Chapter 32 What If I Kissed You?
As Jessica stumbled into the restroom, she vomited wretchedly.
She had already spent hours shopping, already tired, and now, this episode drained her of nearly all her strength.
After she finished, the taste of bile and bitterness lingered in her throat. Out of nowhere, someone handed her a paper towel.
She took it and was about to express her gratitude when her eyes met Diana's, leaving her speechless.
"You?" Jessica said in disbelief.
"Gabriel was worried about you, said you looked pale, and asked me to check on you," Diana mentioned., acting as if she was truly compassionate.
"Is that so?" Jessica scoffed bitterly.
If Gabriel truly cared about her, he wouldn't have been in such a rush to buy Diana a ring while they were still married.
Everyone knows what a ring signifies.
"You're not going to reject this paper towel just because it's from me, right?" Diana asked provocatively.
Jessica rinsed her mouth with water, wiped her lips, tidied her long, disheveled hair, and faced Diana firmly, "I'm not that petty."
"Also, I don't need you to check on me or your concern." With that, Jessica walked away without another glance.
Suddenly, Diana's voice called from behind, "You're not vomiting so much because you're pregnant, are you, Jessica?"
A sudden jolt of anxiety seized Jessica's heart, throwing her into inner turmoil. But she was quick to regain her composure.
Spinning around with a nonchalant smile, she faced Diana, "What's wrong? Don't trust your man? Weren't you professing undying love and unconditional faith in Gabriel? Or was that just talk?" Her sarcasm was something Diana couldn't stand.
"Don't you try to drive a wedge between us, I love Gabriel deeply, so of course, I trust him,"Diana said defiantly.
"Really?" Jessica scoffed, her smile dripping with unspoken mockery.
"Jessica, don't get cocky. Gabriel will be mine sooner or later," Diana taunted.
"And I'm genuinely curious," Jessica observed, her tone edged with challenge, "if I were to become pregnant these days, would Gabriel still divorce me to marry you?"
Predictably, her words infuriated Diana. "You wouldn't dare?"
"Just remember, don't make a spectacle of yourself in front of me; you're just making yourself look like a foolish clown. And keep this in mind—we're not divorced yet. Don't overstep, or I won't be merciful next time."
Exiting the restroom, Jessica had barely turned the corner when Gabriel stamped out his cigarette.
"You look pale. Are you sick?" he asked, his deep, soothing voice ever-present.
"No," Jessica dismissed the concern outright and continued walking.
Undeterred, Gabriel reached out to grab her hand, "Don't be stubborn, if you're sick, you need to take medicine."
"I told you, I'm not sick, and I certainly don't need any medicine," Jessica retorted, pulling her hand away.
Gabriel was quick, though, pulling her into a corner with a firm grip. His muscular frame pinned Jessica against the wall, his other hand holding her down. She tried to resist, but she couldn't move.
"Gabriel, let me go," Jessica commanded.
"Tell me what's been going on with you these last couple of days?" Gabriel asked, his voice deep and husky.
"I told you, nothing's wrong," Jessica mumbled, avoiding his gaze.
He lifted her chin with his long fingers, his brow furrowed, "Quit the attitude and talk to me. What's the matter?"
Already fuming inside, and since he was insistent, Jessica saw no point in holding back.
"Gabriel, we're still married, and you're out parading around with Diana, not worried she'll be called the other woman? And the ring, you may want to buy it, but what's the deal doing that right in front of me?"
"Jessica, you're jealous." Gabriel's voice was assured, carrying a hint of smugness that for some reason, made Jessica feel like he was enjoying this far too much.
"Jealous? I could care less who you hang with. We're headed for Splitsville soon anyway. Besides, she's always been your favorite," she spat out, a bitter edge to her voice despite her nonchalant shrug.
"You want to use her as your cure-all, be my guest; you want to stay at her place, knock yourself out," she added with a dismissive wave of her hand.
"Go ahead, raid the fridge for midnight snacks. Who am I to you? I certainly can't control what you do." She had held back her words, but his pressing questions unleashed a torrent she couldn't restrain—every grievance and frustration came pouring out.
"Still saying you're not upset?" Gabriel's gaze was deep, probing.
Her eyes met his eyes that were like dark pools so profound she felt she couldn't see the bottom. Jessica had to admit, even now, that she was no match for Gabriel.
His thoughts were too profound, too obscure. More often than not, she couldn’t tell which of his words were sincere and which were mere façades.
"Whether I'm mad or not is none of your business. Let me go," she stated sharply. She pushed against him, but he stood immovable, like a wall of steel.
That's when Diana emerged from inside.
Jessica gave her a cursory glance before turning back to Gabriel, her tone cool, "Your darling has arrived. Are you sure you don't want to go to her?"
Gabriel’s intense gaze remained on Jessica, unyielding to Diana's arrival. Diana caught sight of Gabriel cornering Jessica against the wall and went ashen.
"Gabriel..." Her voice was a faint whisper.
"Just a minute," he replied calmly.
Diana balled her hands into fists, her jaw clenched tight.
"If you don't go to her now, she might just faint. Are you sure you don't care?" Jessica asked, her tone icy.
"Jessica, there's something off about you today,"Gabriel said. His stare was penetrating, as if seeing straight through her.
She didn’t appreciate that feeling and avoided his gaze, retorting coldly, "How so? I'm perfectly fine."
After another glance at Diana, a bold idea struck Jessica.
She reached out, her delicate, pale arm looped around Gabriel's neck, her soft lips drawing near his, a teasing fragrance wafting with each breath, "Gabriel, what do you think Diana would do if she saw me kiss you?"
"You think she’d get so worked up she'd leap out of her wheelchair, miraculously cured?" Jessica taunted.
"Cut the nonsense," Gabriel's voice was tinged with anger.
Jessica laughed provocatively; her laughter laden with a seductive charm: "Why should I stop? I'm just helping you test her love. If Diana truly loves you, wouldn’t she stand up in her excitement?"
"And besides..." She cast a sidelong glance at Diana's legs and said, "I've always wanted to check if her limp is real or just an act."
"Jessica." Gabriel's handsome eyes darkened as he stared at her, his demeanor instantly turning icy.
After all this time together, Jessica knew he was angry. Very angry. But what could she do? Today, she was provoking him on purpose. She wanted to see him lose his cool.
It was supposed to be a joyous Valentine’s Day, so why should he get to spend it cozy with an old flame while she was left to stew alone? How perfect it would be if all three of them were miserable.
Jessica wasn't someone to be trifled with. Her smile was captivating as she leaned in, her lips inching closer to Gabriel's.
