Chapter 114: Chapter 114

There was silence in the car for a minute or two as Carol contemplated what Sebastian had just said, not liking it one bit.

"You want Jessica to come live with us?" She asked him incredulously, at last, her tone rigid.

"That's not what I said. She's the one who asked me, so I said I was going to have to inform you first ... which is why I'm asking you now."

"Have you seen how that woman glares at me each time I walk into a room she's in? She stares at me like she wants to kill me. How do you expect us to live in the same house?"

"I told you before that she's a nice person once you get to know her. She's just cranky because she's been confined to a hospital bed all this while."

"Is that so? How come she's never cranky with you then? Why is she only always cranky with me? Look, I know when someone, especially a woman, doesn't like me, and I'll bet my bottom dollar that Jessica doesn't, not even in the slightest."

"Carol, please. She has nowhere else to go. The house is huge enough that you will not need to bump into each other more than it's necessary." Sebastian pleaded, sighing softly. Carol almost felt sorry for him, but she knew that she didn't want to live with Jessica.

"Something tells me that you've already made up your mind and that she's coming to live with us anyway, regardless of what I say. Anyway, it's your house and you can do whatever you want with it, or invite anyone you want to come live in it. After all, I'm only going to be there for what? Less than four months ... so yeah, I don't see why you're asking my opinion." She said, at last, looking out the window angrily, although really, there was no reason why she should be so angry, except that she was jealous of Jessica and knew that Jessica would waste no time trying to get Sebastian back. Also, she had added that last part, the part about her having less than four months to spend in his house because she wanted to see if Sebastian would say anything concerning it ... maybe protest and say she wasn't going anywhere, but he didn't.

"Carol, please. Don't be like that. I didn't make up my mind on anything, but yeah, I don't have a choice in the matter. She and I own the house jointly, so she sort of has a right to be there. Also, I offered to give her the house in Manhattan, which is just as big as this one, but she outrightly rejected it and said she wanted to stay in Napa, with the excuse that she wanted to stay close to my aunt. My hands are tied on this one, Carol." He finished.

"Wait, you own this house together?" Carol asked in surprise. They must have been far closer than she had even imagined, then.

"Yeah. I put her name on the papers when we thought we were going to get married. So, she is adamant about staying there." Sebastian said, not referring to the fact that Carol had mentioned leaving again and not willing to dwell on the pang in his heart when he thought about her leaving. He had become so used to having her around and would have sworn that she had come to love living with him and was not even thinking about the end of their marriage, but apparently, he was wrong. Anyway, he couldn't very well stop her if she wanted to leave.

"Fine. Let her come. But warn her to steer clear from me if she has any plans of carrying on the way she has. I would not condone any nonsense from her, whether it's partially her house or not. As long as I'm married to you, I have every right to be there too, so she had better behave herself." Carol said, still not liking the fact that Jessica was coming one bit, but knowing that there was nothing she could do about it.

"Thank you," Sebastian said, sounding relieved. He still did not say anything about the end of the marriage and since she was too chicken to bring it up, she looked out the window for the rest of the way, enjoying the coolness of the breeze on her face and skin and wondering what the future held for her.

***

Jessica arrived at the house in the evening two days later, while Carol was out volunteering at a shelter where she volunteered on Friday evenings. Since she had more money than she needed, for now, she realized that she was content with painting and volunteering at homeless shelters and animal shelters. Doing it made her happy, and she was beginning to get used to the bodyguard who was always stationed somewhere not too far away from her to be too late in case of danger, but far away enough to make her not feel too watched all the time.

When she got back home, Jessica was sitting in the spacious living room, with only a singlet and panties on. Carol entered the room and stared at her, mouth agape. Jessica had put on some weight during her stay in the hospital, but it actually made her look even more beautiful, considering that she was really skinny when she just got to the hospital. She stared right back at Carol, raising one carefully arched eyebrow, and said mockingly.

"Why are you staring at me like that? Like what you see? Or are you surprised to see me here? In case Sebastian failed to inform you, I have every right to be in this house and even toss you out if I wish. The only reason I'm not doing that is that it would upset Sebastian and I don't want him to be upset, considering the fact that he has done so much for me in the past few days. Anyway, you're only going to be here for a month, not so?"

"More than three months," Carol replied tersely.

"Whatever. Same difference. What I'm trying to say is that if you think I'm just going to roll over, play dead, and let you have my Sebastian, you have another thing coming. In case you don't know, I know very well why he married you in the first place, even though you're nothing like his type. It was to find me, and now that I've been found, you should take your leave, after all, he has compensated you very well."

"I don't know why you always delight in fighting yourself, because as far as I'm concerned, you're only fighting yourself and not me. So, let me sound this as a note of warning to you. If you think that I'm going to sit around and let you use me as a punching bag because you're frustrated, then you're going to be in for an unpleasant surprise. You don't like me, I get, and frankly, the feeling is reciprocal, so steer clear from me and I will do the same with you. Got it?" Carol asked, and without allowing Jessica to reply, she turned and went upstairs to her room, feeling much better, but her relief did not last for long. She had just finished having a much-needed bath when there was a sharp knock, or rather, pounding on her door and before she could ask whoever it was to come in, Jessica burst into her room. Carol, who was feeling quite frustrated and frightened, especially because she had still not seen her period and by her calculations, was four days late, was not in the mood to deal with Jessica and her shit.

"I didn't ask you to come in." She pointed out in a crisp tone, feeling a headache coming on already.

"I don't need your permission. This is my house, but more importantly, this is my room too and I will not let you take it away from me the same way you keep taking everything from me. I want you out of it right this minute." Jessica declared, her tone brooking no argument.