Chapter 20
“Aunt Lucy,” Zachary said as he walked over to Lucy’s desk. He pulled Jessica along and gestured for her to take a seat.
Jessica sat obediently. “Hello.”
“Hello!” Lucy beamed.
She pulled up a file on her computer and said, “I heard you attended Richard’s birthday banquet a few days ago, but didn’t go inside. I thought that it was such a pity, but I didn’t expect to meet you here instead!”
Jessica smiled awkwardly. She wondered if Zachary’s entire family had learned about that supposed fight of theirs.
Lucy frowned. “You’re not pregnant, Jess. It’s probably because you haven’t been eating normally lately. You haven’t been eating on time, have you?”
Jessica froze, and the heavy weight on her chest lifted instantly. She was relieved that she wasn’t pregnant.
However, it was true that she had been eating irregularly lately. Because of what was happening with Derrick, she found it hard to even stomach food.
“Zachary, this is on you! Last time, she starved herself until her stomach hurt, and now, you’ve starved her again!” Lucy berated.
She muttered, “If you don’t eat on time, your stomach will rebel and send signals. Everyone’s constitution is different, and dry heaving is a normal response. But you must remember to eat regularly and stop living off junk food.”
“Aunt Lucy, you’re right. I’ll be sure to pay more attention next time.” Zachary patted Jessica’s
shoulders.
“Since you came for a gynecology checkup anyway, let me say one more thing. Before trying for a baby, start taking folic acid first. You’re only 22, so there’s no rush. Take it for a month or two before considering children,” Lucy said.
She was being far too straightforward, and Jessica couldn’t bring herself to listen on. When they finally stepped out of the office, Jessica felt like she had been set free.
“Why haven’t you been eating lately?” Zachary held her hand.
Jessica didn’t hide it. “I’ve been busy dealing with personal matters, so I haven’t had much of an appetite.”
She tried to pull away, but he only held her hand tighter.
“I see.” Zachary didn’t press her further.
After wrestling with herself for a long time, Jessica decided to tell him about her ex. She mustered up the courage and stopped at the hospital entrance. “Zachary, you know that Derrick is my ex-boyfriend. The man we ran into yesterday was-”
Zachary looked at her as if she were a child who had done something wrong. He patted her head and interrupted her, saying, “What’s past is past. There’s no need to dwell on him. I don’t care about your past since it doesn’t belong to me. All I care about is your future.”
She lifted her gaze, and for a moment, she thought that Zachary looked incredibly handsome.
“Don’t overthink it. Let’s just go eat.” Zachary’s lips curved into a faint smile as he tugged her
hand and led her toward the street.
Jessica couldn’t believe that he smiled. He had actually smiled at her.
Her mood soared, and her nerves started to ease.
Zachary brought her to The Mansion.
They sat by the same window as last time, and Jessica couldn’t contain her curiosity. “Who was that person you had dinner with last time?”
Zachary replied, “My ex.”
“What?” Jessica asked.
After ordering food, Zachary looked up and met her gaze seriously. He explained, “She just came back from abroad, so I treated her to a meal. Don’t worry-there’s no chance of anything happening between us.”
“Then, do you remember how you got home that day?” Jessica asked somewhat sheepishly.
“I wasn’t drunk.” His tone was as cold as ever.
Jessica sipped her water awkwardly, not daring to look back at him.
So, he had done it on purpose. He knew that she had hit him and had probably even heard her cursing at him.
Jessica wondered if the situation could become any more awkward.
“Zachary,” Jessica said.
“Go on,” he replied.
“Well, could we keep our relationship private at the company? I’m afraid it might affect your work.” Jessica stumbled through her explanation, then immediately felt a sense of guilt.
Truthfully, she wasn’t afraid that it would affect his work. It was her own work that she was worried about.
If people in the department found out she had married the CEO, she didn’t know how she could continue working.
Zachary was silent for a while before he nodded in agreement. Clearly, he wasn’t happy about
“Then, do you have any conditions for me?” Jessica hurriedly changed the subject.
“Just don’t break the law,” Zachary said. His answer caught her off guard.
When the steak arrived, Zachary didn’t let her lift a finger. He cut hers first, then pushed the plate in front of her and told her to eat before cutting his own.
Jessica watched him seriously as she ate. She thought that marriage might not be as unbearable as she had thought it would be.
During the meal, Jessica shared her family situation with him as well. As expected, he didn’t mind at all. It seemed that he didn’t care, as long as he was with her.
That realization warmed Jessica’s heart and made her feel a bit more affection for him.
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