Chapter 26
+25 BONUS
“No, Jackie. It’s because I love you too much. I only had someone follow you to protect you!” Eugene said.
He closed the distance between them and grabbed Jacklyn’s shoulders, every part of him screaming to hold her so tight that she’d never slip away again.
A sickening weight lodged in her throat. Her gut twisted.
Silence stretched between them. Eugene leashed his temper, fingers digging into her shoulders as he bit out each word. “Liam’s no good. He’s got to have some other reason for getting close to you.”
Jacklyn drew a deep breath to steady herself, then tested the waters. “Are there even any good men left in the world?”
“Of course there are. I’m one of them, aren’t I? Jackie, there’s no one else in my heart but you.”
Eugene’s voice was thick with sincerity. That lovesick gaze of his made her stomach turn.
“Jackie…”
Eugene assumed Jacklyn was just angry about the surveillance, so he pulled her into his arms, trying to placate her.
She shoved him away.
“How would you feel if I had you followed?” Jacklyn’s delicate features hardened as she glared at his grasping hands before slapping them aside. “Call them off. Or I walk out right now.”
Afraid of making her angrier, Eugene quickly pulled out his phone and ordered the tails withdrawn. Only after hearing the command herself did Jacklyn let out a sigh of relief.
A flicker of reassurance passed through her. At least Eugene had only kept tabs on her. He hadn’t looked too closely at what she’d actually been up to. If he had, cashing out later would’ve been much harder.
“Jackie, forgive me, please? I swear it won’t happen again.
Eugene tucked the phone away and pulled her into another embrace. This time, she didn’t resist. She forced at quiet hum, swallowing back the bile in her throat.
“Jackie, I truly love you…”
“1
Eugene’s skin warmed as he breathed in Jacklyn’s faint floral scent.
“I have a headache. I need to rest.”
Without waiting for his reply, Jacklyn turned and retreated to her room. Only when her figure had vanished did Eugene pull out his phone. The screen unlocked to a flood of messages from Penelope.
Meanwhile, Penelope was still bombarding him with texts. He’d brushed her off with excuses when she called. Was he too busy to even read her messages?
The more she thought about it, the sharper her resentment grew. She hurled her phone across the room.
A startled cry rang out from the doorway, “Penelope, what’s wrong?”
Amanda Scott had hurried to the Stinson residence as soon as she’d received Penelope’s distressed call.
“It’s all because that fortune teller you dug up last time was useless! Eugene still won’t give me that gemstone necklace!”
1/2
Chapter 26
+25 BONUS
Penelope shot Amanda a glare, her voice razor–sharp.
“But he already promised, didn’t he? Unless Jacklyn’s meddling.”
When Jacklyn was mentioned, hatred flashed in Penelope’s eyes. “That bitch. Because of her, even yoga has become humiliating. Someone told me they saw Gene laughing with a woman. It had to be Jacklyn, clinging to him like the vile leech she is!”
Amanda agreed eagerly, “She’s always been desperate to steal what’s yours. Eugene doesn’t even want her anymore, yet she still won’t let go. If she weren’t hovering around him, he’d be yours already!
“But you’ve got the ultimate trump card–his child. Once you give birth, he’ll dump Jacklyn for good!”
Penelope’s expression darkened, urgency coiling tight in her chest. Amanda’s words might have held some truth, but Eugene was still under Jacklyn’s spell.
“I can’t wait any longer. I need to see him now!”
After touching up her makeup, Penelope marched straight to Eugene’s office.
“Gene, you haven’t come to see me since what happened. I’ve missed you!”
She pouted and seized his hand the moment she saw him.
“Cut it out. This is an office.” His voice was tight as he tried to push her back.
“Relax, Gene. Everyone’s busy. No one’s watching.”
To reassure him, she drew the curtains closed. Then, she leaned in, guiding his hand to her waist.
“Don’t you think this is more exciting, Gene?”
Her right hand traced up his chest, slow and deliberate, each touch leaving him restless. Her eyes smoldered with temptation, and Eugene burned.
Biting her lip, Penelope worked open the buttons of his shirt. Unable to hold back any longer, he swept her into his arms.
Just then, an unwelcome knock rapped at the door.
