bChapter /bb449 /b

    The familiar packaging in the photo made Jessica’s eyes sting with pain.

    Madeline: [Brian specially brought me back these candies from overseas. They taste really good, but he bought way too many and I can’t finish them all. I had Brian take some to give to other people. Jessica, did you get any?]

    “Ugh!” Jessica couldn’t hold it back anymore. She clutched her stomach and doubled over, retching violently.

    ‘Disgusting. Absolutely disgusting,‘ Jessica thought.

    Brian was about to start the car when he jumped in rm. He quickly turned off the engine and reached over to pat her back. “Jessica, what’s wrong?”

    “Ugh-“Hearing his voice only made Jessica throw up even harder.

    When Brian used to bring her food, he had that same tone–acting like he cared about her on the surface, but really, he was just dumping Madeline’s leftovers on her. It was disgusting.

    “Jessica, don’t scare me like that!” Brian’s face went pale as he immediately moved to lift her out of the car.

    But the moment he helped her out, Jessica’s stomach churned violently and she threw up all over him.

    He watched her vomit until tears streamed down her face, his heart breaking for her. But he didn’t dare move her again,

    afraid of making her feel worse.

    Jessica pushed him away and bent over, retching for what felt like forever before she finally started to feel better.

    “Here, drink some water,” Brian said quickly, offering her his water bottle.

    The thick, sour smell of vomit filled the car, and even Jessica couldn’t stand it. She looked at the mess sttered

    everywhere inside the vehicle and realized what a huge problem she’d caused. Her lips pressed together as she said

    weakly, “I’m sorry.”

    “Don’t apologize. If anyone should be sorry, it’s me. I should have taken better care of you,” Brian said, full of regret as he brought the water bottle to her lips.

    At the same time, he pulled off his expensive suit jacket that had gotten sttered with vomit and threw it on the ground by Jessica’s feet, making sure she wouldn’t identally step in any of the mess that hadn’t been cleaned up yet.

    Jessica watched what he was doing, her eyshes trembling slightly. She finally took the water Brian offered her and drank it. Partly because she really couldn’t stand the awful taste in her mouth, but mostly because Brian seemed genuinely sorry about what had happened.

    She didn’t want him to feel so guilty about this. This wasn’t his fault at all. Jessica was the one who had identally

    gotten her hopes up too high.

    The water filled her mouth as Jessica rinsed and was about to spit when Brian appeared at just bthe /bright bmoment/bb, /bbholding /b

    out an empty cup. “You can spit into this,” he said.

    b08:01 /b

    bnu/bb, /b21 bAug /b

    Jessica nced at him but didn’t refuse. She rinsed her mouth two or three times until she’d finally washed away ball /bbthe /b

    awful taste.

    Jessica stood by the roadside, cradling her cup and sipping the remaining warm water in small gulps.

    Beside her, Brian had stripped down to just his vest and undershirt and was bent over cleaning up the vomit bfrom /binside the car. His face showed no trace of disgust, which waspletely different from the man who used to hate even the

    tiniest bit of mess.

    Brian worked away until he’d wiped up all the visible vomit with wet wipes.

    Jackson, who’d been called over on short notice, finally arrived with the recement car.

    “Mr. Atkinson, I’ll take care of the rest,” Jackson said tactfully.

    “Good. Have the car sent for a deep clean, and pick up a thousand–dor bonus from ountingter,” Brian replied, taking the keys from Jackson. He gave the instructions in a low voice before walking over to Jessica.

    AD