to the hospital and the doctor’s words, he threw a glance at Wyatt.

“Wyatt, there’s something I need to tell you.”

“What?”

Jacob’s expression was grim as he looked at Wyatt. “Even if Jessica did not get an abortion… She could not keep the child.”

Wyatt fell silent.

“Do you recall the time I brought you back to my place when you were drunk? The next day, Jessica did not respond when I called out to her. So I went in to check on her and found her drenched in cold sweat. I sent her to the hospital then.”

Jacob sighed. “The doctor said that her body is in a bad condition and advised her to improve her health before giving birth. I’m not too familiar with how dire a woman’s body’s condition can get, but apparently, if it gets worse, she can no longer bear children.”

Wyatt was not unaware of Jessica’s poor health as he had been informed by a doctor before. Coupled with Jacob’s words, guilt suddenly sprang up from within himself. He blamed himself for everything. Grabbing his hair, he felt incredibly helpless and bitter. “I never wanted to hurt her. I only wanted to…”

Jacob reached out and patted Wyatt on the shoulder. He comforted the other man, “That’s enough. Don’t blame yourself. The reason I told you all this is because I hope you won’t put the blame on her now that the child is gone. I hope you will treat her well. Doesn’t Jeremy have a lot of connections? Perhaps you can ask him for help. Maybe there might be a solution.”

“Jacob,” Wyatt murmured after a brief pause. “Thank you so much.”

If Jessica had not encountered Jacob that day and had not been saved by him, how much worse would things have become?

Jacob was taken aback. Grinning, he replied, “What are friends for? There is no need to thank me! Well, if you really want to do so, you can let me join in if you encounter any good business opportunities.”

Wyatt tapped the other man’s chest with his fist. “Don’t worry. I will.”

“Deal!”

The two had only chatted for a bit when Jacob received a phone call and had to return to the company.

Before Jacob left, he turned to Wyatt and could not resist asking, “I also know about Bianca. I won’t ask how she’s related to Jessica. I just want to know if you had a hand in Justin’s car accident and also the guys from Hausen.”

“No,” Wyatt replied calmly. “It’s not possible for me to do such a thing. If that was their fate, no one can prevent it.”

Jacob understood the implication of that sentence.

“You’re right. Serves them right to be so unlucky.” Jacob shrugged and departed.

As he took the elevator down, Wyatt’s words ran through his mind. He had no idea how deep was Wyatt’s feelings for Jessica. However, the former had not heeded the danger and taken care of those people for her. Thus, Wyatt must care about her and regard her as someone important.

Jacob would not have dared to do such a thing.

He sighed regretfully. “Did I perhaps, make a mistake?” He had not expected the woman he rescued to be his friend’s wife.

Life sucks!

As Wyatt thought of Jessica who was at home, he drove home early in the afternoon.

The housekeeper opened the door and informed Wyatt, “A doctor arrived ten minutes ago and is currently chatting with Mrs. Valentine.”

“Okay.”

Without lingering to chat with the housekeeper, Wyatt passed his coat to her and rushed upstairs.

He purposefully lightened his steps as he neared the bedroom. He could vaguely hear a man’s inquiring voice. A few seconds later, he heard Jessica murmur in reply.

The door to the bedroom was open. Upon entering, Wyatt saw Jessica sitting by the bedside. A man wearing surgical gloves stood before her, occasionally checking Jessica’s eyes.

Wyatt stood at the doorway for a moment before striding in.

“What’s wrong with her eyes?” Wyatt asked as he came to a stop beside Jessica. He asked, “Is the damage serious?”

Peeling off his gloves, the doctor replied, “Mrs. Valentine is pregnant, so I cannot perform a brain scan. However, I’ve checked with her and she said that she suddenly lost her sight after waking up. There’s nothing wrong with her eyes, so it shouldn’t be a huge problem. If the medicine I prescribed isn’t effective, we can only wait until after she gives birth to run further test.”

“All right. We’ll be in your care.” Wyatt could only endure the anguish he felt.

The medicine prescribed by the doctor was colorless liquid contained in a small glass bottle.

The doctor applied a drop in each of Jessica’s eyes before passing the bottle to Wyatt. “Apply one drop in both eyes, twice a day. If she feels any discomfort, you can call me.”

“Okay.” Wyatt exchanged phone numbers with the doctor. “Dinner is ready. Would you care to stay for a meal before you leave?”

Wyatt’s offer gave the doctor a scare. When he first arrived, he heard from Jeremy that Wyatt had a bad temper and should not be provoked. Hmm… He’s quite accommodating.

“I’ll have to decline for I have other matters to take care of.”

After hearing the doctor’s words, Wyatt did not try to force the issue. He sent the former off and helped Jessica downstairs for dinner.

Jessica had not made a single peep of noise the entire time. She sat down docilely at the dining table after being helped downstairs.

After seeing the doctor off, Wyatt took the chair next to Jessica and sat down. He signaled to the housekeeper to serve dinner.

Dinner was a sumptuous affair, mostly consisting of food that was good for pregnant women.

Wyatt frowned when he saw Jessica sitting there like an unmoving doll. He asked warmly, “Jessie, would you like to try the asparagus?”

Jessica nodded in response.

Wyatt picked up some asparagus and placed it on her plate.

When he saw her fumbling about the table before finally picking up her fork and plate carefully, he felt a throbbing pain in his heart.

Losing one’s vision was a fate worse than being amputated and being bedridden for the rest of your life.

“It’s okay. Let me help you.” Wyatt took the plate from Jessica.

Jessica hesitated. It seemed like she did not want to annoy him. Hence, she quickly let go of her plate and opened her mouth obediently.

All she had to do was to sit there and let Wyatt feed her.

She would nod when he asked if she wanted to eat a certain food. She gripped her clothes tightly and was like a person incapable of taking care of herself.

After a while, there wasn’t much food left on the plate he held.

Wyatt smiled a little when he saw how voracious her appetite was. However, his joy only lasted for a few seconds, for Jessica suddenly covered her mouth violently, her entire face turning white.

“What’s wrong? Do you want to throw up?” Wyatt asked anxiously.

Jessica nodded frantically.

She immediately threw up everything into the bin the moment Wyatt handed it to her. She looked like she was in pain.

Wyatt’s face darkened when he saw her in such a state. “You should have told me if you didn’t want to eat it. Don’t just nod to everything. Don’t you feel sick?”

“I’m sorry,” Jessica hurriedly apologized. Perhaps his tone had been too harsh, for she continued to apologize profusely. “I felt horrible, so I couldn’t keep it down. I promise not to throw up the next time…”

Her mortified and timid demeanor made Wyatt furious.

 

 

 

Chapter 544

After taking a while to suppress his anger, Wyatt poured a bowl of mushroom soup and fed her one mouthful at a time.

Given that her stomach was already close to empty, Jessica stopped puking after having one bowl. Only then did the scowl on Wyatt’s face fade.

After they were done with dinner, Wyatt helped Jessica upstairs.

As the two of them settled down on the couch, Wyatt held her hands and asked softly, “Jessie, tell me. Were you planning on aborting the twins? Or was there some other reason?”

