Act Like You Love Me (Jessica) novel Chapter 84

Chapter 84

Jessica’s POV

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“My friend Oliver back in Philly… he said his dad abandoned him before he was born. And Elsie said the same thing. So I figured that’s what happened to us, too.”

I took a deep, shuddering breath. I couldn’t explain the labyrinth of lies, the grandfather’s threats, or the image of the red-head ex on the boat.

I couldn’t tell him his father didn’t even know he existed. I had to find a bridge he could cross.

“Your father never abandoned you,” I said firmly, grabbing his small hands.

His eyes widened, a flicker of hope igniting in the dark brown depths.

“He didn’t leave because he didn’t want you. There were… complicated things that happened. Grown-up things. But you were never a mistake, and you were never unwanted.”

“Really?” he whispered.

“Really. And I promise you, one day… you’ll meet him. And when you do, you’ll love each other so much the whole world will feel it.”

Adrian let out a sob of pure relief and threw his arms around my neck, hugging me so tight I could barely breathe.

I cried quietly into his shoulder, feeling like a liar and a saint all at once.

When he pulled back, he reached up with his tiny thumb and wiped a stray tear from my cheek.

“Don’t cry, Momma. I’ll be the man of the house while you’re in Spain.”

I laughed and kissed his forehead, my heart feeling like an open wound. Just then, my phone buzzed on the

coffee table.

‘The driver is downstairs. Be ready in five.”

-Aaron.-

No “please.” No “hello.” Just a command.

I stood up, smoothed my clothes, and grabbed my suitcase.

Aunt Lydia escorted me to the door, her hand lingering on my shoulder as I stepped into the hallway.

“You did the right thing, telling him that,” she whispered. “Now you just need to resolve the rest. For Adrian’s sake, Jess. He deserves to have both of you.”

I let out a shaky sigh.

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Chapter 84

ชล

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“He’s engaged, Auntie. He’s about to be married to a woman who looked at me like I was a piece of trash she needed to sweep out of his life. To her, I’m just an obstacle. If Lauren hates me that much, how is she going to feel about my son?”

“I believe everything will be fine,” she said, her voice dropping the facade of cheerfulness for a moment.

She squeezed my shoulder.

“You can’t keep him in a bubble forever, Jess. And you can’t keep running from a man who is clearly still looking for you. Go to Spain. Figure out where you stand, so you can finally stop looking over your shoulder.”

I solemnly nodded.

“Please take care of him.” I whispered, glancing back at the hallway where Adrian was likely still clutching his new promise.

“You know I will. Always,” she promised.

I hugged her one last time, a lingering, desperate cling, and then I forced myself to walk out the door.

I walked down to the curb where a sleek black town car was idling.

The driver, a man in a crisp suit, stepped out immediately to take my suitcase and hold the door.

“Thank you,” I murmured, sliding into the leather interior.

As the car pulled away, my phone chimed. It was a message from Ella, my neighbor from three doors down.

Ella: Excuse my nosiness! I saw you leaving with a suitcase. Are you moving out already? Don’t leave us!

I smiled despite myself and typed back a laughing emoji. No, just a business trip!

Ella: Exciting! Second question: Would you mind if I spent some time with Adrian while you’re gone? My husband and I adore him, he’s such a bundle of joy.

I stared at the screen, my thumbs hovering over the glass. Every protective instinct I had screamed to be cautious.

We’d gotten to know Ella and her husband over the last few weeks, and they had been nothing but kind— sharing baked goods, watching Adrian for twenty minutes while I ran to the corner store.

They hadn’t given me a single reason to doubt them. But I was a mother who had lived in survival mode for six years.

Leaving my son with anyone who wasn’t family felt like a betrayal of his safety.

“Yes, absolutely, I typed, my pulse thudding. But please, no processed sugar, and he only gets two hours of screen time for the whole day. He’ll try to negotiate, don’t let him.

Ella: Got it!

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Chapter 84

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Me: Actually, Ella… can I ask a huge favor? Could you take my aunt to her specialist appointment tomorrow? I hate that she’s going alone.

Ella: Consider it done. We’ll make a girls’ day of it. Don’t worry about a thing!

I leaned back against the seat, feeling a tiny bit of the weight lift. At least they were safe. At least they were cared for.

The drive to the private terminal took twenty-three minutes. When we arrived, the driver led me straight toward a private hangar where a gleaming Gulfstream jet sat waiting.

And there he was.

Aaron was standing near the boarding stairs, looking casually devastating in a black cashmere sweater and

dark trousers.

He was wearing a black face mask that covered the lower half of his face, likely trying to avoid the paparazzi and his obsessed fan that followed him like sharks. But it was useless.

I could spot him from a mile away: the way he stood with that effortless authority, the flash of the tattoo on his forearm as he checked his watch, the distinct, rhythmic stride as he turned toward the car.

Or maybe I was just the obsessed freak who had memorized every detail of his existence.

He watched me get out of the car, his eyes hooded and unreadable. As I approached, the air seemed to thin.

“You’re late,” he said, his voice muffled by the mask but still carrying that sharp, commanding edge.

“The traffic was heavy,” I lied, my voice steady.

He didn’t respond. He just raked his eyes over me, lingering on my face long enough to notice the slight puffiness of my eyes from the morning’s tears.

He reached out, his fingers ghosting near my arm as if he wanted to pull me closer, but then he checked himself, his hand dropping back to his side.

“Let’s go,” he muttered, turning toward the plane.

I followed him up the stairs, my heart pounding. I was stepping into his world now, thousands of feet above the ground, with no escape.

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