<h4>Chapter 238: Who else had the courage?</h4>


    The driver, upon seeing Jessica step out of the house with the stylist in tow, quickly sprang into action. He alighted from the car and hurried to open the rear door for her.


    Jessica gave a curt nod, regal andposed despite her still-recovering health, she exudes quiet authority.


    Jessica slid into the back seat, with the effortless elegance that had always defined her. Becky followed closely behind, adjusting the hem of her coat as she entered. Her eyes darted between Jessica and the elegant bungalow.


    From the doorway, Deborah stood, her arms folded and eyes soft with admiration.


    She had seen the headlines trending against thepany, thements and several abusive and dergotary words posted.


    And now, with her heading to thepany’sunch in person, Deborah held a sliver of hope that the couple might just make it through.


    Maybe, just maybe, the couple could truly make things work and turn the story around for good.


    Inside the car, Jessica was already deep into a string of calls. Her fingers danced over her phone screen, connecting calls, giving orders, and answering inquiries.


    Some were business instructions and directives, she sent to her subordinates to implement.


    Others came from influential elites and investors, responding to her social media post and probing for rity. "Is thispany truly reliable? Could they risk aligning with her name?"


    They wanted confirmation about the J&D GLOBALS direction, its integrity, and more importantly, its credibility. They wanted confirmation, assurance and encouragement to go on.


    Her identifying with suchpany at a time like this had sparked their interest. As it is widely known that Lady Bright is a figure that doesn’t care about wealth but credibility.


    Her words were crisp and authoritative, tinged with restrained weariness, but nothing about her tone gave away how drained she felt.


    The Jessica sitting there wasn’t the weakened woman of a few hours aago; she had returned to being the fierce leader who always held the reins.


    The driver asionally stole nces at her through the rearview mirror, She looked elegant but deadly serious, her tone crisp, her posture rxed yetmanding.


    Her aura intimidating that he silentlypared her with her crippled husband yet hisposure as that of a king. He shook his head to clear his thoughts with only one word imprinted in his mind—powerful.


    Becky sat beside her in silence, her hands sped over her handbag waiting patiently for the calls to end. But they didn’t. The conversations seemed endless with a fresh calling in as soon as she dropped the other.


    Sighing, she leaned back in her seat, resigned. With no other option, she stared out the window, quietly watching the blur of streets pass them by.


    She’d worked with Jessica long enough to know when her friend was locked in business mode.


    The call she’d received two days ago had caught her off guard. Jessica had summoned her to Noveria for an event asking her to prepare her gown and make up in advance.


    Coincidentally, she’d only just arrived in Noveria at the request of another client—a youngdy from a prominent familyunching apany tomorrow.


    Becky had assumed the two events were connected, but something now felt off.


    She’d received an urgent call from Jessica earlier that evening summoning her to the mansion within five minutes. She hadn’t exined much.


    They had always worked closely together, especially during Jessica’spany’s annual fashion week.


    As her exclusive stylist, Becky knew Jessica’s taste better than anyone else.


    "Companyunches must be the new fashion trend," she muttered under her breath with Jessica still engaged on the phone—talking aboutunching,unching...


    "I swear this city is cursed with traffic," she muttered under her breath, recalling how she’d run several red lights just to arrive on time and is quite sure she had earned enough ticket.


    The traffic authorities had probably clocked her tes, and the fine she’d be facing wouldn’t be light. Her eye twitched at the thought.


    With a frustrated groan, sheid her head on the armrest and sighed heavily. "I think I will leave her to deal with it," she mused.


    Jessica gave her a sideways nce. "What now? Are you silently cursing me for summoning you on such short notice?" she asked, slipping her phone into her handbag.


    Though her face still carried traces of fatigue, there was no mistaking the fire in her eyes.


    Becky huffed dramatically as she shot back sitting upright. "I ran red lights to get to you in five minutes like you said. If I end up in jail, you’re bailing me out."


    Jessica smirked, "So, youmit an offense and I pay the price? That’s a new level of partnership."


    "Think of it as you investing in your stylist’s freedom," Becky teased, nudging her shoulder yfully. "Besides, I came running to make you look good. That deserves somepensation."


    Jessica shook her head, a softugh escaping her lips. "Shameless."


    Jessica had very few people in her inner circle, and Becky was one of the rare ones who had earned her trust—not just in business, but as a confidante.


    In a world where betrayal lurked around every corner, Jessica treasured loyalty like gold.


    "By the way," Jessica said, her tone shifting slightly, "when I called you, two days ago you mentioned you’d already arrived in Noveria. What brought you here?"


    Becky nodded, remembering. "Yeah. That’s actually something I was going to ask you about." she started. "I was meaning to ask ifunching has be a marketing stunt or advertising system." She concluded.


    "Why ask so?" Jessica stared at her confused by the logic of advertisement or marketing stunt. Besides, she had only invited her for aunch and like she mentioned she had already arrived.


    Becky sighed "Because when you called me, I had just arrived here too, for another event. A girl from a wealthy family invited me. She said they’reunching theirpany tomorrow... low-key." She concluded.


    Jessica’s fingers stiffened slightly on herp."Launching tomorrow?"


    Becky bobbed her head twice in agreement "And yet here you are, g tonight andunching tomorrow?" Becky added, her voice dipping into curiousity. "You didn’t even rmend me to them. Shouldn’t I be your top pick?"


    Jessica narrowed her eyes. "Top pick you are, the reason why I singled you out to meet me here." And this should be the onlypany that isunching tomorrow or so I think . At least—" her voice trailed off, but her mind was racing.


    She leaned forward, her brows drawn in thought. Her head spinning with questions "Someone else isunching tomorrow? On a low key?"


    She snapped her gaze to Becky sitting beside her, her voice sharpened. "Who contacted you?"


    Becky blinked at the sudden change in tone, the humor gone from Jessica’s face, reced with a deadly calm.


    "Uh..." she hesitated, suddenly unsure if she should speak.


    "Becky," Jessica’s tone dropped an octave.


    Becky swallowed. "Tricia Watts."


    The answer was like a thunderp in her ears. Jessica’s expression hardened instantly. Her pulse thudded against her skull. That name again.


    So this was it. This was where the sabotage had been brewing. Tricia had dared to set up a shadowunch to undermine her? Seems like revenge.


    With a cold smile curling at the edge of her lips, Jessica’s mind spun. "A bold move yet a stupid idea " She mused.


    "Well," Jessica said, voice like ice, "it seems I’ve been far too merciful not to break off the hand entirely."


    Becky watched her nervously. "Jess, can you... put on a smile or something? You’re scaring me. Seriously."


    Jessica exhaled deeply, forcing her fury beneath the surface. There were better ways to deal with traitors and Tricia should be prepared to get what’s going toe. .


    Instead of calling Ethan for a background check, she decided on a different approach. She was close enough now.


    She’d pay her husband a little surprise visit—right in the midst of this storm to cheer him up first.


    With cold smile, she muttered "Let’s see who else had the courage to y games."