At that moment, he felt her squirm abruptly in his hands. He looked up and noticed the uneasy expression on her face.

Convinced that something was amiss, he probed further, “Can you tell me how you lost the babies?”

The anxiety within Wyatt grew when silence was all he got from her.

Tightening his grip, he said, “I’ll let your uncle and aunt go if you tell me.”

Jessica questioned him at once, “Did you really hide them?”

“Yes…” Knowing that she wasn’t behaving normally, Wyatt tried hard to keep himself together. “Tell me, please. Where did you go on my birthday? How did you lose the babies?”

“I…” Jessica’s lips moved, but her voice was soft. Wyatt edged closer to listen. “I went to Rayna’s mother’s shop, hoping she could tell me where Kristie was. After that, I bumped into Gianna when I was about to leave…”

Wyatt’s breath hitched. “And then?”

“We went to the stairwell to talk. She told me she knew the reason I was trying to get close to you and threatened to expose me. I told her to go ahead and attempted to leave, but she grabbed me and shoved me.”

Tears of agony and resentment streamed down her cheeks as she relived the traumatic incident.

Her eyes had turned red, and her voice began to choke. “I had no intention of aborting them and pleaded with the doctor to save them. However, the doctor told me she had done her best. I’m sorry. I-I failed to protect them.”

The revelation sent Wyatt into a long state of shock.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I wanted to when you found me, but you didn’t give me the chance.” Jessica’s eyes turned misty while her voice grew raspy from sobbing. “I know you hate me, so I figured it was better for us to go our separate ways now that the children are gone.”

With guilt swelling within him, Wyatt buried his head in her hands. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know…”

His rage clouded his judgment, causing him to assume that Jessica had aborted the babies as an act of vengeance.

It turned out that she had wanted to give him a surprise and the thought of abortion had never crossed her mind.

The thought that he had imprisoned, tortured, and disparaged her over a misunderstanding overwhelmed Wyatt with guilt.

“I swear I’ll never vent my anger on you ever again,” he declared as he kissed away her tears. “I’ll make sure your eyes are cured, and we’ll take care of this baby together.” While speaking, a vicious glint flashed across his eyes. “Jessie, don’t you worry. I’ll definitely make sure that woman grovels at your feet and begs for your forgiveness. She’ll pay in blood for what she has done!”

Unfortunately, his words failed to reassure her. She asked carefully, “Now that I have told you everything, will you let my uncle and aunt go?”

Staring at her, Wyatt replied in a bitter tone, “Yes, I will.”

Only then did the frown on Jessica’s forehead smoothen alongside the tension in her heart.

With that, Wyatt helped Jessica bathe. While she was in the tub, he slipped out to give his assistant a call.

He ordered his assistant to investigate Jessica’s abduction. If footage of it couldn’t be found, they would resort to bribing the police. All that mattered to him was finding a lead, and he didn’t care how much it cost. Next, he tasked his assistant to locate Gianna.

How dare she stop me at the club to tell me about Jessica’s plan after killing my children? And yet, I was stupid enough to believe everything she said. I swear my name isn’t Wyatt Lopez if I don’t kill that woman!

Wyatt paced back and forth by the window, emanating a murderous aura. Finally, he tried his best to calm himself down for fear of scaring Jessica.

It wasn’t until he regained his composure that he put away his phone and returned to the bathroom.

When she was done, Wyatt helped her change into her nightgown and settled her in bed. After that, he took a shower of his own.

By the time he emerged from the bathroom, Jessica was already asleep.

Wyatt dried his hair with a towel and tiptoed over to the bed.

Just as he pulled the sheets aside, Jessica opened her eyes and stared in his direction. Nevertheless, she couldn’t see him. “Are you coming to bed?”

“Mm-hmm.” Wyatt leaned in to kiss her on the cheek. “Go to sleep now.”

Jessica wrapped her hands around his neck, refusing to let him go.

Pulling herself up, she felt for his lips and planted a probing kiss on them.

With both of them in close proximity, Wyatt could smell the citrus fragrance emitted from her hair and the faint scent of her body, both of which caused his heart to race.

Noticing his lack of reaction, Jessica leaned in and kissed him again.

Finally, Wyatt let his urges take over as he carefully pinned her on the bed and reciprocated with a passionate kiss.

As the fragrant scent from her body drove his senses wild, he could feel her tender yet taut skin in his palms.

All of a sudden, Wyatt came to his senses.

Raising his head, he saw Jessica’s hair strewn across the pillow while her brows were tightly knitted. Even though she was clearly in pain, she bit her lip and refused to make a sound.

The sight of her tormenting herself to the extent of biting her lip till she bled caused the lust within him to dissipate immediately.

He pried open her lips to stop her from biting.

The scowl on his face was evidence of how he hated the way she was behaving.

Just like a puppet, she let him have his way with her as if making him happy was all that mattered.

“What are you doing?” His chest heaved as he gnashed his teeth in exasperation. “Just look at yourself now! You don’t seem to have a soul anymore!”

Jessica closing her eyes in silence ended up intensifying Wyatt’s unease.

Afraid that he would lose control if he stayed, Wyatt got out of bed and slammed the door on his way out.

After moving to another room, he grabbed a pack of cigarettes and smoked one after another on the balcony.

The thought of Jessica’s behavior earlier simply filled him with frustration.

What he needed was a human being. Someone who would rage, laugh, scold, and hit him. The last thing he wanted was a soulless puppet who would only lie down in absolute obedience and not tell him even when she was in pain.

After having one too many cigarettes, he began to cough so violently that even his organs hurt.

He squatted down and buried his face in his hands as a sense of devastation took over him.

Despite his apology and vow not to throw his tantrum at her, he didn’t know how to bring her vibrant and bubbly old self back. Even when he softened his tone to coax her, he failed to stop her from suppressing her emotions.

Wyatt remained on the balcony alone, allowing the chilly breeze to blow across his skin.

It wasn’t until he heard the housekeeper speaking downstairs that he was snapped out of his thoughts and realized it was already dawn.

Peering out through the gaps of the balcony railing, Wyatt saw two housekeepers chatting as they worked.

He couldn’t hear what they were talking about. All he saw was the older housekeeper showing off the ring on her finger to the other.

Because of her age, the ring she wore had a traditional design and was made of gold.

 

 

Chapter 545

After staring at the housekeeper’s ring, Wyatt narrowed his eyes as a sudden realization dawned on him.

He whipped out his phone and gave his assistant a call.

“Don’t go to the office. I need you to pick up something for me.”

Upon ending the call, Wyatt took a shower before changing into a suit.

He then returned to the master bedroom and saw Jessica slowly emerging from the bathroom.

When he saw her hair neatly combed, he figured she had just washed up too.

He went over and helped her to the bed. After picking out a dress from the wardrobe, he put it on attentively for her.

Even though he didn’t say a word from the moment he entered, Jessica could tell it was him just from his breath.

While he was helping her change, she asked warily, “Aren’t you going to work today?”

“No. I have something more important to do.”

Pulling back the silk sash of the dress, Wyatt tied a beautiful butterfly loop. He then scanned the room, seemingly in search of something.

He walked to the dressing table and opened the bag on top.

