Chasing His Rejected Wife
Chapter 40 -

Aiden's POV

I came back to the present when I realized Vince was still talking. I forced the dark thoughts from my mind and focused on what he was saying.

"Aiden, she knows Julian had made it so you couldn't be the one to ask for a divorce." His words fell like a ton of bricks in my ears, and I swear I could feel my heart stop for a second. "She somehow heard you and I talking about it and she wanted to know exactly what Julian did to make you marry her."

I blew out a puff of air, and had to lean against the nearby wall while I struggled to absorb all Vince was saying. Jessica knew? She'd heard us talking about it? I tried to cast my mind back, in an attempt to figure out when Vince and I had had this particular conversation, but I drew a blank.

"What did you tell her?" I asked, every muscle tense in anticipation of his answer. If he had poured out everything he knew... I couldn't predict Jessica's reaction, but I knew enough to know that she would be hurt.

Disappointed, disbelieving and angry. And all of that would be directed at me, not my late father. Jessica would never believe that Julian had used her as a pawn to save his own skin, she would doubt that he had implicated her in his schemes by telling me she was aware of the blackmail. Sure, I could show her the video evidence, but would she believe I hadn't somehow made it all up?

"You can relax," Vince said, though I caught a hint of disapproval in his tone. He'd always been of the opinion that I should confront Jessica with the truth and let her deal with it as she chose. "I didn't tell her anything you wouldn't want her to know."

The tension eased from my shoulders by small increments and I could breathe a little easier.

"But," Vince continued, sounding a tad guilty. "I may have hinted that your old man was not the saint she thought him to be."

I sighed and combed my fingers through my hair, torn between scolding Vince for saying that or thanking him. "And what did she think about that?" I asked, curious.

"She was concerned and surprised and begged me to tell her more, but I asked her to talk to you instead." He paused for a moment and continued. "Listen, I know at this point that I must sound like a broken record, but I still think you should tell her everything. I understand you're trying to protect her feelings and you don't want to destroy her good memories of your old man, but at the same time, Jessica is an adult, she should be given the chance to form her own opinions about Julian's deeds and most of all, she has a right to know."

I pinched the bridge of my nose in a vain attempt to soothe the throbbing headache that had intensified since we started this conversation. While I appreciated Vincent's discretion, even though he had hinted at my father's less-than-savory character, this situation was a delicate one. I knew that revealing the full extent of my father's involvement and her mother's blackmail would shatter her.

She was already under so much stress, being pregnant and still fresh off the trauma of a near miscarriage, having to deal with my infidelity and the black clouds of a still possible divorce... I was sure any more bad news would send her into a spiral, one I couldn't protect or save her from.

"I don't think telling her is a good idea." I said firmly. "It'll do no one any good, least of all, Jess."

"That's not entirely true." Vince protested. "It could be just what is needed to save your marriage."

In the background, I heard the PA system announce Vincent's name and he swore softly. "Listen, there's something else you need to know, but I gotta get back to work. Are you free tomorrow evening?"

I thought about my jam packed itinerary and how Fletcher would have a stroke if I changed anything. "I can make some free time."

"Good, good. Let's meet at the club, 8pm."

I agreed and ended the call, then spent the next few minutes deep in thought, going over the conversation. It didn't escape me that Jessica had decided to ask Vincent for more information instead of coming directly to me. It told me, in more ways than any words could, just how wide of a rift there was between us.

The chances of her choosing to stay married lessened with every passing minute.

I cursed softly in frustration. I'd meant what I'd said to Elisa; I would respect whatever decision my wife ended up with, even if it meant losing control of Skylark. If it meant I had to step down from my role as president of the company. It would be a shitty future, and a hell of a mess to sort out, but if that was what it took, then so be it. However, I hoped to hell it didn't come to that. I hoped to be able to prove to Jessica that I deserved a second chance, that I could be a man worthy of her affection.

"Sir?" My assistant popped her head through the open doorway, an apologetic look on her face. "Sorry to bother you, but Ms. Harding is almost done with the tour."

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"I'll join them now." I slid my phone in my pocket and straightened. I took a moment to complete myself and motioned for Amelia to lead the way.

Elisa took one look at me as I joined the group and furrowed her brows in concern. I pretended not to notice and engaged the administrator in a chat, though I knew she would inquire about what had disturbed me the first chance we were alone. That was the downside of having a best friend who could read you too well; it was impossible to hide anything, even if no one else could pick up on my expression.

"I apologize for keeping you waiting, Mr. Jolly," I said, injecting the right amount of remorse and charisma into my voice and expression. "I trust Ms. Harding has been an excellent tour guide?"

"Oh very much so," Mr. Jolly said and leered at Elisa, giving her a lascivious look. "Very entertaining, especially with a beautiful guide to show me around, it made the view that much more interesting." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively, as if to make sure I didn't miss his meaning.

I watched Elisa's smile slip for a fraction of a second and knew she was displeased to be objectified like that. Still, she maintained composure.

I turned on the smile I used when I wanted to mask scathing words under a veneer of politeness. "I trust you are speaking of the environment? The walls and floor? Yes?"

Mr. Jolly blinked in surprise, not missing the steel in my voice. He began blustering, face turning a shade of red. "Eh...um...yes, of course, the environment. Very nice...um...layout you have here."

I let the smile drop for a nanosecond and he looked positively terrified at the glimpse of my real expression.

"Good" I said and clapped a hand on his shoulder, my smile back in place. "Shall we proceed to the site?"

***

"What's wrong?" Elisa asked the moment we were alone in my car. I was driving since Martin wasn't around and I didn't exactly like anybody else behind the wheel.

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I didn't answer right away and waited until I'd pulled out into traffic, falling behind the hospital administrator's car as we made our way to the hospital.

Knowing I would only answer when I was good and ready, Elisa waited patiently, silent.

"Jess found out about Julian's contract." I said, staring straight out the windshield, the administrator's tail lights just ahead. Still, I caught the way Elisa turned to me, eyes wide in shock. "What? How?"

I shrugged. "According to Vince, she overheard us talking about it. She met him this afternoon and asked him to explain.

"Wow!" Elisa turned away to stare out her window deep in thought, then turned back to me "How did she take it? How much does she know?"

She listened as I recounted my talk with Vince, casting sidelong glances at me, no doubt trying to gauge my feelings through my expression.

"So, she doesn't know much other than she needed to be the one to end the marriage." She murmured, then glanced at me for confirmation. "That's good, isn't it. The less she knows, the better."

"I think so. I damn well hope so. But Vince still thinks I should tell Jessica everything." My fingers tightened over the wheel as I finally gave voice to a little thought that had been rolling around the back of my mind. "He may have a point. Not about Julian's betrayal, but mine."

I could feel Elisa's gaze boring into the side of my head, and didn't fail to notice the way she flinched as she realized what I meant.

"You want to tell her about us?" There was a tightness to her tone, a clear sign that she disapproved of my plan. "Aiden, this...you...I..."

She stopped and closed her eyes, took a deep breath and opened them again. "She's going to hate you if she replaces out you deceived her about having an affair with me."