They Want Me Back When It's Too Late (Jessica and Brian) novel Chapter 2

Chapter 2

е

The noise outside gradually faded. Jessica didn’t bother to check what was going on out there. With her earplugs and sleep mask on, she slept straight through to morning.

Since she’d already decided to return and claim her inheritance, she had to resign from Atkinson Group.

After giving birth to Jacob, she had rarely shown up at the company. But back when Brian had taken over the family business, she had been right there beside him, helping him build everything from the ground up.

Atkinson Group’s rise to the number–one spot in the country had a lot to do with her. So even though she didn’t come in regularly, she still received a generous annual bonus and profit share.

Early in the morning, Jessica looked at herself in the mirror. Her thick, wavy hair framed a flawless face. She was stunning, but her eyes carried no light.

She had always been beautiful. Even after becoming a stay–at–home mom, even after all the sleepless nights and labor, her looks had barely changed.

But the morning sickness, the emotional strain, and the cold treatment from her family had taken their toll. Her eyes were dull, lifeless–like fish washed up on the shore.

On the top floor of Atkinson Group, Jessica was waiting for her resignation papers to be printed.

Just then, a few employees behind her started chatting, their voices drifting into earshot.

One said, “Did you see Madeline’s Instagram post?”

Another asked, “No, what did she post this time?”

Someone else added, “She posted a bunch of stuff. Looks like she was throwing someone a birthday party. You should check it out.”

They were laughing as they teased each other, but when they looked up and saw Jessica, their smiles froze.

One of them gasped, “Ms. Grant?”

Another asked, “Ms. Grant, what brings you here to the office?”

Jessica gave a casual nod. As soon as the employees finished greeting her, they dashed away in a hurry. More whispers followed as they left.

Someone sneered, “What a buzzkill. What’s the executive secretary Jessica doing back here at the company?”

Another said sarcastically, “She’s already the CEO’s wife. What’s the point of showing off in front of us?”

Someone else snorted, “I don’t think Mr. Atkinson’s that close to her anymore. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re getting a divorce.”

Jessica didn’t react. She had never been popular in the company and had long gotten used to this kind of talk.

If she hadn’t gone through so much workplace bullying in the past–if Brian hadn’t stepped in and helped her so many times–she wouldn’t have fallen for him to begin with

Bored from waiting, Jessica opened Instagram on her phone. The first thing that popped up was a nine–photo post from Madeline.

The first image was taken at Jacob’s birthday party last night. The decorations were extravagant, and the giant three–tier cake in the center was impossible to miss.

What caught Jessica’s eye was a photo taken in a hospital. Three hands, all different sizes, stacked on top of each other–it looked so warm and loving.

Jessica thought, ‘It was just a burn. Why’d they go to the hospital again?‘

She found it ridiculous and scrolled through the comments. Most of them were full of envy and well–wishes.

One comment read: [Wow, a birthday party for the little one? Looks so happy.]

Another joked: [Showing off again–so who’s your husband anyway? Not gonna show your bestie?]

Someone else wrote: [No matter what happens, as long as the family’s together, that’s what really matters.]

Jessica was speechless. She knew Madeline had posted those on purpose, just to get under her skin and push her into snapping at Brian.

If it had been before, Jessica really wouldn’t have been able to stand this pretentious act, watching her own husband and son leave her at home to

care for a woman who had done nothing but poorly imitate her from the start.

5:57 AM

Chapter 2

Someone asked, “1–I didn’t read that wrong, did I?”

“Are you dumb? Did you even see that Instagram post? That hand is clearly Mr. Atkinson’s. Who else in Hartdale could wear a Rolex that expensive?”

“Exactly. Didn’t you notice Madeline took over all of Jessica’s work after she went on maternity leave?”

Verify captcha to read the contentVerify