CHAPTER 23 THE MAN FROM THE PAST

Jessica could help wondering who the woman was.

Lorenzo was a very mature man, and would never let anybody touch his phone, except that they were

close enough, never to mention let someone answer the phone for him.

Moreover, the woman said he was taking a shower.

Jessica wondered if he was with his mistress, or maybe just a good friend.

Jessica's mind went into chaos, and she heard ringings in her ears.

The woman's identity haunted her, and she couldn't help wondering why Lorenzo was with her.

Jessica was married to Lorenzo on conditions that they signed a contract as soon as they met. It was

supposed to be no surprise if he had a mistress.

Jessica's palm was soaked in cold sweats. When she was young, she had suffered a major change in

her life and was abandoned by her family. They deserted her in the remote place for years, during

which she learned to grow up independently. She had also learned how to live with loneliness and be

tough.

She no longer dared to expose her true feelings to anyone else, except for Amara.

Being betrayed by the closest and most trusted person, being muted and mistreated brutally... That

was Jessica's biggest nightmare, and she didn't want it to happen again.

Many years after that, Lorenzo suddenly broke into her life suddenly and overwhelmingly. In a very

short time, he easily stirred Jessica's usual calmness and independence, letting her feel extremely

clingy to him.

Being clinging could be a nightmare, for it always made people vulnerable.

Jessica felt numb in her hands and feet. As she slowly calmed down, she took out her phone and sent

a message to Preston. She decided to meet him right there and at the right time.

...

Meanwhile, in the presidential suite of a hotel in St Heila...

Hana Brown, manager of the marketing department of Lorenzo's company, was looking at a cellphone

with her brows lifted. She looked a bit confused.

"Hana, who let you in Mr. Fletcher's room and picked up his phone?"

Lorenzo's assistant, Levi, was standing behind Hana and asked coldly.

"Levi, Mr. Fletcher needs the document. It's urgent. I mustn't hold him up."

Hana waved the thick stack of documents in her hand, and then put it on the desk beside her.

"Mr. Fletcher wouldn't be happy if he finds out you got in here without his permission, let alone that

you've touched his personal belongings. Next time, just hand over the papers to me, and don't do this

again. Now please show yourself out."

"Okay, Levi."

"Who called him just now?"

Levi asked.

"I don't know. The person didn't say anything till hanging up."

Hana said as she shook her head. She really had no idea who that was.

"Mr. Fletcher will get back earlier than our plan. You should wrap up what you're working on as soon as

possible."

Levi didn't care about this much. He motioned Hana to let her leave.

"Why is Mr. Fletcher leaving earlier? I thought we still had lots of branch companies to inspect."

"Just do your job. Don't speculate his will."

Hana then turned away. Levi couldn't help recalling how Lorenzo was distracted by a photo. He knew

Lorenzo must have kept a gorgeous mistress in his love nest.

...

The next day.

When Jessica arrived at the appointed place, Preston had already arrived half an hour earlier. After the

bell rang, and the door was opened from inside, Jessica saw Preston leaning lazily against the door

frame.

"I want to see Rosa in person. Where is she? I need to see her now! Or I'll take this as a fraud."

Jessica got straight to the point and didn't want any time to be wasted.

"Since when you became so quick-tempered? Just come on in! Do you really want to talk about this in

public and let everyone know it?"

Preston turned slightly to one side to invite Jessica in. Jessica then walked into the room without

looking at him.

"Okay, I'll prove it to you now."

Preston took his phone out of his pocket and dialed a number. Soon, someone picked up the phone.

"Hey... Is that Mr. Saunder? You promised to let me meet Miss Jessica, so where is she now? Please

say something!"

Preston raised his eyebrows slightly and looked at Jessica. Jessica's face didn't look very well. Preston

then handed over the phone to Jessica, and then she heard a familiar voice come from the other end of

the phone.

"Miss Jessica..."

Rosa always called Erica Ms. Erica, and she called Jessica Miss Jessica.

Time went by fast. Jessica had already grown into a big girl, yet Rosa still called her Miss Jessica like

she used to.

"Hey, Rosa, it's me. It's Jessica, in the flesh!"

Jessica's eyes welled up with tears. Everything has changed, and so has everyone. However, only

Rosa, who had taken care of her since she was little, remained unchanged to her.

"Miss Jessica, is that... Is that really you? Cough, cough, cough..."

Rosa coughed so violently. It seemed that she might not have much time left.

Jessica knew medical skills well. As soon as she heard the cough, she knew Rosa was totally wrecky

and wouldn't be able to live long. Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.

"Rosa, I..."

