CHAPTER 135: CHAPTER 135: OUT OF CONTROL

In the evening, Jean Ellison dragged her tired steps back home.

She unlocked the door with a key. Inside, it was pitch-black and silent. The lights weren’t on, and only the faint light from the city seeped through the windows, outlining the vague shapes of the furniture.

"Jesse? Justin Holden?"

She called out tentatively, but there was no response.

She thought Justin Holden might have taken Jesse out for dinner or a walk, so she didn’t think much of it.

She bent down to change her shoes in the hallway, casually throwing her coat and bag onto the cabinet beside her, and walked further in wearing slippers.

As soon as she stepped into the living room, before she could reach for the switch on the wall, a large hand suddenly shot out from the darkness, accurately and forcefully grabbing her wrist.

The grip was incredibly strong, causing her wrist bones to ache.

"Ah!"

Jean screamed in fright, instinctively struggling.

The next moment, a burning, angry kiss fiercely blocked her lips.

It was devoid of any gentleness, full of aggression and punitive intent, almost as if biting, stealing her breath.

Jean was completely stunned, her mind blank, able only to struggle and twist desperately by instinct, with her hands restrained, she used her body to push against the other person.

In the chaos, a tremendous force suddenly pushed her onto the soft sofa behind her.

The heavy male body pressed down immediately, with his knee forcibly wedging between her legs, trapping her firmly between the sofa and his chest.

"Mmm, let go of me..."

Jean barely managed to turn her head away, seizing a moment to catch her breath, and growled in terror.

In the faint light from outside the window, she finally saw clearly who was pressing down on her.

It was Justin Holden.

His face was hidden in the shadows, making it hard to see his exact expression.

But his eyes were shining terrifyingly, filled with a nearly insane anger and some dark emotion she’d never seen before.

"Justin Holden! What are you doing? Have you gone mad?"

Jean was startled and angry, her voice trembling.

"Mad?"

"The one who’s mad isn’t me. It’s you."

His other hand wasn’t idle, roughly tearing open his shirt buttons, a few of them popping onto the carpet with soft sounds, revealing his tense chest.

"Why go to Gresten?"

"Who exactly is waiting for you? Making you so eager to leave me?"

His heart hurt, no less than it did five years ago.

Jean’s heart contracted sharply; he knew, how did he know?

Her daze and panic only enraged him further.

Jean was kissed nearly to suffocation, the air in her lungs squeezed out, her brain spinning from lack of oxygen.

Her struggles gradually weakened.

Justin noticed her softening, but his grip on her wrists didn’t lessen at all.

"Answer me!"

"There’s no one."

Her voice was shattered, on the verge of tears.

"Let me go, Justin, I beg you."

"No one?"

Justin didn’t believe it at all, his actions rougher, deft fingers unbuttoning her pants.

"Then why hide it from me? Huh?"

"It’s... it’s a regular work transfer."

In between his rough kisses, Jean forced out an explanation with difficulty, her voice utterly broken.

"The project at headquarters needs people."

"Work transfer?" Justin sneered, his burning lips against her ear, his breath scorching, "Lying again? What kind of job transfer requires such secretive planning, even planning to take the child and leave secretly?"

His fingers pressed hard into the sensitive spot at her waist, causing her to shudder.

To him, Jean’s explanations sounded weak and more like deliberate deceit.

"I didn’t..." Jean denied futilely, tears sliding down, "Believe me..."

"Believe you?" Justin’s laughter was even colder, "How do you expect me to believe someone who’s ready to run away at any moment?"

He suddenly remembered Jesse’s innocent words, and the rage of betrayal flared up again.

He lowered his head, fiercely kissing her again, sealing away any words she hadn’t said, a kiss filled with consuming madness and despair.

Jean was kissed until she was dizzy, nearly out of breath, with only a vestige of reason left to grasp the last chance to struggle.

"Don’t do this, Jesse is still at home."

She tried to use their daughter to evoke his concern.

Justin’s movements paused for a moment, then he spoke, lips against hers, voice low and cruel, crushing her last hope.

"She’s not here, my parents wanted to see her, so they took her in the afternoon. She should be asleep by now."

Jean’s heart instantly sank to the bottom.

It was unclear how much time passed, but dawn was approaching.

The doctor arrived, carrying a medical kit, and upon seeing the mess in the living room and Jean unconscious on the sofa, as well as Justin beside her, pale and disheveled, he quickly figured out most of the situation.

He quickly approached to check on Jean, lifting her eyelids to look at her pupils and listened to her heartbeat.

"How is she?" Justin’s voice was tense, as if it would snap.

"She’s not in any immediate danger, it seems to be a temporary coma caused by severe pain and over-stimulation."

The doctor replied calmly, but his gaze toward Justin was disapproving and stern.

"Mr. Holden, you were too excessive. This lady’s body is naturally weak, how could she withstand such a–"

He didn’t finish the sentence, but the implication was clear.

He took out smelling salts and waved them under Jean’s nose.

Jean let out a faint moan from her throat, her eyelashes trembling, showing signs of waking up, but still weak.

The doctor administered another sedative injection for her, then left some topical ointment and carefully explained the instructions and precautions.

