Chapter 21 Jessica Falls into the Pool
"Yeah, it's urgent," Gabriel said.
Jessica's grip tightened, the rest of her words suddenly seeming unnecessary.
"Diana had her check-up today. The results weren't great, and she's...she's not in a good place emotionally."
Jessica instantly looked up at him, her expression cold. "Fine, then go!"
She didn't want to hear any of his excuses.
Once he had made his mind up, there was no point in explanations.
After Gabriel left, Jessica, as a regular member of the Walton clan, was busy welcoming friends and relatives. It could've been the pregnancy, but after just a short while of standing, she started to feel worn out. Especially her feet, which ached from standing for long periods.
She had chosen a new pair of shoes for today's event and now regretted it as they rubbed uncomfortably against her heels.
Taking a break, Jessica sat down on a nearby chair, looking to alleviate the pain with a Band-Aid.
No sooner had she sat down than a sharp, mocking voice reached her ears. "Yawn, I thought we were going to see Gabriel's elusive wife today. I never expected her to still be hiding. What do you think? Maybe she's hideously ugly or super fat, and that's why she doesn't dare to show her face?"
The girl speaking seemed familiar to Jessica, no doubt one of Gabriel’s distant cousins, though her name escaped her.
"Can't be, can it? Xavier would never pair Gabriel with someone unsuitable. I bet she's just too ashamed to show up. I heard her family is dirt poor. It was said that her mom was just a nurse and her dad was a gambler. If her mom hadn't saved Xavier's life, there's no way she'd even rub shoulders with the Waltons, given her lowly background."
"Folks from a small town just scream poverty, they are a sight for sore eyes indeed. Ugly's one thing, but not being presentable is probably why Gabriel's hiding her away. He's probably afraid she'll be the laughing stock."
The two girls carried on chatting about "her," ridiculing "her," as if nobody else was there.
Jessica's fists clenched. They could laugh at her, but not at her family, and especially not at her beloved mother, Giselle.
She was not one to stir up trouble, but she wasn't afraid to face it either.
With her shoes back on and her outfit adjusted, Jessica approached them. "As pretty as you two young ladies are, gossiping behind someone's back isn't very becoming, is it?"
The young ladies turned with a collective glance. Then, scoffing with disdain, one of them snapped, "Who are you to meddle with our conversation?"
"Who I am doesn't matter. What does matter is that I can't stand your nasty backbiting," Jessica confronted.
They laughed again, looking down at her. "Oh, really? In case you haven't noticed, this is Walton territory—my home turf. I can say whatever I want, and it's certainly not your place to lecture me."
"You're entitled to speak your mind, yes, that's your freedom of speech. But spreading lies isn't something you can do without consequence," Jessica rebutted.
"What?" The girl crossed her arms, her eyes wide with disbelief. "You dare to talk back to me? Seems like someone is tired of living!"
As the conversation ended, a girl behind Jessica suddenly reached out and shoved her hard. Unprepared for such an audacious act, especially during Xavier's birthday party, with onlookers aplenty, Jessica was caught off guard.
She couldn't swim. And the water in the pool was icy cold. The moment she plunged in, a piercing chill seized her. Opening her mouth to scream, she instead swallowed a mouthful of water.
Flailing briefly, Jessica rapidly started to sink.
The girl who pushed her must have realized her recklessness; seeing Jessica struggle, she didn't want to be responsible for a tragedy. She immediately cried for help, "Someone help! She's fallen in, somebody save her!"
"Help, please!" Both girls began shouting together.
Swiftly, a Walton Family bodyguard dived into the pool. By the time Jessica was barely hanging on, they pulled her out.
Upon hearing the cries for help, Danielle rushed over and instructed the bodyguard to take care of the situation properly.
Handling all the birthday arrangements single-handedly had been her task for the day. She managed everything inside and out, all by herself.
As for Jonah, some seductress had already lured him away so effectively that he'd forgotten his own dad's birthday party; he said he'd be gone for half an hour, yet an hour passed with no sign of him.
Right, Jessica…
A quick scan of the hall was all it took for Danielle to notice Jessica's absence. Her gut twisted with anxiety. Approaching old Zhou, she asked frantically, "Zhou, have you seen Jessica? I haven't spotted her for a while now."
No sooner had she voiced her concern than she sensed that something was amiss.
Couldn't the person who fell in be...
"Zhou, hurry! Where did they take the person who fell in?"
"Upstairs."
Danielle, in high heels, rushed upstairs in a frenzy, with Zhou trailing behind cautiously advising, "Madam, please slow down. You're wearing heels."
Bursting into the room, her heart raced when she saw Jessica lying on the bed. Sitting by her side, she grasps Jessica's hand, urging her, "Jessica, wake up, come on, wake up!"
Hearing her mother-in-law's voice, Jessica slowly opened her eyes, "Mom, there are so many guests downstairs. Why did you come up?"
"Oh, my silly girl, why didn't you tell Mom about something as serious as falling in the water? How did this happen, tell me, did someone push you on purpose? I need to get to the bottom of this," Danielle said worriedly.
Jessica offered a wistful smile. "Mom, I know you've been looking after all the guests today, and it's been hectic for you. How could I trouble you with my issues? Besides, today's Xavier's birthday—a day for celebration. I can't let my problems overshadow his special day."
Her words came from the heart; she had indeed been wronged. But she wouldn't let her quest for justice ruin Xavier's birthday. She knew all too well that if the incident were to be thoroughly investigated, Xavier would undoubtedly defend her honor.
However, that girl was from the Walton family, and digging deeper would only complicate matters, casting a dark cloud over the festive occasion. For Xavier's sake, she was prepared to swallow her bitterness.
"Where's Gabriel? His wife faces such a predicament, and he’s nowhere to be found?" Danielle's voice cut through the tense silence.
The housekeepers stood by, hardly daring to breathe.
It was Jessica who finally spoke up. "Mom, something came up with Diana, and he rushed over there."
"What?" Danielle was almost beside herself with anger. "Like father, like son—both spellbound! I’m calling him now, and he'd better come back."
The phone connected promptly, and Gabriel's voice came through. "Hello, Mom."
"I don't care where you are; come back immediately."
"Mom, I’m sorry, but Diana—"
Danielle interrupted before he could finish. "Jessica fell into the water, she's seriously ill right now. Are you coming back, or would you rather be with that woman?"
Jessica held her breath, straining to hear the answer on the other end of the line. ‘Gabriel, will you come back? Will you choose me over Diana?’
Biting her lip, she acknowledged how deeply she cared—more than she wanted to admit. She didn’t ask for much except just this once, just a single time, would have been enough.
And then Gabriel's response came.
