Jessica found the whole thingughable.


    Everything was out in the open-who needed his exnations anymore?


    A flicker of relief crossed her mind, thinking back to the day he ordered that cake for her, nearly coaxing her into giving him another chance.


    Yet, he and Henry had doused her with a double shot of cold reality, snuffing out thest spark of hope she still held for their marriage.


    The man standing before her-such a hypocrite.


    His feelings for She were already impossible to hide, yet he still pretended to be so serious, so righteous.


    Did he really take her for a fool?


    Jessica pressed her lips together, raising a hand to answer, "I have nothing to ask you. Let''s skip the pleasantries and get to the point I''m busy and don''t have time for this back-and-forth."


    Timothy was still smoking, eyes shadowed and unreadable through the swirling haze.


    With a cool detachment, he finally spoke. "Even if I exined, you wouldn''t listen. So, you want a divorce, and somehow that''s my fault? Is that what you''re saying?"


    She almostughed.


    The way his mind worked was truly something else.


    "Think whatever you want." Jessica''s gestures were impatient, sharp. "If you''re not here to discuss the divorce, I''ll have mywyer handle it with you."


    Timothy''s gaze narrowed.


    So Vince was meddling now, too.


    She already had her ownwyer.


    More and more people seemed invested in seeing this marriage end.


    Timothy''s eyes lingered on Jessica.


    She really was beautiful.


    Like a flower in bloom.


    All she had to do was show her face outside, and she''d attract a swarm of admirers.


    Thank God she was still silent.


    "I warned you-Vince isn''t as simple as you think. Haven''t you wondered why he''s so eager to get you awyer?"


    Timothy exhaled a cloud of smoke, his voice steady. "Do you really believe he''s helping you just because your grandmother was his grandfather''s first love?" Jessica''s anger shed-her gestures were quick, cutting. "Only someone with a twisted mind would assume everyone else is just as twisted."


    He let out a short, humorlessugh. "You really are na?ve. All right, fine, let''s not talk about Vince. Let''s talk about us."


    Last time he tried to exin things with She, he''d had to leave because of her ident.


    If Jessica was angry enough over a misunderstanding with She to demand a divorce, she must still care on some level.


    That was the only reason he was willing to endure her harsh words today.


    "There''s nothing to discuss between us-except the divorce." Jessica''s tone was ice cold, unwavering.


    "I''ve just about had it with you talking about divorce nonstop," Timothy said, crushing his cigarette into the ashtray. "From the moment I walked up to you seven years ago and decided to marry you, I never once thought about divorce."


    That moment was one Jessica would never forget.


    It was like something out of a dream.


    The man she''d secretly loved for so long had suddenly approached her, gentle but resolute, telling her he''d fallen for her at first sight and wanted her to be his wife.


    He''d asked if she''d marry him.


    No ring, no roses, not even kneeling down.


    But for her, it was a proposal that made her heart race.


    Now all of that felt like a cruel joke.


    "Don''t bring up seven years ago! You don''t deserve it!"


    Jessica''s eyes shed with cold fury, her gestures sharp and trembling.


    She''d spent seven years as nothing but a human shield, hiding his rtionship with She from the world.


    Timothy pressed his tongue against his cheek.


    She''d embarrassed him in public-he let it go.


    She''d broken his mother''s keepsake-he let that go, too.


    Over and over, he''d tried to reason with her, topromise, but all she did was


    Did she really think he didn''t have a breaking point?