Act Like You Love Me (Jessica) novel Chapter 190

Chapter 190

Daphne’s POV

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The fluorescent lights of the office felt like tiny needles pressing against my retinas.

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Every time I blinked, my eyelids felt heavy, coated in a layer of grit that no amount of cold water could wash

away.

I had spent the entire night in a state of restless suspension, drifting into shallow pockets of sleep only to jerk awake every twenty minutes.

My hand kept reaching for my phone, the screen illuminating the dark, empty expanse of the bedroom. No new messages. I’d sent three texts to Lois, each one more pathetic than the last.

‘Did you land?’ ‘Are you okay?’ ‘Did you make it to the hospital?’

By 4:00 AM, I was staring at the ceiling, wondering how a one-bedroom apartment could feel like an abandoned cathedral.

Coming into work wasn’t an option; it was a necessity, though my temper was fraying at the edges. I was currently filling in for Teddy, David’s personal assistant, after he’d been sidelined by a car accident.

Being David’s temporary shadow meant there was no room for error, no space for the exhaustion that was currently pulling at the corners of my vision.

I stood in the breakroom, the aroma of roasting beans doing nothing to clear the fog in my head.

I prepared David’s coffee exactly how Teddy had instructed-black, no sugar, hot enough to scald.

I walked toward his private office, my movements feeling sluggish, like I was navigating through knee-deep

snow.

As I neared his door, and pushed it open, a wave of dizziness washed over me. The world tilted on its axis.

My eyes rolled back, my knees buckling as the grip on the ceramic mug loosened.

The coffee splashed out, a dark stain hitting the carpet,

I braced for the impact of the floor, my breath hitching in anticipation of the pain. Instead, a pair of strong, steady arms wound around my waist, hauling me upward.

“Daphne!”

David’s voice was a command, sharp and laced with a rare streak of genuine alarm.

I gasped, my eyes snapping open to find myself pressed against his chest. The scent of his expensive cologne filled my senses.

For a second, I just leaned into him, my strength failing me. I could feel the solid thud of his heart against my

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Chapter 190

palm.

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Reality flooded back in a rush of heat to my cheeks. I scrambled back, pushing off his arms and stumbling a few feet away to create a respectable distance.

I couldn’t bring myself to look at him. My gaze remained fixed on the coffee puddle between us.

“I’m sorry, sir,” I whispered, my voice thick with embarrassment. “I… I’m so sorry. I’ll clean this up immediately.”

I could feel his gaze burning into the top of my head. He didn’t move. He didn’t tell me it was fine.

“What is wrong with you?” he asked. It wasn’t an accusation; it was a demand for the truth.

“Nothing,” I said, shaking my head too quickly. “I was just being clumsy. A slip. I’ll go get you another coffee, sir. I’m sorry.”

I turned to retreat, desperate to escape the intensity of his presence, but I didn’t get far.

His hand shot out, wrapping firmly around my wrist.

With a sudden, controlled force, he turned me back around. The momentum sent me stumbling into him again, my palm flat against the center of his chest.

I looked up, trapped by his piercing blue eyes. They were cold, yet searching, stripping away the excuses I was trying to build.

He didn’t let go of my wrist. Instead, he raised his other hand, his fingers grazing my temple as he tucked a stray lock of hair behind my ear.

“Your eyes are dull, Daphne,” he murmured, his thumb tracing the dark circles I knew were prominent under my lower lashes.

“Your skin is pale. You look like you’ve been through a war. You had a rough night.”

“I’m fine,” I tried to protest, but the lie died the moment he glared at me. It was a look that brooked no deception, a silent warning that he could see right through the facade.

“Tell me,” he ordered.

I felt a shaky breath escape my lips. The wall I’d built up over the last twenty-four hours started to crumble.

I blinked rapidly, trying to stave off the tears that suddenly threatened to spill.

David stepped closer, closing the final inch of space between us until I was forced to lean my head back to maintain eye contact.

He cupped my cheek, his palm warm and unexpectedly gentle.

“What happened?”

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Chapter 190

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“Lois left,” I whispered, the words breaking as they left my throat. “She had to go back to Brazil. Her brother is critical. I’m… I’m alone in that apartment for the first time. And with Kyle…”

David’s entire demeanor shifted. His thumb stopped moving against my cheek.

“Did you run into Kyle again?”

His voice was lethal. It wasn’t a question so much as a confirmation of a crime. I wanted to deny it, to tell him it was nothing, but the expression in his eyes warned me that a lie would only make things worse.

