Adrian avoided responding to Cheryl's question and rose from his chair. "I need to handle something at the office. Jessica and I are leaving."

Cheryl's expression changed instantly as she rushed to stop him. "Why would you go now?" She gestured toward the kitchen, voice tightening. "The chef has already finished preparing the dishes, and all the family members are here. Can't you at least stay for lunch?"

Without hesitation, Adrian reached for Jessica and pulled her to her feet, his voice flat. "No. We are not staying."

After the couple left the Buckley Estate, Cheryl's anger erupted. Her chest rose sharply as she struck the arm of her chair with her fist.

Understanding her son was becoming more difficult by the day.

If he truly disliked Jessica, then why was every word and action of his instinctively protective of her?

Yet if he did care for Jessica, why did he remain tangled with Eleanor?

Even Eleanor's past marriage and child failed to deter him in the slightest.

Cheryl could not make sense of his thoughts at all.

Once seated inside his car, Adrian lit a cigarette, pale smoke curling around his knitted brows.

Jessica recognized the habit. Adrian only smoked when he was frustrated.

She remained still beside him, breathing lightly, afraid of disturbing him.

The cigarette shortened inch by inch until only the filter remained.

Adrian finally turned, his intense gaze settling on Jessica.

She looked exactly as she had been when they had first met—delicate features, a gentle face, calm to the point of detachment.

Even when mistreated, she never protested or made a scene, always compliant to an unsettling degree.

Time had not changed her in the slightest, yet his dislike for her submissive demeanor only deepened.

To him, she resembled a hollow doll, numb and unresponsive, while he, a man with ordinary desires, favored women who were vibrant when it came to intimacy.

The irritation boiling in Adrian's chest intensified. He pulled off his tie and flung it aside.

Jessica quietly picked it up, smoothing the fabric before placing it into a bag to keep it clean.

Adrian's eyes lingered on her movements before he spoke abruptly. "You heard what my mother said earlier, didn't you?"

A subtle tremor passed through Jessica's brows as she turned to look at him, her expression gentle.

Adrian studied her face and asked, "What do you think about it?"

For a brief second, the meaning behind his question failed to register with Jessica at all.

Seeing the confusion on her face, Adrian continued, his voice steady, "Do you want to have a child?"

Jessica instantly understood what he meant and gestured quickly. "I'll follow whatever your mother decides. You don't need to worry. I've never allowed myself to fantasize about that."

In truth, during the early days of their marriage, she had once imagined a child that belonged to the two of them.

But gradually, she realized the harsh reality.

She learned that all the good things were reserved for women who were cherished.

They were never meant for someone like her, a mute person, unwanted and always looked down upon.

Back at an important family gathering in their first year of marriage, she had eaten something bad and gagged a few times.

Every gaze in the room had swung toward her, whispers spreading as people wondered if she might be expecting.

At that time, Cheryl's face had hardened, and Adrian's expression had darkened alongside it.

Once the nausea finally passed, Jessica heard Cheryl tell her that the Buckley family had no intention of welcoming a child currently and that if she was pregnant, she should go to the hospital to end her pregnancy.

Panic seized Jessica, and she instinctively turned to Adrian for help.

But Adrian said nothing. He did not object to the idea at all.

That silence made everything painfully clear to Jessica. Adrian did not want a child, or rather, he didn't want a child with her.

So now, when Adrian brought the topic up again, Jessica understood it was never a question of her wishes; he just wanted to make sure that they were on the same page.

As if confirming her thoughts, Adrian's next words followed calmly. "You understand what I mean, don't you? I didn't take any precautions last time."

Jessica responded at once, lifting her hands again, "It's alright. I already took birth control pills."

Her gestures were careful and deliberate, as though she feared he might misunderstand her. She had an earnest expression, and a faint sheen of moisture shimmered in her clear eyes.

Adrian received the answer he wanted to hear, yet the sense of ease he had expected never arrived.

He watched her in silence for a long moment before letting out a breath and turning to look at the passing scenery beyond the window. "Good."

That single word drained the color from Jessica's face even further.

Worried he might notice, she lowered her head quickly, slender fingers knotting together in her lap.

Just as she had anticipated, his concern had never been about what she wanted, only about confirming whether there was any chance she might get pregnant.

