Forced Marriage: My Wife, My Redemption by Lilyheart

Chapter 214: A crippled husband can’t take care of you?

With the work she intended to do already completed by the man peacefully sleeping on the bed, Jessica saw no reason to linger around the hotel room when there were so many other things to do and the ticking clock doesn’t wait for anybody.

Slipping out quietly, she walked over to the balcony, taking in the morning view of Noveira—the city bustling with liveliness, the citizens hurrying through the morning rush. As the morning breeze caressed her face, she took in a deep breath, her thoughts spinning quickly with plans.

Slowly, she pulled out her phone and dialed Ethan. He picked up immediately. "Good morning, Ethan," she greeted softly as soon as the call connected.

On the other end, Ethan hesitated feeling conflicted about how to respond. His heart stammered in his chest. She was their lady boss, and he was just a subordinate with privilege.

Also, She isn’t just anyone—she was Jessica. Brilliant. Sharp. Unapproachable. How was he supposed to return her casual morning greeting? He exhaled, voice barely audible through the speaker, "Morning, ma’am."

Jessica’s lips tugged into a smile, amused by how nervous and burdened he felt just responding to her greeting, even though she had never felt awkward initiating it.

She could practically feel his discomfort over the phone, and somehow, that amused her. "Prospective brother-in-law, and you’re still stumped by a simple greeting?" she teased, her voice light.

She couldn’t help but imagine Ethan’s reddened ears, embarrassed face and eyes darting away if he were standing in front of her.

She had always told him not to feel burdened and uptight around her. It made her wonder if this was the same fearless Ethan who would’ve kicked her out the door if she ever harmed Davis.

"Madam, you know it’s not that easy," he finally said, his troubled voice filtering through the phone after a deep breath.

"Ethan, I have said this over and over again, can you treat me like a normal human?" She asked warily.

Ethan kept silent, he didn’t know how to reply to this request. Over the years, he had been quiet close to Davis yet in certain cases he had always treated him like his superior while in some it was casual.

But Jessica’s case is quiet different and complicated—she is the wife of his boss. "How can she request to be treated simply when he was supposed to hug her thigh?"

"Can you send me the

them immediately after the call," Ethan replied, relaxing a little, waiting for further instructions. But Jessica’s next question made

"How’s Bella?" she smirked.

coughed, audibly choking on nothing but the weight

leap to his

tough, and now Jessica was teasing him over the phone too—quite miserable. Gathering his thoughts quickly, he

should keep him on his toes."

Until he drops that attitude and sees

She stood for awhile, her hand tightening over the

all—the situation in Country Y and their trip in Noveria. It is overwhelming but the earlier

Her body seemed to adopt a new habit she didn’t like. "It seems I’m beginning to get too lazy. Falling asleep now happens in the blink

back into the room. She needed to handle all

the windows by the time she returned to the room. Quietly, she walked to the table, opened her laptop, and

the list: names, qualifications, strengths. She had instructed Ethan earlier to investigate their post-crisis situations and conduct a quiet survey on who was willing to return. One by one, she evaluated the names, mentally preparing to call

on to the company design files, initiating necessary changes. By the time she was done, two hours had slipped away.

sitting up. At the sound, she

"You’re awake?" she asked.

shifted from her to the laptop, then back to her. His

asked, his

more to herself. "Shouldn’t I be working?" She asked, searching his face

didn’t want to sound harsh. His voice, when it came, was

I just..." He reached out

to him like a child unsure if they’re