Chapter 5
Jessica knew that Ryan was waiting for me.
She was the one asking for us to give her a ride, but she still sat in the passenger seat.
I really wanted to turn on my heels and leave, but reason told me to stay. I reached out my hand and said to Ryan, "Keys."
Ryan remained silent and just placed the keys in my hand.
I walked around the front of the car and sat in the driver's seat. I smiled as I looked at the surprised look on Jessica's face. "No problem at all. You're Ryan's sister, so it's normal for you to ask us to give you a lift."
After saying so, I looked at Ryan, who was still standing next to the car. "Get in. Grandpa is probably already waiting for us."
No one spoke throughout the journey.
It was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.
Jessica wanted to talk to Ryan, but she didn't because she probably felt that it would seem a little awkward if she kept on turning around to talk to Ryan.
Ryan had probably sensed my unhappiness, so he opened a bottled drink and passed it to me. "Mango juice, your favorite."
I took a sip and then frowned a little before passing the drink back. "It's a little too sweet, you can have the rest."
I was into sour food recently. In the past, I would force myself to finish things that I didn't really like because I didn't want to waste any food.
However, that was not something I could do at that time.
"Okay," said Ryan and then took the bottle without question.
"I don't think it's appropriate to give him something that you've already drank, right? There are a lot of germs in the mouth. This is how the Helicobacter Pylori is passed around," Jessica said worriedly.
I couldn't help but smile. "According to what you're saying, the two of us sleeping together at night would be even more dangerous?"
We were all adults, so it was obvious that Jessica knew what I was talking about. "I didn't expect the two of you to still be so intimate after being married for so many years."
"Are you jealous?" Ryan asked coldly.
On occasions like this, Ryan's attitude towards Jessica would make me think that he didn't like the latter.
It seemed to be how the two of them interacted and they were used to it.
"So what if I am?" Jessica retorted.
"No one cares."
"Yeah, yeah." Jessica pouted her lips and a smile appeared on her face. "I wonder who was it that kept me company on his wedding night when he found out that I was hurt..." "Jessica Frost!" Ryan's face changed and his voice turned sharp.
I suddenly came back to my senses and slammed on the brakes. The car stopped just inches away from a zebra crossing.
I looked at Ryan's dark face through the rearview mirror and my heart ached more than ever before.
My heart was instantly filled with grievances.
It was rare for Ryan to panic in front of me. "Charlotte..."
"You were with her that night?"
Only then did I realize how bitter my voice was.
I almost couldn't control the emotions in my heart.
No matter how the two of us got along now, he just left me by myself on our wedding night after a phone call. That was something I couldn't forget.
The marriage between the two of us was arranged by his grandfather, William Frost.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.
During the beginning of our marriage, the two of us acted like strangers for some time, so I didn't get a chance to ask him where he went that night.
The answer was kept a mystery until that day.
However, at that moment, I felt like Jessica grabbed my heart and squeezed it as hard as she could.
I looked between the two of them and felt like I was a joke.
Jessica covered her mouth in a panic and looked at Ryan. "Didn't you tell Charlotte about this? I'm sorry for not thinking things through and being too straightforward."
It was as if she was saying that Ryan and I weren't as close as we thought. Otherwise, why would Ryan keep such a matter a secret?
"Jessica Frost, are you out of your goddamn mind?" Ryan's face was colder than ever.
He had profound facial features, his face was cold and he was emitting a cold aura that sent shivers down one's back. This was one of the reasons why he was able to be in control of the Frost Group at such a young age.
"Alright, alright. I'm sorry. How could I have known that you didn't tell her about this matter!" Jessica quickly apologized. Her voice was innocent, but intimate.
She seemed to know that Ryan couldn't do anything to her.
A familiar ringtone suddenly sounded. "Give it to me."
I reached out and told Ryan to give me my phone back.
I answered the call and then calmed myself down a little. "Grandpa."
"Are you on your way yet, Charlotte?"
I was already planning on getting out of the car and leaving, but my heart softened when I heard William's voice. "We're almost there, Grandpa. It's quite windy today, so you don't need to wait for us in the courtyard."
