Chapter 17 An Extreme Possessiveness
The Walton family's ancestral home was nestled in an idyllic spot, far from the bustling city, surrounded by lush green mountains and clear waters. If you looked closely, the place bore an uncanny resemblance to the hill behind her childhood home.
Time flies so swiftly; it's already been a decade.
She had left that place ten years ago, had been with the Waltons for the same period, and had been in love with the same man throughout those long years.
A decade of her years of radiant beauty and youth—she'd given every bit of her love at first sight; every heart flutter, every secret crush, to this one man. And what now?
Counting on her fingers—today, tomorrow, the day after—Jessica realized the day after next was Xavier's birthday.
And right after celebrating, they were set to file for divorce. So that meant they had only three more days as husband and wife.
How she wished she could count back and forth on these ten fingers, over and over, without ever reaching an end. But as she counted, drowsiness took hold.
Perhaps it was the exhaustion from the earlier events, she fell asleep almost as soon as she lay down. It wasn't long before she felt the warmth and strength of a hand on her shoulder, and Gabriel's gentle voice near her ear, "Feeling sleepy?"
In a daze, it seemed as if he had scooped her into his embrace. One couldn't deny that it was very comforting to be held in his strong arms. With her eyes closed, Jessica squirmed a little to find a cozy spot and then slipped into a deep sleep.
When she awoke, it seemed as if the world was in motion; even the clouds appeared to drift lazily in the sky. What was going on?
The next moment, Gabriel's voice came from above her, "Awake now?"
As her vision cleared, she realized she was still in his arms, being carried, which explained why things seemed near one moment and far, the next.
Shrugged her head, she chastised herself for being so groggy. "How long was I out?" she asked.
"I didn't keep track of the time, but you looked pretty comfortable—like a sleepy little piglet," he teased.
A piglet? Hardly! Even in sleep, she preferred to be referred to as a sleeping beauty.
"Then you're the big lazy pig," she retorted without skipping a beat.
It wasn't until they approached the grand hallway's entrance that she suddenly remembered she was still in Gabriel's arms, prompting her to protest, "We're almost there, put me down."
"And why would I do that?" Gabriel chuckled, "Isn't this exactly the scene Xavier would love to witness? Don't you want to give the old man a little joy?"
She wanted to make Xavier happy, sure, but not like this.
Moreover, Gabriel was offering a princess carry not for the performance, but out of some ulterior motive—a trick Jessica was not willing to play along with. As he neared, her anxiety bubbled up while Gabriel remained as cool as a cucumber, an epitome of calm without a trace of panic.
"Put me down, now!" Jessica pounded on his chest, her voice a mix of anger and insistence. "Hurry up, Gabriel. We're going to be too late."
Looking down, Gabriel caught sight of her flushed lips, moving incessantly as she kept on protesting.
For some unknown reason, he felt a mischievous urge, and before a tinge of regret could take hold, the words had slipped out. "Give me a kiss, and I'll let you go."
"What?" Jessica was taken aback.
Two years of marriage had seen passionate moments, but casual pecks were not commonplace between them. And now with divorce on the horizon, a kiss was more inappropriate than ever.
Seeing her hesitation, Gabriel felt an inexplicable tightness in his chest.
With a sudden release of his arms, he set her down on the floor, his voice icy, "It was nothing, just putting you to the test, seeing if you'd stay loyal to that guy."
Jessica was left in disarray. So, his previous words were just to tease her? But why did it seem like he was... jealous?
What a fool. What an idiot. The "that guy" he was referring to was himself. Jealous of his own shadow. Indeed, even if a man doesn't love, he absolutely refuses to let even a memory of another man touch his woman.
Gabriel was no different; he too was a man of extreme possessiveness.
Upon reaching the living room, Jessica entered with a bright, cheerful call, "Xavier, we're back!" But to her surprise, there was no sign of Xavier.
Gabriel instructed the staff to put the shopping away and turned to the other person, "Timothy, where's Xavier?"
"Xavier was tired, he just fell asleep in his room."
Gabriel frowned, a realization dawning on him, "Tell me the truth, Timothy. Has Xavier's condition worsened recently?"
Timothy sighed heavily, "Xavier had us keep it from you and Jessica, didn't want you worrying. But yes, it's been declining over the past week, getting more lethargic by the day."
Jessica felt a heartbreaking mix of sadness and guilt.
Xavier was seriously ill, and she had been clueless. How had she failed as a granddaughter-in-law?
"I'm going to check on Xavier," Jessica announced.
Gabriel caught her wrist just as she spoke. "Let's eat first, then go."
"But I want to see him now," she insisted.
"Tim said Xavier just went for a nap. If he knows you're back, he might not sleep. We can go up together after lunch. He'll be well-rested by then."
Gabriel made sense, and Jessica nodded in agreement. "Okay."
"Gabriel, Jessica, come eat. Xavier knew you'd be home for lunch, so he sent us out early to pick up all your favorites. Especially the king crab, it was flown in this morning. It's huge and impeccably fresh." Timothy tried to encourage Jessica to have lunch first by explaining how Xavier had prepared for their arrival.
"Xavier, knowing how much you like it, swept in and got us the finest ones reserved by the store owner," he added.
The more Jessica heard, the more her heart ached. Even though she felt almost orphaned now, Xavier's love was enough to make up for years of missing warmth. She was so fortunate to have met Xavier and blessed to be his granddaughter-in-law.
Xavier had been so eager to see her and Gabriel happy, but after his birthday, she would have to muster the courage to bring up the topic of divorce. The thought alone made it even harder to face him.
"Come on, it's still hot. Jessica, dig in." Timothy served her the king crab, buzzing around the dining area.
Just as Jessica reached for her utensils, a wave of nausea struck. She bolted to the bathroom to throw up. Hardly back at the table, the scent of the king crab sent her running back to the restroom.
Upon her return, Charlotte approached with a warm glass of water, smiling warmly at her.
"Jessica, have you been to the hospital lately? This looks a lot like morning sickness. I bet there's a little baby on the way. Xavier's dream of cradling a great-grandchild might soon come true."
