Chapter 41
I slapped Jason's hand away and said irritably, "Why are you suddenly getting all handsy?"
"Then let me give you a heads up." As Jason spoke, his hand reached toward my face again.
I immediately stepped back two paces to put distance between us, eyeing him warily. "What's wrong with you? Why do you keep pinching my face?"
"Your face feels nice. I like touching it." Jason said this without batting an eye.
Looking at his shameless attitude, I was fuming.
But after being scared out of my wits by Brian today, my mind was in complete chaos, and I couldn't find the words.
I went upstairs and headed home.
The moment I opened the door, Jessica's excited, cheerful voice rang out, "Mom! Welcome home!"
"Did you just call her mom?" Jason's suspicious voice came from behind me.
Jessica and I both froze at the same time.
Jason had been walking behind me, and Jessica didn't see that he was there, too.
My muddled brain struggled to work.
Should I just tell him now?
I wasn't ready yet, but there didn't seem to be a better option at this point.
"No, I said auntie just now."
Jessica reacted faster than me, shaking her head hard. "Uncle Jason, did you hear wrong?"
Jason's gaze shifted suspiciously between Jessica and me, shaking his head with certainty. "I didn't hear wrong. You called her mom."
"No, I said auntie. How could it be mom?"
Jessica blinked her eyes cutely and asked, "Uncle, didn't you meet my dad before?"
The doubt in Jason's eyes gradually faded. "Then I must have heard wrong."
I secretly breathed a sigh of relief, my body relaxing.
Jason followed me inside quite naturally, then pulled out a pair of men's slippers from behind and put them on.
Jessica's eyes widened. "You can do that?"
Jason's expression didn't change as he nodded seriously. "Of course. I've been here so many times, and never had slippers to wear."
As he spoke, his gaze fixed on me with considerable resentment.
"Aren't you leaving?" I asked.
"Didn't you say I should come spend time with Jessica when I'm free?" Jason threw my own words back at me.
I opened my mouth but could only say, "Then take Jessica downstairs for some exercise. It's not good for her to always stay inside."
At these words, Jason's look became even more resentful.
I pretended not to notice and carried the groceries into the kitchen.
Once I was alone, I finally let out a breath.
Too much had happened today, and my emotions were too complicated.
I was even starting to wonder whether I should go to work tomorrow.
Taking a deep breath, I shook my head to clear all these messy thoughts from my mind.
Cook first. Eating is what matters most.
The aroma of cooking is always healing.
Gradually, my restless emotions calmed down.
When the food was almost ready, I called Jessica's kids' watch to tell them to come back for dinner.
Jessica had a strange expression when she came back.
I looked at Jason questioningly.
Jason shrugged and smiled. "Her stamina is pretty good, but there's room for improvement."
Hearing this, I immediately understood.
Jessica must have been humbled by Jason.
"You could have gone easy on her."
I couldn't help glaring at Jason, then patted Jessica's head to comfort her. "It's okay, Jessica. You're a kid, you don't need to compete with adults."
Jessica nodded and looked up at me with a smile. "It's fine, I can still improve!"
She went to take a bath, and I turned to go to the kitchen to bring out the dishes.
Jason followed me into the kitchen to help.
This ordinary, everyday action gave me the illusion that we were still together.
Just then, Jason's phone rang.
He simply leaned against the kitchen doorway and answered it.
A woman's gentle, clear voice came through the phone. "Jason, I made your favorite dishes today and delivered them to your door, but you don't seem to be home. Are you working late at the office? Should I bring dinner there?"
My steps stopped unconsciously as I was carrying dishes out of the kitchen.
I knew there would definitely be new people in Jason's life.
But when such a person actually appeared, my heart couldn't help feeling sad, sour, and bitter.
"No need," Jason's voice came, calm and firm. "I'm eating at my girlfriend's place."
With that, he hung up directly and turned to walk into the kitchen, meeting my eyes.
I stared at him wide-eyed, the sourness completely transformed into shock.
"Why did you say I'm your girlfriend? Did I agree to that?"
Jason leaned against the doorframe, a smile playing at his lips, showing no embarrassment at being caught.
"How I want to describe it is my business."
He leaned closer to me. "If you don't like it, then shut me up."
Shut him up? How?
Meeting Jason's direct, aggressive gaze, my heartbeat involuntarily quickened.
I stepped back half a pace to create distance, frowning. "Mr. Cooper, we're not in a relationship. I hope you won't say things like that in the future. It causes me trouble."
"Then what should I say in the future? That you're my wife?"
The word "wife" coming from his mouth carried a deeply tender, intimate flavor.
I bit my lip, but waves of aggrieved anger surged in my heart. "Jason, you really don't need to do this! I should have made myself very clear, right? We're not boyfriend and girlfriend, and I'm definitely not your wife!"
"That's just temporary. I'm pursuing you." Jason was very serious.
I stared at him, but what came to mind was his deception and departure without saying goodbye five years ago. "Do you think I'll believe what you say?"
Jason asked back, "Am I really that unworthy of your trust?"
"You've already lied to me once." My voice had completely turned cold. "You hid your identity before when you were with me, and now you're pursuing me again. Are you planning to leave me again once you get me?"
Hearing my words, Jason's face gradually darkened.
He gritted his teeth. "Sue, is that the kind of person I am in your eyes?"
"It's hard for me not to think that way." My brows were tightly furrowed as a tense, oppressive atmosphere spread through the kitchen.
Jason looked at me with furrowed brows for a while, then suddenly reached out to take the plate from my hands, saying, "Let's eat first. I'll prove your doubts wrong with time."
Victoria stood outside Jason's villa, holding an exquisite lunch box.
She gripped her already-disconnected phone tightly, her carefully made-up face twisting.
Ten minutes had passed since Jason hung up on her.
But she still couldn't snap out of it.
Though she'd been studying abroad all these years, she'd been constantly following Jason's situation back home.
There had never been a woman by Jason's side all these years.
Even she could only stay near Jason because she had once saved his life.
After returning to the country, Jason had arranged for her to work at Glacier Corp.
She thought Jason would be hers.
But now, Jason said he was at his girlfriend's place.