William's eyes widened at the scene before him. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't tear his gaze away. Strangely, the view reminded him of that fateful night.
"What the f**k are you doing standing there, staring at me! You pervert!" Jessica screamed, quickly covering herself.
Her cheeks flushed crimson with embarrassment. She wished the ground would swallow her whole.
William rolled his eyes and walked in. "Why the fuss? It's not like I haven't seen it before," he said, his cold demeanor returning.
He strode to his wardrobe, ignoring her. Jessica bit her lower lip as she watched him.
"Um... can I borrow one of your shirts? The clothes your mother picked for me are too revealing."
William grabbed a shirt and tossed it at her without a word.
"Thanks. I'll return it after I've washed it," Jessica said.
"Don't bother," William muttered, heading to the bathroom. "I don't wear clothes used by someone else," he added before stepping inside.
Jessica rolled her eyes. "My bad. I forgot he's the William Newman. Show-off."
A few minutes later, Jessica sat on the bed, engrossed in her phone, a smile playing on her lips.
She was reading the positive comments people had posted about her appearance at the wedding anniversary. It boosted her confidence and lifted her mood. Now, she understood why celebrities often seemed so elated.
The bathroom door opened, and William walked out, drying his damp hair, wearing only a pair of joggers.
"I'm sleepy. When are you moving to the couch?" William asked, irritation evident in his tone.
Jessica raised a brow. "What do you mean?"
"You're sleeping on the couch, of course. Or do you expect me to share the same bed with you?"
Jessica scoffed. "I'm not sleeping on that tiny couch. I'm an actress and model, and to maintain this lethal beauty of mine, I can't stress my delicate body by squeezing myself there." She flipped her hair dramatically as she spoke.
"Besides, the bed is big enough to fit four people. You take that side, and I'll take this side. If you have a problem with it, you can take the couch." She smirked and added with a wink, "Goodnight." She turned her back on him, pulling the covers over herself.
William glared at her. He wanted to retort but decided against wasting his breath. Annoyed, he lay down, trying to ignore her. Within minutes, he fell asleep.
Jessica didn't know when she drifted off, but the sound of chirping birds woke her in the morning. Her eyes opened, and she froze.
Her movements were restricted. William's face was inches from hers, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist, holding her as though she might run away.
"What is he doing?" her mind screamed. She instinctively tried to push him off but stopped. He always looked tired, and right now, he seemed at peace. She decided to let him sleep a little longer.
"I can't believe I'm married to him," she thought. If someone had told her a year ago that she'd marry William Newman, she'd have laughed them off. He was rich, stunningly handsome, and had loving parents—seemingly perfect.
Her musings were interrupted when William shifted and opened his eyes. His gaze met hers, and they widened in shock.
"Did you enjoy your sleep, baby William?" Jessica teased with a smirk.
William quickly let go of her and turned away, visibly embarrassed.
"I honestly found it hard to believe you were a clingy type, but now I can see your mother was right. I bet you mistook me for one of your teddy bears," Jessica chuckled.
William shot her a glare and stormed out of the room. Jessica couldn't contain her laughter.
_______
Elsewhere, a woman in her early forties spoke in a French accent, "Beautiful! Ma chérie, you look like a fallen angel."
Amara smiled, admiring herself in the mirror. The wedding was two weeks away, and she had come to pick out a gown.
"This gown is haute couture, designed by one of France's top designers. It's priceless," the shop owner added proudly.
"Girls, how do I look?" Amara asked her two friends.
"You look amazing. Louis won't be able to take his eyes off you!" one friend said.
"Speaking of Louis, where is he? Isn't he supposed to help you choose a gown?" the other asked.
"Let me call him," Amara said, dialing his number.
After almost five minutes, he picked up.
"Love, I'm busy," Louis said, his tone laced with annoyance.
"But we had plans today. You promised to help me pick a wedding gown," she said, her voice soft.
"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry, love. An emergency meeting came up with my manager, and... and I had to attend." Louis let out a soft groan, and muffled sounds played in the background.
"I'll call you later. Love you," he said quickly and hung up.
Amara's smile faltered, but she quickly composed herself before turning to her friends.
"He couldn't make it, but we'll shop for accessories together later," she said with a forced smile.
_______
"Which one suits me better? This one or this one?" Jessica asked, holding up two gowns for William to see.
William, visibly annoyed, shot her a sharp look.
Jessica shrugged. "Guess I'll go with the green one," she said, handing it to the assistant.
She hummed as she walked to another rack of clothes.
William rubbed his temples. "Aren't you done yet?"
William's mother had insisted he take Jessica shopping to spoil her daughter-in-law. He'd expected Jessica to decline humbly. Instead, she embraced the opportunity, leaving him trapped in the mall.
"This is the last gown. Next, let's head to the jewelry section," Jessica announced, and the assistant nodded. The mall had been rented out exclusively for them.
"For someone who acts so saintly in front of my parents, I didn't expect you to be this greedy," William muttered, glaring at the pile of clothes.
"C'mon, Mr. Newman. Paying for all this is like a penny to you. Besides, I don't recall ever saying I wasn't greedy," Jessica smirked and walked off.
William stood there, watching her. The assistant's eyes darted between him and Jessica, clearly puzzled. Everyone knew William's no-nonsense demeanor, yet here he was with a woman who spoke so carelessly to him.