Chapter 10
Meanwhile, Jessica leaned against the railing outside the banquet hall, her expression relaxed.
Footsteps approached from behind.
Jose took off his suit jacket and gently draped it over her shoulders.
“Chilly tonight.”
His voice was low and warm.
Jessica turned her head, offering him a faint smile.
“Thanks.”
“Happy seeing him like that earlier?” Jose asked.
Jessica stayed silent for a moment before shaking her head.
“No. I just feel… free.”
No thrill of revenge, no excitement of vengeance fulfilled.
Only the calm of dust settling.
The man who’d dominated most of her life truly meant nothing to her now.
Jose watched her, his gaze complex and profound.
“Jess.”
He suddenly spoke her name.
“You should know… my initial motives for approaching you weren’t pure.”
“I wanted to use you to hurt William, to hurt the Anderson family.”
Jessica listened quietly, not interrupting.
“Maybe you don’t even remember,” Jose’s tone shifted, carrying a tension he himself hadn’t noticed, “but I knew you before William did.”
“What I saw was never William’s wife.”
“Just Jessica-the gentle, resilient student council president who helped others and stood up for what’s right.”
He drew a deep breath, as if steeling himself.
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Chapter 10
“I fell for you. Long ago.
The air seemed to freeze.
Jessica jerked her head up, meeting his burning, earnest eyes. Her heart skipped a beat.
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A vague memory surfaced-a boy she’d met in the school infirmary, both bearing similar bruises. They’d become close friends, but he’d transferred away after one semester and vanished.
Seeing her shock, Jose gave a bitter smile.
“I didn’t plan to tell you this soon.”
“I just… couldn’t wait any longer.”
He stepped forward, lightly taking her hand.
His palm was warm and dry, radiating an inexplicable calm.
“I’m not William.”
“I won’t let you suffer another moment.”
“Jess, give me a chance.”
“A chance… to love you. Okay?”
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