Jessica remained silent, her gaze steady and unwavering.
Ethan chuckled, his tone laced with sarcasm. “Nothing to add, Jessica?”
Jessica’s lips tightened as she met his probing eyes. Her voice carried a calm yet resolute edge. “There’s no need for you to test me, Ethan. I was unaware of any of this. And regardless of your father’s intentions—whether he’s trying to pair us up or has another motive—it won’t change the final outcome. We will get divorced eventually.”
Ethan studied her for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly as a flicker of intrigue crossed his face. “It’s good that you think that way,” he said smoothly.
His gaze lingered on her for a beat longer, as if attempting to gauge the sincerity of her indifference.
The rest of the meal passed in silence, both of them focused solely on their plates. The air between them was heavy, yet neither felt compelled to speak further.
After finishing, Jessica excused herself and headed to the restroom.
On her way back to the private room, she unexpectedly encountered Ryan and Emily in the corridor.
The sight of Jessica left both Ryan and Emily momentarily startled.
Ryan’s gaze lingered on her, his annoyance barely masking the grudging admiration for her striking appearance. Despite himself, he couldn’t deny that she was captivating. However, the memory of their last unpleasant encounter quickly rekindled his anger.
Jessica acknowledged them with a brief, indifferent glance before walking past them, her demeanor calm and unbothered.
Ryan, however, was far from pleased with her aloofness.
“Ms. Thomas,” Ryan called out, his voice carrying a taunting edge.
Jessica paused, turning to face him with an expression of composed indifference. “Yes, Mr. Adams? Do you need something?”
Ryan’s lips curled into a smug smirk. “I heard you’re joining the Cardiac Surgery Department at Grand Plains General Hospital. Is that true?”
Jessica didn’t reply immediately, her face giving nothing away.
Ryan took her silence as an opportunity to press further. “Interesting, because I spoke to my aunt’s husband—he’s the chief physician of that department—and he said there’s no one by the name Thomas, nor anyone named Belinie, working there. Not as a doctor, not as an intern.”
He crossed his arms, his satisfaction evident in his tone. “So, Ms. Thomas, care to explain?”
Jessica’s brow arched slightly, a flicker of surprise flashing in her eyes before she quickly masked it with a calm smile. She hadn’t anticipated that Ryan’s aunt’s husband held such a significant position at the hospital.
“Really?” she replied, her tone light and unperturbed.
Ryan and Emily exchanged puzzled glances, unable to comprehend Jessica’s lack of reaction.
Emily pressed her lips together, then spoke with exaggerated skepticism. “How can that be? At the Thomas family gathering, Mr. Thomas himself announced that Ms. Thomas was joining the Cardiac Surgery Department. Surely Mr. Thomas wouldn’t lie about such a thing!”
Ryan nodded in agreement, his voice laced with mock concern. “Exactly. So, I decided to dig a little deeper. My aunt’s husband confirmed there’s no one by your name—doctor or intern. The only person with the last name Thomas is… a caregiver.”
Emily gasped dramatically. “A caregiver? That must be a mistake!”
Ryan chuckled coldly. “It’s not a mistake. The records are clear. So, Ms. Thomas, could you enlighten us on your actual role at Grand Plains General Hospital?”
Jessica watched their orchestrated performance with thinly veiled disdain. Her lips curled into a faint, scornful smile as she replied, her voice calm yet cutting, “My employment at Grand Plains General Hospital and my role there—how are these matters any of your concern? Since when have we become so familiar that I owe you an explanation?”
Ryan blinked, caught off guard by her sharp retort. His smug expression faltered, replaced by a stiff frown.
After a brief pause, he recovered, his tone cold and biting. “Ms. Thomas, your defensiveness only highlights your embarrassment over being caught in a lie. Just imagine the scandal if people were to find out that the Thomas family’s goddaughter doesn’t actually hold the prestigious position she claimed. What would that do to your reputation—or theirs?”
His words carried a thinly veiled threat, but Jessica’s expression remained calm, her confidence unshaken.