As he flipped it over and poured out its contents, a few clinks were heard when a couple of coins fell onto the table.

He retrieved the coins from the pile of belongings and gave them an earnest look before handing them over to Jessica, who seemed confused by his action.

“Why are you giving them to me?”

“We’ll be using them later, so don’t lose them.” With that, he helped her downstairs for breakfast.

This time, Wyatt didn’t feed her during the meal. Instead, he explained to her what was laid out in front and waited for her to gradually feel them out. Even though this meant that she had to eat at a snail’s pace, he patiently waited for her to do so.

Once she was finished, he wiped her mouth for her with a napkin. “Do you feel nauseous?”

Jessica shook her head.

“Good.” Wyatt picked up the three coins from the table and placed them in her palm. “In that case, we’re heading out.”

“I’m going as well?”

“You are.”

Wyatt wrapped a scarf around Jessica’s head, put on a pair of sunglasses for her, and helped her wear her flats before putting on his own shoes. When they were ready, he carried her out in his arms.

With her hands wrapped around his neck, Jessica felt the urge to ask about their destination but decided against it in the end.

After she felt him settling her down in the car seat, she heard him order the driver to take them to Mercury Street.

Jessica sat quietly, wondering where Wyatt was taking her and why.

When the car finally came to a stop, Wyatt reached over to carry her.

Jessica wrapped her arms around his neck and heard him speak. “Have you brought the documents? Are they expecting us already?”

“The documents are in the folder, and I have given them advance notice. They will be exclusively in your service today, Mr. Lopez.”

“Are you sending me overseas?” Jessica thought she was at the airport the moment she heard the word “documents.” Grabbing Wyatt’s clothes anxiously, she protested, “I don’t want to go overseas. I want to see Uncle Oliver and Aunt Danielle.”

While carrying her up to the City Hall, Wyatt assuaged her fears. “Don’t worry. We’re not. You’ll continue to stay by my side. We’re just going to get something done, and it will be over within a few minutes.”

Even though Jessica didn’t say another word, a niggling sense of dread remained within her.

As she was unable to see, she had no idea where she was. All she heard was someone greeting Wyatt before she was put down in a chair.

“Mr. Lopez, we’ve prepared everything according to your instructions. All you have to do is sign here.”

“All right. Thank you.”

In a daze, Jessica felt someone stuffing a pen into her hand and pulling it forward.

“Here, sign your name,” Wyatt coaxed.

“What is it?” Jessica asked, refusing to comply. “Can you read it out to me?”

“It’s nothing important. Come now, just sign your name.” Wyatt stroked her hair gently. “As long as you do as you’re told today, I’ll let your uncle and aunt come see you tomorrow.”

“Really?”

“Yes, trust me.”

After a long hesitation, Jessica finally put down her signature.

“Good. Now put one coin on the table.”

Taking out a coin with her left hand, Jessica did as she was told.

After that, she was led somewhere else by Wyatt. Once they came to a stop, he lifted her head to look up.

Ten seconds later, Wyatt informed her that they were done and carried her back out.

Once both of them left the lobby, Wyatt’s assistant quickly distributed cash to the staff. “Thank you. Here’s something from Mr. Lopez in appreciation of your assistance.”

Every single one of the staff was pleasantly surprised when they received the monetary gift.

After the assistant was gone, one of the staff couldn’t help but comment, “I think that girl doesn’t even know what she’s doing. Don’t you think Mr. Lopez has gone overboard by taking advantage of her like that?”

“Are you sure she isn’t aware?”

“She’s blind. In fact, Mr. Lopez had to direct her on where to sign. Isn’t it obvious that she’s clueless about what’s going on?”

Stumped by the words, the other staff waved her hand. “Anyway, that’s none of our business. If a rich man brings me here to register our marriage, I’ll gladly go along with it.”

Upon leaving the City Hall, Wyatt brought Jessica to the mall, where they came to a Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry store.

Both of them waited for a while after being ushered into the VIP room.

Soon, a salesperson brought out a tray of rings and laid them on the glass counter. Wyatt grabbed Jessica’s hand and placed it on the tray.

“Help me choose a ring.”

Jessica retracted her hand by reflex. “Why are you asking me to choose a ring? What did I just sign?”

“Didn’t you say you would listen to me today?”

Gritting her teeth, Jessica gave in and pointed to a random ring. “This one.”

Wyatt picked up the ring and stuffed it in her hand.

“Put it on for me.”

Feeling his hand, Jessica carefully put the ring on his finger.

Before leaving, Wyatt instructed her to leave another coin on the counter.

Once they were gone, his assistant entered the VIP room with a card in his hand and gifts for the staff. “Thank you for your assistance. The ring was bought by Mrs. Lopez. As for the other expenses, please swipe this card for them.”

“Oh, okay.” The staff complied even though she couldn’t tell what Wyatt was up to.

Finally, Wyatt brought Jessica to a bridal studio.

Rayna’s gown was tailored there, and the manager knew Wyatt personally.

She rushed forward to welcome Wyatt when she saw the latter approaching with a woman in his arms. “Mr. Lopez.”

Wyatt waved for the manager to come closer and whispered something into her ear.

The manager was briefly stunned before breaking into a vibrant smile. “Mr. Lopez, you’re such a caring husband to buy your wife some clothes. Come with me upstairs. I’ll show you the designs we have.”

Jessica was surprised that Wyatt had taken her all over town and at how they ended up shopping.

She gave him a tug and whispered, “I’m pregnant and can’t really fit into anything. Let’s just forget about it.”

“Just try on a few pieces. It’ll be quick, I promise.” Wyatt carefully helped her up the staircase. “Don’t you want to look good when you see your uncle and aunt?”

 

 

 

Chapter 546

Convinced by Wyatt’s words, Jessica didn’t protest any further.

Upon arriving on the second floor, the manager led them to a room where a row of gorgeous bridal gowns awaited them. Nonetheless, Jessica assumed she was in a clothing boutique because of her inability to see.

Lifting Jessica’s hand, he whispered in her ear, “Come, Jessie, just point randomly. There are two rows of dresses in front of you. Pick two to try, and we’ll leave with them.”

“They’re just clothes. You can help me choose.”

“I’m terrible at this and don’t know what you like. Perhaps your intuition has a better eye than I do.”

Jessica furrowed her brows when she felt that Wyatt was behaving strangely.

Why does he insist that I come along just to buy some clothes?

After being egged on by Wyatt, Jessica relented and inquired about the color and design of the dresses. She then deliberated on them upon hearing Wyatt’s description.

While Wyatt was serving as Jessica’s eyes, the manager discreetly called in a photography team.

The team quietly slipped in once the couple had entered the changing room.

“Is that really Mr. Lopez?” the photographer asked the manager softly while glancing at the changing room. “It can’t be. There’s no reason for him to be so secretive about taking wedding photographs, is there?”

The manager shot him a glare. “Mind your own business. Do you want this job or not? While they’re inside, get your staff to set up your equipment. Do it quietly and don’t say a word.”

The photographer was rendered speechless.

Since Wyatt was paying them a handsome fee, he got to work quickly.

Just as the video camera was put in place, the door to the changing room swung open.