Thankfully, she had not blurted out her true feelings just now.

Had she acted on that impulse, the humiliation would have been unbearable.

The thought alone made her chest tighten briefly before she steadied herself.

The luxury car soon slowed to a stop at the entrance of the Buckley Group.

Through the car window, Jessica immediately spotted Eleanor standing nearby.

Eleanor had been smiling, but the instant her gaze landed on Jessica getting out of the car behind Adrian, that smile collapsed, replaced by a sharp, hostile glare.

Her voice cut through the air. "Adrian, why did you bring her here?" The displeasure in her tone was obvious, making it seem as if she were actually Adrian's wife.

Adrian didn't mind that. Without hesitation, he turned to speak to Jessica. "I'll have the driver take you back."

Jessica inclined her head obediently and settled back into the seat.

Eleanor, however, was still not satisfied. She clung to Adrian's hand, her annoyance plain. "Adrian, can you stop bringing her to the company from now on?"

Her eyes flicked toward the car. "People might misunderstand and think you two are together."

Adrian did not pull away. His response was calm. "She is my wife. That's simply the truth."

Eleanor's dissatisfaction deepened. She pursed her lips into a pout. "I just don't like you being around her. Promise me you won't do it again."

A faint trace of a smile flickered across Adrian's otherwise impassive face.

He offered no verbal reply, his silence serving as quiet agreement.

From inside the car, Jessica watched the exchange, her vision slowly blurring as her eyes reddened.

She witnessed her husband favoring another woman, and that woman was her own half-sister.

No matter how unreasonable Eleanor acted or how openly she tried to take her place, Adrian always indulged her without restraint.

To him, the woman he loved could never be at fault.

Perhaps, in their eyes, she, the so-called Mrs. Buckley, was nothing more than a laughingstock.

Lowering her gaze, Jessica used sign language to quietly instruct the driver to pull away.

Outside the car, Eleanor fell into step beside Adrian as they entered the company building together.

Her gaze flicked to his unreadable profile, and she carefully steered the conversation back to what had happened the day before. "Yesterday was on me. I acted without thinking and pushed you about the divorce. I already said sorry, so please stop being upset with me."

She had acted on impulse yesterday, insisting he end his marriage to her mute sister as if his indulgence toward her had no limits.

Adrian could give her almost anything. But the word divorce drew a hard line he refused to cross.

He had always insisted that nothing romantic existed between him and Jessica, claiming his marriage was nothing more than a duty carried out to fulfill his grandfather's final wish.

But Keith had been gone for years now. Eleanor believed that surely the old man could be at peace by this point.

Besides, she was also a member of the Howard family. Why was it unacceptable for her to stand in Jessica's place as Adrian's wife?

The answer was simple. Adrian just didn't want that.

People around them all said Adrian loved her deeply. Even after she became a widow with a child, he welcomed her back without hesitation and treated her with care reserved only for her.

Still, Eleanor could never fully feel his affection toward her. It felt veiled, blurred behind something she could not name, and the uncertainty left her uneasy, no matter how often she tried to ignore it.

When they reached the elevator, Adrian came to a halt.

He loosened her grip from his arm, fingers gentle but decisive, and met her eyes. "Eleanor, what I promised you will never change. I do not care how many marriages you have had or how many children you are raising; I will take care of you for the rest of your life."

Warmth began to rise in Eleanor's chest, and she was ready to lean into the moment when the temperature in Adrian's voice suddenly dropped as he continued, "In the same way, what I promised Jessica also stands. If she is willing, she will remain my wife for life."

Jessica had been the granddaughter-in-law Keith had personally chosen back then.

But the debt he owed Eleanor from his younger years had rendered Adrian unable to make a decision about whom to marry.

Luckily, three years ago, everything finally settled into its proper place, and Jessica became his wife.

At the same time, he intended to keep the promise he had made in his youth and look after Eleanor for as long as he lived.

The moment his words sank in, anger rushed through Eleanor's chest.

If the title of wife belonged to Jessica, then what role was left for her in his life?

Was she meant to have no status, forever a mistress to him?

