Chapter 38 Xavier Agrees to the Divorce
Gabriel nodded in agreement. "Okay."
His voice was as calm as always, devoid of any hint of reluctance. "What about the papers? And have you thought about how to handle things with Xavier?"
Jessica nodded. "I'll talk to Xavier in a bit. He'll give them to me. Do you want to come with me?"
"Yeah, let's go together," Gabriel replied.
After breakfast, they grabbed their things and drove to The Walton Family Ancestral Home. Seeing their arrival, Timothy and Charlotte greeted them with joy. "Jessica, Xavier was just talking about you these past few days. We didn't expect you'd be back so soon."
"Where's Xavier, Timothy?"
"Xavier is upstairs reading," Timothy replied.
Jessica and Gabriel headed to the second floor. Pausing outside the door, Jessica looked at Gabriel, "Let me talk to Xavier first. Once he agrees and I have the documents, you can come in."
"All right." Gabriel complied.
Upon entering, Jessica found the room to be dark. The curtains were tightly drawn, and only the bedside lamp cast a faint glow. An uneasy premonition flickered in her heart.
"Xavier..."
"Xavier, it's Jessica. I'm here."
After calling out several times without a response, Jessica approached the bed and saw Xavier lying there, eyes closed in sleep.
Not wanting to disturb him, she decided to silently leave and wait outside until he awoke. But as she turned to leave, his weary voice called out, "Lass, is that you?"
She quickly turned back and took his hand. "Yes, it's me, Xavier. Did you sleep well?"
"These days, I've been dozing in and out. It's about enough, though. Help me up for a walk. It's time to clear my head," Xavier requested.
"Of course, Xavier," Jessica said, obediently.
After getting him up, Jessica helped Xavier into his jacket and guided him to the sofa beside the bed.
Suddenly, a light rain began to fall outside, its pitter-patter subtly permeating the room, an oddly comforting sound that settled the soul.
Jessica immediately turned off the bedside lamp and opened the curtains to let in the gentle light accompanying the soft rainfall.
In an instant, the room burst into light, and Xavier exclaimed with a laugh, “There’s nothing like the big, wide world out there!”
"Xavier, once you're feeling better, we'll go with you wherever you want. "Lucky Xavier," she added with a playful grin. "Xavier, let me brew some tea for you. What kind would you like?"
"Dragon Well," she continued.
"All right," Xavier agreed to the choice of tea.
Jessica surveyed the tea set laid out before her, meticulously brewing the tea with practiced precision, aspiring to perfect each step, each movement.
When it came to brewing tea, she was initially clueless. Yet, it was Gabriel who had taken her under his wing, teaching her step by step. Regrettably, while she had picked up the technique, she knew the essence still eluded her.
Once the tea was ready, Jessica handed a cup to Xavier, keeping one for herself.
Due to the rain, the temperature had dropped significantly. Jessica cradled her cup, its steam swirling up only to be swiftly swept away by the breeze.
Soon, the tea had cooled to the perfect sipping temperature. "Xavier, it's ready to drink. Give it a taste," she urged.
Xavier took a sip and nodded with a contented smile, "Not bad, lass. Just the way Xavier likes it."
Jessica chuckled and replied, "What does it matter? If Xavier likes it, everyone else should too."
"Xavier, you're quite the tyrant," Jessica said with a radiant smile, but amidst her laughter, a chill crept into her heart.
Xavier was fond of her, quite liked her. But what could she do? There was always the exception, Gabriel. He didn't love her. And now, she could no longer deceive herself.
Suddenly, Jessica threw her head back and downed the rest of her tea in one gulp. Bitter… She felt the bitterness not in the tea but in her heart.
"Lass, is something troubling you? Talk to me," Xavier said, sensing something was amiss.
Jessica set down her cup, sat down on the floor, leaned her head against Xavier's leg, and spoke with a softness like a kitten, "Xavier, I need to ask you a question, and I want the truth. I need to know the reality."
Xavier's eyebrow twitched as he seemed to anticipate her query. "Lass, go ahead and ask."
"Xavier," she hesitated for a moment before continuing, "when you decided to marry me off to Gabriel, was it truly what you wanted?"
As soon as she began to speak, her tears betrayed her, cascading freely: "Xavier, Diana told me that Gabriel married me to save her. Tell me, was she lying?"
With a tender touch to Jessica's hair, Xavier let out a deep sigh, his voice aged and weary. "Jessica, it's true that I coerced Gabriel into marrying you."
"Every time you two would come home, arm in arm, the picture of marital bliss, I knew it was all for show," Xavier said.
"I've been wondering, all this while, whether I made a terrible mistake. If you had married someone else, you might have been happier, and more joyful. It could have been Xavier's selfishness that caused you this pain,"Xavier mulled, regretfully.
Jessica stood up, shaking her head firmly at Xavier, "No, Xavier, I’ve never blamed you. I just wanted to know the truth. I didn't want to live in a beautiful lie forever."
"Thank you, Xavier. Without you, I might not have had these two years of marriage at all. We wouldn't have shared meals, rides, nights of sleep, or even had the chance to talk.
"Though two years isn't long, I'm content. Being by his side every day and night, I'm satisfied. Maybe we were fated but not destined. So, Xavier, I'm tired, and I think I'm ready to let go," Jessica said, appreciatively.
Even though she had expected it, Xavier was moved and deeply saddened by those words.
"Oh, Jessica!" Xavier, with his worn hand, took hold of Jessica’s, "Are you sure about this?"
"Mhm," Jessica nodded, then lifted her head, giving Xavier a radiant smile, full of certainty, "Yes, Xavier, I've made up my mind."
"Instead of clinging to vain hope, I'd rather keep these two years as a beautiful memory. It might not be a lifetime together, but to have been his wife for two years, to have spent these moments with the man I love, I've been very fortunate," Jessica reassured him, affectionately.
"Lass..." Xavier was so touched, his eyes, now cloudy, brimmed with tears.
Jessica felt a pang of heartache too, but she knew that some decisions, once made, leave no room for turning back. Despite the reluctance. Despite the sorrow.
But, having voiced her decision, she couldn't afford to waver. She had to stay resolute.
"Let's take ten more minutes, Jessica. Take some time to think it over, okay?" Xavier wept, tears tracing the lines on his face, unable to stop them from falling.
Jessica wept, too, reaching out and gently wiping the tears from Xavier's cheeks. Then, with a determined heart, she said, "Xavier, no need. I've thought it through, and I've decided to let go and set him free."
