They Want Me Back When It's Too Late (Jessica and Brian) novel Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Chapter 35

“Brian? You must’ve dialed the wrong number. I don’t think I know you,” Gabriela said flatly, her voice thick with sarcasm.

Brian could tell she was about to hang up, so he instantly said, “Gabriela, for Jessi, let’s talk please. She refuses to answer my calls. I can’t reach her at all. You are the only person I can think of.”

His words tumbled out fast. “You’re her best friend, and I know you care about her. Jessi and I have been married for seven years. Jake’s six now. Things between us have always been solid. We can’t just divorce like this.”

Gabriela let out a sharp, humorless laugh, more of a scoff really, but she didn’t hang up.

After all, Jessica was still carrying a baby. Besides, Gabriela siidn’t know for sure if Jessica was serious about divorce or just lashing out in the heat of

the moment.

As an outsider, Gabriela couldn’t read Jessica’s exact feelings. But whatever Jessica decided to do, Gabriela had her back.

Gabriela replied, “Yeah? You should say all this to Jessi, not me.”

“She doesn’t wanna see me,” Brian said, and for once, there was a note of genuine defeat in his voice.

He didn’t want to believe Jessica would really go through with a divorce, or that she could just leave Jacob behind. But during the few times he tried to talk to her, he noticed the coldness in her eyes, and it wasn’t something she could fake.

Brian said, “Gabriela, please, can you talk to Jessi? She seems calm on the outside, but once she’s made up her mind, she is determined. You’re the one person she’ll listen to.”

He paused for a few seconds and then added, “I never wanted to divorce her, not even once.”

Gabriela didn’t even try to hide her disdain. “You didn’t want a divorce? Then tell me, what does Jessica mean to you and your son? A glorified babysitter? She ended up in the hospital because of your son, Brian. Did you already forget the details?”

“Jake didn’t mean to hurt her,” Brian muttered, clearly struggling to defend himself.

He knew Jacob was just a kid, and he didn’t intend to cause harm.

“Oh, so that makes it okay?” Gabriela snapped. “He didn’t mean it, so all the pain Jessi suffers just doesn’t count? Brian, if you don’t love her, let her go. Don’t guilt–trip her just because she’s Jacob’s mother.”

Brian swallowed hard and replied, “I’ve loved Jessi every day of those seven years. That has never changed.”

He’d never even imagined divorcing Jessica, yet here they were, with court summonses and a wall of silence between them.

He begged, “Gabriela, please. Just talk to her…”

Gabriela rolled her eyes. “Are you really clueless, or are you just playing dumb?”

She cut him off before he could say anything more since she still had to deliver food to Jessica. “You wanna patch things up? Then get your act together.

“Start by figuring out your damn love life. Your side chick is practically breathing down Jessi’s neck, and you still act like you don’t know why she’s leaving?”

Brian asked with a frown, “You mean Madeline?”

“Madeline’s just my assistant. Our relationship is strictly professional. We never crossed the line. Jessi misunderstands things. I’ve explained it to her a dozen times.” There was a bit of weariness and impatience in his voice, maybe because he’d explained it too many times.

Gabriela let out a cold laugh. “Yeah, well, you deserve to get divorced. Don’t call me again. Whatever Jessi decides, I fully support her.”

‘What a scumbag, she cursed in her mind as she hung up without another word.

To her, the annoyance in Brian’s voice wasn’t guilt–it was frustration from getting caught with his mask off.

‘Serves you right. Jessi should’ve left you a long time ago. If I weren’t trying to keep things classy for her sake, I’d have told you exactly what I think of you thought Gabriela.

Sull fuming, Gabriela picked up the food she’d ordered and went back to the hospital.

Chapter 36

Chapter 36

She didn’t tell Jessica about Brian’s call. She didn’t want to le that mess cloud Jessica’s mood any more than it already had.

In the VIP ward, the scratch of a pencil echoed rhythmically in the air. Jessica sat upright in bed with her head still wrapped in gauze.

During her hospital stay, she painstakingly redrew the illustration Jacob ruined. It was almost identical to the original one, each detail recreated from her memory with eerie precision.

Just then, her phone buzzed. It was a call from her mother, Stella.

Jessica set her sketchpad aside and answered the call, “Hi, Mom.”

“Sweetie, when are you coming home?” Stella’s voice burst through with warmth and worry. “We’ve been thinking about you nonstop since you said you’d come back.”

Jessica replied, “Mom, I still have—”

Before she could finish, a nurse interrupted, “Ma’am, it’s time for your IV. Please give me your right hand.”

Stella heard that and instantly asked, “What happened? Are you in the hospital? Which one? I’m coming over right now.“?

Jessica sat up straighter, trying to keep her voice calm. “Mom, it’s nothing serious. Just got a cold. No need to make a trip.”

Jessica didn’t want her mother to worry about her. Besides, she didn’t want her to know that Jacob made her head bleed.

But Stella was already shouting toward the door, “No way, I’m not staying put. Maria, get the car ready.”

“Mom, I’m really fine,” Jessica insisted. “I’ll be out in a day or two. I’ll come back the moment I’m discharged, okay?” Afraid that Stella would really rush over, Jessica added, “Hey, my room, is my room still the same?”

Stella had a slight sigh. She knew Jessica was changing the subject on purpose.

She replied, “It’s all just the way you left it. Your dad’s been acting all cool, but I see him sneaking into your room every now and then. Says he’s checking if anything’s missing.”

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