"Let her rest well, and absolutely no more stress in the near future."

Before leaving, the doctor sternly reminded Justin Holden once more.

After bidding farewell to the doctor, Justin returned to the living room. Jean Ellison was still asleep, but her complexion seemed to have improved somewhat.

Justin went to the bathroom to fetch warm water and brought the ointment left by the doctor.

With utmost gentleness, he lifted the blanket and saw the bruises and scars on her body, marks he left in a fit of rage.

His fingers trembled suddenly, deep regret and self-blame flashed in his eyes.

With a warm, damp towel, he carefully cleaned her, inch by inch.

Then he scooped out some ointment, dabbed it on the tip of his finger, and gently applied it to the glaring wounds.

The cool ointment touched her skin; even in sleep, Jean seemed to feel discomfort and unconsciously flinched slightly, letting out a soft gasp.

Justin’s movements halted instantly, a sharp pain piercing his heart.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm his breathing, making his movements even gentler, as if handling a fragile treasure.

He meticulously applied the ointment to all her wounds and carefully replaced the blanket.

Then, he sat motionless on the carpet by the sofa, leaning against it, vigilantly watching over her sleeping form.

Jean regained consciousness amid faint sobbing sounds.

Her whole body felt as if it had been dismantled and reassembled, aching everywhere, especially a dull pain from below.

She struggled to open her eyes, finding herself lying in the master bedroom, wearing clean pajamas.

Daylight brightening outside the window.

Jesse’s small figure was leaning against the side of the bed, her eyes red and quietly sobbing.

"Jesse..."

Jean spoke with a hoarse voice, struggling to sit up.

"Mama, you’re awake!"

Seeing her awakened, Jesse immediately lunged forward, hugging her neck tightly, her voice trembling with tears.

"Mama, you’ve been asleep for so long, Jesse was scared."

Jean’s heart tightened, gently patting her daughter’s back to soothe her: "Mama’s okay, just a little tired, don’t be afraid."

She looked around; the room only had them, mother and daughter. Justin Holden was nowhere to be seen.

"Where’s Uncle Holden?"

She asked softly.

Jesse wiped away her tears: "Uncle Holden went to pick me up, saying Mama was sleeping and I mustn’t cause a fuss."

As she spoke, the bedroom door opened, and Justin stepped in with a cup of water and a few pills.

He was dressed in casual clothes, his expression calm, even somewhat indifferent, completely unlike the crazy, violent person from the night before.

Seeing Jean awake, he paused for a second, then placed the water and pills on the bedside table.

"Take the medicine."

His tone showed little emotional fluctuation.

Jean looked at him, filled with confusion and fear.

She received the cup of water, her fingers quivering slightly, and quietly took the medicine.

Justin stood by the bed, his gaze resting on her lowered lashes, silent for a moment before abruptly speaking, his tone as plain as if discussing the weather.

"Didn’t you want to go to Gresten? Go ahead."

"I’ll give you a card with enough money for you to buy a house and a car in Gresten."

After all, she was not Claire Caldwell, and he’d done too much harm to her; since her mind was made up, he would grant her wish.

Jean suddenly lifted her head, looking at him in disbelief.

He actually agreed?

The change was too swift, too abrupt for her to react.

Justin avoided her probing gaze, turned, and walked towards the door, his voice still lacking depth.

"Regarding Jesse’s enrollment procedures in Gresten, I’ll have someone take care of that for you; wait to be notified."

After speaking, he opened the door and walked out, without giving her another glance.

Jean stared blankly at the closed door, her heart in turmoil.

Why would he suddenly change his mind, was she a nuisance, or did he finally experience a pang of conscience?

Just then, Jesse tugged at her sleeve, a happy smile on her small face.

"Mama, Grandma and Grandpa’s house is so fun, Grandma made lots and lots of nice food for Jesse, and Grandpa even gave me a talking doll."

She chirped on, her eyes bright.

"Grandpa and Grandma are so nice to Jesse, Jesse likes Grandpa and Grandma, Mama, let’s visit Grandpa and Grandma often, shall we?"

Looking at her daughter’s innocent smile, Jean’s heart was a mix of emotions.

She forced out a smile, touched her daughter’s hair, and didn’t reply.

The Holden family parents being good to Jesse didn’t surprise her.

After all, she was their biological granddaughter; even if unaware, blood ties run deep.

Once Justin’s footsteps faded away, Jesse seemed to remember something, lowering her voice with a hint of mystery as she spoke to Jean.

"Mama, while at Grandma and Grandpa’s house, I also saw Aunt Sutton, you know."

Jean’s heart sank suddenly.

Jesse continued innocently: "But Aunt Sutton seemed busy and didn’t talk to Jesse. She just sat on the sofa, and Grandma even offered her some soup."

Jean felt a cold despair instantly pour over her head, spreading through her limbs.

Leah Sutton had already moved into the Holden residence.

No wonder.

No wonder Justin would so easily let go, agreeing to her departure.

It turns out he had long prepared the place for the real Mrs. Holden and the soon-to-be-born heir.

She and her daughter, ultimately, were redundant.

She closed her eyes, forcing back the bitterness rising in her eyes, leaving only boundless cold and dead silence.