Chapter 382 He Is Not Quite the Same
Francis seemed not to notice her change in expression, nor did he expose her poor acting.
He pulled up a chair and sat down.
Jessa was in shock for a while before she came to her senses.
But she didn't ask anything, just spoke with a voice choked with grievance, "Francis, we lost our baby."
Francis replied to her in a calm manner.
Jessa continued, "The doctor said I won't be able to have children anymore."
Francis once again responded simply.
Jessa didn't really understand Francis's personality.
This time she managed to scheme against him because she saw how much he cared about Elissa and seized the opportunity.
Before the miscarriage, he had already said he wanted to cancel the engagement.
Now she had no leverage to threaten him, and she couldn't understand why he was still willing to marry her.
Did he think there was no evidence to prove the child was his?
The child was gone, but if she insisted it was Francis's, he would never be able to get rid of her.
She couldn't figure it out, but she wasn't foolish enough to bring up the topic herself.
The wedding would proceed as planned, and there would be no possibility for Elissa and Francis.
She only cared about this result.
Nothing else mattered.
What else could she lose?
On the contrary, the Peterson family, with their vast wealth and business, had more to be cautious about.
"Francis, I want to eat pasta," Jessa said.
Then Francis ordered someone to buy it.
Apart from saying, "The wedding will proceed as planned," he only gave her brief replies.
At other times, there was endless silence.
So, why was he staying here?
Jessa was genuinely weak from the miscarriage, and her mind was slow.
In the end, she couldn't figure it out and could only leave her doubts in her heart, waiting to see how things would develop.
"Francis, I remember when I had my first period, you bought me pasta and told me not to be afraid." Jessa smiled. "You, who are usually so calm and rational, always keeping your emotions in check, were so flustered then, thinking I was going to die."
Francis had learned various things among men since he was a child.
The women he encountered, apart from family, were all strong-willed, and they were all friends.
Only Jessa, who was soft and sweet as a child, followed him around.
The Peterson family had no other boys of similar age, and Rainey did want a daughter, but his health was compromised by business and social engagements when he was young.
Rainey had a difficult time giving birth to him, which completely damaged his health, making it impossible to have a second child.
So, she genuinely raised Jessa as if she were her own daughter.
As long as Jessa had no ulterior motives and treated him as a brother, she would live a very wealthy and comfortable life.
Jessa was the granddaughter of a driver, with no parents, and could become a member of the Peterson family, marrying into a status many envied.
What a pity.
She chose to seek her own destruction.
Francis did care for her as a sister when they were young.
In the end, she used his guilt to scheme against him.
"I'm not so foolish that I can't tell the difference between an injury and a period," Francis retorted.
Jessa felt that growing up wasn't good at all; Francis had changed.
He was no longer the person who would wholeheartedly love her.
"Francis, but you were really scared and anxious back then," Jessa said.
Francis's expression was indifferent, and his words carried a hint of coldness. "Why are you reminiscing with me now?"
Jessa looked at him.
He continued indifferently, "Only death row inmates reminisce about the past during their last meal. Then they start to repent."
Jessa didn't say anything more, silently finished her pasta, and then lay down with her back to Francis.
So that was how it was.
He wanted her to be a cover for Elissa, to attract harm away from her.
Since Elissa's drowning, his enemies had discovered he had a loved one.
Francis's weaknesses were hard to find, and now that they had one, they wouldn't let it go.
The news of their wedding had already leaked, and many had been probing, with some discovering she had visited the obstetrics and gynecology department of a hospital.
At this time, Elissa broke up with Francis.
If Francis had made a big deal of looking for Elissa, it would have been one thing.
But he didn't look for Elissa and still proceeded with the wedding.
Now everyone would think the rumors of Francis liking Jessa were true.
Some might even think Francis was using Elissa as a cover to protect her.
After that, all the malice would be directed at her.
It was a clever plan.
No matter how smart she was or how she was raised by Rainey's side, it was no match for the education and training Francis received.
Without an opportunity, she was no match for Francis.
Now that everything was out in the open, she could no longer use his guilt against him.
Tears soaked her pillow, and she couldn't help but ask, "Francis, did you ever have even a little bit of affection for me?"
Francis didn't answer, and he didn't leave Jessa's ward that night.
Jessa understood in her heart and cried all night.
Elissa, far away in Regal City, also heard some news from Maple Valley.
It wasn't that she sought out the information, but it came to her.
After chatting with Cinda and preparing to eat, she came out of the kitchen and saw Efren sitting in the yard.
Cinda asked him about the mistake he made.
Efren looked at her and said, "Jessa is in the hospital, and Francis has been with her. They're about to get married."
Elissa's phone was off.
She had used the local network IP at the airport to report her safety to Hope.
She didn't want to be disturbed.
"What are you trying to say by telling me this?" She forced a smile.
Cinda patted Efren. "Admit your mistake quickly. How did I teach you? You can't achieve your goals by any means necessary. And if you hurt others, it's even more unacceptable. We are not like others who are born with so much. Precisely because of this, we cannot demean ourselves."
Efren pursed his lips and stared at Elissa. "You've broken up with Francis, so why do you still want to know the truth about that night? He's about to marry Jessa. Are you planning to reconcile with him?"
Elissa asked, "Is the truth about that night necessarily related to whether I reconcile with Francis?"
Efren nodded. "Of course. That's also why I've kept quiet all along. Elissa, I swear, I never intended to hurt you. I did it for your own good."
Elissa smiled. "Efren, this isn't what liking someone looks like. You hurt me, claiming it was for my own good. If you'd been honest, I might not resent you for plotting with Jessa against me."
