Jessica Smith is ready for a break following her brief marriage to aloof and conceited millionaire Christopher Clark. In an attempt to relax, she meets Brian brown, another affluent millionaire. She has no idea that she's going to face a completely different set of difficulties. Christopher Clark never acts in a random manner. The decision to wed a poor employee of his company was not made at random; rather, it was made to preserve his family's prestige following the defection of his sweetheart. And the reason he breaks off his relationship with Jessica after less than a year of marriage is to protect her from something that even he finds difficult to understand. Will Christopher and Jessica ever be able to genuinely understand each other, or will they always be entangled in a web of lies, treachery, and love that seems to be waiting around every corner when they're together? Will they ever be able to forgive each other and give themselves the second opportunity they both may very well deserve? [EXCERPT] She muttered, almost beseeching him, "This is not the right time," her voice faltering in spite of her determination to remain solid. She felt the firm muscles beneath his shirt as her hands were pressed up against his chest. Fighting him was a lost strategy. Christopher's lips grazed her earlobe again, his fingers twirling around her waist as his warm breath made her tremble. "There's never a right time when it comes to us," he whispered, his deep voice a low, alluring whisper.
"Madam, dinner is ready!"
Jessica was reminded by Suzzy, the head maid, who came into her room. With a worried expression on her face, the late forty-year-old maid softly knocked on the door.
Jessica gave a nod. She had just finished getting ready for her early-morning trip. Still, the bag the Clark s had given her contained nothing. Although Jessica's mother-in-law welcomed her and showered her with gifts and love, Christopher's cold-heartedness served as a constant reminder that Jessica was merely a stand-in. She didn't own anything that anyone handed her when she became his wife.
She questioned whether Christopher would be present to wish her go.
Then she gave a headshake. Why was she allowing her mind to be filled with such ridiculous hopes? He was glad to see her go, if his response this morning was any guide. All he wanted to do was get over her as soon as possible.
"I'll arrive there shortly. Have you conversed with Christopher? He must be at his-"
"Madam, Sir has already departed. He mentioned having dinner outside."
"Oh!" That was not anything that was unexpected. The next day she had an early flight. Spending the final dinner with her was the least he could have done.
It seems that she was also undeserving of that.
Ahh!
Jessica held back the hurtful tears that were on the verge of welling up in her eyes. The only way she could prevent this wave of prickling feelings from leaving her was to breath through her mouth.
Now that I think about it...
"I'm not that hungry either," she muttered, confident that she wouldn't look foolish for having decided not to cry in front of the maid. How about if you all get started without me? Before I go to bed, I need to make a few phone calls."
The maid, Suzzy, knew why Jessica's appetite had faded so quickly. While Madam was enjoying her breakfast, their owner, Christopher Clark, slammed divorce papers on the table while she was in the kitchen.
He told her she could take everything she wanted from the house and he had already made reservations for an early flight. Looking at the small amount of clothes the woman had packed, it seemed she was leaving almost everything behind.
She didn't deserve to be treated this way, poor madam. She had consistently shown Sir her charming and polite demeanour. The maids and other house employees had become fond of her because of her tenderness and generosity. She even smiled while handling the master's regular mood swings. Why do decent people experience terrible things? The maid ruminated in silence.
After Suzzy went, Jessica sat on the bed and let a few tears run down her cheeks. She would probably go insane if she kept them any longer. Right then, every emotion she carried around was causing chaos. They asked to be set free. Carman cried silently, hoping that the anguish in her heart and the disappointment she was carrying would go.
* * *
In the middle of the night, Jessica suddenly woke up, gasping for breath. A nightmare that scared and left her gasping for air. But she slid out of bed and proceeded down the stairs, not thinking back on the terrifying experience. She checked on Christopher out of habit, but she also failed to take her medication since she refused to eat dinner.
She was shocked to see a woman peeking through the refrigerator when she came downstairs via the spiral stairs and into the large kitchen. The only light coming from the windows was the moonlight, which made it almost impossible to identify the person. But Jessica didn't have to wait long since the woman quickly turned back and discovered what she was looking for-an apple.
The moment the pale light of the moon fell on the woman's face, Jessica knew who she was.
blonde hair. Smooth skin. Gorgeous pink lips. And appearances that could make the Victoria's Angels blush.
Rivera Hannah . Who else might it be?
the man Christopher's ex-fiancee and, presumably, current girlfriend. The same woman who nine months ago left him at the altar. She was the reason Jessica was forced into this miserable marriage. Her husband's refusal to see her as anything more than a piece of furniture or a commodity that he brought in to beautify his home was solely due to this same woman.
She hated Hannah Rivers, and that's not even a word. However, hating her wouldn't make her life any simpler, would it?
Jessica concluded that the woman should be ignored.
Knowing that Christopher was eager to bring his sweetie home made it hurt even more. The following morning, Jessica was heading out. Why the rush? The least he could have done was honour her as his wife while she remained at home.
God, she had also detested Christopher. That man's nerve. Oh no.
