Without sparing Ethan another glance, she walked away, her steps purposeful.
________________________________________
At the entrance to the Wright family estate, Jessica keyed in the security code at the front gate.
“Incorrect password,” the automated system announced.
Frowning, Jessica tried again, only to receive the same response.
A dry, mocking laugh escaped her lips. Rather than knock, she made her way to the back of the house.
Five minutes later, she returned, a hefty sledgehammer in hand.
With a powerful swing, she shattered the door lock, the loud crash echoing across the property.
The alarm blared, piercing through the estate.
The commotion brought the butler rushing to the scene, his expression alarmed and flustered. He stopped short at the sight of Jessica.
“This is outrageous!” he sputtered. “Do you know whose house this is? How dare you try to break in like this!”
Ignoring him entirely, Jessica tossed the sledgehammer aside and strode into the house.
________________________________________
Inside, Baker Wright stormed toward the door, his expression furious. “What’s all this noise?”
He froze when his eyes landed on Jessica. Shock registered across his face.
Behind him, the butler hurried in, pointing a trembling finger at Jessica. “Mr. Wright! She broke through the door with a hammer!”
Another voice, belonging to a middle-aged woman, called out from deeper within the house. “Baker, what’s going on? What was that sound?” Moments later, the woman appeared, her eyes widening at the sight of Jessica.
“Jessica? Is that really you?” she gasped, her hand flying to her mouth.
The butler’s disbelief deepened. He stared at Jessica, unable to reconcile the poised, elegant woman before him with the overweight, unassuming girl he remembered.
Baker finally recovered from his shock, his voice sharp. “Jessica! Have you lost your mind? You can’t just barge in here and destroy the house!”
Jessica responded with a calm smile. “I tried using the password, but it kept rejecting me. This is my home, so I couldn’t have forgotten it. I assumed the lock must be malfunctioning and thought a firm strike might fix the issue.”
Her deliberate words made Baker’s face stiffen.
He had intentionally changed the password, intending to send a clear message that Jessica was no longer welcome after her departure three years ago.
The thought of her breaking in with a sledgehammer only fueled his irritation.
“Jessica!” he snapped, his voice trembling with anger. “Kneel and apologize right now!”