After Escaping From Wedding Night

Chapter 5. Surprise

Seeing the paper, Jessica was confused and asked, "What is it?" 

"Uhh, it's just about the new uniforms. We are getting a design change, and we need everyone to sign it," Lves quickly made up an excuse, hoping she would sign the contract without opening it up.   

"Alright," Even though she was confused, Jessica took the pen and paper and signed her name. 

"Is that okay?" She asked.

"Yes, that's it," Lves nodded guiltily and waved her out of the room. He hated doing something like this to her, but he could not go against Roger's wishes. Otherwise, he would lose his job.   

Five minutes later, Lves printed a copy of the contract and finalized everything.  

To express his apology, Lves deliberately doubled Jessica's salary. However, if Jessica did end up breaking the contract, her meager salary still could not pay the compensation.

_______

The next morning, Jessica was called to the manager's office again. She changed her uniform and walked into the office with trepidation. Did they decide to fire her after all? Did that couple in the room complain about her again to her manager?

Jessica closed her eyes and prayed. She needed this job. She could not afford to lose it now. Someone depended on her as she thought to the little person waiting at home for her. 

Taking a deep breath, Jessica knocked and then entered the room slowly. Lves was sitting in his grand chair with his back facing towards her. As she crept inside the room, he slowly turned around and faced Jessica.

He was not Lves.

Jessica gasped as Roger Richard's face turned around and stared at her with a smug smile on his full soft lips. What the f**k was he doing here? 

Every muscle felt tight but she could not even move. Her body screamed at her to sprint out of the room, to spend the energy that was piling in regardless of her inability to use it.   

Roger stared back at Jessica, like a patient audience waiting for a movie opening.

"Surprised?" He sneered.

Jessica gulped and stood frozen at the door. 

"Why are you standing there? Come in, come in," Roger motioned for her to come forward. "I have something for you."

Though every thought in her brain told her to run, she knew she could not escape him now. So, with trepidation, she walked closer and gingerly sat in the chair, still speechless. 

Roger pushed a wad of papers towards Jessica with a smirk she could only describe as evil on his face. 

"Thanks for signing this."

Jessica's mouth opened in shock. She grabbed the papers – the same papers she had signed yesterday. Lves had lied to her! These papers were not for a uniform change. This was a contract! 

"What…how…what…" Jessica spluttered as she read through the clauses. When she read the first two, she had to look up at Roger in shock. This was insane!

But, could she really blame him after what she did to him?

Jessica carefully calmed herself down and looked back at him.   

"What are you doing here in Lves's office?"

Roger did not answer, just continued glaring at Jessica with narrowed eyes. Seeing his face, another face popped up in Jessica's mind. A face she loved so much, a face she would give up her life for. 

Her son's face.

And his father was sitting right in front of her and looking at her as if he wanted to rip her to pieces.  

Jessica quickly weighed out her options. If she started an argument with Roger, he might very well get her fired, and she was already in hot waters after the event yesterday. She glanced down at the contract forlornly; she could not even resign. 

With a smile, she rearranged the document and handed it back to Roger.

"Mr. Richard, I will be responsible for my work for the next year. If you don't need me now, I'll go back to work. I have rooms to clean."

Roger was a bit surprised at her actions. He had expected her to say something about the contract and how Lves had gotten her to sign it. However, he knew this woman was an excellent actress – he had, after all, learned the hard way. 

Roger looked at her with disdain, "Jessica, are you trying to pretend that you don't know me?"

Jessica looked at him with an innocent expression and replied, "No, I am not." Of course, she could not pretend they had not met before, but she honestly did not want to sit around making small talk with someone who hated her guts. 

If only they could forget all the things that happened in the past. Tough luck, Jessica thought to herself. Everyone needed to face reality and shoulder the consequences, and she would do that as well.  

Hearing this, Roger smiled, "That's good. After all, we will have a whole year together, won't we?"  

His tone was gentle, but there was an edge to his voice that made Jessica tremble. 

He was right. They had a whole year to face each other. Perhaps, God was punishing her for what she did three years ago. 

Maybe this was meant to happen. It was her fate. 

When Jessica returned home that evening, her son had already slept and her mother, Cathy, was still waiting for her. 

"Mom, I've told you many times. You do not have to wait up for me. It's so late!" She knew that Cathy must have been tired of spending all day with Evan, her son. 

Cathy brought her a cup of milk and said, "I just couldn't fall asleep."

Jessica nodded, knowing her mother was not telling the truth. She had work in the morning as well, and along with taking care of Steve and her son, there was no way she was not exhausted.

Thinking of this, Jessica gave her shoulder a comforting squeeze and said, "Mom, I'm so sorry to leave you alone to do so many things." 

Cathy smiled tenderly at her daughter. "Don't worry, love." 

Their house was small with only one proper bedroom. They had also turned the utility closet into a room for Evan. It was difficult at times, but they made it work – they had no other choice.   

Jessica walked into her son's room and looked at his sleeping face with love. He had the blanket tucked in tightly around his chin, his beloved teddy right beside him. His face was smooth and free of any worries as a child should be.

She could not help but think of Roger Richard, whom her son shared so many similarities. Was the woman his girlfriend? Or, maybe she was his wife.

Ah, it was meaningless for her to think about this. It was all over now.

Perhaps, perhaps if she did not do what she had done, Evan would have a father and they could be a family.

But it was too late. 

Three years ago, Jessica gave her stepfather what he'd wanted. But it was all a trap. He had set up an elaborate plot to trap Jessica into thinking he would donate a kidney to Steve, but that had been a lie. At least he gave a sum of money and helped them find a donor that Jessica was thankful for.