"Oh, no-did we wake you up?" With an unrepentant air of innocence that Jessica could see right through, Hannah questioned. "It is impossible for us to be that noisy, is it? I apologise for disturbing your sleep, though. Is that right, Jessica?" The woman was so arrogant as to boast in front of her own face that she had slept with her spouse. Whoa, would it be acceptable if she gave her a good, hard punch to the face right now?
Jessica just let out a sigh and turned to walk away. She hadn't done anything to deserve her respect. In actuality, Hannah was conceited and rude from the beginning of their marriage. Even so, she had an affair without telling Christopher.
Christopher was so enraged to find out that she had been seeing someone else. But then, like butter melting on a hot griddle, this crafty woman wept a few pathetic tears. Christopher had to have loved this woman too much to overlook such a blatant act.
Jessica, however, was unable to forget. At the time, she was just a menial staffer working for Clark Enterprises' CEO, Christopher Clark, but she had witnessed all the deceit and intrigue this woman was capable of. Maybe they were meant to be together. As if they were meant to be together?
She growled behind Jessica's back, "Dude, you're rude!" "I'm not sure what Christopher perceived in you. Even your attractiveness isn't that great. What a waste of cash and time!"
"At least I have the courtesy to stick to one man at a time!" Jessica grew irate and hissed. Even though the woman's actions were dubious, she couldn't allow her to talk poorly of her.
With her back facing Hannah , Jessica could still feel her getting agitated. "What did you say?" snarled the woman.
Before Jessica had a chance to respond to this woman, she noticed the sombre figure in the shadows who was observing the entire conversation with composure.
Jessica swallowed her words.
"Christopher, baby!" The first to run towards him and fling herself into his arms was Hannah . "Jessica is really impolite, my dear. She referred to me as a liar. How could she?"
Jessica did, in fact, imply that. Furthermore, Christopher would have heard it if he had been standing there for longer than a minute. She didn't need to defend or justify herself. Jessica wasn't feeling up to any of them.
Without a word, Jessica grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and headed upstairs.
"Will you refrain from speaking with her? She made me feel ashamed!" As Jessica made her way upstairs to her room, Hannah objected.
"I told you not to leave the room!" In his deep voice, she heard Christopher say, no guilt-nothing.
"But-but I was hungry and you-"
"Hannah , enough is enough. Come on, I'll be in the room waiting for you."
Before Jessica entered her bedroom and closed the door behind her, it was the last she had heard of him.
"You're such a jerk!" she muttered angrily, losing the ability to control her hurt and annoyance. "You stupid, stupid man!"
After sliding through the wooden door, Jessica knelt down and sobbed uncontrollably.
"Christopher Clark, you will never win my forgiveness. I hold you accountable for living a miserable and unloved existence."
Chapter 1 Shattered Dreams
26/05/2024
Chapter 2 The betrayal scheme
26/05/2024
Chapter 3 And this was just the beginning
26/05/2024
Chapter 4 Encounters and escape
26/05/2024
Chapter 5 A night of revelations
26/05/2024
Chapter 6 Morning
26/05/2024
Chapter 7 A date with Mr Brown
26/05/2024
Chapter 8 Clash at sea
26/05/2024
Chapter 9 A cruise of uncertainty
26/05/2024
Chapter 10 Dangerous waters
26/05/2024
Chapter 11 Collision course
26/05/2024
Chapter 12 Confrontations and Revelations
29/05/2024
Chapter 13 Shattered Trust
29/05/2024
Chapter 14 A Whisper of Comfort
29/05/2024
Chapter 15 Unspoken Truths
29/05/2024
Chapter 16 A Shattered Calm
29/05/2024
Chapter 17 Vengeance in the shadows
29/05/2024
Chapter 18 Shadows in the Atrium
31/05/2024
Chapter 19 Unsteady Ground
31/05/2024
Chapter 20 Revelations and Regrets
31/05/2024
Chapter 21 Unwelcome Surprises
31/05/2024
Chapter 22 Tensions and Plans Unveiled
31/05/2024
Chapter 23 Facing the Truth
31/05/2024
Chapter 24 Turned down
04/06/2024
Chapter 25 Shook
04/06/2024
Chapter 26 Brian's control
04/06/2024
Chapter 27 The viper
04/06/2024
Chapter 28 The Battle
04/06/2024
Chapter 29 Brian
04/06/2024
Chapter 30 Trapped and Desperate
09/06/2024
Chapter 31 The Plan Unravels
09/06/2024
Chapter 32 Escaping the predator
09/06/2024
Chapter 33 Fractured resolutions
09/06/2024
Chapter 34 Unexpected reunion
09/06/2024
Chapter 35 A Twist of Fate
12/06/2024
Chapter 36 Restless Night, Unsettling Riddles
14/06/2024
Chapter 37 Confrontations and Hidden Agendas
14/06/2024
Chapter 38 Unexpected Appointments and Tensions
14/06/2024
Chapter 39 Revelations and Resolutions
14/06/2024
Chapter 40 Into the shadows
14/06/2024
Other books by Eugene Nesfield
More