After handing the controls of the video camera over to his colleague, the photographer tracked the couple closely and took pictures of them from all angles.

“This dress is really heavy and is tiresome to walk around in. It doesn’t feel practical to me.”

“It’s an evening gown.”

“Aren’t we just buying some clothes? Why are we getting a gown?”

“You pointed at it just now. Just try it on. Who knows, you can wear it to a banquet next time.”

Listening to Wyatt’s conversation with Jessica, the photographer wondered to himself why the former was behaving in such a strange manner.

Soon, he quickly realized through his camera lens that Jessica was blind and Wyatt was assisting her throughout.

While he was still stunned by the epiphany, the photographer saw Wyatt turn abruptly toward the camera and gesture with a darkened gaze.

Feeling a chill down his spine, he quickly nodded to acknowledge that he was just there to do as he was told.

Meanwhile, Jessica insisted on changing her outfit after learning that it was an evening gown. However, Wyatt refused to let her do so and praised how good she looked in it. He even got the manager to bring over a pair of heels, which he put on for her.

Under the pretext of checking whether the shoes were comfortable, he led her around, for he would buy them if they were.

It wasn’t until Jessica’s legs began to feel sore that he carried her back to the changing room.

Inside, she was forced to put on another gown, one that was lighter.

This time, she discreetly felt the texture of the fabric and realized it was made of lace with diamonds embroidered on them. It didn’t feel like something one would wear casually at all.

After being led out by Wyatt to painstakingly repeat the same process, she was brought back to the changing room to put her own clothes back on.

“We’ll be taking the dress and shoes.”

“Sure,” the manager replied, “Mrs. Lopez has chosen a beautiful piece.”

Listening on in silence, Jessica left together with Wyatt when he wrapped his arm around her waist.

All of a sudden, a loud bang was heard when something crashed onto the floor.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

Jessica stopped in her tracks upon hearing the male voice. “Is there someone else around?”

Wyatt scowled at the man as he replied softly, “It’s just one of the staff here.”

Fortunately, Jessica didn’t suspect anything at all.

It wasn’t until Wyatt had left with Jessica that the manager heaved a sigh of relief. She reprimanded the photographer, “Didn’t I remind you to be more careful? You almost got us in trouble!”

“My colleague didn’t do it on purpose,” the photographer said. “Besides, this is the first time we have accepted a job where we can’t reveal what we’re doing. What is Mr. Lopez up to?”

The manager snapped back impatiently, “You’d better start editing the photos and videos you have taken. Once you’re done, send them to Mr. Lopez.”

With that, she left in a hurry, leaving the photographer behind to scratch his head cluelessly.

Upon leaving the bridal studio, Wyatt carried Jessica into the car and joined her inside.

He instructed the driver to take them back to Zenisan Villa before retrieving two marriage certificates from his pocket.

Opening one of them, Wyatt saw both their names, a wedding portrait, and the date of their marriage printed on it.

Their marriage was officiated by the City Hall stamp on the date.

He shifted his attention to his ring finger.

At the City Hall, the jewelry store, and the bridal studio, Jessica paid a coin at all three places. The fact that she paid is evidence that she married me willingly and not under duress.

After carefully putting the marriage certificates back into the document folder, Wyatt lifted her hand and gave it a kiss. “From now on, you’re known as Mrs. Lopez.”

You’re mine now.

His words caused Jessica to retract her hand, but she failed to do so because of his tight grip.

Soon after they returned to Zenisan Villa, staff from the bridal studio arrived with the wedding videos and photos.

Wyatt made an excuse to leave and got the housekeeper to stay by Jessica’s side. He proceeded upstairs with the bridal studio staff and got them to hang the massive wedding picture on the wall above the bed.

After that, he checked the wedding video and two thick photo albums.

The photographer had managed to capture the best angles. Regardless of whether Wyatt was holding Jessica or talking to her, both of them looked madly in love with each other, just like in real wedding photos.

When the photographer finally succeeded in hanging the picture with the help of his colleague, he wiped the sweat off his brow.

“Mr. Lopez, is this all right for you?”

Wyatt turned his attention to the wedding portrait. In it, he was on one knee, helping Jessica put on her shoes.

It heartened him to see that the photographer had successfully captured one of his favorite scenes.

“It looks good.” Wyatt retrieved a wad of cash from the drawer and handed it to the photographer. “Thank you.”

Pleasantly surprised, the photographer gladly accepted it. “That’s too kind of you, Mr. Lopez.”

Although Jessica was sitting in the living room, she would occasionally hear the sound of footsteps and men talking upstairs.

Nonetheless, she assumed they were from the office since Wyatt didn’t go in that day.

During dinner, she asked, “Do you have a lot to do? I keep hearing people coming here.”

“Yeah. They just wanted me to sign a few documents.”

Jessica ate slowly and suggested, “If you’re busy, you can go back to your office. I-I’ll stay here obediently. I promise I won’t try to escape.”

No sooner had she spoken than Wyatt slam his fork on the table.

The loud bang caused Jessica to tremble in fear.

“I-I’m sorry.” She lowered her voice with her lips still quivering.

“It’s fine. My fork just slipped out of my hand.” Worried that he would lose his temper if he stayed, Wyatt sprang up from his chair. “Just tell the housekeeper what you would like to eat. I’ll be heading to my study to wrap up some work.”

As the sound of his footsteps began to fade, she frantically called out, “I did all that you asked of me today. You promised to bring my uncle and aunt tomorrow to see—”

“We’ll talk about it tomorrow,” Wyatt cut her off before he disappeared.

Lowering her head, Jessica found the food she had in her mouth difficult to swallow.

 

 

Chapter 547

Jessica returned to the room after dinner but did not see Wyatt coming over.

The housekeeper came over and asked, “Mr. Lopez is busy in the study. He wanted me to ask if you need a bath.”

Jessica turned down her offer. “I can do it myself. I’m familiar with the bathroom.”

“All right, then.”

Jessica did not know what else to do since she had no phone or television. The fact that she could not see made her feel worse. After sitting on the bed and zoning out briefly, she got up and walked along the wall to get to the bathroom.

An hour later, she came out of the bathroom and walked close to the wall again to find her way back to the room.

While walking, she accidentally knocked her toes against a cabinet. Jessica gasped in pain and gradually squatted down.

Others might plunge into despair if they had experienced vision loss, but not Jessica. It no longer bothered Jessica.

To her, losing her eyesight was probably the best thing that had happened at this stage.

Suddenly, she recalled what Jacob had said over the phone. “I sent someone to check and received some information. One died from serious injuries in the hospital, while the other passed away in a car accident. Both were cremated, and their ashes are placed at the funeral home.”

Jessica felt so dizzy that she nearly fell. No! No! That can’t be true!

Her entire body was shaking, even though she tried not to think about it. I’m sure Uncle Oliver and Aunt Danielle are still alive.

She believed Wyatt kept them away on purpose because he was worried that she might run away from him again. If I listen to him and do as he says, I’m sure Wyatt will allow me to meet them.

Oliver and Danielle were the only members left of her family. Jessica could not lose anyone of them.

She tried to convince herself that Wyatt was merely pulling her leg and she would eventually meet them tomorrow. After regaining her composure, she crawled onto the bed and tried to sleep.

