When I Left, He Found His Way Back-Chapter 39: What she needed to know

Jessica’s POV.

As the car glided across the asphalt, I couldn’t stop asking. The questions had replayed in my mind for an unhealthy amount of times.

Was it ideal to give a man a second chance, after he’d hurt me once? Would he really change? What if he was coming back to hurt me more?

I couldn’t shake off the doubts creeping into my mind.

We were about to sign a contract, a safeguard against future heartache. I had written out the terms, clause by clause, to ensure my protection. But despite this precaution, fear still gnawed at me.

And this was because I was still helplessly in love with him. My heart remained vulnerable, still beating for him. What if he hurt me again? What if he couldn’t resist the pull of his past, the allure of Zoey?

The thought sent a shiver down my spine. Would Zoey return? If she did, would he go back to her again? The uncertainty was suffocating.

Their relationship was very complicated, not one that could be severed with few words or in one day. Someone you grow up with, have loved all your life, makes it difficult to let them go, no matter what they’ve done.

But questions lingered in my head. Why did he leave her for me this time? What propelled him to choose me over her? These thoughts swirled restlessly. I thought I didn’t care when he first told me they weren’t together anymore, but now, I couldn’t stop myself from curiosity.

As I pondered, my gaze drifted to his side profile. His focus was on the road, but I sensed his awareness of my gaze. Suddenly, he turned to meet my eyes.

Time stood still as our gazes locked. The world around us melted away.

The honk of another car’s horn shattered the spell, jolting me back to reality. My cheeks flushed, I swiftly turned my head away. An attempt to hide my face.

But I couldn’t resist sneaking another glance at him. A smile played on his lips as he focused on the road.

My heart skipped a beat, deepening the flush on my cheeks.

What was so funny? I mused, my mind wandering to the smile that still lingered on his face.

But as I gazed at him, my amusement quickly turned to annoyance. It dawned on me that he was happy, even relieved, to know that he still had a strong hold on my emotions. And I hated that.

The realization stung, exposing the vulnerability I’d tried to keep hidden. I felt a surge of resentment toward him for still having this power over me.

"Where is your Zoey?" I suddenly blurted out, the words escaping my lips before I could censor them.

He stiffened, his body tensing beside me. Then, slowly, he turned his head in my direction, locking eyes with me. The intensity of his gaze made my heart skip a beat.

"Have you gotten tired of those curves of hers?" I continued, my tone dripping with bitterness and hatred. "And I’m sure she had your babies from the numerous times you two committed adultery." The venom in my words hung in the air, poisonous and deadly.

His expression changed in an instant. The smile that had been playing on his lips vanished, replaced by a look of caution. His eyes narrowed, as if sizing me up, assessing the danger that lurked beneath my words.

He seemed taken aback by my directness, unsure of how to respond. The silence between us grew heavier, thick with unspoken emotions. I could feel his hesitation, his weighing of options.

Would he answer truthfully, or would he sidestep my questions? I waited, my heart pounding in anticipation. If he dared to lie to me, it would be the end before the contract even began.

"I didn’t sleep with Zoey," he said calmly.

My fists clenched on my thigh, my body tensing in outrage. He’s lied to me, I thought, my heart breaking all over again. I had expected him to be sincere, to acknowledge the truth I already knew.

"I promise you, Jessica, I never touched Zoey," he continued, his voice laced with conviction. But I knew better.

"Shut your lying mouth, you bastard!" I suddenly yelled, as my anger boiled over. "I caught you two kissing numerous times!" I spat.

The memories came flooding back with pain, threatening to consume me. "At the Mall after you got her an engagement ring, at your company after bagging a deal, in the guest room when she first came into the house..."

My voice rose, each word fueled by my pent-up rage. "Who knows how many times you’ve slept with her after every kiss? That she’d ask you to give her babies." I poured out, aiming directly at his deceitful heart. "Shameless manwhore!"

As I unleashed my fury, I was as surprised as he was. I didn’t think I had so much bitterness stuck inside me. I thought I’d gotten over it, moved on. But it seemed I was only lying to myself.

The outburst left me breathless, my chest heaving with emotion. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing me cry.

The silence that followed was oppressive, heavy with tension. His eyes widened in shock, but I saw a glimmer of guilt beneath the surface. He knew he’d been caught, and I knew I’d never trust him again.

Just when I thought I had seen his true colors, he began to explain. "I kissed Zoey, that’s true. But I never touched her," he repeated, his eyes locked onto mine.

I held my breath, skeptical, but he continued before I could interrupt. "The engagement ring wasn’t to engage her. It was her dream ring, one she couldn’t get from her abusive husband. It was her birthday, and that’s what she wanted. I already promised to get her any gift of her choice, so when she wanted a ring, I got it for her."

He paused, ensuring I was following his explanation. I nodded, intrigued despite myself.

"I will not deny that I was enthralled by her," he admitted, his voice laced with honesty. "Yes, she had really nice curves, and I really liked them, but that’s not it, Jessica. She had something that pulled me in, something that made me act against my conscience. But I swear, I didn’t go beyond kissing her."

He took a deep breath before revealing more. "On that call, when she brought up having kids with me, she said that to annoy you. I didn’t know about her deceit until I had the telecommunication company pull out the chats and calls she had with you using my phone, claiming to be what I wanted." fгeewёbnoѵel_cσm

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