Eleanor's hands curled into tight fists as she forced tears into her eyes. With a wounded tone, she said, "Adrian, I understand how trapped you are. But we were the ones who loved each other back then. If my parents had not been so greedy as to marry me off to another guy, none of this would have happened—"

Unwilling to let her continue, Adrian interjected softly, "The past does not need to be revisited. From now on, I will make sure to treat you well. Is there something you want these days?"

Catching the trace of irritation hidden beneath his composed expression, Eleanor immediately adjusted her strategy. "There was a necklace at the last auction that caught my eye."

Adrian curved his lips slightly, his expression calm. "I will get it for you."

Content with the answer, Eleanor trailed after Adrian as they entered the elevator together.

Meanwhile, Jessica did not return home.

She instructed the driver to stop at a quiet street corner, then stepped out of the car.

Walking a short distance by herself, she entered a small pet shop tucked along the road.

This place employed her as an animal communicator.

No one knew about her job here, not even Adrian.

Once inside, she greeted her coworkers before heading to the changing room to slip into her uniform and fasten her mask in place.

Just then, a slim figure appeared at the doorway, letting out a playful whistle in her direction. "Jessica, you are here!"

Jessica turned and recognized Lexi Hewitt at once.

Lexi was the owner of the pet store.

She was striking, her hair always pulled into a high ponytail, large hoop earrings framing her face and drawing attention to her sharp, delicate features in a way that felt bold.

At first, Lexi had not known any sign language at all, but she learned it within three months so she could communicate with Jessica.

Jessica felt genuine gratitude toward her and had long since come to see her as a close friend.

She smiled and signed, "Good afternoon, Lexi."

Holding a paper bag, Lexi walked over and slipped an arm around Jessica's shoulders in an easy, familiar way. "You still haven't eaten anything, right?" She lifted the bag slightly. "Look what I brought for you. Croissants and..."

She stopped talking when her eyes caught the marks along Jessica's neck and collarbone.

Marks like that, lingering on such sensitive skin, made the situation obvious without needing further explanation.

Lexi's face darkened, anger flashing through her eyes as she snapped, "Did that jerk do this to you?"

Jessica paused for a moment, fingertips brushing her own neck before she signed, "It is nothing. They will be gone in a few days."

Concern tugged at Lexi's chest as she pulled Jessica into an embrace and asked softly, "Does it hurt?"

Jessica shook her head, her hands moving with practiced calm. "I am already used to the pain."

Lexi blinked. How much pain and suffering must Jessica have endured to reach the point where she was used to all this?

The ache in Lexi's chest deepened. She guided Jessica to a chair and carefully helped her remove her mask. "Let's not talk about that. We should go have lunch now."

Evening settled in, and six o'clock marked the end of the workday.

Just then, Lexi suddenly received an urgent call.

She swept her gaze across the shop. Most of the staff had already left, leaving only Jessica behind.

She tipped her chin toward Jessica, who was just about to change her clothes. "No need to change. I need you to accompany me for a task."

Confusion flickered across Jessica's face as she signed, "Where are we going?"

Digging through her bag for the car keys, Lexi answered, "A sheepdog swallowed something it shouldn't have. The owner wants us to bring it in for an emergency stomach pump."

The moment she heard that, Jessica moved quickly, helping Lexi secure a large cage in the back of her car.

Lexi might have a sharp mouth, but animals had always been her weakness. Since she had heard the sheepdog was in trouble, her foot pressed hard on the accelerator. She was clearly worried about it.

The car pulled over briefly at a fast-food place. Lexi grabbed burgers for both of them and counted it as dinner.

By the time Jessica finished eating, the car was already slowing to a stop at their destination.

The place before them was a high-end club called "Glamour," set in the heart of the city, its sprawling grounds and opulence impossible to miss.

Jessica lifted her head, and her expression shifted at once.

This place belonged to Adrian.

Lexi parked the car, hauled the cage from it, and started toward the entrance with Jessica beside her.

Just before they could go in, Jessica halted and signed, "Lexi, I will wait outside for you."

At this hour, Adrian could very well be inside.

Jessica wanted to stay outside, unwilling to risk crossing paths with him.

Lexi assumed Jessica simply disliked the club's vibe and did not press the matter. "Do not wander off. Stay right here and wait for me."