Efren remained silent.
Cinda, anxious, patted him again. "You just like Elissa; you're not important to her. What makes you think you can hurt her and call it doing her a favor?"
Elissa stepped forward and gently patted Cinda's chest. "Grandma, please don't get agitated. Your health can't handle it. Let us handle our own matters. Let's eat first."
Cinda had lost her appetite. She looked at Efren with some disappointment. "You're really pissing me off!"
Efren stood up, worry written all over his face, and said, "Grandma, please don't be angry. Let me resolve this with Elissa after the wedding, okay?"Seeing this made Elissa feel a bit awkward.
After all, she had lost control and told Cinda about this matter.
If something happened to Cinda because of this, she would be to blame.
"Grandma, let us talk. I'll bring your food to your room. You can eat alone, okay?" Elissa said.
Cinda sighed, glared at Efren, and let Elissa help her into the room.
Elissa brought the food in and came out to find Efren looking upset. Then she asked Efren to get some wine.
In Regal City, it got dark late. At this time, Maple Valley was already dark, but here the sunset was still beautiful.
They sat in the small yard, drinking wine and watching the sunset, creating a peaceful and serene atmosphere.
"Efren, I really appreciate your kindness. I haven't had much of that since I was a kid. It wasn't until I met Hope that I felt it. Besides her, you're the only other person who's been genuinely kind to me," Elissa said.
Efren drank a bit of wine, and said casually, "Francis isn't good to you?"
Elissa thought for a moment. "He's good too, but it's different. That's love. In a relationship, people always show their best side. But you're different."
Efren was puzzled. "I like you too. Although we haven't been together, what we have can't be considered friendship."
"You're special." Elissa propped her face on her hand and looked at him. "If it were someone else who schemed against me with Jessa, I wouldn't say another word to him, let alone come here with him. Efren, to be honest, without Francis, I would really consider you. Who wouldn't want someone who treats them well to accompany them for the rest of their life? But love is irrational."
Efren's hand shook as he poured the wine, spilling most of it.
Elissa said, "What a waste."
Efren steadied himself, took a big gulp from the bottle, and said with a complex expression, "How can you apologize to me? I should be the one apologizing to you."
Elissa said, "You don't need to apologize to me. You know what I want to know."
Efren took another swig of wine, looked into Elissa's beautiful eyes, and asked seriously, "Elissa, tell me honestly, will you and Francis get back together?"
Elissa checked the temperature of the grilled chicken wings, found them ready to eat, and broke one in half, giving Efren a piece.
Efren took it, and after seeing Elissa eat, he took a bite too.
After finishing the chicken wings, he heard Elissa say, "Efren, I'm not lying to you, but I don't know. Our family backgrounds are so different. At first, I thought I'd just enjoy the moment. If we couldn't get married, we'd break up later. I felt the same way when my ex had an arranged marriage. I always thought I was heartless enough to leave a relationship just to have fun. But Francis..." Elissa paused, then said, "He's different," with a hint of bitterness in her smile."
She continued, "I broke up with him not just because of Jessa, but because I was too scared to face everything with him. I loved him too much to let him lose it all for me. Efren, if you say you like me, you probably get what I mean."
Efren felt quite uncomfortable hearing Elissa's confession of love for Francis.
But he thought Elissa was even more upset. Since he met her, Elissa had always been this bright, vibrant person. She was like a bird, always flying free and only pausing on a branch when she needed a rest. Once she was ready, she'd take off again. Nothing could keep her grounded.
But now, she was here, telling him about her love for Francis.
It should have been a happy thing, but it felt so sad.
"Let's forget about family background for now. Elissa, don't you think Francis is a bit clueless about Jessa?"
Elissa nodded. "You're right."
Efren was puzzled. "Then why, Elissa..."
Elissa took a sip of wine and said, "But he's not like that anymore."
"But he's going to marry Jessa. If you can tell the truth about that night, maybe he won't have to marry her," Efren said.
Efren thought for a long time and said, "Elissa, come back to Maple Valley with me. If Francis gives up marrying Jessa because of your return, I'll confront Jessa in front of everyone and reveal the truth about that night. Otherwise, don't ask anymore. Just pretend nothing happened that night."
Elissa clinked glasses with Efren. "We'll go back the day before the wedding."
They drank until the early morning before going to sleep.
Meanwhile, Francis stayed in Jessa's ward until dawn before leaving.
Jessa didn't sleep all night either. She sat up when she heard the door close.
She was in a daze for a long time. It wasn't until the nurse came in to give her medicine that she reacted.
"Excuse me, can I borrow your phone to make a call? I woke up and didn't see my boyfriend. He was in a hurry to come to the hospital last night, and I left my phone at home," Jessa said.
Jessa, a VIP patient, had been specially instructed by the Peterson family, so the nurse couldn't refuse such a small request.
Besides, Jessa was so polite.
"Here you go."
"Thank you."
Jessa took the nurse's phone and dialed a number.
But it rang once and then she hung up. She deleted the call record and returned the phone to the nurse.
"Thank you again."
"You're too kind."
The nurse watched Jessa take her medicine and then left the room.
She was immediately taken to the safe passage by Simon.
"What did the person in the room do with your phone?" Simon asked.
The nurse answered honestly, "She made a call, but it didn't seem to go through. It's her privacy, so I didn't ask much."
Simon asked for the nurse's phone number and had someone check the call records.
After finding out, he reported to Sebastian, who had returned to the Peterson Mansion with Francis.
Sebastian waited for Francis to finish his shower and whispered something to him. "Mr. Peterson, Miss Greer..."
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