Chapter 45
Just yesterday, the town had been blanketed in snow. Today, the sun had completely taken over. The streets were wet and slushy, and Jessica’s white boots were already splattered with muddy water.
“You seem pretty close to my mom,” she remarked all of a sudden.
From the way Hazel and Zachary had spoken at lunch, Jessica could tell they had more history than she did with her own mother.
His gaze darkened slightly. “I stayed at her place for a few months… three years ago.”
Hazel would never let guests stay overnight, especially not men. Three years ago…
Something clicked in her mind.
Jessica vaguely remembered one summer when Ginger had brought someone to stay at their
house–a man in a wheelchair.
He was always in his room, never speaking or coming out to get fresh air. Even during the day, his windows stayed shut tight. Jessica never saw him—not when he arrived, and not when he
left.
Could that man have been him? Curious, she looked down at his legs, which seemed perfectly normal.
Before she could ask more, her arm was suddenly tugged. Then, with a quick lift, her feet left the ground, and she was pulled against his chest.
Zachary wrapped his arm around her, steadying her. “Watch out.”
“Sorry!”
Two teens holding cups of hot chocolate had almost bumped into her. Flustered, they quickly apologized and kept walking.
“It’s a good thing I’m not wearing a button–up, or you would’ve ripped the whole front open, “Zachary teased with a chuckle.
Only then did Jessica realize her hands were clutching the front of his coat like her life depended on it.
“Sorry about that…”
She let go in a panic, hurriedly trying to smooth out the wrinkles she had made.
Little did they know that in the future, when they finally confessed their feelings to each
Chapter 45
other, Zachary would often lose control the moment they walked through the door.
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He would shrug off his shirt without a second thought, not even bothering with the buttons. If anything, he would just rip them open–first his own, then hers.
Every time, after the chaos, he would quietly pick up the buttons and sew them back on
himself.
Jessica loved how utterly wild he was.
By day, he was the perfect gentleman–polished, well–mannered, always in a crisp suit, wearing a face that looked too perfect for the real world.
By night, he was a different man entirely. He became a ravenous, untamed beast that didn’t know when to stop.
Presently, the two in Vogue Village spent the afternoon exploring the town and came across some rare local exhibits Jessica had never seen before.
Just as they were about to head back, Zachary suddenly suggested making a quick stop at a nearby chapel.
Jessica blinked in surprise. A chapel? Did the all–important CEO have sins to pray for now?
The chapel he mentioned was a tiny, almost forgotten one tucked into the side of the hill. It was quiet, secluded, and barely known–even by locals.
There was a stone wishing well in the back garden. Legend had it that if one dropped a wishing charm into the center of the well and made a wish from the heart, the wish would come true.
Jessica hesitated and decided she didn’t want to go.
Years ago, she had been here with Derrick. She remembered trying to toss her coin over and over again, yet missing the mark every single time. Eventually, she gave up.
Later, she came back alone and tried again. Yet again, she still failed.
Looking back at it now, it seemed that it was the universe’s way of telling her that they weren’t meant to last.
Jessica’s eyes were slightly red, but she still smiled and said yes to Zachary. This time, she might as well see if fate existed between her and the man she had married less than a week ago.
Beneath the wide shade of an ancient tree, he stood with his back to her, quietly writing something down.
Jessica didn’t try to peek. Instead, she scribbled down both their names on the small parchment, folded it, and handed it to the aged caretaker nearby.
The caretaker offered her a knowing smile. He closed his eyes and muttered a prayer in a
Chapter 45
language she didn’t understand before slipping the note inside a small wishing charm ball.
A stone well stood about ten feet away, resting under the tree. Local lore said that if one’s charm landed inside, the wish would come true.
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Jessica glanced over at Zachary, whose charm was already in place. He stood off to the side, waiting for her to finish.
A pang stirred in her chest. For a second, she felt sorry for him. She didn’t love him—not yet, at least and they were practically just strangers who somehow came together.
–
“What’s wrong?” Zachary walked over, inquiring, “Did you wish for something so big that you can’t lift your arms anymore?”
She glanced over at the man who stood like a soldier, guarding her with his frame.
For some reason, he was starting to look like the kind of guy who told terrible jokes just to make the silence less heavy.
Chapter 46
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Chapter 46
