As Jessica had anticipated, Holley pressed on moments later. “However, Jessica, you cannot deny that you deliberately poured soup on Kylee’s hand the second time. That was clearly wrong. Don’t you think you should apologize to her?”
Jessica wasn’t surprised. She had known all along that this was the true purpose of Holley’s visit.
Holley’s earlier declaration of belief now felt hollow and meaningless. Disappointment surged within her like a tide.
Offering Holley a faint, almost detached smile, Jessica replied, “If that’s all you came here for, you might as well leave now. I will never apologize to Kylee.”
Holley’s face contorted with worry. “Jessica, please, listen to me for once, will you? Compromise can be a strength, not a weakness. Kylee has an important position in the Wright family. Have you considered how your father or Carola will react to this situation? Think about Carola! Kylee is her beloved daughter. What do you think will happen when she finds out? Do you think we’ll both walk away unscathed?”
Jessica remained silent, though the mention of Carola caused a flicker of hesitation to cross her face.
Carola, still away in Soling, had not yet heard about the incident.
After a moment, Jessica’s gaze turned cold once more. “So what? If they want to confront me, I’m ready for it,” she said, her voice steady.
Jessica had already braced herself for the consequences of her actions. She had known what pouring the soup would cost her, and she had accepted it.
Holley, visibly agitated, raised her voice. “Jessica, you—”
Jessica cut her off sharply. “That’s enough, Mom! I need to get back to work. Please leave.”
Without waiting for a response, she turned and began to walk away.
“Jessica!” Holley called out urgently, her voice trembling. “Think about this—even if you don’t care about the consequences, what about me? How am I supposed to face them? How can I look your father in the eye after this? Do you think he’ll treat me kindly after everything that’s happened?”
Holley’s voice cracked, a sob escaping as emotion overwhelmed her.
Jessica froze mid-step, her body tense. Her face paled momentarily, and she felt an almost suffocating weight bear down on her, as though an invisible force was pulling her into a bottomless abyss.
It had always been like this.
Whenever her actions caused even the slightest ripple in Holley’s life, her mother would resort to emotional manipulation, wielding guilt like a weapon to force compliance.
Jessica had given in countless times before.
But not this time.
Without turning around, she replied firmly, “Mom, don’t worry. Even if Dad leaves you, I won’t. I can take care of you on my own.”
With those words, she resumed walking, refusing to look back.
Holley stood rooted in place, her eyes wide in disbelief. She was stunned by Jessica’s resolute defiance.
This was a side of her daughter she had never seen before—a version of Jessica who was unyielding and unafraid to stand her ground.
For the first time, Holley realized just how much Jessica had changed.
________________________________________
The encounter left a lingering shadow over Jessica’s day.
Though she had stood her ground, she couldn’t shake her concern for Holley. What if Baker and Carola directed their frustrations at her mother because of the incident? The thought gnawed at her, leaving her distracted and unable to focus on her work.
________________________________________
At the Clark Family Estate
Ethan had just returned when Jonathan summoned him to the study.
Seated behind his desk, Jonathan wasted no time. “Baker and Kylee visited this morning,” he said, his tone grave.
Ethan responded with a slight lift of his eyebrow, his expression unreadable.