“Yesterday,” I admitted, my voice barely audible. “At the grocery store.”

I watched his jaw tense, the muscles clenching so tight I thought his teeth might crack. The protective aura he radiated was almost stifling. He let go of my cheek, but he didn’t move away.

“You’ll be moving in with me,” he stated.

My eyes widened, rounding like saucers.

“What? No, I can’t-”

“Don’t bother arguing with me, Daphne,” David interrupted, his tone turning to granite. He stepped back, reclaiming his professional distance, but the fire in his eyes remained.

“You are moving in. You’re staying with me until Kyle is handled or your friend returns, and from the sounds of it, she won’t be back for a while. I am not leaving you in that apartment as a sitting duck for a man who doesn’t understand the word ‘no”.”

He walked back to his desk and sat down, opening his laptop as if he hadn’t just upended my entire life.

“Go home. Pack your bags. My driver will pick you up this evening.”

I stood there, paralyzed, staring at him in a daze. I waited for the punchline, for him to look up and tell me it was a joke, but he was already typing, his focus entirely on his work. I was dismissed.

The rest of the afternoon passed in a haze of spreadsheets and filing.

My mind was a mess of conflicting emotions-excitement, terror, and a strange, buzzing anticipation that I didn’t want to examine too closely.

As the sun began to dip below the skyline, casting long, amber shadows across the office, my phone finally buzzed.

I grabbed it so fast I nearly dropped it.

Lois: ‘I’m sorry for not calling earlier, Daph. It’s just I was caught up with a lot of things. I’m at the hospital now. It’s been a lot, but I’m okay. How are you doing?’

A massive sigh of relief escaped me. I sank into my chair, a smile finally tugging at my lips.

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Chapter 190

Me: ‘I was so worried! Thank god you’re safe. Have you seen Gabriel? How are they doing?’

The reply came seconds later.

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Lois: ‘The doctors are doing what they can. My mom is holding up. Everyone will be fine, I have to believe that.’

I knew her. I could read the forced positivity between the lines. She was trying to be the strong one, even as her world was falling apart. It made my heart ache for her.

Me: ‘I’ll always be here for you, Lo. Whatever you need.’

Lois: Thank you, Daph. I love you.

Me: I love you too.

I locked the screen and stared at the dark glass. Closing time had come and gone, but David was still in his office.

I looked at the heavy oak door, imagining what it would be like to live with him, to live in his world. It was a staggering thought.

I gathered my things and slipped out, heading for the elevator. The walk home was a gauntlet of nerves. Every shadow seemed to stretch toward me; every footstep behind me sounded like Kyle’s heavy tread.

I kept my thumb hovering over the emergency dial on my phone, my heart racing until I reached the familiar, creaky entrance to my building.

Inside, I bolted the door and leaned against it, listening. Everywhere was silent.

I walked through the apartment, checking the closets, the bathroom, even under the bed. Once I was sure I was alone, I went to the kitchen for a glass of water.

My eyes landed on the groceries from the day before-the bag was still sitting there, the fruit beginning to soften.

I missed Lois so intensely it felt like a physical ache. If she were here, the air would smell like garlic and onions. She’d be humming some Brazilian pop song, recounting some ridiculous thing that happened at the market.

“It’s too quiet,” I whispered to the empty room.

I went into the bedroom, intending to just lie down for a moment, when my phone beeped again.

Sexy boss on steroids: ‘Are you packed? My driver is five minutes out.’

I stared at the text in awe. He was serious. He was actually doing this. Part of me wanted to tell him to forget it, but the memory of Kyle’s hand on my arm yesterday made me move,

I moved robotically, pulling my suitcase from the top of the closet. I started throwing things inside with no real plan.

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Chapter 190

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Most of my wardrobe was a collection of oversized sweaters and baggy jeans-my “comfort clothes.” I only had a few pieces of corporate wear, items Lois had dragged me out to buy when I first landed the job at Tyrone Global.

‘You have to look the part, Daph,’ she’d said, holding up a sleek charcoal blazer. “The world treats you the way you dress.’

I packed the blazer, a few blouses, and then filled the rest of the space with my softest hoodies. I felt like a fugitive, packing my life into a box while the walls of my apartment watched me in silent judgment.

I was just zipping the suitcase shut when a loud, firm knock sounded at the door.

My heart jumped into my throat. I looked at the door, then back at my phone. It had to be the driver. Or at least, I prayed it was.

Taking a deep breath, I gripped the handle of my suitcase and headed for the door.

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