"Is that Daisy's family?" Tom asked curiously as soon as they walked out of the restaurant. If they were Daisy's family, why was Mary Ouyang so interested in Edward?
"Not really. Don't bother yourself with them. I'm going back to the office. Enjoy yourself, " Edward said. Edward didn't regard them as Daisy's family. No family would shamelessly defend their disgusting behavior. No family would covet the other's husband.
"Alright. Take your leave. I'm going back to the hospital, " said Tom. He knew that if Edward didn't want to talk about it, it was pointless to keep asking him, so he stopped. He never liked gossip anyway.
Edward waved at him, then got into the car without saying a word. There were more pressing matters for him to deal with recently, and they were tiring. He was relieved that Jessica's child wasn't his, but she still kept pestering him. He had to find a way to resolve this.
Speak of the devil and he will appear. When Edward returned to the company, he found Jessica waiting outside his office.
"What are you doing here?" Edward demanded. The sight of Jessica irritated him. If not for her, there wouldn't be any misunderstanding between him and Daisy. He was surprised by the audacity of this woman to show her face to him again! Did she think that he still had feelings for her?
"Edward, thank you for sparing our company. I knew you wouldn't do this to me and our child,
" Jessica said, intentionally touching her stomach with a sweet smile. She got lost in the fantasy of a future life with Edward.
"Jessica, do you really believe that? Have you ever thought that it is all part of my scheme?" Edward asked with a sneer. He strode past her and went straight into his office.
"You're not serious. I know you won't do this, because the FX International Group will never plot to harm another company. Besides, we have a special relationship. There's no reason for you to do it." Jessica was quite confident that Edward wouldn't do harm to her company. She had leverage against him, the baby she was carrying.
"Yes, I don't have any reason. I won't go to that extent because of you. I won't even bother to do it myself, I'll just sit back and enjoy the show, " Edward said with a wicked smile. It was very difficult to tell if he meant it, or if he was just playing around. But his words immediately made Jessica's face turn pale.
"Are you the one behind what's been happening to the Lin Group? But why would you do this?" Jessica asked anxiously. She held on to the table to keep herself upright.
Edward's harsh words broke her heart. She felt as if the broken pieces of her heart had shattered into even smaller pieces. Edward had absolutely no sympathy for her. He ruthlessly ignored all her pain and even worse, he was rubbing salt in her wounds. She had overestimated herself, and the pain was unbearable.
"Jessica, you're thinking too much. I didn't say that I plotted it, only that I'm a spectator enjoying the show, " said Edward. Not many people had experienced Edward's ruthlessness. He always seemed like a gracious gentleman, so a lot of people forgot about his cruel side.
"Edward, I know I was wrong to kiss you. I apologize for that. But I'm begging you, please don't destroy my father's company. He won't stand for this." Tears ran down Jessica's cheeks. Edward's warning that day wasn't just a threat. He really meant to make her company go bankrupt and put the Lin Group in the news spotlight. All because of her careless kiss. If the company was ruined, she would be reduced from riches to rags.
Jessica, what if I say that it's already too late? You shouldn't have provoked me. I tolerated your unacceptable behaviors, but you keep challenging me. You force me to do something to stop it. Don't blame it on me, this is all your fault. You thought that Coco's scandal could intimidate me, but did you really think that I would be easily threatened by someone?"
Edward didn't plan to tell her that everything that happened to the Lin Group was plotted by the FX International Group. But considering that she would find out sooner or later, he decided not to hide it. She was getting to that conclusion, anyway.
"Coco's problem has nothing to do with me. Did you really think that I was involved in it? Did you really think that I would set my own cousin up?" Jessica avoided his eyes as she spoke. Although she was involved in it, she wasn't stupid enough to admit it.
"You had nothing to do with it?" Edward scoffed. "Do you want me to show you evidence I have? Jessica, I've really underestimated you. I thought that you were a kind and considerate woman. But it turns out that you cheated on me behind my back in the past few years. How many things did you hide from me when we were together?"
Edward glared at her with a sneer. He didn't want to see her pretending to look pitiful. He had always been an extreme man. People got either love or hatred from him. If he didn't like someone, he wouldn't bat an eyelash even if the person committed suicide before him. Jessica's face grew paler. Did he already know everything? But she only did all those things because she loved him! She couldn't stand that other women could gain his love, so she tried her best to keep them away from Edward. But she didn't do anything out of line. Did she love him the wrong way?
"If you're saying that loving you is a mistake, then I'm not going to say anything. But the issue with Coco really isn't my fault. I only knew about it. Are you angry because I didn't tell you when I found out?" Jessica said, her lips trembling. She hated that she had fallen in love with Edward. If she hadn't, she wouldn't be so heartbroken. But despite how hurtful his cruel words were, she still couldn't stop loving him.
"Jessica, are you sure that what you feel is love, not just selfish possession?" Edward mused. If he hadn't experienced Daisy's unrequited love and her selfless sacrifices for him, he would've thought that loving someone was just like what Jessica had done to him. He would've believed that to love someone was to possess them, not simply to hope that they lived a happy life.
Jessica let out an incredulous laugh. "Edward, do you really think that a woman can be so selfless for the sake of love? If you know anyone, bring her over! I want to see what she's like and what kind of selfless saint she is!" She didn't believe that such a woman existed. If there was, then that woman either didn't love him at all, or her love had infiltrated deep into her bones. She couldn't comprehend how a woman could love someone without asking for anything in return.
"Do you think you're worthy of meeting her?" Edward asked. Crossing his legs, he leaned back in his chair with a derisive expression on his face. The Jessica before his eyes was like a circus clown who had lost her charm.
"Are you talking about Daisy? That bitch from rags? What's so good about her? She doesn't deserve it!" Jessica cried out. Her hatred for Daisy festered. Because of Daisy and her son Justin, her life had become miserable. If they hadn't appeared, she would've been the woman enjoying Edward's love and affections instead of that good-for-nothing woman.
"Jessica, I remember warning you not to speak ill of the people I care about. You are digging your own grave now." As soon as he spoke, Edward's hands were clamped tightly around Jessica's neck. His eyes glared furiously at her face, which was turning purple from the lack of oxygen. Jessica stared at Edward in horror. He looked like a devil, and his fury made her feel like she was in hell.
Ah..." Jessica gasped, her hands struggling to remove his fingers. This was the second time that she had felt so close to death. Edward's actions made her realize that she was only an ant to him. His grip might send her to death without mercy.
"For the last time, she's not like the women you've trifled with before, the women you tricked or forced into leaving me. She's the only woman I've ever loved in my whole life. Before you insult her, you should ask for my permission first." Edward released her neck, looking at her falling figure with disgust. Although he had lost his temper, he didn't forget that she was still pregnant. He released her carefully to prevent her from abruptly falling down.
Gasping for air, Jessica felt that she had returned from the hell. But Edward's ruthlessness awakened all the anger in her heart. 'Since you care so much about Daisy, I swear to destroy her. Let's see if you can still love her after that!' Jessica thought grimly.
Get out of my sight and don't ever show yourself to me again. Unless you want the Lin Group to lose more than business in construction, keep that in mind." Edward didn't even glance at Jessica as he spoke. He didn't want to be constantly bothered by a woman he didn't love. The best solution was to have her give up on him completely.
Jessica remained silent. She narrowed her hollow eyes at Edward, the man she had loved but never belonged to her. She resolved to get revenge on him and make him regret all the pain he had caused her. Jessica wouldn't give up easily.