She turned to gaze out the window, not wanting Albert to see her emotions, nor did she wish to dwell on the painful past.
Albert remained silent beside her.
Once the driver set off, Albert leaned back.
Jessie, aiming to maintain some distance, shifted forward.
Soon, discomfort in her back and waist prompted her to adjust her position slightly.
Out of the blue, she felt a hand grab her arm, pulling her back against the seat.
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Jessie leaned back in her seat, avoiding making eye contact with Albert, who sat beside her.
She couldnât help but imagine his penetrating gaze fixed on her.
âI didnât realize you were so scared of me,â Albert remarked, his tone surprisingly gentle.
âI didnât mean anything beyond that.
But was it really necessary to shut me down like that?â
Jessie responded icily, âSorry if I misled you, Mr.
Waston.
But Iâve been over you for a while now.
Actually⦠I thought I made that pretty clear back then.
â
After saying that, Jessie tried to pull away from Albertâs grip.
They were uncomfortably close.
In the dim light of the car, their shoulders nearly touched.
Jessie could feel Albertâs warmth.
Despite her efforts to ignore it, she couldnât deny the shivers running through her.
Whether it was from fear or something else was unclear.
She attempted to free herself from Albert, but he wouldnât release her hand.
Albert glanced at the car seat beside him, where Jeslyn had fallen asleep, her head leaning to the side.
Jeslyn, with her black hair and heart-shaped face, looked peaceful and pretty in sleep.
Albertâs gaze lingered on Jeslyn for a moment before he turned to Jessie, whispering, âDo you really want to wake her? Do you want her to see her dad and you like this, hand in hand, side by side?â
As Albert leaned in, they came even closer, their breaths intertwining.
Jessie tensed up, looking into his deep eyes, incredulous.
âHave you lost your mind? Do you even realize what youâre doing?â
Albert smiled and casually asked, âWhat am I doing now?â
âBoring.
â
Jessie tried to dodge his touch but found herself unable to move as he tightened his grip on her hand and intertwined their fingers.
His hands, slender and strong at the joints, conveyed a certain masculine strength.
Jessie wasnât naive.
She understood his intentions all too well.
Sure enough, Albert leaned in closer, brushing against her earlobe in what seemed like an accidental touch.
That brief contact felt intense, like a stone causing ripples in a calm lake.
Jessie had enough.