Usually docile, Jessica suddenly shook off his grip and said as a car approached, "My assistant's here. You go back upstairs!"
"Jess..." Cedrick's face froze, calling out her name urgently.
But the stubborn figure had already hurried toward the just-parked car.
Jessica got in and told her assistant to drive.
The assistant looked puzzled, "Jessica, Mr. Lawrence is chasing after us."
"Ignore him. Let's go," Jessica replied.
Jessica was really fragile right now. She didn't want to hear him say sorry again. Every apology just made her feel worse.
At that moment, Cedrick was sprinting toward them, but the black car sped past him.
"Uh-oh, did I upset Mr. Lawrence?" the assistant asked, panic-stricken.
Jessica was lost in thought, too distraught to hear the assistant's question. She felt a deep sense of frustration and regret.
Her anger had gotten the better of her, preventing her from fully hearing Cedrick's apology.
Now, she realized she'd been impulsive and irrational.
Cedrick had chased after her with genuine remorse, proving she still mattered to him. Yet, she'd stubbornly refused to listen.
"How could this happen?" She hadn't meant to hurt him, but her temper had slipped, causing him pain. Jessica buried her face in her hands, feeling terribly anxious.
The assistant, concerned by her state, asked, "Jess, are you alright? Did you have a fight with Mr. Lawrence?"
"I really don't want to fight with him. I can't control my temper," Jessica said with a wry smile. Many had called her immature, and perhaps they were right.
"You could call him and explain. I think Mr. Lawrence loves you so much that he'd tolerate any of your moods," the assistant said earnestly.
"Really? Do you think he'd accept all my flaws?"
Jessica doubted. No one liked to be put upon indefinitely.
She wasn't sure where Cedrick's patience ended.
But she feared her continued willfulness would eventually wear him out.
The happiest couples, she knew, were those who didn't test each other's limits but instead created a pressure-free space for their relationship to flourish.
Jessica was filled with regret. She understood this truth but struggled to put it into practice.
At that moment, Cedrick's call came in.
Seeing his name on the screen, Jessica hesitated to answer.
"Jess, is it Mr. Lawrence? Why aren't you picking up? He must be worried sick," the assistant prompted, thinking Jessica hadn't heard the phone.
Jessica sighed softly and answered.
"Jess, please don't be mad anymore," Cedrick said.
This was the first real challenge in their relationship. Past disagreements had been trivial and even endearing, but today's incident clearly felt more serious to Cedrick.
"I'm not mad, Cedrick. I'm sorry I snapped at you earlier," Jessica apologized in a low voice.
"It's okay, as long as you're not angry. Get some rest and we'll talk tomorrow. Text me when you're home." Cedrick knew she'd been momentarily beside herself and wouldn't hold it against her.
"Alright, bye." Jessica hung up, the tension in her chest dissipating.
Indeed, with mutual understanding and compromise, even the biggest misunderstandings could vanish, leaving no room for doubt or suspicion. The worst thing in a relationship was doubting and guessing around.
Cedrick leaned against the elevator wall, feeling drained.
Back home, Tabitha's face darkened. "So you'd rather be with that woman than me? Fine, I'll leave then!" She turned to leave.
"Mom, please sit down. Let's talk," Cedrick urged, guiding her back to the sofa.
Tabitha, seeing her son's earnest expression, sighed and took a sip of water. "What do you want to talk about? How long have you been with Jessica?"
"Over half a year," Cedrick replied softly.
"Half a year, and you've kept it from your father and me? How dare you!" Tabitha's face paled with anger.
Cedrick knew his mother was furious.
For the past two years, she had been pushing him to settle down.
Every month, she'd nag him about finding a wife, and he'd always made excuses. This led her to worry that he might be gay.
When Cedrick learned of this, he was both amused and exasperated.
But it also showed how much his mother cared, wanting him to marry and have children to move on with life.
Now twenty-eight and with his younger brother's wedding date set, Cedrick knew his mother was anxious.
She had even called him the other day and chatted for half an hour, urging him to focus less on work and more on finding a partner.
He recalled telling her he was too busy for a relationship, prioritizing his career.