bChapter /bb437 /b

    Jessica, you’re done? Come eat,” Brian said. He caught sight of Jessica in his peripheral vision and immediately shut off his phone

    Jessica saw everything. She couldn’t believe how brazen he was being. ‘Does he think I’ll never call him out on this?” she thought, ‘Or does he actually think he’s being subtle?‘

    “What’s wrong? Do I have something on my face?” Brian asked nervously. Her intense stare was making him ufortable.

    Jessica quickly looked away and headed straight for the bedroom. “Take it all away. I don’t want to eat.”

    “Jessica-” Brian hurried after her, but the door mmed shut in his face with a loud bang.

    Brian knocked on the door and waited. When he got no response at all, worry started creeping in. After thinking it over, he decided to text Wesley for help, then turned back to pack the breakfast he’d prepared into a thermos container. He returned to her door one more time.

    “Jessica, I’m putting your breakfast in the container. Make sure you eat when iyou /iget hungry. I have to go to the office nowi,/ii” /iBrian called through the

    door.

    Inside the room, Jessica was on the phone with Wesley. She paused mid–sentence when she heard his voice outside.

    “You’re really not going to answer him?” Wesley asked from the other end of the line.

    Jessica snapped back to attention and replied with obvious sarcasm, “What’s the point? If I ignore him, he gets what he wants anyway.”

    It would save him some trouble and give him more time to take care of Madeline.

    The more Jessica thought about it, the more frustrated she became. ‘What does Brian think I am to him?‘ she thought.

    “I think there’s some kind of misunderstanding between you two. Can you tell me what’s really bothering you?” Wesley asked.

    He wasparing what Jessica was telling him with what Brian had shared earlier. Even though the basic facts seemed simr, his gut told him there was something important he was missing.

    Jessica looked down. “We’re divorced. What’s there for me to care about anymore? And I don’t think it was a misunderstanding.”

    ‘It was just one–sided deception,‘ Jessica thought.

    If Madeline hadn’t been so eager to secure her position and kept showing up to make her presence known, Brian’s Oscar–worthy acting skills might have actually fooled her.

    She might have believed he really still had feelings for her, that he regretted everything and wanted to get back together.

    “You’re just upset,” Wesley said with certainty.

    “No, I’m not!” Jessica shot back loudly, but she couldn’t hide how flustered she was.

    “Look, I have to go. I’ve got work to do, so let’s just end this conversation here.” Jessica really didn’t like feeling so transparent, and Wesley’s call today was suspiciously well–timed.

    It was hard not to be on guard. She’d just had that fight with Brian, and then Wesley called out of nowhere. Was it really just a coincidenceb? /b

    Wesley stared at his phone after she abruptly hung up and let out a helpless sigh. Jessica’s problems ran deeper than what showed on the surface.

    He reported this back to Brian, who became even more worried. Over the next few days, Brian watched her more closely than ever and kept in constant contact with Wesley, their conversations bing more frequent.

    Jessica caught him texting someone else again while he was supposed to be taking care of her. Her mood plummeted, and she felt absolutely miserable

    b09:31 /bbSat/b, b16 /bbAug /b

    about it. ‘He just can’t wait to text Madeline, doesn’t he?‘ she thought

    bitterly.

    “Mom, what’s wrong?” Jake asked, looking up from the drawing he’d been fixing based on her guidance. He noticed she seemed detracted and d help but worry about her.

    “Nothing,” Jessica replied, pulling her gaze away and responding with obviousck of enthusiasm.

    Brian heard the exchange and immediately put his phone away. He looked up and called out to them both, “Jessica, Jake, dinner’s ready I made braked shrimp. Come try it and see if you like it.”

    “Yes! I love shrimp!” Jake immediately got excited.

    AD