Chapter 117: Chapter 117

The atmosphere in the house was a tense one. For the first time since Jessica came to the house, they were all eating together at the dining table downstairs. Carol attacked the food on her plate gamely, although everything in her was pushing her to throw up the contents of her stomach. It had been two months, yet she still had not informed Sebastian about the pregnancy, although she had no doubt that she would inform him about it before their marriage ended in less than two months. Jessica kept up a steady stream of chatter, but she was only talking to Sebastian, who kept answering in monotones. The fact that she was only talking to Sebastian was fine by Carol, who was not in the mood to converse, anyway. It seemed that she was not in the mood for a lot of things nowadays.

"So, I was thinking. You are both getting a divorce ending of next month, not so?" Jessica asked Sebastian, who focused on his food and mumbled something in reply. Carol's heart began to beat faster as she wondered what this girl had up her sleeves now.

"You don't want to answer my question? Hmm. I wonder why that is." Jessica quipped, looking from Sebastian to Jessica.

"You know that's when our marriage contract ends, so why are you asking again? Or you just want to create unnecessary drama?" Sebastian asked, attacking his plate with more force than was necessary.

"No, actually. I know your dear wife here thinks the worst of me, but I'm actually trying to be nice this time around."

"I'm right here, you know." Carol cut in.

"Yeah, I know. So as I was saying, Sebastian. I think you should give her the house in Manhattan, or the one in New York, or buy her a house wherever she wants as a parting gift." Jessica declared and smiled winningly at Carol. "See, I told you that I was trying to be nice." She finished.

"What does it matter to you?" Carol asked.

"My, my. Is that the thanks I get? I was just thinking that it would not be proper for you to have been married to a billionaire for the length of time that you have and then begin to pay rent once you're divorced. It gives off a 'grace to grass' kind of vibe, you know."

"Thanks for your concern, but I'm good. I'll find my own way after the divorce is finalized." Carol retorted sharply, knowing exactly why Jessica was suggesting such a thing. It was because she wanted carol to be as far away from Sebastian as possible. Carol wondered if Jessica would continue to live here after she was gone. She soon found out that she was right when Jessica cornered her in the garden the next day and all but spat at her.

"Don't go flattering yourself by thinking that I like you or something. The only reason I'm suggesting what I'm suggesting is that I want you to be as far away from me and Sebastian as possible. I will not have you staying here and confusing him."

"Why, Jessica dear? Are you feeling threatened? Is that it?"

"Threatened? By you? You wish." Jessica spat, but the words lacked conviction.

"Anyway, never mind. I would not consider your liking me as flattering. It's going to actually be scary, and you might want to be nicer to me, because I'm feeling very petty right now, and may just end up buying a house close by with the money Sebastian has given me during the course of our marriage. That way, I'll be a very friendly neighbor, who, who knows, might be having an affair with the hot billionaire from down the street." Carol said, feeling very pleased with herself when Jessica's cheeks got red with anger and she flounced away. However, deep within Carol, she knew that she did not like the pang that her heart made whenever she thought of the impending divorce.

***

Sebastian finished up his work in the office, stretching contentedly. He did not have to work and could spend the rest of his life lying on a yacht somewhere, sipping exotic drinks without a care in the world, if he wanted, but he found that he loved working and could not even think about being idle. However, if he was being truthful to himself, he knew that it wasn't his love for work that was keeping him here till this time. It was the fact that he had to go home and face Jessica and her constant troubles.

He did not know if it was the ordeal of the past months that had changed her, but he knew that she had changed, a great deal, and he did not like the change one bit. Where she was chatty before, she was now very talkative and downright condescending, and he did not like the way she acted with Carol. He had talked to her several times about it, but he had yet to see a change in her behavior and he doubted that he would. Worst of all was the fact that she got in the way of his communication ... and sex life with Carol.

Before she had come, he and Carol had shared a sort of camaraderie that he yearned for all the time. He loved to be with her and had found himself even leaving work early just so that he could go sit with her, listen to her melodious laughter, and revel in her enchanting smile. However, all that had been before Jessica had come to the house. Now, Carol locked herself away and he rarely saw her, except he went to her room, and even on such occasions, she appeared drawn, plus Jessica rarely ever let them spend any time together.

In fact, he had suggested to Carol that she move into his room, after all, they were married, and had had sex several times, except that again, Jessica did not let that last either. Once she found out that Carol now spent the nights with Sebastian, she once again inserted herself into the situation, and would barge into the room anytime she liked, even barging in on them one time when they were having sex.

She had not shown any remorse, either, but had curled her lips in disgust and had proceeded to sit on the bed to begin a random conversation, not minding that they were both naked. If not that Carol had been horrified and embarrassed, Sebastian would have ignored Jessica and continued what he was doing until she became embarrassed and left, but he could not do that to Carol. The result of that incident was that Carol had stopped coming to his room, preferring to hide out in hers and it was only when he sought her out that he saw her.

At the beginning of all this, he had never realized that there would come a day when he would be able to admit that he missed her sorely, but now, he could admit it, and it wasn't just the sex, but everything about her. All of a sudden, he knew that he couldn't ... wouldn't let her go, no matter what. How could he not have realized that he was in love with her all this while? And yeah, he knew now that it was love. He was in love with Carol, who luckily was his wife. The thought of her leaving caused a very wide chasm to open up in his heart. He couldn't fathom never having to see that pretty face or that smile again. Suddenly, he knew what he had to do. Jessica had to go. He had had enough of her impudence and rudeness towards his wife, and he would not take any of it again. He would buy her two or three houses if that was what it took to get her away from their lives. Then he would beg Carol to stay with him as his world was not complete without her.

He urged his driver to drive faster, so he could get home on time. Now that he had decided on what to do, he found that he couldn't wait for it all to be over. The house was mostly silent when he got there, but he could faintly hear Carol and Jessica quarreling. Their voices were coming from somewhere in the garden. Sebastian hurried in that direction, totally fed up with the situation. Enough of this rubbish. First thing tomorrow, Jessica was leaving this house. He had tried for her enough as it was.

"Get your hands off me!" He heard Carol yell, and then there was a sort of thud, a sickening sound, and then a silence that was horrifying in all its ramifications.

"Oh, my God!" He heard Carol breathe in terror and rounded the corner to find Jessica lying on the floor beside one of the huge stones that decorated the pathway in the garden, totally motionless.