Chapter 55
Telling Jessica to know her place was Zachary’s way of reminding her that they were now
husband and wife.
“Go ahead without me,” he said before heading into the bathroom.
Jessica sat there, eyes drifting toward the bathroom mirror where Zachary’s reflection was clearly outlined in the steam–fogged glass. Her face flushed hot.
She quickly turned away and focused on her sandwich. The flavor was the same as always, yet somehow, it tasted like cardboard today.
By the time Zachary stepped out of the shower, it was already 11:00 pm. A towel hung loosely around his neck as he sank into the couch, earbuds in, going over the files that Joshua had dropped off earlier.
His silk loungewear hung casually, the top three buttons undone, revealing a smooth expanse
of chest.
The sleeves were pushed up to his elbows, showing the sharp lines of his forearms and veins
beneath his skin.
Jessica parted her lips a few times, intending to say something, but he never looked at her once. She couldn’t tell if he was busy or simply ignoring her.
With no other choice, she quietly went back to the bedroom.
Fashion Week lasted about a week.
After last night’s dinner, Evelyn had casually suggested they all go to a few spots together.
Zachary hadn’t said yes, but neither had he said no. According to Joshua, the former was waiting to see what Jessica would do.
A conversation sparked in a group chat titled “Hot Man Appreciation Club“.
Jessica: “How do I cheer up a man when he’s mad?”
Elsa: “Pounce on him.”
Elsa got straight to the point as always.
Jessica: “I’m on my period. Besides, I’m not ready to go that far yet.”
Elsa: “Then, pout and kiss him a little. Men can’t resist a woman being soft.”
Jennifer: “Babe, not ready? He’s a man, okay? You’re gonna kill him at this rate.”
Chapter 55
Jessica: “Sometimes I want to, sometimes I don’t… What does that mean for me?”
2/3
At 3:00 am, Jessica’s alarm went off.
She stirred awake and got out of bed, groggy and half–asleep. She didn’t even check if someone was sleeping next to her.
In the bathroom, she found her bottoms stained. She had only brought one set of pajamas.
With no choice, she quickly changed into a fresh pair of underwear and figured she would get up earlier in the morning to sneak her pants into the laundry before he noticed.
“Gosh, I’m so tired…”
She looked down at her long bare legs and tugged at the hem of her pajama top, trying to pull it lower and cover more. Muttering to herself, she made a mental note to set her alarm even earlier the next day.
As she walked out of the bathroom and into the living room, she suddenly locked eyes with a pair of deep, dark eyes. Zachary was still up, buried in work, with documents spread all over the couch.
It was 3:00 am. Why was he still up working? Was he secretly an owl or something?
His eyes landed squarely on her long, slender legs. Behind his glasses, his with a hint of lust.
gaze shimmered
Jessica couldn’t tell what was going on in his mind. His glasses hid it all too well. All she could see was the way his chest heaved ever so slightly, like he was holding something back.
The veins on his hands stood out as he gripped the papers a little too tightly, the soft crinkling sound giving him away.
Instinctively, she pulled her shirt down to cover more.
“Why aren’t you sleeping yet?”
“You
go on ahead,” he said somewhat hoarsely. Once he tore his eyes away from her, he returned to the screen and instructed, “Carry on.”
Jessica froze, Was he in the middle of an international meeting? Did they hear her? Did anyone recognize her voice?
She comforted herself by thinking she was just a junior employee. There was no way anyone from the executive level would remember her.
With that thought in mind, she bolted back to the bedroom and dove under the covers.
Chapter 55
3/3
The next morning, Jessica got up early. Zachary had stayed up late on that international call, so he was still fast asleep, breathing steadily.
She tiptoed around, careful not to wake him, and quietly opened the closet to grab some clean clothes. When she stepped into the bathroom, she froze.
The underwear and pajama pants she had stained last night were… clean, washed, and hung up neatly to dry. The bathroom fan must’ve been left running all night, considering the garments were almost dry.
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