Billionaire's second love

Chapter 3

The plane landed, and Jessica felt New York's familiar air envelop her. Compared to the LA, the late autumn chill here, where she and Albert had spent five years together, was unexpectedly biting.

She wore a thin jacket over her shoulders, muting her vibrant red dress. Her eyes met Assistant Dan's at the arrival gate. Usually, Assistant Wang greeted her, so Dan's presence could only mean one thing - Albert was displeased with her repeated delays in returning.

Of course, his displeasure had nothing to do with tender feelings. Simply being unavailable when needed was enough to irritate him.

Jessica wheeled her suitcase over. "Is your boss waiting outside?"

Assistant Dan smiled, taking her luggage. "The boss had a business engagement. The timing worked out, so he's stopping by to pick you up, Miss Jessica."

"Always so diplomatic, Assistant Dan," Jessica remarked noncommittally.

She preferred to believe Albert was here to scold her. After all, he'd done plenty of that before. Jessica was well accustomed to it by now.

Approaching the car, Jessica glimpsed Albert's profile through the tinted window. The glass lowered, revealing his strikingly handsome face. A half-smoked cigarette dangled from his fingers as he fixed her with that familiar sardonic look.

"So you do remember where home is," Albert drawled lazily. His eyes fell on her red dress, and his expression darkened. "Get in," he ordered coldly.

Jessica complied, sliding in beside him. As they settled, the partition rose between the front and back seats. Assistant Dan felt a fleeting pang of sympathy for Miss Jessica.

But recalling her red dress, his sympathy turned to resignation. Everyone knew the boss hated seeing Miss Jessica in red. Add to that the increasingly frosty atmosphere between them lately... He tugged his collar nervously. Being single was humbling. Best not to get involved in these complicated romantic entanglements. For an employee, the paycheck was enough.

---

The car's heater quickly chased away the chill clinging to Jessica.

No sooner had she fastened her seatbelt than Albert spoke. "You know full well how much I despise you in red."

His tone dripped with accusation. Jessica gave him a cool glance. "If you don't like it, don't look," she replied calmly.

"Sharp-tongued as ever. Haven't you had enough of these tantrums?" Albert seemed to laugh in exasperation. He pulled her against him. "What's got you in such a mood lately? Once or twice I can overlook, but three or four times becomes irritating."

"I'll indulge willfulness, but not insolence. I'm not in the mood to humor you."

Jessica tilted her head back, looking up at him from his embrace. Perhaps it was the angle, but his eyes seemed especially cold as they caught the light.

She blinked, parting her lips to speak. Before she could utter a word, he silenced her with a rough kiss.

Well then. Apparently Albert had lost patience for talking.

The unpleasant taste of alcohol mingled with tobacco as their breath intertwined. Jessica clutched at his expensive suit to steady herself.

When he finally released her, she was breathless, her red dress hopelessly wrinkled. Jessica straightened up, smoothing her skirt before meeting Albert's gaze as he wiped a smear of her lipstick from the corner of his mouth.

"Seems you like me in red after all," she observed dryly.

Not every time, perhaps, but often enough. He'd scold her for wearing it, then inevitably indulge his baser urges.

Albert chuckled, a hint of rakishness in his tone. "Wearing it knowing I hate it, or knowing I like it - which were you aiming for?"

Maybe neither. Perhaps she simply liked it herself. But faced with Albert's characteristically self-assured gaze, Jessica merely smiled. As she had countless times before, she softly replied, "To please you, of course."

"Good girl." Like petting a cat or dog, Albert patted her head in approval.

---

They soon arrived at their usual penthouse in the city center. Its proximity to Albert's company made it highly convenient for work. Jessica had been living here with him for over a year now.

The driver and Assistant Dan departed swiftly. In the elevator, Jessica sensed the alcohol beginning to affect Albert. By the time the door closed behind them, leaving them in the dim entryway, she harbored no illusions about what was to come.

"Jessica, you've been quite disobedient lately," Albert murmured in her ear, his voice lazy with drink.

Jessica shifted, trying to step back, but he blocked her retreat. "Maybe I've hit my rebellious phase," she replied.

"Rebellious phase..." Albert laughed softly. "How rare. I didn't think you were capable of rebellion."

His laughter held clear skepticism. Clearly he thought she was joking. After all, in their five years together, he knew better than anyone how obedient and docile his little treasure could be.

"What to do? I really don't like this rebellious side of our Jessica," he mused.

In the darkness, Jessica's lips curved into a faint smile. "You may not like it, but there's nothing you can do."

Albert's breath caught for an instant before he recovered. "Did you enjoy yourself so much in LA? Too happy to leave, so you kept delaying your return despite my requests?"

"Work was certainly enjoyable," Jessica answered honestly. "As for coming back, I'm standing before you now, aren't I?"

"It seems you really are in a rebellious phase." Albert's voice lowered, revealing his displeasure. "You said you wanted to please me just moments ago. Have you forgotten so quickly?"

Jessica rejected this accusation. She took Albert's hand, placing it on her long, silky hair. "If not to please you, why would I keep this troublesome long hair?"

Albert's fingers threaded through the fine strands, gripping tightly. "So you see, it's best if you stay just as you've always been. Upsetting me won't do you any good."

Jessica remained silent. She suddenly recalled a memory from earlier that day - someone from her high school days who had worn their hair long like this. Unlike her, who had kept it short for convenience back then.

She had to admit, Albert was quite consistent in his tastes. She wondered if his loyalty extended to people as well.

Lost in these thoughts, she barely noticed Albert growing impatient, pulling her firmly against him to end this vexing conversation.

As they entangled, Jessica caught another whiff of that detestable alcohol. She squirmed slightly. "Shower first."

Albert refused, pushing further. "Let me make a mess of you, hmm?"

Of course not, but Jessica couldn't voice her objection. She could neither free herself nor speak, left to go with the flow at Albert's whim.

Time truly changes many things. When they first got together, Albert's technique had been so abysmal she'd wished for a purely platonic relationship. Now, however, his skills could support him as a high-end escort should he ever go bankrupt.

Unfortunately, given Albert's wealth, bankruptcy was a pipe dream. So in the future, these talents would likely benefit his former flame.

Lost in her scattered thoughts, Jessica barely registered Albert's "Once more?" before automatically replying, "No."

Two flat syllables. The speaker may have been sincere, but the listener didn't take it that way. So Albert laughed, repeating what he often said: "Such a coy woman."

With that, he proceeded to demonstrate just how insincere her refusal had been.

By the end, when Jessica was too exhausted to lift a finger, she lay in Albert's arms silently thinking to herself, "What an untrustworthy man."