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."

back, only to find Cassandra now behind her, cutting off

you were sorry for what happened before,"

gaze was unreadable as she glanced at her. "Did

shoulder

she must have been mistaken. Or

"She didn’t hear

She may be comfortable with you returning to the Santiagos to reclaim what was

lips twitched in amusement. "Bernice, aren’t you making

her lips "You are definitely channeling your anger wrongly," Jessica felt a bit light-headed

Bernice weren’t ready to play by the rules, she

channeled it correctly. Bernice shot back,

with your presence, that old hag will definitely be

loss and humiliation she felt since Jessica

had decided

she didn’t solve this problem, how then would she be

made a decision, a simple conclusion of the matter; remove the source

return, Bernice had been the shining presence in the Santiagos’

the Old Lady at

she suggested

privileges seem to have slipped

handed to her, Bernice felt her patience snap leaving only

the meeting? Or

you’re too

was naive," Jessica agreed, "to think we were family at

edged subtly until her back was toward the

this scene was staged for something far more dangerous

yet undeniable, seemed to

possible the pool had

be the

her gaze trained on Bernice. She wouldn’t want to be taken

towards her

if we

think you can do if by any chance you

you think you can be found on time since all of

can

and dizziness in

felt her heart ripple as she battled with another wave of dizziness that was

this seemed to be the fourth time she felt herself on the verge

really need to check my blood and sugar

pregnancy just eight weeks to the due date; the worst of the symptoms should have

droning but Jessica’s mind was already dissecting