Chapter 15
At noon, all the other staff members had gone to the cafeteria.
Jessica called Joshua, wanting to set up a meeting with Zachary. Joshua let her up through the elevator, and she went straight to the CEO’s office.
“Do you need something?” Zachary asked, keeping his eyes on his computer. He was expressionless as usual, but…
He was dressed in a white shirt and a vest that day, making him appear more imposing than usual. Seeing this, Jessica wondered if that white shirt was the one she had ordered for him.
She walked straight over and placed the bag she was carrying on his desk. “Here’s your suit jacket. Thanks.”
Zachary glanced at the bag, then at her. “Are you not feeling well?”
“Yes.” Jessica nodded.
After yesterday’s conversation, she didn’t think there was any need to discuss personal matters, so she quickly added, “If there’s nothing else, Mr. Jones, I’ll take my leave.”
“Okay,” Zachary said.
Jessica’s dizziness and nausea worsened that afternoon, so she took some time off and went to the hospital.
Seeing that she was still in line with many people ahead of her, she dozed off. She only stirred
awake when her name was called.
After she briefly explained her symptoms, the doctor began asking her questions.
“Name?”
“Jessica Lockman.”
“Age?”
“22.”
“Did you have intercourse last month?”
“Yes, but I took the pill.”
“Contraceptives only work about 90% of the time. There’s still a chance of pregnancy, so let’s
do an ultrasound first.”
The doctor was very experienced and smiled faintly as he spoke.
Jessica clutched her white skirt tightly, cold sweat forming on her forehead. So, morning- after pills weren’t foolproof?
She swallowed hard, holding the test slip in a daze while waiting outside.
Her eyes reddened, and she thought of her mother.
Her mother had gone through the same thing. After a fling with a businessman, she had Jessica and ended up raising her alone. Only the two of them knew how hard that journey had
been.
Walking down an empty corridor, staring at the ultrasound order form, she was terrified that the results would confirm that she had a little life growing inside of her. She felt that it would
be the end of her.
Jessica was only 22 and had barely figured out her own life.
Exhaling deeply, she tried to relax. But the more she tried, the more anxious she became.
She considered messaging Zachary, but he had already blocked her. She figured that he probably wouldn’t even answer if she called him.
The thought drove her further into despair. Biting her lip, she fought back tears.
Just then, a familiar figure appeared.
Celine was less than three months along, so her pregnancy wasn’t yet showing. However, her posture already gave it away.
An older caretaker stood by her side, moving with utmost care, her arms full of supplies.
“Jessica, are you here for a check-up, too?” Celine’s words dripped with mockery as her eyes darted to the bright prenatal test slip in Jessica’s hand.
Celine’s face was dull, and she had dark circles around her eyes. She looked a far cry from the glamorous beauty she had once been.
“Celine.” Jessica quickly folded the test slip and hid it behind her.
“You sure have some tricks up your sleeve!” Celine clenched her teeth, looking as though she wanted to tear Jessica apart right there on the spot.
“Why are you so upset?” Jessica sneered. She knew exactly what Celine was referring to. Even though Jessica felt satisfied seeing Celine so broken, she also found her pitiful.
After all, Jessica had just lost a scumbag ex, but Celine had lost a husband and the father of her
child.
By comparison, Jessica was the lucky one.
Tears started streaming down Celine’s face. “You must be pleased that my marriage to Derrick has been called off. Derrick loves you, yet he got me pregnant. You’re holding a grudge, aren’t you?”
Faced with the accusation, Jessica didn’t deny it. “What difference would it make if I knew about you and Derrick or not? I’ve kept silent all along. It was your uncle who spread the truth, so how’s that my fault?”
She continued, “In the end, you lacked self-respect. You and Derrick’s families have always aimed for a political marriage. You feared I would take your place, so you made a completely pointless, foolish move!”
“Jessica! You’re just a bastard with a mother but no father! How dare you criticize me!” Celine
shouted.
Once, the two had shared long, late-night talks as close friends. Celine’s sudden attack on Jessica over her parentage left Jessica momentarily stunned.
She didn’t argue and remained silent for a long time.
In the end, they still ended up being enemies.
Jessica only snapped out of it when the broadcast called her name.
Since they were at a hospital, she didn’t want to quarrel. People were already staring, and she hated the attention. “Celine, let’s just leave things be from now on.’
Jessica tried to leave, but Celine stopped her in the corridor. “Jessica, it hasn’t even been a month since you broke up with Derrick. Could you have used me and Derrick as an excuse to break up with him because you were fooling around with some random man?”
“Mind your words, Celine!” Jessica had endured enough. If it weren’t for the pregnancy, she would have slapped Celine to death.
“Why are you so nervous, Jessica?” Celine lunged forward, snatching the test slip from her hands.
“Give it back!” Jessica tried to grab it, but Celine’s caretaker stepped in to block her.
“Just as I expected!” One glance at the test slip told Celine exactly what type of test it was.
Jessica’s nose flushed red, and tears welled up in her eyes.
Through all the years of classmates taunting her as an illegitimate child, it had always been Celine who defended her. Now, Celine was using that same fact to attack her.
Celine laughed coldly. “Do you know why I always defended you?”
Jessica hadn’t known, but she could vaguely guess her reason now.
“It was because Derrick liked you. Since I liked him, I had to play the part of a perfect woman in front of him. Everyone said I was kindhearted, and Derrick slowly began to accept me. But did you know? I hated you all along!” Celine shouted.
Celine’s words struck Jessica like a bolt of lightning. As it turned out, even friendship could be fake. So all the care she had gotten over the years had been fake.
Her boyfriend was fake, and so was her best friend.
Jessica finally found out the truth, and tears streamed down her face.
“Give me the test slip back.” Jessica forced herself to stay calm as she spoke in a slow,
measured tone.
“Tell me who that bastard is, and I’ll give it back.” Celine pushed the caretaker aside and stepped up to her.
But Jessica wasn’t stupid. Zachary was a giant in the fashion industry, known and feared by everyone. If she named him, Celine would never believe it and would only humiliate her even
more.
Moreover, he had blocked her number just the day before. Even if she confessed, Zachary might never admit it.
“Give it back!” Jessica reached for it, only to be slapped hard across the face.
A loud smack sounded, and Jessica’s face burned. The air in the hospital seemed to freeze. The bustling hall suddenly fell silent, except for the broadcast endlessly calling Jessica’s name.
Jessica didn’t want to fight. She just wanted to take her test slip back and get away from this disgusting woman.
When she reached out again, Celine raised her hand once more.
Just as Jessica managed to snatch the test slip back, she thought that she would have to suffer another hit. Yet, unexpectedly, Celine’s arm was caught midair by a large hand.
