Crises in Love (Zora and Jaylan) novel Chapter 90

These past few days, Jaylan had been acting out of character, coming home on the dot, and even bringing Monique home for the weekend. We had a rare family reunion, which left me with mixed feelings. Watching our three children gambol around the house, I daydreamed about how perfect things would be if nothing had changed.

Sometimes, I wish this was all just a nightmare, but I knew, there was no going back.

One more thing that concerned me was Jaylan. I was convinced he had contracted some sexually transmitted diseases.

He had been having unexplained fevers lately, although some over-the-counter fever reducers would do the trick. Despite my lip-born insistent pleas for him to see a doctor, I ended up accommodating his wishes and just let it be.

I used his fevers as an excuse to to prevent Jaylan from getting too close to our children. Monique had always been aloof with me. Despite my attempts to get closer to her, she remained indifferent. And whenever I asked her about the reason, she would retort with a "You're so annoying," or claim that it was her personal business. She seemed to be closer to Zora than to me, which left me feeling helpless and frustrated. But when I suggested a summer trip to Silverdale City, she seemed enthusiastic.

The Rhylee sisters seemed to be getting along well these days, at least on the surface. Ever since Zora discovered me rummaging through the car in the middle of the night, I sensed that Jaylan still had his suspicions about me. He continued to test me, leaving his two phones within my sight, but I pretended not to see them, completely ignoring them. Jaylan even asked me to hand him his phone, and I did so without hesitation.

Things resumed their usual course after Monique returned to school. Then, Jaylan called to say he was going on a business trip to Amethyst Acres. I knew very well that he was probably going to see Marissa. I was secretly thrilled at this, thinking it was about time he got closer to Marissa. I nagged him like a devoted wife, reminding him to be safe, avoid too much alcohol, get plenty of rest, and not stay up late, given that his cold hadn't completely cleared up.

My delight was palpable. After all, the big surprise I had prepared for Marissa had finally been delivered.

I called Logan to verify, and sure enough, the people tailing Jaylan reported that he had gone to Marissa's neighborhood. And then I had him relay the message to Maddox in a secret way.

That evening, while I was picking up Probert, Marissa took the initiative to greet me. She looked radiant and full of energy, like a vibrant flower nourished by fertilizer.

It was a show-off move. I played along and asked, "You look so well today. What's the secret?"