Chapter 177 This Marriage Is Ending (1)
Jessica gave a bitter smile. "It doesn't matter anymore! Whether it's my birthday or any other day, you chose Rose. But James, what did I do wrong? Why do you keep hurting and humiliating me?"
Her voice was a painful whisper, each word laced with agony. Her swollen eyes brimmed with tears, but she held them back.
James, never one to apologize easily, searched for an excuse. "Grandpa is old, and I'm afraid a sudden divorce would be too much for him." His words felt hollow, even to him.
Jessica's pain intensified. As it turned out, he kept delaying the divorce because of Gerald. How foolish she had been, hoping he'd see her worth and change his mind.
Jessica rubbed her eyes, forcing herself to look composed. "Then tell Mr. Kelly I cheated. I'm not fit to be his granddaughter-in-law. That way, he'll agree to our divorce," she said stubbornly.
Her words made James furious. "So you finally admit to cheating?" he snapped. "Then tell me, who did you cheat with? Was it Jack? How else could he give you such an expensive bracelet?"
Feeling wronged, Jessica retorted, "Stop badmouthing Jack! At least he stood up for me when everyone else pointed fingers at the ball. He gave me a bracelet for my lonely birthday. I don't care how much it cost; it made my heart feel warm!"
Jessica's accusations made him feel ashamed. He recalled that day at the restaurant, the resentful look in Jessica's eyes.
After a long while, James finally spoke in a low voice, "From now on, I'll remember your birthday."
"No need!" Jessica's voice was sharp. "Sometimes I feel like a beggar, asking for scraps. Is that what I've become? Keep your charity, James. Save your tenderness for Rose. I don't want them anymore."
Her constant refusals chipped away at James's patience. He snapped. "What if I don't agree to the divorce?"
Before Jessica could respond, Lily burst in, eyes blazing with protective anger. "I knew you wouldn't let Jessica go easily," she spat. "But it doesn't matter. If you don't agree, we'll sue you! James, this marriage is ending."
A cold fury settled into James's gaze. He squared his shoulders and met Lily's fiery stare. "Do you know that people who meddle in others' affairs never end well?" he said slowly, each word a deliberate threat.
Lily didn't flinch. She shielded Jessica. "Then just wait and see whose end will be worse," she challenged, her voice steady and defiant.
She was furious! The rage surged through her veins. How could James, after everything he had put Jessica through, still have the audacity to question, blame, and humiliate her? It was beyond her comprehension.
What gave him the right to use the shackles of marriage to confine Jessica?
James didn't want to waste words on anyone else; his focus was solely on Jessica. He seemed ready to leave.
But before leaving, he whispered to Jessica, "When you've had enough of staying here, come home. I'll be waiting for you."
Jessica stared at him, bewildered. Did he not grasp the gravity of what she had just said? How could he stand there with such detachment, after everything?
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