Jessica spoke anxiously, and she started to sob.

"Now you know that I didn't lie to you, did I? I think we'll have enough time to catch up."

Preston suddenly grabbed the phone away from Jessica's hand and hung it up.

After that, he lifted his feet and started to step closer to Jessica.

"Don't come closer! We agreed that I'm here today just to make sure if you really have Rosa here. This

isn't about our personal relationship, and we have nothing to catch up with!"

Jessica looked very tense. She had to always be on guard against the man's sudden insult.

"Jessica, I don't think you know what is going on here. You should really change your attitude because

you're in need of something from me. It's you who's in urgent need to see Rosa, not me."

Preston snorted coldly with a disdainful look on his face.

"Preston, you're the one who should know what is going on here! I know you couldn't wait to sleep with

me. That's your urgent need, not mine.'

"Jessica, you're no better than a bag of discarded trash. You don't get to be so condescending!"

"I know you've slept with Juliette, but you still called me in the middle of the night and made this

appointment. You just can't help yourself, right? That's why I get to be so condescending!"

Jessica sneered and talked back.

Preston narrowed his eyes and pursed his thin lips. Part of his face was frozen.

"That's it for today. I'll give you some time to think about it. By the day you're willing to let me see Rosa,

I'll give you the chance to discuss what you want. It is meaningless for us only to make mere verbal

statements here."

Jessica gave Preston a stern look, and then she turned over to leave.

"Jessica, I'm warning you. Don't push me over and over again!"

Preston stepped forward and grabbed Jessica's arm."

"Preston, listen to yourself! Aren't you the one that's always pushing me? Back then, your perjury in

front of everyone made me a target of public criticism, and today you're using Rosa as the leverage to

make me sleep with you. I've been trusting you, and that's your way to pay me back? Is that your way

to pay my mother's trust back? I once called you Brother Preston! Have you no shame?"

Jessica had been mentally prepared before she came. She grabbed over the glass on the table and

poured all the wine on Preston's face.

Suddenly, Preston's mind went blank. He stood frozen.

Jessica stared at him angrily, wishing she'd never known him.

"Don't make yourself so condescending. You've been sleeping around since you're young. I know any

man can have you in his bed easily. Why can't I?"

Preston suddenly pushed Jessica's head done and roared.

"You always say that I'm a wh*re that slept with all kinds of strangers when I was young. When did that

happen?"

Jessica knew that Preston was having a violent mood swing. She didn't want to argue with him.

Instead, she brought this up calmly.

"God will be your judge, Jessica! You really think no one knows the dirty laundry you did? I'll tell you

what! I know everything you've done! When we were young, you always went out alone and didn't

come back until midnight. I was so worried and went out to look for you, thinking that you might be in

danger. I used all my connections and couldn't find your trace, until Juliette came over and told me to

stop looking. She said you were sleeping with another stranger. You just couldn't get yourself off him,

and you were still making out when Juliette took me to the place!"

Preston didn't want to bring this up again, but Jessica seemed to force him to. He had been holding a

grudge for so many years, and finally, he decided to make things clear today, so that Jessica would

make up sophistries again and again.

Jessica finally knew the reason. He always wondered why Preston believed she had hooked up with

strange men when she was young. The actual case was that during that winter, Jessica once went into

the mountains in search of a rare herb, and she happened to save a man on her way.

The man lost consciousness and looked like he was about to die in the wilderness. It was already too

dark to get back home by then, so Jessica had no other choice but to save the man and take him to a

hunter's lodge. They spent the night there.

When Juliette found Preston and said Jessica was hooking up with that man, Preston chose to believe

in Juliette.

"Pfft, ha...hahaha..."

Jessica couldn't help laughing so hard that tears came to her eyes.

"What's so funny?"

Preston couldn't understand.

"You want to know why? I'm afraid You still wouldn't believe me even if I told you the truth! I'm going to

stick to what I told you just now. I'll tell you the truth as long as you let me see Rosa. Stop your

daydreaming now. You'd better take the time and think about it carefully. Don't do stupid things that

can't be undone ever again!"

Jessica spoke coldly as she ditched away Preston's hand. Then she walked out of the room without

looking back.

...

Back at the private estate, Jessica and Amara were chatting. Amara was a very quick-tempered

person. She couldn't stop cursing Preston for what he had done.

"The man must have lost his mind to believe Juliette. How could he believe in Juliette? The woman is a

witch! What kind of person would be so stupid to believe in her words? Now that Preston has bought

Juliette's version of the story, I think he may need to have his brain examined to see if it is going

through something wrong. After all, as retarded as his brain was, he'll still need it to carry on his

life."