Forced Marriage: My Wife, My Redemption by Lilyheart

Chapter 376: I won’t let you have it all...

After a while, Jessica pulled the door open. Cassandra looked up, meeting her gaze. Her face bloomed with a smile, yet her eyes glistened with an unknown light, one that did not escape Jessica’s notice.

Jessica’s lips curved into a cold arc. Casting a fleeting glance at Cassandra, she stepped into the hallway.

"Lead the way," she murmured, a smirk playing on her lips.

Cassandra quickened her pace toward the garden, her face bright with a falsely warm smile.

"Bernice will be happy you agreed to meet her," she said. "You don’t know how guilty she’s felt since that incident. And with Lady Matilda blaming her, she’s really been sorry."

Jessica glanced at her quietly and then her eyes swept the corridor, her gaze lingering briefly on corners, shadows, and door frames.

A few subtle details were out of place, no too obvious, but enough to make her click her tongue softly.

"Did you say she’s sorry?" Jessica’s voice was low, edged with mockery. "Then why wasn’t she bold enough to face me?"

If they truly wanted to play the family-ties game, she would happily play her own version, playing along with them .

"You wouldn’t understand her," Cassandra said quickly. "She’s so outspoken she sometimes offends people without realizing it."

Jessica’s smirk deepened. "She really is your daughter."

By the time they reached the garden, Jessica’s eyes had already catalogued every little detail of the path they took and the subtle arrangement of keeping people away from there.

Taking a look around, Jessica smiled lightly.

The pool, glistening under the moonlight, had the crescent shape of the moon dancing on it.

The light evening breeze made the water ripple, sending small, dancing waves toward the edges.

At the far side of the pool stood a slender figure ...Bernice. From behind, her frame seemed delicate, almost too soft to belong to someone capable of hurting a fly.

Jessica halted in her footsteps a few distances away from her. She carefully studied the lady before her. Her eyes darted around the dimly lit garden.

A faint, sharp scent of fuel, mixed with some acidic substance hit her nose.

Her eyes narrowed.

Bernice slowly turned around to meet her gaze. The coldness in her expression was unmistakable, confirming what Jessica had already suspected.

She had regarded Jessica as an arch-enemy, and her purpose in bringing her into the garden she understood wasn’t simple in any way.

Jessica schooled herself "Be cautious to understand their purpose," she thought to herself.

"Our dear granddaughter," Bernice said, her lips twisting into something that wasn’t quite a smile. "Welcome home."

Cassandra now behind

because you were sorry for what happened before," Jessica

as she glanced at her.

shoulder

have been mistaken. Or perhaps she

"She didn’t

may be comfortable with you returning to the Santiagos to reclaim what was never yours ...but I am

in amusement. "Bernice, aren’t you making a

helpless sigh escaping her lips "You are definitely channeling your anger wrongly," Jessica felt a bit light-headed but quickly composed

Cassandra and Bernice weren’t ready to play by the

I channeled it correctly. Bernice shot back, stepping

with your presence, that old

tighter, betraying months of festering resentment, loss and humiliation she felt since Jessica stepped into the Santiagos

had decided not to take

would she be able to navigate through

she made a decision, a simple conclusion of the

Jessica’s return, Bernice had been the shining presence

beside the Old Lady at all times, subtly turning

she instigated against Donald and sometimes she suggested in favour of

have slipped away and she felt her position was

position of Vice President was handed to her, Bernice felt her patience snap leaving only rage and wounded pride in

"So... is this the meeting? Or

you’re too naive to

agreed, "to

edged subtly until her

were right, this scene was staged for something far more dangerous than a conversation. And this pool seems to hold the

fuel, was faint yet undeniable, seemed to come

the

be the

gaze trained on Bernice. She wouldn’t

towards her menacingly,

we

can do if by any

can be found on time since all of the guests are just there in the banquet

think you can survive it with

women are prone to respiratory distress and dizziness

her heart ripple as she battled with another wave of dizziness that was both sudden and unnerving. "Odd."

was right, this seemed to be the fourth time she felt herself on the verge of collapsing on the floor as her

blood and sugar

date; the worst of the symptoms should have passed. Yet here she was, fighting to stay

Jessica’s mind was already dissecting