Everyone said that William was strict, old-fashioned, and acted on his own thoughts, but I felt that if my grandfather was still alive, he would only probably treat me just as well as William.
It was early Autumn, so the time of day was getting shorter.
When the car arrived at the Frost family's residence, it was already dark.
There were lamps around the courtyard to light the path.
I parked the car, took my bag, and got out of the car.
I had asked William to not wait for us in the courtyard, but he did anyway.
I could still hide my emotions on the phone, but William could immediately tell that something was wrong when he saw me.
"Did Ryan bully you again?" William sounded like he was going to give Ryan a beating for me.
"No, not at all." I didn't want William to be worried, so I quickly dragged him back into the house. "It's quite windy outside, I hope you won't get a headache from it."
I was trying to cover for Ryan, but when William saw Ryan and Jessica getting out of the car together, his face still darkened.
Uncle Luke and his family were also present, so William didn't lose his temper.
My father-in-law, John, was very happy to see Ryan. "Ryan, I've heard that Jessica has gone to work at your company, right? You need to take care of her to make up for what you owe Lauren." Due to the fact that we were having a family meal, I pretended to not hear those words and just carried on eating.
Ryan looked at me and then said indifferently, "I know what I'm doing."
"Charlotte, you have to take care of Jessica with Ryan as well," said John as he turned to look at me. He wasn't going to let Jessica suffer any grievances in the company.
I took a sip of my drink and said calmly, "Don't worry. Jessica's now my superior, I probably need her to take care of me."
As soon as I said those words, everyone around the table had different looks on their faces.
"Charlotte, I've already told you that I could give you the director's position at any moment if you're not happy with me being the director." Jessica made herself sound mature and generous.
In comparison, I seemed to be a little immature and overbearing.
William slammed the glass in his hand on the table. It was obvious that he was angry. His voice was sharp as well. "Give? That position belonged to Charlotte in the first place! Don't you know your place? Ryan is paying back what he owed Lauren but do you think you're really worthy of being in the position?"
"Grandpa..."
"Don't call me that. I'm not your grandpa."
I heard from Aunt Chloe that William had never accepted Jessica into the family.
He also opposed John marrying her mother, Lauren, as well.
That was why the Frost family's assets had nothing to do with this father-in-law of mine either. He would only get a million dollars a year to spend and nothing else.
John quickly said, "Dad, Jessica's now alone and has no one to rely on. Why..."
"Shut that mouth of yours!" shouted William.
In the past, I only knew that William disliked Jessica, but this was the first time that he embarrassed Jessica in front of everyone. Jessica's face paled and stood up with her bag nervously. "I shouldn't have come today. I'm sorry for spoiling everyone's mood." With that said, she quickly ran out with tears in her eyes.
John looked at Ryan. "Aren't you going to go after her? She just got divorced, Wouldn't you feel guilty if something happened to her?"
I finally understood why Ryan spoiled Jessica.
If someone reminded me every day that I owed someone, then as time progressed, I would really feel that I owed that person even if I didn't. William wanted to stop Ryan, but the latter had already gone after Jessica.
I looked at his receding figure and sighed helplessly.
As Ryan's wife, I should show that I cared about Ryan even if I didn't want to. "I'll go check on Ryan, Grandpa."
"Okay." William nodded. He then turned to a servant. "It's cold outside, go get a jacket for Charlotte."
I walked out of the house and saw the Maybach was still parked where it was, so I decided to check outside the courtyard.
As soon as I walked out of the courtyard, I heard voices arguing.
"What the hell do you want? Don't tell me you didn't do what you did in the car on purpose!" Ryan asked domineeringly.
I only saw this side of him at work.
Jessica wasn't soft and elegant anymore. She was crying and shouting as she looked at Ryan. "Are you blaming me for telling her what happened that night? But I'm jealous! I can't help it. I envy the two of you!"
"Jessica Frost, she's my wife. What right do you have to be jealous?" Ryan sneered. His voice was cold and heartless.
"I'm sorry..." Jessica was crying so hard that even her shoulders were trembling. "I'm divorced already, Ryan. You know full well that I did it for you."