After resting for over half a month, Jessica felt fully recovered and ready to return to work at Grant Group.

    Brian wasn’t entirelyfortable with the idea but didn’t want to upset her. So he proposed apanying her to the office.

    “You? At Grant Group? You don’t even work there. What would you even do all day?” Jessica thought he was joking.

    “I could apply for a position. With mypetence, I’d make an excellent personal assistant.” Brian moved toward hisptop, ready to update his resume.

    Jessica stopped him. “Don’t be ridiculous. I already have Sana. You’re stealing her job.” The thought of Brian, the CEO of Atkinson Group, ying her assistant was absurd. If word got out, people would assume it was some bizarre roley.

    “I’d outperform her. Sure you won’t give me a shot?” Brian said cheekily.

    “No. You don’t need to revolve around me all the time. Find something you want to do.” Having once been a housewife iwho /ilived for her family, Jessica knew how stifling that life could be, especially now that Brian was dealing with his psychological struggles.

    Brian insisted, “But this is what I want. Taking care of you and the babies is my priority.”

    “No.” Jessica refused tly. Her gaze dropped to his abdomen. “Are your abs even still there? If you’re so bored, hit the gym. I don’t want the twins to have a dad with a beer belly.”

    Brian’s eyes narrowed. He grabbed her hand and pressed it against his defined abdomen. “Inspect them yourself.” He had closed the distance without her noticing, his warm breath brushing her ear, sending heat rushing to her cheeks.

    “Get off.” Jessica shoved him away, but her fingers curled slightly, the touch and warmth of firm muscle lingering. Not wanting to give him the satisfaction, she schooled her expression into stern disapproval. “Stop ttering yourself.”

    Brian’s smirk widened as he stepped closer again. “Am I?” Before she could react, his arms circled her waist, pulling her flush against him.

    Jessica squirmed, debating whether to knee him. “Brian, you’re crossing a line.”

    Brian buried his face in her shoulder, his voice muffled. “Just let me hold you for a while.”

    The raw vulnerability in his tone made Jessica hesitate. A pang of guilt struck her. She thought, ‘He isn’t pushing further, just this embrace. Am I being too harsh on him?‘

    Brian buried his face in her shoulder, breathing in her familiar scent before murmuring, “I’ll hit the gym, Jessi. But are you sure I can’te with you to the office? I just don’t want you to be alone there.”

    Jessica sighed, “I’m not alone at worki./i” She felt like Brian worried itoo /imuch about her. Her parents, Gabri, Sana had moved past the worst of it, but

    Brian was still stuck in the past.

    “I know,” Brian admitted, voice tight. “But I can’t help it.” The truth was, he was scared–scared something might happen to her when he wasn’t there to protect her.

    Twisting in his arms, Jessica cupped his face, forcing him to meet her gaze. “Brian, trust me. I can take care of myself. If anything happens, I promise I’ll call you immediately. So stop worrying like this,”

    Brian knew she was right. Yet when her piercing stare became too much, he looked away, finally nodding. “Okay.”

    Jessica rxed, thinking he had epted her terms.

    …

    The next day, not long after Jessica arrived at the office, Sana announced Brian’s arrival, with a fruit tter.

    10:48 Sun, 31 Aug

    “You could’ve texted me,” Jessica said when Brian reappeared at lunchtime.

    “What if you missed it?” Brian settled onto her office sofa with a book. “Don’t mind me. Just focus on your work.”

    Jessica was amused. “So you’ll just sit here for hours? And repeat this in the afternoon?”

    Brian stayed silent.

    ? .39% ?

    Jessica wanted to scold him. This was his workaround after she had refused to let him officially apany her in thepany. But seeing his stubbornness and remembering Wesley’s warnings about his mental state, she relented.

    She thought, ‘Fine. If it keeps him calm, let him stay.‘

    +48

    The following days, Brian doubled down on his routine. When Jessica didn’t object, he made himself a permanent fixture in her office, arriving with her in the morning and staying there the entire day. He even began usurping Sana’s duties.

    “Jessi, am I about to get fired?” Sana half–joked one day.

    She had been ridiculously idletely. Between fetching documents, managing Jessica’s schedule, and even handling her snacks and drinks, Brian had left her with little to do. Her once–busy days were now spent mostly tending to Inkspire Studio’s minor tasks.

    Brian had taken over every task rted to Jessica. Sana, the personal assistant, seemed redundant now.

    Jessica waved off her concern. “Don’t worry, Sana. He’s just bored.”

    Later, she scolded Brian for overstepping. He apologized earnestly, then continued exactly as before. There was just no dealing with him.

    “Jessi, don’t be mad,” Brian coaxed. “There’s a new restaurant nearby. Let’s have a try.”

    Jessica sighed. Arguing was pointless. Besides, he had been surprisinglypetent. “Fine.” Once she made peace with it, her mood lightened considerably.

    Right after work, she and Brian headed to the restaurant he had rmended.

    B

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