CHAPTER 200: CHAPTER 200: PRENUPTIAL AGREEMENT

Jean had just coaxed Jesse to sleep, carefully turning off the light in the child’s room.

She walked to the living room and began tidying up the building blocks and picture books scattered on the floor, putting the toys back into the storage box one by one.

The clock in the living room pointed to nine, the city outside was brightly lit, but the apartment was so quiet that only the faint sound of the air conditioner could be heard.

The sudden ringing of the doorbell broke the silence.

Jean paused her movements, frowning in confusion.

Who could it be at this hour? She hadn’t invited anyone over, nor had she ordered takeout.

She walked to the door but did not open it immediately; instead, she peeked through the peephole.

Justin Holden was standing outside.

He wore a dark gray suit, a white shirt with one button undone, and held a briefcase in his hand.

His expression was so calm that it revealed no emotion, his hair impeccably groomed as if he had just finished work.

Jean hesitated for a moment but opened the door anyway.

"I came to see Jesse." Justin stood at the door and did not step in immediately, his gaze first on her face, then looking behind her, "and to see you too."

Jean stepped aside to let him in.

Justin stepped into the living room, his leather shoes making a soft sound on the floor.

He looked around, noticing the children’s blanket casually thrown on the sofa, Lego blocks scattered on the carpet, the half-eaten apple and half-empty glass of water on the dining table.

The whole space was filled with the scent of life, this simplest form of happiness, giving him a long-lost feeling.

At this moment, the door to the children’s room opened.

Jesse rubbed her eyes and walked out, wearing pink pajamas, her hair slightly messy.

Seeing Justin, she immediately became wide awake, her eyes lighting up.

"Uncle Holden!" She ran over happily and hugged Justin’s leg.

Justin bent down and picked her up, and Jesse immediately wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her face on his shoulder.

He gently patted her back and took out a small box from his inner suit pocket.

"This is for you." He opened the box to reveal a delicate little silver bracelet with a dangling star charm.

Jesse joyfully took the bracelet, her eyes sparkling: "Thank you, Uncle Holden!"

She couldn’t stop playing with it, so fond of it.

Justin patted her head and turned to Jean: "I need to talk to you."

Jean nodded, speaking softly to Jesse: "Jesse, be good, go play in your room for a while. Mommy and Uncle Holden have something to discuss."

Jesse obediently slid off Justin and walked back to the bedroom with her new bracelet, gently closing the door behind her.

Jean turned to Justin: "What’s this about?"

Her voice remained calm.

Justin sat down on the sofa, placing the briefcase at his feet: "Your company’s new editor-in-chief, Zane Shaw, is secretly investigating the background of every employee."

He paused, eyes sharp, "Especially you."

Jean’s complexion changed instantly.

She stood there, her fingers unconsciously clutching her clothes, her heart starting to race.

Justin continued, "He has already found out that you have been in prison, the information is from a very reliable source."

Jean felt her blood run cold.

She needed to hold onto the back of the sofa to remain standing. If the editor-in-chief found out she had a criminal record, he would definitely fire her.

The magazine wouldn’t keep an employee with a criminal record.

She needed this job, had to pay rent every month, support Jesse, make a living.

If she lost her job, how would she and her daughter survive? She dared not imagine.

Justin observed her reaction, his tone still steady: "However, I have already bought the information. Those who know haven’t told Zane Shaw, so they still don’t know about your past. I’ve ensured that this information won’t leak."

Jean breathed a sigh of relief, her tense shoulders slightly relaxing: "Thank you."

Her voice was slightly trembling, a genuine show of gratitude.

Justin had indeed helped her a great deal.

But Justin shook his head: "I’m not looking for thanks."

He looked straight into Jean’s eyes, gaze piercing, "My help comes with conditions."

Jean looked at him in confusion, a bad feeling rising in her heart: "What conditions?"

Justin clearly articulated each word: "I want us to get married."

Jean widened her eyes in shock, almost thinking she had heard wrong.

Marry? Justin hadn’t contacted her for a month—no phone calls, no messages—and now he suddenly appeared proposing marriage?

Was he drunk? But she didn’t smell any alcohol.

Noticing her surprise, Justin continued, "I could completely refuse to help you. Let the editor-in-chief find out about your criminal record, wait for you to lose your job, and become homeless with Jesse. Only then would I appear, providing you with a place to stay, giving you money, and you would be immensely grateful to me."

He paused, observing her response, "But I won’t do that. I’m not a scoundrel who takes advantage of people’s misfortunes."

"I want you to seriously consider my proposal. Marry me, let’s officially get married. Becoming Mrs. Holden would ensure no one would ever dare to use your criminal record to threaten you. The Holden family’s status can provide you with enough protection."

Jean shook her head immediately: "No, I don’t agree. I will never marry you."

Her tone was resolute, without a hint of hesitation.

She couldn’t accept such a transaction.

Justin seemed to have anticipated her refusal. He took a document from his briefcase and placed it on the coffee table: "This is a prenuptial agreement," he said, "all the terms are listed inside. Don’t rush to make a decision, I’ll give you a few days to think it over."

Jean looked at the document, the white cover glaring under the light, the words "Prenuptial Agreement" standing out starkly.

She stood there, speechless, her mind in turmoil.

Justin stood up and walked to her.

He was much taller than she was, his shadow enveloping her.

"Think it over." After saying that, he walked towards the door, opened it, and left the apartment.

