Forced Marriage: My Wife, My Redemption by Lilyheart

Chapter 144: Unexpected encounter

Two days later...

Jessica woke up earlier than usual. With everything happening in her life now—pain, confusion, and trauma—she needed a way to clear her mind and release some stress.

A good workout in the gym was exactly what she believed will do the magic. And since Elliot was still staying at the mansion, she figured it was a perfect chance to enjoy a friendly but competitive morning duel with him.

Even though Elliot was older, Jessica never underestimated his skills. He was full of surprises, and their mock duels always pushed her to the limit. The same was true for Elliot, he never let his guard down when facing Jessica despite the fact he was the one that trained her.

The duel was intense, with sweat dripping from both their foreheads, laughter echoing in the gym, and the occasional playful jabs at each other.

By the time it ended, Jessica was exhausted but refreshed. Davis, who had been quietly watching from the side, rolled forward and handed her a clean towel he had prepared in advance. In his other hand, he held out a bottle of water.

"Thanks," Jessica said breathlessly, taking the water and drinking it with deep gulps. The cool liquid soothed her dry throat.

Once she caught her breath, they left the gym together. Elliot heading off in another direction to his room. while Jessica and Davis returned to theirs.

Jessica entered her bathroom for a quick shower to avoid her body getting sticky from the sweat. The cold water cascading down her body helped her relax even further, but her mind remained restless.

As she got dressed and sat at her dressing table, her thoughts ran wild. There were so many questions, so much she didn’t understand and couldn’t decipher, then the heavy feeling in her chest that wouldn’t go away.

The situation with Bella was complicated, and a sense of fear kept tugging at her heart. The truth she was trying to uncover could either bring peace or create more chaos. She didn’t know what to expect.

She stared into the mirror, holding the warm cup of tea Davis had made for her. The scent rose softly into the air, calming her nerves. Davis moved around the room, wheeling himself from one side to another as he picked out her things and packed them neatly into her bag.

He had become so attentive lately, so thoughtful, and seeing him like made her heart feel warm. Her eyes softened with emotion though she hadn’t forgotten the decision to speak to him about them.

wish... you could get

furrowed slightly, concern flashing in his eyes. "What is it?" he

shook her head and smiled warmly. "No," she replied, her voice light. "I was just thinking you look really handsome today... and you kind of remind me of Bella when she’s focused. That serious face—you both

to love. His once gloomy and withdrawn demeanor had slowly begun to change. He smiled more often now,

I take that as a compliment?" he teased as he wheeled closer to her. His gaze locked

smirked playfully, her lips

them. But then Davis’s expression changed. The light-heartedness faded, replaced

I’m serious?" he asked quietly, his voice shaking just a little. Jessica froze for a

to Bella from the very beginning. He liked listening to her talk, liked her laughter, and had even told Jessica he wanted to

he hadn’t found the right moment to do it yet. Now, hearing Jessica say he resembled Bella when focused stirred some memories in him. His gaze grew intense. "Can you tell

of how she met Bella were hard to relive. That Chapter of her life carried a heavy weight—dark, painful, and traumatic. She didn’t like thinking about it, let alone speaking of it. But she

her. Her instincts told her to be sure of

said gently, avoiding his

grabbed her bag, pressed a soft thank you kiss on him and walked out of the

back seat of the waiting car, her heart thudded loudly in her chest. She placed a hand over it, trying to calm the racing beats. The closer she got to

the driver,

~At noon~

an important board meeting at her fashion company. The exhibition she had previously put on hold was now

Jessica assigned tasks to various department heads, ensuring that every segment of the preparation

the security arrangements for the big day. It was intense, but she had managed it with

on, her mind never strayed far from the DNA result she was about to

her racing heart. She was about to walk