A chill autumn wind swept over her, soaking her through and raising a shiver of goosebumps along her skin.
Timothy looked down, unclenching his fist.
The necklace was still there, pressed into his palm—he’d only pretended to throw it away.
Her...
Something inside him felt as if it were being torn loose, a sensation that unsettled him to the core. It was a kind of panic he’d never known before. Not even when facing projects worth billions had he ever felt this way. He strode quickly toward Jessica.
She was still crouched on the lawn, hunched over, searching through the damp grass. Her hands were wet and covered in tiny bits of grass.
Timothy grabbed her wrist and hauled her to her feet. The moment she stumbled into his arms, Jessica fainted.
“Jessica!”
His voice was urgent.
“Jessica? Jessy?”
He called her name again, lightly patting her cheek, but she didn’t stir.
He pressed his hand to her forehead—she was burning up.
Without hesitation, he scooped her up and rushed toward his car.
Just then, Henry came running out of the house, panic in his voice. “Dad, Miss Sheila heard the housekeeper say you brought Mom back and rushed downstairs to apologize. She slipped and fell down the stairs—there’s a lot of blood. Please, come quick!”
Only then did Henry notice Jessica in Timothy’s arms—her eyes closed, her clothes drenched, hands dirty. He started to say something out of concern for his mom, but then remembered how embarrassed he’d been at the paper-cutting contest earlier because of her. The words caught in his throat.
He’d felt so sad today, so hurt. Sheila had been the one to comfort him, staying by his side all morning and into the afternoon.
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