Chapter 119
Chapter 119
Huddied in bed, Jocelyn couldn’t fathom what Melvin and Harrison might say to each other, but she was certain it wouldn’t be anything
pleasant.
What puzzled her was how Melvin could possibly remember the date of her monthly periods.
When the door opened, Jocelyn’s body slightly stiffened.
“How are you feeling?” Harrison’s voice filled the space
She relaxed a bit at his voice, though still not turning to him, “Just the usual stuff, you know, that time of the month.”
“I’ll run to the store Hang tight, okay?”
Hamson approached the bed, concerned at the sight of her pallor.
Lacking the energy for anything more. Jocelyn just murmured an acknowledgment
Soon, the sound of the closing door signaled Hamson’s departure.
Only then did she allow herself to fully relax, and the pain in her abdomen seemed to ease up a bit.
Melvin’s presence had kept her on edge, and that probably was the cause of the sudden spike in discomfort.
The encounter had been her own personal hell, terrifying to its core.
She trusted Harrison’s decency, but Melvin was like a ticking time bomb- unpredictable, capable of igniting any scandal with a single word
Thankfully he had at least shown a glimmer of humanity today, sparing her further embarrassment
A draft snuck in from somewhere, coaxing Jocelyn out of bed to check if the window had been left ajar.
Her gaze inadvertently swept outside, where the silver car still sat. But what truly alarmed her were the two figures beside it.
One was Melvin, the other Harrison
Her head buzzed, and the pain in her abdomen flared again.
Melvin leaned against the car, lighting a cigarette. Seeing Harrison coming out, he exhaled a perfect ring of smoke.
Harrison, initially reluctant to engage, eventually found himself walking toward him.
“Mr. Martinez,” Harrison greeted, clad in a crisp white shirt beneath a slate-gray coat, whose rimless glasses projected a scholarly air and looked resolute
“What’s up?” Melvin asked casually, flicking ash.
“You and Jocelyn are done,” Harrison reminded him.
“So?” Melvin’s defiance and arrogance made him a tough rival to Harrison.
Dealing with the unreasonable was never Harrison’s cup of tea.
Jocelyn is my girlfriend now Isn’t it inappropriate for you to linger?” Harrison was the epitome of civility, appealing to reason and
emotion alike.
Melvin chuckled, eyeing the cigarette in his hand before glancing at the upright Hamson with a challenging smirk, “I’m a businessman, a rough one. In my world, there are only two things what I want and what I don’t. That’s it. No question of appropriateness”
Harrison frowned slightly.
“One is business. If there’s money to be made, I’m on it. The other is women” Melvin took a drag, his eyes taunting Harrison, “If I want a woman, she has to be mine”
The look behind Harrison’s glasses deepened.
He adjusted his glasses, trying to remain calm, “In this world, anything might belong to someone by necessity, except for people.” “You think she’s yours by default?” Melvin shot back.
Harson’s brow furrowed, “I respect her choices.”
Melvin scoffed, “Do I respect her enough to let her shack up with another man? I’m not that noble.” His gaze lifted to the apartment, noung a slight movement of the curtain. A sly smite played on his lips before he refocused on Harrison, “Believe it or not, she stil!
Harrisons expression darkened
wn stopped into his car he threw one last barb at Hanison, “She’s mine.”
It was both a declaration and a provocation.
The car roared away, leaving Harrison staring after it. His lips were pressed tight with his eyes behind the glasses growing stormy.
Harison bought back brown sugar and ginger, checking on Jocelyn before heading to the kitchen.
Jocelyn wasn’t asleep at all. Her mind was a whirlwind of potential conversations between Hamson and Melvin.
She knew Melvin was a troublemaker and feared what he might have said to Harrison.
With anxiety gnawing at her, she waited.
After a while, Harrison gently knocked and entered, bringing the warm brown sugar ginger tea to her bedside.
She stirred.
id/ wake you?” he asked softly.
Jocelyn shook her head, “Couldn’t sleep anyway.”
Try some of this then. Might help you rest,” he suggested, placing the cup on the nightstand and propping her up with a pillow. Once she was comfortable, he offered the cup, “Careful, it’s hot.”
Jocelyn reached for it, but Hamson pulled back.
“Your hand is injured. Let me help.” He scooped a spoonful of the warm liquid, bringing it to her lips, “See if it’s too hot.”
Jocelyn felt a blush of embarrassment. She wasn’t used to being cared for like this
Back when her period discomfort struck, Melvin would just curl up behind her in bed with his hands warming her belly to ease the pain, but he was always grumbling about the hassle.
“Thanks,” she said, forcing her thoughts away from Melvin and focusing on Harrison instead.
He was incredibly caring. Any woman loved by him was truly fortunate.
“Why so formal?” Harrison’s smile was gentle, “You’re my girlfriend. Taking care of you is my duty.”
Jocelyn’s heart skipped. The word duty’ weighed heavily on her.
She had expected Harrison to mention his conversation with Melvin once he returned. But he hadn’t, acting instead as if nothing had happened.
She didn’t trust a word that came out of Melvin’s mouth, but he never said a bad thing about Melvin to her. He truly accepted everything about her, really took care of her like a boyfriend, with understanding and without prying into her past.
“What’s with that stare? Harrison chuckled as he wiped a smudge from the corner of her mouth with a napkin. “Did you suddenly realize how handsome I am?”
Jocelyn laughed at his teasing, “It’s not sudden. You’ve always been handsome.”
“Otherwise, how could I have had the guts to confess my feelings to you?” Harrison joked.
Jocelyn’s mood instantly brightened.
“Feeling any better?” Harrison was still worried about her.
“Yeah, much better,” Jocelyn said nonchalantly, not wanting him to worry too much. “The pain is only really bad on the first day. afterwards it’s nothing. Don’t fuss over me.”
“Girls have it tough, Harrison said with genuine sympathy.
Warmth flooded Jocelyn’s heart. Him being able to say that, he really was a caring person.
The more she recognized his goodness, the more she felt she didn’t deserve him.
“You’ve got things to do, you should get going, Jocelyn urged him, really afraid that he would neglect important matters because of her. “I’m honestly fine.”
*Your hands and feet are still healing. Harrison was still concerned
t’s just a minor injury. If it comes to it, I’ll go stay at my parents’ place tomorrow.”
Let me drive you there now Harrison suggested, glancing at the time. “I won’t be at ease with you being at home alone
Jocelyn was persuaded by his persistence. If she didn’t find a place with someone to look after her, he would never stop worrying.
As the car entered my parents’ old neighborhood, Jocelyn’s heart tightened when she saw the silvery- gray car parked near the apartment building