Chapter 31 Spending Valentine's Day with Her?
"What?" Jessica was stunned, thinking she must have misheard.
Before she could react, Vincent had already ushered her into the car. Still dazed inside the car, she heard the cheerful young man in front say, "Boss, what gives? Since when do you show interest in women? Don't tell me this lady is our future sister-in-law!"
"Enough," the man growled.
The young man immediately zipped his lips.
It took Jessica a while to collect herself. A few minutes later, slowly regaining her composure, she turned to the man beside her. "Why are you helping me?"
"If I'm not mistaken, your phone is dead, right?" Vincent recalled.
"Yes," Jessica confirmed.
"I believe in helping all the way, and we’re taking you to the hospital since it is on the way,” Vincent explained.
"Oh." Jessica was still dazed. ‘So that was it.’
Yosef sighed deeply up front. So much for that hope. He'd thought their boss had finally found a girl he liked. Turns out it was just another rescue mission.
"Miss, don’t mind me, but my boss has this kind of savior complex. He can’t stand seeing anyone in trouble without helping people out," Yosef commented.
"Regardless, I truly appreciate it," Jessica replied.
Upon reaching the hospital, Jessica alighted with her luggage in tow. As their car pulled away, it dawned on Jessica that she had forgotten to ask one crucial question—she never got the man's name.
I should have asked. He's helped me enough times; remembering his name would have been the least I could do to show some respect.
In the silence of the vehicle, Yosef had been holding his tongue. But once Jessica stepped out, he finally spoke up.
"Boss, that guy was pretty handsome. Have you thought about it?" he teased.
"You talk too much," came the curt reply.
"Come on, Boss. You're pushing thirty, with no girlfriend, and no family. What's the holdup?"
He raised an eyebrow, his voice icy, "What now? Are you playing matchmaker? Want me to file for your transfer?"
"No, no, Boss, my mistake. Okay?" Yosef mumbled upfront, "But seriously speaking, if you're not dating, how can anyone else feel comfortable doing so?"
"What did you say?" Vincent's ears were sharp.
Quickly, Yosef replied with a cheeky grin, "I said you are number one in looks, number one in coolness, number one in... in everything. You're the best, no contest."
Vincent looked down, only to notice he was still clutching the earring from earlier. He had forgotten to give it back to her. "Yosef, turn the car around. Back to that hospital."
"Boss, have you made up your mind? Going after that beauty?" Yosef teased.
When Vincent returned to the hospital, naturally, Jessica was not to be found. In the end, he left, still holding onto the earring.
After seeing a doctor, getting her ear treated, and charging her phone a bit at the hospital, Jessica finally hailed a cab home.
By the time she arrived, darkness had already set in. Pushing open her door, she was greeted by pitch darkness. The spacious room felt empty.
Her hunch was right; Gabriel was still not back. Three whole days had passed since he left without any contact—no calls, no messages.
The call she finally received from him came the day before Valentine's Day.
Jessica stared as his name blinked on her screen. After a long hesitation, she answered. "Hello, this is Jessica."
"Valentine's Day is tomorrow. Any thoughts on where you might want to go, or something you might want to buy?" Gabriel's voice came through the phone, clear and deep as ever, seductively resonant.
Like a beautiful melody, it gently touched her heartstrings. It had been days since they last spoke. She thought she would forget his voice, but to her surprise, she found herself missing it deeply.
Clutching her phone, a lump formed in her throat, and suddenly, she found herself speechless.
"Jessica, you still there?" he asked, not hearing her response.
"I'm here," she said softly.
"Let me know if there's anything you want," he offered.
"I feel like hitting the shops," Jessica said.
"Sure," he simply replied.
After she hung up, Jessica's heart still thudded erratically. Turns out, three days is not enough to forget someone; it just makes the yearning grow stronger. She berated herself for her lack of resolve.
Just three days apart, and she missed him so fiercely that it felt like a flood at her heart's core.
The next morning, Jessica got up early and applied light makeup. She chose her favorite white dress – the one she adored.
Looking in the mirror, a ridiculous thought popped into her mind, ‘Could his willingness to spend the Valentine's Day with her mean that there was still a chance for them?’
But she shook her head immediately after.
How could there be? He was so in love with Diana and had made all the preparations to marry her. This Valentine's Day was just meant to be a grand finale for them, wasn't it?
Nonetheless, she intended to keep the appointment gracefully. Even if it meant saying goodbye, she wanted to do it looking her best, not defeated and in disarray.
At two in the afternoon, the doorbell chimed on time. Jessica opened the door with a smile, which faded as soon as she saw who was there.
"Why is it you?" she asked dimly.
Her heart tightened. She had so hoped that Oscar would say, "Gabriel is waiting downstairs for you, I've come to escort you to him."
But that didn't happen.
Oscar explained with his gentle smile, "Gabriel mentioned you wanted to go shopping, so he sent me to accompany you."
So, that call was about what she wanted. It wasn't him saying he'd come, but rather he'd sent Oscar.
Jessica let out a wry laugh. She had been naïve.
Valentine's Day, the day of romance. How could he leave Diana to be with her? Indeed, it had been wishful thinking.
"So, is this your mission from Gabriel today?" Jessica said, sarcastically.
"Yes, it is, Jessica," Oscar confirmed.
"And you'll stay with me wherever I go?" she asked, a hint of curiosity in her tone.
"Yes," Oscar reassured.
"All right, let's go shopping then!" With that said, Jessica stepped into the elevator. She headed to the mall where she last encountered Diana.
From the first to the fourth floor, Jessica shopped for three straight hours, sitting down to rest whenever she felt tired.
On the fifth floor, with Jessica leading the way, Oscar followed, laden with bags, looking utterly beleaguered.
He remembered how frugal Jessica usually was. She never bought anything too expensive. But today, she seemed out of character.
"All right, we've seen it all. Let's start from the first floor again," Jessica suggested.
"Huh?" Oscar's mouth dropped open in shock. He was seeing stars, legs weak as if they'd give out at any moment.
"What's wrong? Not willing? Didn't you say this was a job Gabriel assigned you? If you can't complete it, I'll just have to report back to him," the voice said with a challenging tone.
"No, Jessica. I swear I'll get the job done,"Oscar replied, feeling defeated.
As soon as Jessica entered the jewelry store, she froze. Gabriel and Diana, equally stunned, hadn't expected an encounter there.
"Jessica, what a coincidence you're here. Did Gabriel mention he's getting me a gift?" Diana asked with a smile, wheeling her chair closer to Jessica, radiating kindness and gentility.
"Oh, really? What kind of gift?" Jessica's gaze darted towards Gabriel as she asked.
"A ring," Diana replied, a smugness in her tone.
Those two words struck Jessica like a sharp dagger to the heart, bleeding her dry with betrayal.
‘Gabriel, they say murder is a crime that takes only a life, but you – you aim for the soul!’ she thought silently. Her heart was in tatters, trampled to pieces under his indifference.
Nausea overwhelmed her suddenly, her stomach churning and pulling violently. Jessica clutched her mouth, unable to hold it any longer, and made a swift escape.