Yet, Wyatt did not come to the bedroom despite her waiting for him the whole night.

While she was still in a daze, the housekeeper knocked on the door. “Mrs. Lopez, would you like me to bring you downstairs to have breakfast?”

Jessica did not expect time to pass by so quickly. It’s already morning?

After replying to the housekeeper’s question, she carefully walked to the bathroom to freshen up before leaving the bedroom.

While walking downstairs, she asked, “Is Mr. Lopez downstairs?”

Wyatt was already sitting by the dining table. When he saw Jessica walking down the stairs while standing close to the handrail, he immediately got up and ran to help her. He was worried she might fall as the steps were too tall for her.

Wyatt said, “You can always get help from the housekeeper. Don’t always put on a tough front.”

Jessica hummed in acknowledgment.

After helping her sit on a chair, Wyatt told her to tilt her head so he could drip some medication into her eyes.

During breakfast, none of them talked.

Wyatt was not a quick-tempered person. In the past, he would always try his best to coax her.

Yet, he had become exceptionally quiet after flinging his fork last night. Jessica did not know what to do.

After breakfast, Jessica mustered her courage and said, “Last night, you said—”

“I remember what I said last night.” Wyatt glanced at her. There were mixed emotions on his face. “I’m giving you a chance to call your uncle. Ask him if they want to come over.”

Jessica’s lifeless eyes instantly sparkled with hope.

She was overwhelmed by emotions. I knew it! I knew Uncle Oliver and Aunt Danielle were still alive!

Feeling anxious, Jessica grabbed her skirt and fidgeted. Many questions popped into her mind as she was trying to figure out what to say to her uncle.

Wyatt gave her a phone and said, “Here. Your uncle is on the phone now. Talk to him.”

Jessica’s hands were still trembling. It took her some time to place the phone to her ear. After steadying her breathing, she tentatively called out, “Uncle Oliver?”

“Jessica, it’s me.” A familiar voice emerged from the other end of the phone. “How have you been?”

Tears were about to spring from her eyes when she heard the familiar voice. It was a voice she had missed dearly.

Jessica wanted to ask how they had been, but after opening her mouth, tears rolled uncontrollably down her cheeks.

“Uncle…” She burst into tears and could no longer formulate her thoughts into words.

Not long ago, she plunged into despair when she spoke to Jacob over the phone. At that point, she really thought Oliver and Danielle were dead.

“All right, Jessica. Don’t cry anymore,” Oliver comforted her. “Mr. Lopez took good care of us. We didn’t dare to disturb you because we know you’re not feeling well.”

Jessica tightened her grip on the phone and said in between sobs, “Uncle Oliver, I miss you and Aunt Danielle. Where’s she? I wish to talk to her. Can I visit you?”

“She hasn’t been feeling well lately,” Oliver said, “Mr. Lopez told me you’re pregnant. Take good care of yourself and the baby. We’ll visit you once Aunt Danielle recovers, okay?”

“How is she feeling? How’s her headache?” Jessica asked further, “I miss you guys. I want to see you.”

“It’s still manageable. I’m here to look after her, so don’t worry. Jessica, I want you to take good care of yourself and your baby. Stop worrying about us all the time, all right?” Oliver said.

Jessica sniffled and replied with a hum.

“It’s time for me to help Aunt Danielle with her medicine. I’ll call you again, Jessica.”

“Uncle…”

Jessica was reluctant to end the call as she had not spoken to Oliver for a long time. Yet, before she could continue, Oliver hung up on her.

She pleaded with Wyatt, “Can you take me to them? I miss them very much.”

Wyatt lifted his head and wiped the tears off her cheeks. He could not help but feel sorry for her.

Oliver and Danielle were dead quite some time ago. He knew they were Jessica’s only family, and she refused to believe they were no longer alive.

To fulfill his promise, Wyatt called someone to gather information about Oliver, extract his voice from video clips, and employ artificial intelligence to recreate his voice.

In other words, the man on the phone was not Oliver but someone who used the voice changer to speak to Jessica.

Jessica held his hands and stroked them against her cheeks. “I wish to see them, please. Just a while will do. I’ll do anything you say, okay?”

“All right. But not now,” Wyatt said while continuing to make up stories, “Since your uncle said your aunt was unwell and needed to recuperate.”

“It’s okay. I can wait.” Jessica stopped crying and gave him a relieved smile. “I knew you hid them away from me. I know you wouldn’t lie to me.”

“They’ll visit you once they feel better, but you must listen to me and do as I say.”

“Yes, I will. I’ll not do anything against your will.”

It seemed like Jessica’s appetite had improved after talking to Oliver and learning they were doing well. She gulped down the garlic shrimp pasta and did not develop any morning sickness.

As usual, Wyatt stayed home to accompany Jessica instead of going to the office. He even hired a gynecologist to come over to inspect the baby.

After the checkup, the gynecologist told Wyatt in private. “Jessica might not be able to keep the baby as she’s not in good shape now. She should focus on taking care of her body first.”

The ashen-faced Wyatt gazed out of the window. Disappointment filled his eyes. I didn’t do my best to protect her, causing her to lose her twins. And it’s my fault that she’ll be losing this baby too.

After a short pause, Wyatt replied in a hoarse voice, “Let’s not think of the baby anymore. We should focus on her health. When can we schedule her surgery?”

The gynecologist glanced at the man and replied sympathetically, “Right now, you should take good care of her. I’ll be back in another two weeks to do another checkup for her. We’ll talk about her surgery only if her condition worsens.”

Wyatt swallowed the fluid lodged in his throat and hummed in response.

 

 

Chapter 548

Wyatt decided not to return to the office. He delegated his tasks to the vice CEO and did not want the latter to disturb him unless there was an emergency.

He would ask Jessica if she wanted to paint. If she were in the mood for painting, Wyatt would instruct the housekeeper to buy painting materials and an easel and set up the easel in the garden. He would accompany her to paint under the sun.

If she did not feel like painting, he would accompany her to listen to audiobooks and play some fun guessing games.

From then on, Wyatt stopped venting his frustration at her and would always coax her. I might not be able to help her become the Jessica she used to be, but it’s okay as long as I have her by my side. That’s more than enough for me.

The doctor gave Jessica a bottle of eye medication, and Wyatt would help her squeeze the eye drops into her eyes once every morning and evening.

However, her eyesight did not improve after using the medication for a week. She had almost finished using the eye drops, but there was no sign of improvement.

Today, the vice CEO called Wyatt, wanting him to handle an urgent matter.

“Take care of yourself, okay? I’ll be back once I’m done.” Wyatt gave the woman a peck on her lips. “I’ll buy you a mousse cake later. How about that?”

Jessica nodded. “Go and settle your things. The housekeeper can accompany me, so don’t worry.”

After Wyatt left, Jessica wished to take a stroll outside the house, but the housekeeper warned her of the hot weather and the scorching sun.

Instead of going out, she told the housekeeper to turn on the television so she could listen to the news.

She spent the entire morning snacking in the living hall and listening to the news.

It was almost noon, but Wyatt had yet to return.

