Chapter 40 Conversation
Arthur continued to stare at Charles, his brow furrowed in confusion. “Oh…” He wondered if that was the true story. If he was right, his mother was undressed.
“You didn’t hurt my mommy, did you?” Arthur asked, his small face filled with suspicion.
Charles hadn’t expected the kid to be so persistent. Arthur’s gaze, like he thought Charles had done something awful to Jessica, was almost laughable.
Honestly, Charles had no idea how to handle this suddenly appeared son.
“You can ask her yourself,” he muttered coldly, turning and walking out.
Jessica had just stepped into the bathroom, ready to close the door, when she heard his answer. Her frustration boiled over. Nature calls, my ass!
After showering, Charles came back wearing a bathrobe. He found Jessica lying on the bed with Arthur tucked beside her. He raised an eyebrow. “Your room is next door,” he said, suggesting Arthur sleep there.
“I want to sleep with Mommy!” Arthur said, his voice firm and insistent.
“You’re five now. You need to sleep in your own room,” Charles said, sounding like a strict father.
Charles had been sleeping alone since he was three. His mother had died giving birth, so independence came early.
“But I’ve always slept with Mommy. I don’t want to sleep anywhere else!” Arthur clung to her, making his stance clear.
Seeing Arthur’s head against Jessica’s chest, Charles grew more serious. “You’re getting older. You can’t keep sleeping with her. You need to be independent.”
“You’re older than me. Why do you still sleep with Mommy, then?” Arthur shot back.
Charles was caught off guard. The kid wasn’t backing down. He frowned deeper.
Arthur met his gaze, unafraid. “I’ve slept with Mommy for five years. I’m going to sleep with her for the next five, too!”
He wasn’t about to let Charles pull him away from his mom.
Charles stood still, his mind racing. Was he really losing all control with his son? His frown deepened.
Jessica watched the back-and-forth, biting back a laugh. If Charles was the big bad wolf, their son was the little troublemaker.
Clearing her throat, she said, “How about I sleep in the room next door with him?” She’d never considered sharing a bed with Charles.
Charles watched her, silent for a few seconds. Then, he answered flatly, “No one needs to leave. We’ll all sleep together.”
That night, all three of them ended up sleeping in the same bed.
Arthur lay in the middle, tucked snugly between his parents-Dad on the left, Mom on the right. He slept
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like a rock.
Jessica had her eyes closed. She looked asleep, but her mind wouldn’t quiet down.
She’d imagined meeting her son’s father a thousand times. But never once did she picture them sharing a
bed this fast.
Back at her own home, Jane stormed in with fury still burning in her chest. She slammed the door behind her and found Rhea lounging on the couch, watching TV.
Jane’s face was thunderous as she marched over. “You’ve got time to watch TV?” She grabbed the remote and shut it off.
Rhea sat up, puzzled. “Jane? What’s wrong? Who pissed you off?”
“Who else? That shameless woman-Jessica!” Jane’s voice snapped like a whip.
Rhea stiffened the moment she heard the name. “Jessica? You saw her?”
Jane let out a sharp scoff. “Saw her? Charles brought her to the house. They’re married. She’s my sister-in- law now!”
Rhea’s face went pale. Her lips twitched before she forced a smile. “That has to be a joke, right?”
“Does it look like I’m joking?” Jane snapped. Her eyes narrowed. “Now tell me the truth-who was that man you set Jessica up with back then?”
Rhea’s eyes flickered. “You don’t know him. I don’t either. I had a friend find someone random at a club. Why?”
Jane’s voice cracked with rage. “Why? Because that ‘random guy’ turned out to be Charles! Jessica slept with Charles that night. What do you have to say for yourself now?”
Rhea looked like she’d been struck by lightning. “No. That’s not possible!”
Jane glared. “Don’t tell me it’s impossible. That boy Jessica gave birth to-he’s Charles’!”
“What?!” Rhea’s head reeled. All she could see was Jessica, holding Charles’ child.
Jane didn’t want to believe it either, but the facts were all there.
“You better think real hard about what went wrong. Jessica’s status just shot up because of that kid. And guess what? Tomorrow, Charles expects us to show up at the Hensley estate to congratulate them.”
Jane rubbed her temples, exhausted, and left the room without another word.
Rhea sat frozen on the couch, in shock. Jessica. She was Mrs. Hensley now.
Panic began to creep into Rhea’s eyes. Her hand instinctively moved to her lower stomach.
Jessica knew her secret … And now, she was a threat. A real one.
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Florence is a passionate reader who finds joy in long drives on rainy days. She’s also a fan of Italian makeup tutorials, blending beauty and elegance into her everyday life.