Jessica gave a small nod, her eyes following Lexi until she vanished through the entrance.

Unlike most clubs, Glamour lacked flashing signs or glaring neon lights.

Its exterior stood shrouded in darkness, resembling an old fortress or a beast crouched in silence, waiting to pounce on its prey.

The sight stirred an immediate association in Jessica's mind. The place reminded her too much of Adrian.

She had been here once before, walking a few steps behind Adrian and Eleanor, her presence barely acknowledged.

Back then, the club had not yet fallen under Adrian's control.

It belonged to his rival, and Adrian had come with his men to reclaim property that used to belong to the Buckley family.

The confrontation escalated quickly, tension stretched tight as both sides raised their weapons without hesitation.

Terrified, Eleanor hid behind Adrian.

Adrian's rival cast a sharp, threatening glance over, the scar slicing through his eyebrow making his sneer all the more vicious as he said, "So this is the woman your grandfather chose for you? She is pretty. Hand her over and let me have fun with her for a few days, and I might think about giving this place back to you."

Eleanor recoiled at the sight of the man's nicotine-stained teeth, years of heavy smoking etched into their yellowed surface, and a sharp scream tore from her throat as she flailed her hands wildly. "It wasn't me... it really wasn't me!"

Adrian let his eyes rest on Eleanor for a brief, unreadable second before turning away and drawing Jessica firmly into his embrace under everyone's gaze.

A smile curved his lips, pleasant on the surface yet edged with cold steel, as he said, "Are you blind? This is my future wife!"

Jessica understood that his words were meant to shield Eleanor.

Even so, she still couldn't help but feel her heart flutter.

After all, Adrian had been the one she had carried feelings for since her younger years.

Every casual gesture from him had always stirred a tempest in her heart.

While Jessica drifted into those memories, an abrupt voice cut straight through her thoughts.

"Jessica? What are you doing here?"

Eleanor had just stepped out of the club, intending to smoke in a quiet corner, when she spotted Jessica lingering by the roadside.

She strode over, glanced at Jessica, then flicked her eyes back toward the club entrance before letting out a derisive snort. "You've got a lot of nerve showing up at a place like this looking for Adrian."

With Eleanor present, Jessica had no doubt that Adrian was here as well.

She shook her head quickly and waved her hands in refusal. She then signed, "I'm not here for him. I'm here to—"

Eleanor cut her off, clearly irritated by her gestures, and fixed her with a mocking stare. Her lips curled with open disdain as she said, "Jessica, you really are something. So desperate to seduce Adrian that you even put on a uniform to grab his attention. What's next? Are you planning to crawl straight into his bed?"

Earlier, Jessica had rushed out with Lexi, and she hadn't changed out of her work uniform.

It was an ordinary outfit by any reasonable standard, yet to people like Eleanor, it was meant only to seduce.

Jessica wanted to explain, but then, she stopped herself.

If she said too much, her current job would be exposed.

Seeing Jessica frozen in place, Eleanor took it as proof that her insults had rendered her speechless. She lifted her chin haughtily, contempt etched across her features. "Give it up. Your cheap tricks will never work on Adrian. In his heart, there's only me. Even if you stripped yourself bare and crawled into his bed, he wouldn't spare you a second glance. Do you really think Adrian marrying you means he loves you?"

She let out a sharp scoff, every syllable slamming into Jessica's chest like a blunt strike. "That's absurd. The title of Mrs. Buckley only landed on you because I didn't want it at that time."

Her lips twisted cruelly as she continued, "Jessica, you're only ever good at picking up what I discard. When we were kids, you wore my castoff clothes and jewelry. Now, you're clinging to a man I abandoned before. It's honestly pathetic."

Jessica pressed her lips together, the color draining from her face, her shoulders quivering faintly under the bite of the autumn night air.

She knew Eleanor was telling the truth, and so did everyone in Krovale.

All these years, Adrian's heart had never strayed from Eleanor.

Jessica knew that had Eleanor not chosen to marry another man so early on, Adrian would never have married her.

At that moment, Lexi emerged from the club while directing others to move a cage holding the sheepdog. She instantly noticed what was happening.

She hurried over without hesitation, planting herself firmly in front of Jessica and snapping at Eleanor with open fury, "What do you think you are doing?"

