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

you were sorry for what happened

as she

lifted one shoulder in

she must have been mistaken. Or

tilted her head. "She didn’t hear you

Santiagos to reclaim what was

lips twitched in amusement. "Bernice, aren’t

channeling your

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

anger? I channeled it correctly. Bernice shot back,

until you came. It was all your fault, and with your presence, that old hag will definitely be feeling proud of her decisions..."

festering resentment, loss and humiliation she felt since Jessica stepped into the

she had decided not

then would she be able

simple conclusion of the matter; remove the source of the

the

the Old Lady at all

and sometimes she

to have slipped away and

handed to her, Bernice felt her patience snap

gaze slid to Cassandra. "So... is this the meeting? Or is this the trap you both

too naive

"to think we were family at

her back was

her instincts were right, this scene was staged for something far more dangerous than a conversation. And this pool

faint yet undeniable, seemed to

possible the pool

be the

thoughts swirled while she had her gaze trained on Bernice. She

her menacingly, her voice

if we did

you can do if by any chance you fall into this

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

you can survive it with your

prone to respiratory distress and dizziness in certain environmental conditions, what

ripple as she battled with another wave of

fourth time she felt herself on

and sugar levels tomorrow

weeks to the due date; the worst of the symptoms should

Jessica’s mind was