bChapter /bb392 /b

    With that thought, Brian wasted no time in contacting Wesley, who was in shock after listening to Brian’s update roo

    “Calm down first. Let me make a few calls and figure this out. It really doesn’t make sense dialed Jessica’s numbet.

    for her to act this way.” Alter reassuring bBrian/b, he wonde

    Jessica answered the call, but no matter how subtly Wesley probed, she insisted she was fine, sounding perfectly calm andposed,

    Wesley was about to give up when Jessica suddenly asked, her voice trembling slightly, “Dr. Finch, do you think… nightmares can reallye true?

    Jessica stood by the floor–to–ceiling window, staring at the endless stream of cars below, her eyes clouded with deep confusion

    “Have the nightmares started again?” Wesley instantly honed in on the real issue.

    Jessica closed her eyes. “Yes. I me hurt my baby for someon ever ept anyone hurting”

    “How could that be? Didn’t you say

    else’s sake.” She could ept Brian being distant toward herb, /bbut she bwould /bcover

    cares deeply about your baby?” Wesley asked in astonishment.

    Hearing this, for a fleeting moment, Jessica had an intense, almost desperate urge toy bare the entire tangled mess involving her, Brian, and Madeline Thankfully, she managed to bite back the urge at thest second.

    “Yeah, he really does care about the baby,” she finally answered, her voice wavering faintly.

    She knew perfectly well that even if Madeline lost her child, with how much Brian valued his children, at most he might give her baby to Madeline, but he

    logic.

    would never actually hurt the baby. Yet, dreams didn’t follow

    Or maybe, deep down, her greatest fear was that Brian might love Madeline so blindly he would abandon even his own flesh and blood for her.

    ‘And if it really came to that, what would happen to Jake? Maybe I should fight to get custody of Jake back,” she thought, a surge of panic washing over

    her.

    But soon, she had a bitter realization. ‘No, Jake has always wanted Madeline as his mother. Even if I got him back, it would be meaningless.”

    “Ms. Grant? Are you still listening?” After a long silence, Wesley finally called out softly.

    “I’m here. Please, go on,” Jessica murmured, snapping back to reality.

    Wesley then patiently broke down her emotions, analyzing her mental state piece by piece, and gently offered his suggestions. Jessica nodded, signaling she understood his words.

    But Wesley could tell she hadn’t really taken in a single word. Still, he didn’t call her out. After hanging up, he immediately contacted Brian and asked him toe to the clinic.

    “Here’s the situationi,/i” Wesley exined calmly. “My suggestion is that, moving forward, you should be more assertive with her.”

    “Be more assertive?” Brian frowned. “Are you sure that won’t just provoke Jessi even further?”

    Wesley shook his head with a knowing smile. “Not at all. From my observations, Ms. Grant is fully aware that you’ll always yield to her unconditionally. That’s precisely why sheshes out at you so recklessly and resists you without restraint.

    “Because she’s convinced that no matter what she does, you’ll give in. Her every move works precisely because she what if none of that worked anymore?”

    Without waiting for Brian to answer, Wesley continued on his own.

    you’llpromise for her. But

    “If her outbursts and refusals suddenly stop working, and you still insist firmly on inserting yourself into her life, she’ll eventually bbe /bbforced /bbto /bbept /bbit/b.

    Mon, 28 Ju OUT:

    simply to save herself the trouble and emotional exhaustion.”

    Brian thought Wesley made a lot of sense, but he still had his own reservations. “But what if it backfiresb?/bb” /b

    Wesley said gently, “It’s possible. At first, Ms. Grant will go through ia /idifficult period, and so will you. But as long as she gradually bes /bto terms things will get better. When that happens, only then can your rtionship start to improve.”

    Brian fell silent, and Wesley didn’t push further. “Think it over carefully. I just hope that you won’t take too long to decide.

    “Thank you, Dr. Finch,” Brian said with a respectful nod. After leaving the clinic, he mulled it over the entire drive back to the office. In the bend/b, bhe /bdecided to go with Wesley’s advice. After all, Wesley was a professional.

    bAD /b