The Forgotten Heiress novel Chapter 16

"I'll trade you, you tell me everything and I will too."

Wringing her hands, Lauren shook her head and it had Jessica close to snapping.

Time to go, she told herself, before she exploded.

"Then I guess we have nothing left to talk about" She shook her head and turned to go.

"Talk about what?" James asked from the entrance.

"The truth" She told him. "Your wife doesn't want to talk about the truth. She wants a working relationship between us, but she only wants to tell me what she thinks I want to hear." Jessica looked over her shoulder "That's a deal breaker for me."

"Jessica, please I can't-" Lauren took a step towards her and suddenly James' words stopped her dead in her tracks.

"We'll tell you everything."

Jessica crossed her arms over her chest and eyed him dubiously.

"We'll tell you everything" He repeated.

Jessica heard the sincerity in his voice and without a second thought she nodded.

"No!" Lauren cried out.

She rushed to stand in front of James, halting his progress into the room, trying to stop him from speaking to Jessica.

"On one condition" He continued, ignoring the interruption and stepping around his wife to face her. "We will tell you everything on one condition."

Jessica thought about it for less than a second before she gave a slight nod of her head in agreement. No point in dragging on like a suspense movie. They all knew she was going to accept it. She would agree to just about anything to hear the truth.

"James, please don't." Lauren pleaded

She grabbed a handful of his shirt, trying to stop him and Jessica was thankful that he was able to harden his heart towards his wife's pleas. He unclenched Laurens hand from his shirt and brought them down to his side, pulling her closer to him. He was showing Jessica that they were united even if it was clear that they weren't very united at the moment.

"Give us your word that you will stay."

"Done," it wasn't hard to agree since she had nowhere else to go, "you have my word."

"During that time you're going to give us a chance. No more running away. Spend time with us, get to know us. Stay with us. No running away," he repeated, "not even if you hear something you don't like or don't believe. No matter what, you stay." He pointed at the floor then he pointed at her "I need your word on that."