Chapter 67
I looked up and found myself locking eyes with Jason, who was standing guard at the door.
The sudden closeness made my face flush. I glared at Jason. "Why are you still standing here?"
"Should I go to the sofa then?" Jason asked back.
I said, "It's getting late. Aren't you going home?"
How could he keep staying at my place?
Jason showed no sign of awkwardness or discomfort.
He lowered his eyes and looked at me seriously, saying, "I'm waiting for you."
"Waiting for me for what?" My lips moved slightly, and I looked away somewhat unnaturally, avoiding eye contact with Jason.
"I want to hold you," Jason suddenly said.
I widened my eyes in disbelief, thinking I must have heard wrong.
Were we that close?
Why could he say such a thing so calmly?
"No way!" I refused without thinking.
But Jason stepped forward and pulled me into his arms.
He lowered his head, buried it in my neck, breathing deeply, and let out a satisfied sigh.
My whole body stiffened. I pressed my hands against his chest, wanting to push him away, but was startled by the burning heat under my palms.
"Jason..." I called his name softly.
Jason still held me without moving.
My heartbeat was getting faster and faster, out of control.
I took a deep breath, constantly warning myself to stay calm.
"Let me go," I said.
"No," Jason not only didn't loosen his grip but held me even tighter. "Sue, let me hold you for a while, okay? Just a little while."
In my ears was his breathy, pleading voice; under my palms was his racing heartbeat; and at the tip of my nose lingered a scent I had once been so familiar with and too attached to.
Jason suddenly turned his head and planted an intimate, burning kiss on my neck. "Sue, you smell so good."
A shiver ran through my body, and my legs went weak. If Jason hadn't been holding me, I probably would have fallen to the ground by now.
I turned out to be a woman without principles—he only kissed me once, and I couldn't handle it.
But... this kind of warmth was truly hard to resist. It even made me want to keep drowning in it.
Just as I was about to actively raise my hands to hug Jason back, Jessica's bedroom door suddenly opened.
"Are you two hugging?" Jessica blinked, looking at us curiously.
My brain instantly cleared. I quickly pushed Jason away. "Um... I guess so."
I could only feel my face burning hot.
Not giving Jessica a chance to ask more questions, I quickly said, "Jessica, it's time for bed."
Jessica's thoughtful gaze moved between Jason and me, but in the end, she said nothing and nodded obediently, closing the door again.
Only then did I breathe a sigh of relief.
I looked up and met Jason's eyes.
He leaned closer, looking at me eagerly. "Sue, can we hug a little longer? Just a little while."
"No." My face was expressionless as I refused mercilessly.
Now that I had calmed down, there was no way I would let Jason get close again.
Even though that embrace was indeed warm and enough to make me yearn for it, but...
I lowered my eyes, my lashes trembling.
I couldn't covet things that didn't belong to me.
"It's very late. You should go back. We need to rest too." As I spoke, I opened the door.
Jason's eyes were full of reluctance as he looked at me, slowly walking out.
I frowned slightly, following behind him.
Just as Jason had changed his shoes and was about to leave, I called out to him, "Wait."
Jason immediately turned back to look at me.
"These are the things you brought over. Take them with you." My words made the smile on Jason's face disappear instantly.
His gaze swept heavily over the bag before looking at me and saying, "I don't take back things I've given away. Do whatever you want with them."
With that, he didn't give me a chance to speak again and turned to leave.
I stared at the bag for a long while, but in the end, I didn't throw it away. Instead, I put it back on the shoe cabinet.
I had just returned to the bedroom and hadn't yet lain down when there was a knock on the door.
Jessica's voice came from outside. "Mom, can I come in?"
I responded, and only then did she push the door open and walk in.
She walked to the bedside, climbed onto the bed, and hugged me.
"Dad asked me a very strange question today."
My heart tightened, and I quickly asked, "What did he ask?"
"Dad asked if you were keeping any secrets from him."
Jessica answered honestly and asked in confusion, "Mom, what does Dad mean by that?"
This meant Jason was starting to suspect!
I couldn't say that. I just touched her little face and asked gently, "Did you tell Dad anything?"
Jessica shook her head vigorously. "No, Dad doesn't know I'm his child, but you said I can't tell Dad."
She was so obedient that I felt both heartbroken and relieved.
But I really should tell Jason the truth.
Tonight, Jessica was especially clingy.
She didn't want to sleep alone and insisted on staying by my side.
I had a feeling she must have guessed something.
She had always been smart. Many times, without being told, she could sense things on her own.
Thinking of this, I couldn't help but tighten my arms around Jessica.
Closing my eyes, Jason's face appeared in my mind.
In the quiet night, I slowly opened my eyes.
I couldn't sleep.
Just thinking about how I really should tell Jason about this made me anxious.
Actually, I knew very well that if Jason wanted to investigate, he could easily find out that Jessica was actually his biological daughter.
But he hadn't done that.
Jessica had already fallen asleep.
I took slow, deep breaths, forcing myself to calm my thoughts and fell asleep holding Jessica.
Victoria stayed in her small rented apartment, her eyes fixed on her phone.
[The person you wanted investigated has been checked out.]
Victoria's heart was racing. Her hands were almost trembling as she opened the information the other party had sent.
After being publicly humiliated by Sue today, she immediately hired someone to investigate Sue's background!
To get this information, she had spent quite a bit of money.
"I hope you won't disappoint me," Victoria murmured to herself, her eyes falling on the documents.
They contained detailed information about Sue.
Father unknown, had a half-brother from the same mother, and had never been favored by her mother since childhood.
Victoria wasn't interested in this basic information and quickly scrolled down.
Suddenly, her gaze stopped.
The documents showed that Sue's first job was at a branch company under the Cooper family.
And after working for two years, she got pregnant before marriage and had a child!