Act Like You Love Me (Jessica) novel Chapter 74

Chapter 74

Chapter 74

Jessica’s POV

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After lunch, I stayed buried in my office. I was so immersed in analyzing Aaron’s schedule and the firm’s digital footprint that the world outside ceased to exist.

My phone rang, jolting me. Aunt Lydia’s name flashed on the screen. I yawned before picking up. “Hey, Aunt.”

“Jess? Where are you?”

“I’m at work, why? Is everything okay?” I asked, my heart skipping a beat in fear for Adrian.

“Everything is fine. I was just concerned. It’s past 8:00 and you aren’t back yet.”

My eyes widened. I scrambled to the window and pulled the blinds.

The city stretched out like an ocean of glittering lights, drowning under a pitch-black sky.

“Auntie, I’m so sorry. I lost track of time. I’m leaving right now.”

“Be safe, honey. I’ll have a plate waiting.”

I hurriedly saved my files and shut down the computer.

Grabbing my bag, I held my heels in hand; my feet were too exhausted for them. I stepped out, locking the door behind me.

The hallway was cold and silent, no sign of life-just the faint hum of AC and emergency lights casting long shadows.

How did I lose track of time so completely?

The building felt different now-the energy had drained out of it, leaving behind an eerie silence.

Every footstep I took seemed to echo twice as loud against the walls. It felt like a ghost town, and for a second. I had that creeping, irrational thought that I was the only person left in the world.

As I walked toward the elevators, I suddenly felt a presence, like eyes on my back. I ignored it at first, chalking it up to paranoia.

But then, a shadow hovered at the corner ahead, elongated and unmoving.

I stopped dead. My heart started thudding against my ribs as I pressed my back into the cold drywall.

I reached into my bag, my pulse jumping in my fingertips until they finally closed around the cold metal of the penknife 1 kept tucked in the lining

I crept forward, my breath coming in shallow, jagged sips.

The shadow at the end of the hall didn’t move. They weren’t just passing through; they were standing perfectly still, waiting.

I finally reached the corner, my pulse thudding in my ears so loudly I was sure they could hear it.

Neither of us moved. It was a standoff in the dark.

Realizing the person on the other side was doing the same-waiting, coiled, ready to strike. I decided to take the lead before I lost my nerve.

I squeezed the handle of the knife as I took a deep breath. I said a silent prayer, and rounded the corner with my hand

14:16 Mon, Jan 12

Chapter 74

raised, ready to drive the small blade forward.

The person lunged at the same time.

I gasped, stopping my hand just inches from a broad chest as I came face-to-face with a pair of wide, startled brown eyes.

“Aaron?” I breathed, my voice trembling as the penknife dangled uselessly in my hand.

“Jessica?”

I could see the tension physically drain from his frame. His shoulders dropped an inch, but then his brows furrowed.

“What are you doing here at this hour?” he asked.

I felt a sudden, hot flush of embarrassment creep up my neck, and I had no idea why I reacted that way.

It was like no matter how many times I reminded myself that he’d hurt me-shattered me-that my body and some deep, traitorous part of my soul were still attuned to Aaron Tyrone.

The way my heart skipped, the familiar pull… it was infuriating.

The moment took me back to high school-that dizzying, stomach-flipping rush whenever he’d catch me in the halls.

His voice always seemed to cut through the noise of the crowd, making it feel like I was the only person he was actually talking to.

I thought about those nights in New Orleans, too. He’d stand out on the sidewalk, shouting up at my window until I finally cracked it open.

He’d be standing there with a stupid grin and a candy bar, offering it up as an apology for whatever he’d done that day.

That was toward the end of his stay in high school, when the bullying had finally bled into teasing-the kind that was actually bearable, even sweet.

He was two years

der, always bigger and louder than life, and I’d fallen for him before I even knew what was happening.

I bit my bottom lip and pushed a stray lock of hair behind my ear. “I had tons of work to get done,” I whispered.

He didn’t respond immediately. He just stood there, his long, heavy gaze pinning me to the spot.

Part of me the foolish, romantic part-thought he was going to demand an explanation.

I expected him to grab my shoulders and ask where the hell I’d been for six years, how I’d survived, or if I’d spent every night missing him as much as I’d missed him.

I had my own questions loaded and ready to fire back. Why Fiona? Why her, of all people, especially after having sex with me that morning? But the words got caught in my throat.

I wanted a confession, an apology, a sign that I still mattered. Instead, the air between us turned thick and heavy, making it hard to even draw a breath.

“…Are you paying attention to me, Miss Reid?”

Miss Reid. The formality sliced through me, breaking my heart a little more, but I swallowed the ache.

“Uhm… I’m sorry, sir. What did you say?”

He narrowed his eyes.

Chapter 74

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“Miss Reid, if David employed you, I assume he found you competent and attentive. Those are the traits I expect from you.”

He spoke so calmly, yet with an authority that made the hairs on my arms stand up, a shiver racing down my spine.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, looking away from those chocolate irises that used to melt me-still does.

“Good. Now, I’d ask my question again. How do you plan on getting home?”

“I’ll take the train or a taxi,” I mumbled, suddenly embarrassed. In his mind, he was probably judging me, wondering what I’d been doing these past six years that I couldn’t even afford a car.

Before I could start babbling an explanation about my finances, he cut me off.

“Alright. I’ll drop you off.”

My eyes went wide, and I started shaking my head before he could even finish the sentence.

“Oh, no-you don’t have to do that, sir. I can manage-”

He took a step toward me, and I moved without thinking, my feet clicking back until I hit the wall.

He was right there, looming over me, and suddenly I was breathing in his cologne.

“I wasn’t asking you, darling,” he said, his voice low and firm. “Now let’s go.”

He pulled back, turning on his heel and leading the way down the hall.

I stood there frozen for a beat, my pulse thundering, before hurrying after him, my bare feet silent on the carpet.

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