The door closed softly, and the apartment returned to silence.

Jean Ellison remained where she was, staring at the prenuptial agreement on the coffee table, feeling completely powerless.

She slowly walked to the sofa and sat down, her fingers lightly touching the cover of the document. The cold touch made her shiver.

She zoned out for a while, then picked up the agreement and flipped open the first page.

The clauses were detailed, covering property, children, arrangements post-divorce. She could only read a few before putting it back on the table.

The bedroom door quietly opened a crack, and Jesse poked his head out: "Mom, has Uncle Holden left?"

Jean quickly concealed her emotions, smiling at her daughter: "He left. Come on, it’s time for bed. You have to go to kindergarten tomorrow."

Jesse ran over and climbed onto the sofa, curiously asking, "What’s this?"

Jean moved the document aside, placing it in a less noticeable corner: "Nothing, just something Uncle Holden left behind. We should go to sleep."

She carried Jesse into the bedroom.

Jesse still held the new bracelet in her hand: "Mom, why did Uncle Holden give me this?"

Jean gently kissed her forehead: "Because Uncle Holden likes you."

She laid Jesse on the bed and tucked her in, but she herself had no intention of sleeping.

She walked to the window, looking at the night view outside.

The city lights twinkled, each light representing a family.

She thought of what Justin Holden said. He claimed not to be an opportunist, yet the conditions he set were clearly a form of coercion.

Jean sighed and returned to the living room, once again picking up the prenuptial agreement, hesitating whether to continue reading it.

Ultimately, she set it down.

Now wasn’t the time to read it. She needed calmness, she needed to think thoroughly.

She walked into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water. The cold water slid down her throat, making her feel a bit more alert.

Why did Justin suddenly want to marry her? Was it just to protect her, or was there another purpose?

She thought of their complicated relationship, thought of Jesse’s background, her heart becoming more tumultuous.

She walked to Jesse’s bedroom door and gently pushed it open. The child was already asleep, her small hand still clutching the silver bracelet, her sleeping face peaceful and beautiful.

Jean stood at the door for a long time, her resolve gradually solidifying.

No matter what happened, she must protect her daughter. That was her most important responsibility.

Justin’s proposal needed to be considered seriously, but not now.

Now she needed rest, needed to sort out her thoughts. She returned to her room, lay down on the bed with her eyes closed, trying to make herself sleep. Tomorrow there was work and life to continue.

She thought of Justin’s expression when he left.

So calm, so sure that she would agree.

It made her uneasy. The content of the prenuptial agreement flashed in her mind; those clauses, those conditions, each one felt like a shackle.

She tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep, so she got up and went to the living room, turned on the TV and randomly chose a program, letting the sound fill the room.

This way she wouldn’t keep thinking about Justin’s words, wouldn’t keep thinking about that agreement.

The TV was playing an old movie, but she couldn’t focus on it at all. She picked up her phone wanting to find someone to talk to, scrolled through the contacts but didn’t know whom to call.

Isabel Dalton? Philip Paxton? Or Aunt Mason? Ultimately, she set the phone down.

At this moment, she had to make the decision herself.

She walked to the balcony, the night wind on her face carrying a chill.

The street below was deserted, with only occasional vehicles passing by.

She looked at this city, feeling so small, so helpless. Justin’s proposal was like a lifeline, but she wasn’t sure if she should grasp it.

Returning indoors, she picked up the agreement again, this time forcing herself to read it page by page.

The clauses were clearly written: after marriage, she would obtain Mrs. Holden’s status, and the Holden family would protect her from the past’s influence.

But the agreement also imposed many restrictions on her behavior, including socializing, working, and even the upbringing of Jesse.

She closed the agreement and rubbed her temples, her head aching intensely.

This decision was too difficult. Accept it, she would gain protection but at the cost of her freedom; reject it, she and her daughter might face unemployment and homelessness.

She looked at the time; it was already one o’clock in the morning.

She had to sleep; there was work tomorrow. She put the agreement back in the drawer and returned to her bedroom, lying on the bed telling herself not to think anymore; everything would wait until tomorrow.

But she was still sleepless.

Justin’s face, Jesse’s sleeping face, chief editor Zane Shaw’s probing gaze, intertwined in her mind.

Until near daybreak, she finally managed to sleep but slept very unsteadily, having many chaotic dreams.

The next morning, Jean arrived at the magazine company on time.

She deliberately kept her head down as she walked into the office area, trying not to attract attention.

But as soon as she sat at her workstation, she felt a gaze fall on her. Looking up, she coincidentally met Zane Shaw’s eyes behind the glass wall of the chief editor’s office.

Jean’s heart skipped a beat, and she quickly lowered her head, pretending to organize documents.

She knew it might be her imagination; Justin clearly said the information had been bought off, Zane couldn’t possibly know about her past.

Yet that sense of being exposed remained persistent.

The entire morning, she was in a state of heightened tension.

Every time Zane came out of the office, her back would unconsciously tense up. Even casual conversations among colleagues sounded to her like they were discussing something.

"Jean, proofread this draft." Zane suddenly appeared beside her workstation.

Jean was startled and nearly knocked over the water cup beside her: "O-okay, chief editor."

Zane looked at her thoughtfully for a moment, then turned to leave.

She took a deep breath, telling herself not to be paranoid.

But her hand holding the mouse still trembled slightly.