After lunch, Jessica felt sluggish. Instead of asking for the housekeeper’s help, she slowly made her way upstairs while clinging to the handrail.

When she got upstairs, she heard people talking from a stone’s throw away. “Poor Mrs. Lopez. Not only did she not know her pregnancy was nonviable, but she also had no idea she had to undergo surgery to remove the fetus.”

“Mr. Lopez dared not break the news to her because he was worried she might become emotional,” another housekeeper uttered.

The other housekeeper sighed. “But Mrs. Lopez is the one carrying the child. How could he keep this from her? Besides that, her uncle and aunt are all dead, yet Mr. Lopez refused to tell her the truth.”

“I heard her aunt died in a fatal accident when she was rushing to the hospital. Death is truly unpredictable, isn’t it?”

One of them whispered, “When Mrs. Lopez went missing, I heard Mr. Lopez was so mad that he ordered his men to locate her uncle’s whereabouts. That’s a little extreme, don’t you think?”

“Don’t forget, Mr. Lopez even locked Mrs. Lopez up in the house. Though she ran away for a short while, he still managed to track her down and bring her home,” the other person said.

“I feel sorry for Mrs. Lopez.”

After a small talk, the housekeepers got back to their work.

Jessica gripped the handrail so tightly that her knuckles turned pale.

Her entire body was shaking, and she completely zoned out.

When she heard footsteps approaching, she bit her lip and continued walking while holding the handrail. She acted as if she was coming upstairs.

The housekeepers, who were about to go downstairs, were taken aback when they saw Jessica standing by the stairs. “M-Mrs. Lopez.”

Jessica inclined her head in response. “I feel a little sleepy—heading back to the room to take a nap.”

“Do you need help, Mrs. Lopez?” one of the housekeepers asked.

“It’s okay. I can walk on my own.”

As Jessica continued making her way upstairs, she heard them mutter anxiously, “I hope Mrs. Lopez didn’t overhear our conversation when she was coming up…”

Jessica nearly burst into tears as a pang of emotions surged within her.

Even her legs had turned feeble.

All hell broke loose the moment Jessica entered the room.

After dropping to the carpeted floor and covering her face with her hands, she bit her lips and cried her eyes out as she did not want anyone to hear her. What Jacob said was true. Uncle Oliver and Aunt Danielle were dead.

She realized Wyatt had avoided arranging a meeting with Oliver and Danielle for her, no matter how many times she pleaded with him. That’s because they’re all dead. Wyatt lied to me. He lied to me because he knew I wouldn’t accept the news. In fact, I, too, had been deceiving myself.

Wrapping her arms around her knees, Jessica sat behind the door and wept.

A few moments later, she heard someone walking in her direction. Panicked, she slowly crawled to the bed, hid under the blanket, and pretended to be asleep.

She could hear someone walking to the bed after opening the door.

“Time to wake up, Jessie.” The man gently pinched her cheeks and grinned. “The housekeepers told me you came up for a nap after lunch. Did you not get enough rest? It’s almost evening now.”

Jessica acted as if she had just woken up. After rubbing her eyes, she said, “What did you say?”

“You’ve been sleeping for hours.”

“I’m a little exhausted today,” she said while the man helped her sit up. She got up from the bed and asked, “a busy day at the office, huh?”

“Yeah, but I managed to settle everything.” Wyatt helped her put on the cotton slippers.

When he lifted his head to look at Jessica, he noticed her eyes were red. He asked anxiously, “Why are your eyes red? Are you not well?”

Jessica shook her head. “No, I’m all right. I think I had a nightmare and bawled my eyes out.”

“I’ll stay to keep you company tomorrow.” Wyatt helped her walk out of the bedroom. “I’ll bring your uncle and aunt over to meet you in a couple of days. What do you think?”

Jessica pursed her lips and acted surprised. “Really? You’re not lying, right?”

“Yes. When have I ever lied to you?” the man responded.

Jessica tried to pull herself together as she did not want to reveal any emotions before him. But you’ve been lying to me all this while!

Wyatt brought her downstairs to have dinner together.

After dinner, they sat on the couch and listened to the news on the television. Wyatt said, “I brought mousse cake home. I’ll feed you.”

The fluffy cake melted in her mouth. It might be sweet, but everything Jessica ate at this point was bitter.

She forced herself not to think about the things that had happened and reluctantly took a few bites, but minutes later, she told Wyatt she did not feel like eating the cake anymore as she was not feeling well.

Wyatt said many things to her and asked if she wished to go on a picnic tomorrow, but she had spaced out. Not knowing what he was talking about, she agreed to everything he proposed.

She had no idea when and how did she return to the bedroom with Wyatt. He then slept next to her while she was still in a daze.

Despite having slept the entire afternoon, Jessica still felt lethargic. It only took her a while to fall into a deep slumber.

In the middle of the night, she was jolted awake by a nightmare, and her limbs went numb.

While gasping for air, she opened her eyes, thinking all she would see was still darkness. To her surprise, she could see a pendant lamp that gave a warm light above her head.

The pendant lamp had a classic Epean design and resembled a beautiful translucent flower.

Jessica blinked, and the lamp still appeared before her eyes. She could even hear her breathing. Am I still dreaming?

She lifted one of her hands and could clearly see all her five dainty fingers.

After realizing her vision was restored, Jessica remained calm. She tilted her head to look at the man sleeping next to her.

The man, who was sound asleep, was charming and had sharp facial features. Who is he?

Jessica had lost her eyesight to the point where she could no longer recall the man she used to know through and through.

While staring at Wyatt quietly, she suddenly recalled what the housekeepers had whispered in the afternoon and what the stranger had said to her over the phone. He destroyed my life. Why did he bring me back and force me to stay with him?

The resentment Jessica had for him intensified when she thought of how her uncle and aunt—her only family members—had died miserably.

She discreetly lifted the blanket and crawled over the man.

After opening a drawer in the desk, Jessica noticed the knife she had placed in it some time ago was still there.

She then took out the knife, held its handle, and removed the cover.

The sharp tool’s smooth surface reflected her bloodshot but soulless eyes.

 

 

Chapter 549

Jessica vaguely saw the photo on the wall through the reflective surface of the knife.

She looked up and noticed a giant wedding photo hung on the wall.

In the photo, she sat on a chair and wore a beautiful wedding gown adorned with diamonds and crystals. The man was down on one knee, carefully helping her to wear her shoes.

A wedding photo?

Jessica thought of when he brought her out a few days ago and made her sign documents, pick a ring, and buy some clothes.

No wonder when I went out with Wyatt, people around me were talking about not being able to get married on a working day. He brought me to get married. He took advantage of the fact that I couldn’t see to coax me into signing a marriage certificate!

Jessica looked at the sleeping man beside her as her hands started shaking.

The torture and humiliation, as well as the words Wyatt told the housekeepers and Jacob, played through her hand repeatedly. Hatred and disappointment filled her heart.

She raised the knife above her head and stabbed it through his chest.

The moment the knife pierced through his skin, the sharp pain woke Wyatt up as he felt breathless. He opened his eyes to look at Jessica, whose face was stained with splatters of blood and eyes filled with hate.

He looked down at the knife in his chest. Jessica’s grip was tight on the knife as she trembled.

