CHAPTER 123: CHAPTER 123: SEEN MANY TIMES

Justin Holden’s movements were filled with obvious anger and a punitive nature, utterly devoid of gentleness.

Jean Ellison’s wrists were painfully constricted by the tie, and the restraint on her ankles prevented her from closing her legs, leaving her no choice but to endure passively.

He entered suddenly, without any foreplay, causing Jean to gasp in pain, tears immediately welling up.

She wanted to struggle, but was too tightly bound to move, her futile attempts to twist her body only caused him to go deeper.

The whole process was silent and oppressive, with only heavy breathing and the sound of bodies colliding echoing in the room.

Justin Holden’s eyes remained coldly fixed on her, as if trying to see through her.

Jean bit her lip, enduring the discomfort in her body and the humiliation in her heart, turning her face away to avoid looking at him.

After an indeterminate amount of time, he finally finished, withdrawing and leaving.

As the cold air instantly hit her sweaty skin, Jean couldn’t help but shiver.

She was still bound, lying in an extremely humiliating position on the messy bed.

Justin Holden stood by the bed, unhurriedly untying the restraints on her ankles, then the tie on her wrists.

The tie had left a clear red mark around her wrists.

He watched her quickly curl up, pulling the blanket over herself, her eyes filled with terror and vigilance, and suddenly let out a cold laugh.

He leaned over, picking up the towel that had fallen on the floor and wrapped it around himself again, his tone nonchalant yet piercing like a poisoned icicle aimed at Jean.

"A lover, after all," he glanced at her with disdain, "You’ve already got two, having one more like me doesn’t make a difference."

Jean jerked her head up, her face ashen, lips trembling as she tried to explain, "I don’t..."

"Shut up," Justin Holden interrupted coldly, clearly unwilling to hear a single word, "I don’t care to know."

At that moment, the bedroom door was gently pushed open a crack.

A little head peeked in, rubbing sleepy eyes, and in a childish voice tinged with sobs said, "Mommy... I’m thirsty..."

It was Jesse, she must have woken up at some point.

Jean’s soul almost left her, she quickly pulled the blanket up to cover herself tightly, and looked toward the door in a panic.

Justin Holden also frowned, quickly pulling on a robe and tying the belt.

Jesse was already holding her little bunny toy, wobbly walking inside.

She saw Justin Holden and hesitated, then softly called, "Uncle Holden?"

Then she looked at her mother with disheveled hair and an unusually pale face, her small expression full of confusion.

She looked between Justin Holden and Jean, tilting her little head, suddenly asking,

"Mommy, is Uncle Holden... my daddy?"

Those words crashed like thunder in the silent room.

Jean’s heart almost stopped, her blood seemed to freeze.

Her mouth was open, but no sound came out.

Justin Holden’s body also stiffened almost imperceptibly, his sharp gaze moving from Jesse to the paper-white face of Jean.

Jean forced herself to stay calm, her voice dreadfully dry: "Jesse... why... why would you think that?"

Jesse hugged her toy, blinking big eyes, logically saying, "Because Mommy always sleeps in the same room with Uncle Holden."

She pointed a small finger at the big bed: "It’s this room, I’ve seen it many times when I get up for water. Isn’t it normal for mommies and daddies to sleep together?"

The world of a child is simple and direct, she just reached this conclusion based on her limited understanding.

Jean felt like she’d been struck by lightning, her whole body cold, completely losing the ability to speak.

She was afraid to even look at Justin Holden’s expression at that moment.

The room fell into a deathly quiet.

Only Jesse was still looking up, waiting for her mommy’s answer.

Jesse was looking up, her big eyes blinking, still insistently waiting for her mommy’s answer.

Justin Holden’s gaze also fell upon Jean’s face, bringing a kind of unavoidable pressure.

Jean’s heart was pounding in her chest, almost hearing the thrum of blood against her eardrums.

She avoided Justin Holden’s gaze, taking a deep breath, trying to make her voice sound calm and natural.

She raised her hand, gently touching her daughter’s soft hair.

"Be good, Jesse," her voice was a bit dry, "Uncle Holden... Uncle Holden is not your daddy."

Upon uttering these words, she felt utterly exhausted.

She could sense the sharp coldness of Justin Holden’s gaze beside her, like a knife brushing past her cheek.

Jesse’s little face fell immediately, mouth pouting in evident disappointment, "Why? Uncle Holden is so nice..."

"There’s no why." Jean interrupted her daughter, her tone unconsciously carrying a hint of urgency and harshness, "Children shouldn’t ask too many questions. It’s very late, time to sleep."

She no longer looked at Justin Holden, hurriedly bending down to scoop up Jesse, walking briskly toward the child’s room.

Jesse lay on her shoulder, still reluctantly looking back at the stern-faced Justin Holden standing there.

Justin Holden remained standing, not moving or speaking.

He silently watched Jean’s nearly fleeing back, his gaze unfathomably deep, the line of his jaw clenched tight.

In the children’s room, Jean hurriedly changed Jesse into pajamas and tucked her into bed.

Her mind was a chaotic mess, her fingers trembling slightly. Jesse seemed to sense her mother’s discomfort, lying quietly and not asking further, just watching her with big eyes.

"Time to sleep." Jean bent down to kiss her daughter on the forehead, softening her voice.

She turned off the light, closed the door, standing there for a few seconds before taking a deep breath, turning to face the living room.

Justin Holden was still standing there, not having moved an inch.

In the dim light, he appeared like an icy mountain exuding a chilling aura.

Jean approached him, keeping a few steps away.

She lifted her head, meeting his cold gaze, her voice low but firm: "From now on, be mindful of your behavior in front of Jesse. Don’t do those... boundary-crossing actions and say things that could easily confuse her."

She paused, her tone growing heavier, "She’s already four years old, not a clueless baby. She observes, thinks, and can misinterpret. I don’t want her to have any confusion or wrong understanding."

Justin Holden silently looked at her, taking several seconds before slowly speaking, his voice deep and devoid of emotion: "Me being her father, wouldn’t that be good?"

His question was direct and pointed.

Jean’s heart clenched, immediately refuting with absolute certainty, "No good!"

Her reaction was so quick it bypassed her brain, laced with an instinctive rejection.

"Jesse has her own biological father; she doesn’t need someone else to be her dad."

"Biological father?" Justin Holden repeated those words, stepping one foot closer, the sense of oppression instantly surging forth, "Who is it?"

His gaze locked onto her, leaving no room for her to evade, "Tell me, who is Jesse’s biological father?"

Jean was forced back a half step, her heart pounding erratically.

She pressed her lips tightly, turning her head away, avoiding his penetrating stare.

"That has nothing to do with you," her voice was stiff, clearly rejecting, "I’m under no obligation to tell you."

Justin Holden studied her defensive, tightly-guarded appearance, his gaze growing darker as though a storm was brewing. But he did not press further, nor did he continue questioning.

An extremely tense silence settled between them.

The air seemed to stop flowing.

After a long while, Justin Holden uttered a faintly cold laugh, the sound devoid of any warmth.

He no longer looked at her, turning on his heel, heading straight for the study, the sound of the door closing resonated heavily in the still night.

Jean stood alone in the center of the living room, listening to the door close, briefly swaying as if in exhaustion.

She slowly raised her hand to cover her face, only feeling fatigue and helplessness flooding over her like waves.