Eleanor cast a glance at Lexi, noting the uniform and the dog hair clinging to her clothes, then shifted her gaze to Jessica standing behind her.

She pinched her nose theatrically and sneered, "No wonder you two are friends. People like you deserve nothing but gutter trash for company."

Lexi's expression darkened at that, and she shot back without restraint, "What makes you think you have the right to say that to us? It's freezing out here, yet you're wearing such revealing clothes. Are you just here to seduce men? How shameless!"

Never before had Eleanor been spoken to like this. Rage surged through her, her teeth grinding as she shouted, "Who do you think you are to talk to me that way? Just wait. I'll have someone deal with you."

Fear tightened around Jessica's chest as she imagined the scene spiraling further, drawing Adrian's attention and putting Lexi directly in harm's way.

She reached out, clutching Lexi's hand and shaking her head urgently. Then, she quickly signed, "Stop. Please, let's just leave."

Lexi resisted, refusing to back down. "Jessica, who is this vile woman? Why is she treating you like this?"

Jessica's fingers paused at that.

How was she supposed to explain any of this to Lexi?

Should she admit that Eleanor was not only her half-sister but also the woman her husband had loved all his life, or confess that her marriage existed only because Eleanor had abandoned her husband before?

She found it difficult to reveal any of that.

Unable to meet Lexi's gaze, Jessica lowered her head in quiet humiliation.

Seeing that, Lexi suddenly seemed to grasp the situation, whipping around to glare at Eleanor as she blurted, "So, you're the homewrecker, trying to steal Jessica's husband!"

That single accusation snapped something inside Eleanor.

She loathed being called a homewrecker more than anything.

In her mind, she was the one who had stood beside Adrian first.

If Jessica had not stubbornly clung to the title of Adrian's wife, Eleanor believed she would have married Adrian long ago.

How dare some outsider judge her like that?

Blinded by rage, Eleanor lifted her hand, aiming a slap at Lexi.

But Lexi, hot-tempered and now fully aware that Eleanor was the one wrecking Jessica's marriage, was determined to defend her friend.

"After all the shameless things you've done, you still dare try to hit me?" She caught Eleanor's wrist mid-swing and shoved her hard, sending Eleanor crashing to the ground with a dull thump.

Never in her life had Eleanor been treated this way. Humiliation burned through her as she screamed, "How dare you push me? You bitch!"

Lexi let out a cold laugh and stepped forward. She reached down, yanked Eleanor by the hair, and swung her hand twice.

Two sharp slaps rang out in quick succession.

"Not only can I push you," Lexi said, "but I can also hit you."

Eleanor was stunned, her carefully styled hair disheveled, her flawless makeup smeared, two vivid red handprints blooming across her face.

Clutching her face, she ground her teeth in hatred, glaring at Jessica and Lexi as though she wanted to rip them apart with her bare hands.

At that moment, Adrian stepped out of the club.

The instant he saw Eleanor sprawled on the ground, his expression hardened with cold anger. "What is going on here?" he asked.

The second Eleanor caught sight of him, the malice drained from her features, replaced by a fragile, pitiful look.

"Adrian, Jessica brought some vicious woman to attack me," she sobbed weakly. "I only asked whether she came looking for you, and they beat me like this."

She pointed shakily at Jessica and Lexi, tears streaming down her face. "They didn't just hit me; they even called me a homewrecker. If you hadn't come out in time, they would have beaten me to death."

Adrian's expression softened at her words, concern flickering through his eyes. "Don't be scared. I'm here now."

He did not spare Jessica a single glance. Instead, he walked over to Eleanor, carefully smoothing her tangled hair before lifting her into his arms.

Only then did he look at Jessica, his eyes stripped of warmth. "Jessica, I'll deal with you when I get back!"

Without another word, he carried Eleanor into the club, not once glancing back.

Jessica stood rooted in place, watching him disappear. The ache in her chest swelled until it felt impossible for her to breathe, yet there was nothing she could do about it.

After a long, stunned silence, Lexi finally found her voice. "Jessica... was that your husband?"

He was handsome, but he was such a jerk!

Jessica closed her eyes and nodded slowly, a single tear slipping down her cheek.