“You…” Wyatt glared at her. The pain coursing through his chest could not be compared to the disbelief flashing through his eyes. “You can see? Why…”

Why did you stab me?

Jessica returned to her senses when she smelled the metallic scent of blood.

She watched as Wyatt’s face slowly turned pale, his eyes wide and glaring at her.

Her hand on the knife was stained by the blood flowing from his chest.

“Did I kill you?” she muttered to herself as she suddenly pulled the knife from his chest.

She turned the knife toward herself and was about to stab her chest. “I-I’ll pay you back with my life…”

However, she was stopped before the knife could pierce her skin.

Wyatt had grabbed the sharp end of the knife. He did not care that his palm was sliced open, nor did he care that blood was flowing from his arm and onto his shirt.

He gripped the knife tightly and did not allow Jessica to end her life.

“Please…” His eyes were red as he stared at her and begged, “Please don’t kill my child again.”

Jessica struggled to shrug off Wyatt’s grip on the knife.

Wyatt used up all his energy to tighten his hold on the knife.

It did not matter that Jessica’s actions caused the knife further to deepen the cut on his hand and that more blood flowed out. He was determined not to let go.

“Please… Please don’t kill my child…” he begged.

Jessica tugged a few more times. When she realized he was determined not to let go, she released her grip on the knife and took the phone from the bedside table. She stumbled out of the room without sparing him a glance.

Wyatt wanted to chase after her, but he was weak since he lost a lot of blood when Jessica pulled the knife out of his chest. His entire body was covered in blood as he watched her leave.

It was the dead of night, and the house was silent as all the housekeepers had gone to sleep.

Jessica walked down the stairs barefoot. She opened the door and left the house.

She sat at the foot of the steps. Her mind had gone blank, unsure of what had just happened.

A gust of cold wind blew past, causing her to sneeze.

She looked at her bloodstained hands and was reminded of what had happened. Her mind was also filled with the image of Wyatt lying in a puddle of his blood.

She unlocked the phone with shaky hands and looked for Jacob in the contacts list before dialing his number.

Not long after, Jacob picked up the call and scolded, “Wyatt, are you f*cking crazy? Why the f*ck are you calling me in the middle of the night? What the heck is wrong with you?”

“I-I…” Jessica’s lips trembled as she stuttered, unable to form a complete sentence.

“Jessica?” Jacob immediately sobered up when he heard her voice. He quickly asked, “Why do you have Wyatt’s phone? What happened?”

Jessica was silent.

“Jessica, speak up. What’s wrong?”

“I-I killed someone…” Jessica stuttered, “I killed someone…”

“What? Who did you kill?”

Jessica was silent once more.

After a few moments of silence, Jacob panicked and yelled, “F*ck! Did you kill Wyatt?”

Jessica could only stutter, “There’s a lot of blood…”

“F*ck!” Jacob panicked as he yelled at her, “Jessica, get yourself together! Tell me where you are right now. Is it Regal Gardens?”

Jessica did not know what she replied to Jacob. She stared at the blood on her hands as she trembled non-stop.

Jacob drove to Zenisan Villa quickly.

He knew the specific location of the villa. He stopped at the entrance and quickly got out of the car to find Jessica sitting at the door with blood on her hands.

“Jessica!”

Jessica looked up and saw that he had arrived. Fear was evident in her eyes. “I-I killed someone…”

Jacob could not care less about her as he rushed into the house and up the stairs.

It did not take him too much effort to look as he immediately saw the wide-opened door of the bedroom immediately. He rushed in and smelled the pungent stench of blood in the air. The whole bed was stained with blood, and Wyatt was lying there.

For a moment, Jacob felt like he had stopped breathing.

F*ck! What was that woman outside the house thinking when she killed Wyatt?

Jacob quickly grabbed a towel and tried to stop Wyatt’s bleeding with trembling hands.

He then called 911, reported the address, and urged them to come as soon as possible.

When he was done, he took his phone and rushed downstairs. He accidentally bumped into a housekeeper who had woken up due to all the commotion.

The housekeeper was shocked when she saw Jacob and screamed, “W-Who are you?”

“Call 911 and rush the ambulance to come quickly!” Jacob warned the housekeeper, “No matter what you see, don’t come up with nonsense!”

He then went out of the house. Luckily, Jessica was still sitting at the foot of the stairs.

He scratched his head and hurriedly asked, “Why did you do that to Wyatt? What were you thinking?”

“He killed Uncle Oliver and Aunt Danielle…” Jessica stared at her bloody hands. Her lips were trembling uncontrollably as she said, “I-Is he dead? Did I kill him—”

Jacob scolded, “Are you out of your mind? Why would Wyatt do anything to your relatives? He may be a little evil, but he’s not heartless!”

“I don’t know. I don’t know…” Jessica no longer knew who was speaking the truth. In her mind, the only thing she could think of was Wyatt lying in a puddle of his blood. “I-I’ll pay for it with my life.”

“You… D*mn it!” Jacob cursed angrily before he helped her up.

He brought her to his car and immediately drove off.

He sped on the road and soon, they arrived at the port.

The port was still brightly lit, even in the middle of the night. A few boats were still sending the goods down to the dock. There was also a cruise ship that was about to leave. A few passengers were boarding the ship, so it wasn’t quiet.

Jacob helped a dazed Jessica out of the car before he bought her a ticket to the cruise ship.

He also took out two cards and gave them to her.

“This cruise ship is bound for Valmora. It’ll stop at many countries along the way, so you can get off anywhere you want. The password for these two cards is six sixes. Go to an ATM to retrieve some money if you need it.”

Jessica’s eyes widened as she looked at Jacob. “He’s dead, isn’t he?”

“He won’t die. However, if you stay here, things will get more complicated.” He pushed her toward the ticket gate. “You should go overseas and lay low. It doesn’t matter where you go.”

At the ticket gate, the ticket collector checked Jessica’s ticket and let her through.

Jessica did not want to leave. She wanted to go back.

Jacob waved his hand at her with a serious expression. “Listen to me, Jessica. Go abroad for the moment. It’ll be the end for you if you stay here. No one will be able to protect you.”

“I…” Jessica stared at Jacob, her tears falling.

Jacob waved at her once more.

Jessica gripped the two cards tightly and looked away before she boarded the ship. She was bawling her eyes now.

She could not help but look back and watch Jacob enter his car and leave.

Jessica looked down and stared at the dried-up blood on her hands. They reminded her of what she had done.

“Jessie, do you love me? No matter what you say, I’ll believe in it. I love you, Jessie.”

All the precious moments between her and Wyatt flashed across her mind.

His tantrums, his jealousy, and his shamelessness when he kissed her…

Jessica turned around and hurried down.

I can’t leave! If I leave, then I can’t come back, and I won’t be able to see him again.

Jessica brushed past a passenger, and they pushed her. She lost footing and fell over the protective barrier and into the sea.

As she fell, her mind went blank. Wyatt’s face slowly appeared in her mind before she slowly slipped into unconsciousness.

Wyatt, you love me, right? I love you too.

 

 

 

Chapter 550

Rayna, who was in a deep sleep, was suddenly woken up by the phone ringing in the middle of the night.

