Chapter 7

Jenson continued, "You told everyone at the reunion that we were just friends. You didn't react when Emily kissed me. You even told me to take care of her… Estie, I'm your boyfriend. Why are you pushing me toward someone else?" Estella stayed silent for a few seconds. She was about to lay everything out in the open when a sudden scream erupted from the bedroom. Jenson's expression paled instantly. Without hesitation, he pushed the door open and rushed inside. Emily, who'd been curled up in bed just moments ago, ran over barefoot. She stumbled as she threw herself into his arms. "That psycho came to get me, Jenson! I'm so scared! Don't leave me alone… Please, don't go." As soon as she said that, Jenson scooped her up and said in a gentle voice, "It's okay. I'm here. No one will hurt you. I'll never leave you." Leaning against Jenson's shoulder, Emily cast a defiant glance at Estella, showing no trace of her earlier drunkenness. "This is the answer, Jenson," Estella thought. She'd never pushed him toward Emily. He'd chosen her. Again and again. Jenson spent the entire night by Emily's side. Estella didn't care anyway. Zoe had wrapped up her work early and would be flying back in two days to visit her. That news alone lifted Estella's mood. The next morning, as she sat down for breakfast, she noticed Jenson had left his phone on the dining table. The screen was filled with work messages. After a moment of hesitation, she picked it up and walked to the master bedroom. Just as she was about to knock, Emily pushed the door open. "Ms. Hart, Jenson was up all night taking care of me. He's still asleep. Maybe you shouldn't disturb him." As she spoke, she tugged at her collar, revealing faint red marks along her neck. Estella's expression remained calm as she handed the phone to her. "Okay. Just make sure he gets this." She turned to leave, but Emily grabbed her wrist. "God, how shameless can you be? Jenson never loved you. Let me spell it out for you. We didn't just take wedding photos. We're legally married. I'm his wife in every sense of the word. So, get the hell out of our home!" Just then, a noise came from inside the room. Emily's expression shifted in an instant, and she let out a frightened cry. "M-Ms. Hart, I'll move out right away. Please, don't be mad." Then, with a dramatic gasp, she slammed her back against the door and slid helplessly to the floor. The next second, Jenson stormed out. When he saw Emily clutching her waist in pain, his face darkened with fury. "What the hell are you doing, Estella? You're the one who told me to take care of her. I actually thought you were mature about this! And now you pull some underhanded stunt behind my back?" Estella's expression turned cold. "I didn't hit her, and I didn't force her to leave. If you don't believe me, check the security cameras." For a split second, something flickered in Emily's eyes. She quickly interjected, "Don't blame Ms. Hart, Jenson. It was my fault. I just slipped." She sounded as if she was trying to smooth things over, but paired with her fragile demeanor, it only made her look even more pitiful. Jenson's heart twisted at the sight. He gently lifted her into his arms. "It's okay. You don't have to cover for her." Then, he turned to Estella. "Estella, you may be my girlfriend, but if you ever hurt Emily again, don't blame me for what happens next." With that, he carried Emily back inside and shut the door behind him. Estella took a deep breath to push down the anger boiling inside her. It didn't matter what she said. Jenson wouldn't believe her anyway. So why bother? She collected herself, left the house, and spent the entire day out with a friend. By the time evening rolled around, she finally took a cab home. Standing at her doorstep, she dug through her bag for her keys. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a shadow. A chill shot down her spine. She turned to run on instinct. But in the next second, a hand yanked her back by the hair, dragging her forcefully. Feeling the cold blade against her neck, Estella froze. She forced herself to suppress the fear rising within her. "I have money in my bag. Take whatever you want. Just don't hurt me." But the man just pulled out her phone and made a video call.