Chapter 5

Reading Zane's message warmed Jessie's heart a little. She replied instantly. "Okay." A month was too long anyway. One week was enough. In one week, she would leave for good, finally putting an end to her relationship with Brandon. As soon as Jessie stepped into the villa, she spotted Anna lounging on the couch, wearing her pajamas. The sound of the door opening made Anna look up slightly. She sneered, "Back already? You look awful." As she spoke, she got up and walked over to Jessie. Anna gently hooked Jessie's chin. "Jeez, look at your face. You're as pale as a ghost. If I didn't know better, I'd think you were dying. See these hickeys on my chest? Brandon left them last night." Anna grew bolder with every word. Leaning closer to Jessie, she whispered next to her ear, "Last night, in your bed, Brandon said that I'm the only one who makes him feel like a real man. You? You're like a dead fish—boring as hell." Before she could say anything else, Jessie's eyes turned icy, and she slapped Anna hard across the face. "Let's get one thing straight, Anna. I'm still Brandon's wife. You're just a mistress at best. Push me any further and I'll hold a press conference to let the whole world know that you're just the daughter of a maid who seduced her own brother-in-law." Jessie hadn't wanted to stoop to Anna's level, but Anna was clearly asking for it. Anna was just about to lash out when she saw Brandon walking over. Her knees buckled, and she dropped to her knees. "Jessie, I'm so sorry. I never should've come back. I'll take my own life now so that I won't be a bother to you." Before Jessie could react, Anna suddenly threw herself toward a column. Brandon rushed over just in time to pull her away from it. "Anna, you're my guest. If anyone can't accept that, then I can't accept them!" Jessie's pale face revealed a bitter smile. Holding Anna, Brandon shouted at Jessie, "Apologize to Anna, Jessie!" "I did nothing wrong. I have nothing to apologize for. Aren't you even going to ask where I was last night, Brandon? Or were you—" Brandon scowled, cutting her off, "I don't care where you were last night. But bullying Anna is unacceptable! If you don't apologize today, I'll suspend you from work effective immediately until you admit your mistake." To Brandon, Jessie was nothing more than a workaholic, so he believed suspension would feel like a death sentence to her. What he didn't know was that Jessie never truly loved her job. She just wanted to work harder so that he could have it easier. When he saw the lifeless look in Jessie's eyes, he felt his chest ache so much that it was unbearable. Still, he turned and left with Anna. Wanting to teach Jessie a lesson, he told the bodyguards to watch Jessie, telling them that she wouldn't be allowed any food until she apologized. Jessie stared at his retreating figure as tears slid down her cheeks. So, this was the man she had loved for seven years. After everything that happened that day, she wasn't going to love him anymore. Jessie was confined inside the villa for several days straight. Like clockwork, three times a day at every mealtime, the bodyguards would come to ask if she was ready to apologize. Nevertheless, Jessie would just stare out the window, not saying a single word. She was counting down the days. There were still five days left. Once time was up, she would leave forever. Jessie sat on the swing on the balcony, her phone constantly buzzing. They were all videos from Anna. The day she left, Anna sent a message to provoke her. "Jessie, you couldn't win against me when it came to our parents, and you can't win against me when it comes to men either. One word from me is enough to keep Brandon away from home for a month." And true to her word, Brandon hadn't come home for two days straight. But Anna had been sending her content every day—videos of her and Brandon kissing passionately on the beach, photos of Brandon cooking for her, and even intimate videos of them in bed from every angle possible. Before, such things would've crushed Jessie. Now, she just felt numb. A man that filthy deserved to be discarded. On the fourth day, Jessie still hadn't admitted her "mistake". As such, the bodyguards still gave her nothing but water. That evening, Jessie went to the garden in the back as usual. Suddenly, a Golden Retriever came out of nowhere and knocked her to the ground. The dog wasn't that strong, but since Jessie hadn't eaten in days, she was as weak as a kite in the wind. As Jessie collapsed, a sharp pain tore through her abdomen. Instantly, blood soaked her pants. Her face turned ashen as a sudden realization dawned on her. Two months ago, because Monica Hines, Brandon's mother, kept pressuring them to have a child, they skipped protection. The stabbing pain in her abdomen rendered her unable to get up. Biting her lip, she begged the bodyguards for help. Rushing in, the bodyguards were shocked by the sight and hurriedly carried her to the car. Who would have thought that on the way to the hospital, the road in front of them would be completely blocked? The bodyguard said nervously, "Mrs. Kerr, Mr. Kerr blocked off this street for Anna's birthday. We can't get through…" Jessie looked down at her blood-stained clothes. She then looked up to see fireworks lighting up the sky. That was Brandon's love for Anna. Right then, Jessie shut her eyes in despair. She ripped off her wedding ring and, using the last bit of strength she had, flung it out the window. Whether it was Brandon or anything else, she was done with it all.