She was not fully awake yet, so she looked for the phone through the source of the ringing. She grabbed it and answered, “Hello…”

“Rayna, something terrible happened!” Kristie’s anxious and panicky tone could be heard from the other end of the phone. “J-Jessica stabbed Wyatt!”

Wyatt was stabbed?

Rayna immediately sobered awake and got up from her bed. She asked, “Jessie stabbed him? What happened? Was he able to find her when he went abroad?”

“I-I’m not too sure…”

Upon hearing Kristie stutter, Rayna knew that she did not know much.

After knowing that Kristie and Curtis had arrived at the General Hospital twenty minutes ago, Rayna hung up and changed before she rushed out the door.

It was already half past three in the morning when Rayna arrived at the General Hospital.

She looked for the emergency department and walked down the hallway. Two people could be seen standing in front of the operating room from afar.

They were none other than Curtis and Kristie.

They looked anxious as they stared at the red light above the operating room.

“Kristie,” Rayna called out as she hurried over. She then asked, “How is he?”

“Rayna.” Kristie went to hug her.

Curtis turned around when he heard Rayna’s voice. She wore thin clothes, her arms bare. He could not help but frown. “Why aren’t you sleeping at home? What are you doing here?”

He did not even tell Gabriel about what had happened to Wyatt.

When he saw Kristie hug Rayna, he suddenly realized something. He narrowed his eyes as he uttered, “Kristie.”

Curtis’ aura was intimidating, shocking Kristie, who was about to reply to Rayna’s question. She trembled slightly as she moved to hide behind Rayna.

“I’m the one who asked her to call me if anything happens,” said Rayna. She blocked Kristie with her body to prevent Curtis from scolding her. “How’s Wyatt?”

Curtis became anxious at the mention of Wyatt.

He glanced at the operating room before massaging his temples. “He’s been in there for half an hour, but we still don’t know his condition.”

Rayna patted Kristie’s shoulder as a signal for her to sit down. She then walked toward Curtis and whispered, “Was it really Jessie who stabbed him? Was he able to find her?”

Curtis nodded. His eyes darkened as he replied, “A friend of Wyatt’s called me and said something had happened. They told me they’ve already called for an ambulance, so I rushed here…”

Rayna found out that when Curtis arrived at the hospital, he coincidentally met with Wyatt, who was brought out of the ambulance. Blood was everywhere, and his breathing was weak as he was placed

on a ventilator.

The housekeeper that accompanied Wyatt said that she was shocked awake by the commotion upstairs. She wanted to check what was going on and met with Jacob, who was going down the stairs.

Jacob asked her to call the hospital and said something had happened to Wyatt. The housekeeper hurriedly dialed 911 and went to the bedroom upstairs to find Wyatt lying in a bed of his blood. She almost fainted from shock.

Toward the end of Curtis recalling what had happened, Rayna could not help but hold a hand up to her mouth to prevent herself from gasping due to the shock.

Jefferson had been searching for Jessica’s whereabouts throughout Yartran. Rayna had also sent someone to keep an eye on Wyatt. They said they saw him leave the country twice but always returned alone. Rayna thought that he could not find Jessica either, but she did not expect that he had long since brought Jessica back and hidden her at Zenisan Villa.

Others may not know Jessica’s motive for killing Wyatt, but Rayna did. She had seen how Oliver and his wife died with her own eyes, so she knew why Jessica would do something like that.

However, she never told Jessica about Oliver’s death. How did Jessica find out about this?

Rayna did not dwell on it any longer as she paused for a minute before asking Curtis, “Did the housekeeper only see Wyatt lying in a puddle of blood? What about Jessie? Where was she?”

Curtis replied, “The housekeeper said Jacob left after telling her to call 911. I assume he went to chase after Jessica.”

Rayna felt uneasy upon seeing Curtis’ dark expression. She was worried that he might do something to Jessica because of Wyatt’s serious injuries.

She was about to say something when she heard footsteps behind her.

A young man and Wyatt’s assistant rushed over. “How’s Wyatt?”

Apart from Curtis, Jacob noticed that Rayna from Glory Corporation was also present. He saw the confused look she had and proceeded to introduce himself. “I’m Wyatt’s friend. My name is Jacob.”

He shook hands with Curtis and Rayna after that.

As they shook hands, Rayna noticed specks of dried-up blood on his hands. She wondered where he had gotten them stained. “I heard from Wyatt’s housekeeper that you went after Jessica?”

Jacob froze momentarily before he rubbed the back of his nape and answered, “That’s right.”

He pretended to be frustrated and said, “I don’t know where she went. I searched everywhere, but I couldn’t find her. I was also worried about Wyatt, so I rushed here and coincidentally met his assistant at the door.”

Rayna felt relieved upon hearing that.

She felt even more relieved knowing that Wyatt had found Jessica and brought her back safely. Now, she prayed that Jessica would run away as far as she could. It would be even better if Jessica left Norwal City.

Curtis still had on a solemn expression. He glanced at the operating room again, but no doctor came out. He then called Jacob over and asked the latter about what had actually happened.

To protect Jessica, Jacob did not say that she was the one who had called him. Instead, he said he was drinking at a bar and thought of inviting Wyatt over. However, Wyatt hung up on him as soon as the call went through.

“Usually, Wyatt wouldn’t be like this when answering my calls. I was worried that something might have happened to him, and it just so happened that I knew where he lived, so I drove to check on him. Just as I arrived, a woman rushed out from the house.”

Jacob continued, “I saw blood on the woman, so I thought something might have happened inside the house. I didn’t care too much about her and went inside. I went upstairs to find Wyatt and immediately tried to stop the bleeding.”

He scratched the back of his head as he continued, “When I went back downstairs, the woman was gone. I wanted to catch her to ask her about what had happened, but I couldn’t find her after searching around.”

His explanation matched with the housekeeper’s.

However, Jacob was terrible at lying, and his eyes betrayed him. Curtis could see that he was lying at a glance.

Rayna noticed it, too, and was worried that Curtis might press Jacob further, so she interrupted the conversation. “Only you and Wyatt’s housekeeper know about this, right? No one else knows?”

Jacob nodded. “That’s right. I also warned the housekeeper not to spread any nonsense. I was worried things might have blown up. Luckily, it was late, and everyone was asleep. If it were daytime—”

He quickly stopped himself and changed the topic. “Let’s not talk about that anymore. How’s Wyatt?”

At that moment, the doors to the operating room swung open.

“Is any of you a type B?” A nurse loudly asked Curtis and the others that were outside. She looked anxious as she said, “The patient has lost a lot of blood, and our blood bags have run out. If you are a type B, please help us out!”

Rayna took a step forward and replied to the nurse, “I’m a type B. I’ll go with you.”

“Rayna, stop fooling around.” Curtis was worried about Wyatt, but he did not forget how bad Rayna’s current situation was. “You’re pregnant. How can you donate blood?”

He pulled her aside and said to the nurse, “I’m a type O…”

“I’m also a type B!” Jacob hurriedly raised his hand and walked toward the nurse. “I’ll follow you. Miss, I’m very healthy and strong. You can collect more blood from me.”

“Great. Come on in!”