Act Like You Love Me (Jessica) novel Chapter 158

Chapter 158

Jessica’s POV

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The penthouse was still, the kind of silence that only settles in aer a house has been full of laughter and light.

Adrian was out cold, his new motorized truck parked like a sent at the foot of his bed.

I could still see the faint tracks of the tires on the silk rug in the Ballway, a messy, beautiful reminder of the afternoon.

The three of us sat around the heavy obsidian dining table, picking at the remains of a simple late-night meal.

The playful energy David had brought in with him had settled, placed by the gravity of why he was actually here.

Looking at them, I was struck by how much they resembled two sides of the same coin.

They had the same tilt to their heads, the same way of watching the door even when they were supposed to be relaxed.

They were navigating a world that wanted to own them or break them, and right now, they were the only fortress each other had.

Aaron leaned back, his fingers tracing the rim of his glass.

“So, give it to me straight. How is the company really faring?”

David sighed, his face losing its practiced smirk.

He spent the next twenty minutes detailing the internal affairs of Tyrone Global Sports. He spoke about the board members who were smelling blood and the sponsors who were getting twat hy because their star athlete was on a “sabbatical”

While David always kept us updated through our secure video laks, hearing it in person made the danger feel much more immediate.

“And then there’s the tournament,” David said, his voice turning autious.

“It’s in a week, Aaron. The press is already asking why your name hasn’t been officially pulled from the roster. I was planning on reaching out to your coach tonight to have you formally replaced. We can cite a lingering injury and buy another few

months of silence.”

“There’s no need,” Aaron said firmly.

The room went still. I felt my fork clink against the plate as I stared at him. David’s hand froze halfway to his mouth.

“Aaron-“I started, my voice tight with a sudden spark of fear.

“Come on, guys,” Aaron interrupted, looking from me to David. Do you honestly expect me to put my entire career on a stall? I’m an athlete. My window for this doesn’t stay open forever

“We’re in hiding, Aaron!” I whispered, leaning across the table. “That’s the whole point of Suzhou. That’s why we’re here

“Coming to China was to keep you and Adrian safe,” Aaron countered, his eyes burning with a sudden, fierce intensity

“And you are safe. But I’ve hidden enough. I’m not a coward, and I’m tired of playing like one. If I don’t show up for this tournament, it’s a white flag. It’s telling my grandfather he’s won It’s time to stop running”

David rubbed his temples, looking older than his years.

“It’s not that simple, Ron,” David mumbled, his gaze fixed on his plate with a heavy frown.

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Chapter 158

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The shift in David’s tone was enough to make the temperature in the room drop. Aaron leaned forward, his eyes narrowing

“David?” he called, his voice tight. “Is there something you aren’taying?”

David avoided our gazes, staring at the grain of the obsidian table as if it held an answer he didn’t want to give.

That silence was deafening; it made my heart hammer against ry ribs, a cold knot of dread forming in my stomach.

Finally, he exhaled a long, shaky breath. “A few days back… Grandpa had me over”

He recounted the evening.

“He really wants to know where you are. Everyone is on my neck Aaron. They think I’m the gatekeeper. And Grandpa… he’s not just asking anymore. He made it very clear that my own life is currently on the line. He’s willing to let something bad happen to me–something permanent-just to see if it makes you or Jessica surface. He’s trying to smoke you out by burning me.”

The air in the room seemed to vanish. Aaron’s jaw set so hard I thought I heard his teeth grind.

His fist clenched on the tabletop, the knuckles turning white as his body went rigid with a fury he was barely containing

I felt a chill wash over me, not for our safety, but for David’s. He was standing in the line of fire for a secret he wasn’t even the one keeping.

“We have to be careful,” David continued, looking at me with a rare moment of vulnerability that broke through his usual smug exterior.

“We don’t know exactly what he has planned, but grandpa does make empty threats. Whatever he’s building toward, it’s not something good.”

Aaron’s hand slid across the table, covering mine and squeezing firmly. The heat of his palm was the only thing keeping me grounded.

He didn’t say anything for a long moment, but the look he gave David was a silent vow of protection.

“I’m exhausted,” David finally muttered, breaking the tension as he stood up.

He stretched his arms and let out a yawn so wide it looked like ha jaw might unhinge. Aaron shot him a sharp glare for the lack of decorum, but David just gave a tired wave of his hand.

“I need a good night’s sleep before I have to go back to being a professional liar.”

He turned to head toward the guest suite, but halfway down the hall, he stopped. He turned around, his expression shifting into something hesitant, something he’d clearly been holding back.

“Uhm, Jess… do you know anyone by the names of Annie and Rose?*

I felt my heart skip a beat, then settle into a heavy, dull thud. I froze on the sofa, the breath catching in my throat. I hadn’t heard those names in years-certainly not in this life.

“Annie and Rose?” I repeated, my voice sounding distant to my own ears.

David nodded, his brow furrowed as he watched my reaction. “Yeah. That’s what they said.”

“That’s my step-mother and my step-sister,” I whispered, the words feeling like ash in my mouth.

David stared at me, his eyes widening as the pieces finally clicked together in his head. A small, uneasy stube touched has lips, one that carried a lot of hesitation.

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Chapter 158

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“Right,” he said softly. “Well… they came looking for you at the office a few days back. I have no idea how they got a hint that you were working there, but they showed up, demanding to see ou. I had security turn them away, obviously, but they seemed… persistent.”

I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. I just sat there as David gave us a final sober nod and disappeared into the guest wing

Upstairs in our bedroom, the air was still warm from the shower we’d just shared. The scent of sandalwood soap usually calmed me, but tonight, it felt like it wasn’t enough.

I was mechanically smoothing the sheets on the bed, my mind a thousand miles away, drifting back to a house I’d tried to forget and a life I thought I’d buried under layers of new memores.

Annie and Rose. I never thought I’d hear those names again.

I felt Aaron’s presence behind me before I felt his touch. He stepped close, his hands settling on my waist.

I leaned back into him, my eyes fixed on the pillows I was fluffing for the tenth time.

I was absent-minded, my fingers moving on autopilot while my thoughts were trapped in a past I hated.

“You’re not here,” he murmured, his chin resting on my shoulder

“I just… I thought they were gone, Aaron,” I said, my voice trembling slightly. “Why now? After all these time, why would they show up? What do they want from me?”

“They’re looking for a payday, Jess. People like that always are,” he said, his voice a steady anchor. He turned me around in his arms, forcing me to look at him.

His damp hair was tousled, and his eyes were full of a fierce, protective light.

“But they don’t matter. They can’t reach you here. Nobody can

I looked at him, seeing the strength he was trying to lend me. But I also saw the pressure he was under: the tournament, the grandfather who was threatening David, the career he refused to let go of.

“They were never kind to me, Aaron,” I whispered, the old memories of cold words and locked doors bubbling up.

“If they found David, they’re close to finding us. What if they talk to your grandfather? What if they become another weapon he uses against us?”

Aaron’s hands moved to my face, his thumbs brushing over my cheekbones.

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