Chapter 167

CHAPTER 167 At midnight.

Jane was resting on her bed, covered in the sheet from neck to toe. The last time she checked her face in the mirror, she looked like she was possessed by a ghost, with spots all over her face. Could someone ever love her after seeing her in such a disgusting look?

She looked to her right. Benjamin was talking with someone on the phone in the living room.

“Who’s he talking to at this hour?” she wondered. When he finished the call and came to her room, she said, “I’m thirsty.”

He poured small amounts of coconut water in her mouth. After that, she smiled at him gratefully. But then she couldn’t control her curiosity and ended up asking, “Whom were you talking to?”

“You will know soon.”

His words only puzzled her. “Aren’t you going to sleep?”

He just tilted his head in response.

(Was that a yes or no?) Jane couldn’t tell. Because of the pain all over her body, she couldn’t even sleep. Again, Benjamin picked up a neem stem and gently moved it on her face. It was greatly comforting.

Seeing him take care of her like this, she didn’t know how to take it. Would he really care for her so much without having any feelings for her?

However, her thought process got bombarded when someone knocked on the door. Who could it be at this hour? Was it a neighbor? Was it Donovan?

Benjamin went out and brought that person in. When Jane saw them entering her room, she was bewildered to say the least because it was the person she least expected. It was Rebecca Sterling.

Benjamin had thought it wasn’t a good idea to spend an entire night alone with Jane in her house. Moreover, he wanted to use this situation to repair the broken relationship between Rebecca and Jane, regardless of whatever quarrel they might have had.

When Benjamin had called Rebecca in the middle of the night, he wasn’t expecting to pick up his call, but she had, as nobody other than kids slept in the Sterling villa. Nolan’s body was still in the villa, after all, and they were taking care of the funeral arrangements.

Rebecca’s heart at first skipped when he told her he was at Jane’s house. She asked him what he was doing there, but after he explained the situation, she came rushing over, thinking a lot of unnecessary things along the way.

Even now, seeing the spotty-faced Jane on the bed, the first thought that came to mind wasn’t how sick her best friend looked but the hope that Jane wasn’t naked under the bed sheet. She didn’t like the way she was thinking, either, but giving one’s own interests the top priority was inbuilt in human nature.

Jane, on the other hand, had this look of anger and grief. When Rebecca sat down in the chair, Jane barked, “You shamelessly came to my home after all that happened?” she tried to get up but couldn’t. In that process, Rebecca was able to see that Jane was still wearing a dress, so she felt relieved.

“I didn’t want to,” Rebecca took out tablets from her purse; she asked her doctor and bought them from a store along the way, but I had to.”

Jane’s lips drew into her mouth as Rebecca tried putting a tablet in her mouth.

“Don’t behave like a child,” Rebecca was about to touch her, but Benjamin warned her to be careful as the infection was contagious. “How many days do you want to suffer in this condition? If you take medication, you’ll get better faster.

We can resolve our issues after that.”

Jane frowned. Even frowning made the spots on her forehead hurt more, so she couldn’t do it for long. Her vulnerable state made her eventually give into Rebecca’s words, and she took the tablets.

Nobody spoke a word for a few minutes.

Rebecca just sat like a statue, and it was hard to guess what she was thinking. Benjamin didn’t want to sit idly, so he began washing Jane’s clothes.

“Why the hell are you washing my clothes!” Jane yelled. “It’s embarrassing.”

“I’m used to these sorts of things,” replied Benjamin.

“That’s not the issue, you idiot!” she shouted and wanted to get off the bed, but even slight movements brought sharp localized pain all over her body. Cringing, she could only stay quiet. She looked at Rebecca and said frustratingly, “You tell him to stop.”

“Someone has to wash your ‘infectious’ clothes,” Rebecca coolly replied. “And I’ve never washed clothes before, so let him do what he’s good at.”

“You’re a freaking fashion designer, and yet you never washed clothes?”

“You know I always used washing machines.”

Jane could only gnash her teeth. She had asked her father to buy a washing machine, but her father was too parsimonious to spend money on a washing machine. They just let the apartment’s watchman’s wife wash their family clothes for free.

Time passed.

Rebecca fell asleep while sitting in the chair. Her head was bent backward, with no support. Her mouth was slightly open.

When Benjamin saw her, his heart skipped for a second because it looked like she died. He went there and patted her. She was startled out of her sleep.

“Go to the other room and sleep,” he told her.

“What about you then?” she asked.

“I will be here, of course,” he gave a thumbs-up.

Rebecca paused and then shook her head. There was no way he could leave Benjamin alone with Jane. While they might not be able to do anything physical at the moment, she didn’t want anything else to happen between them, either. “You go and sleep in that room. I’ll take care of Jane.”

Benjamin’s heart melted, thinking Rebecca really cared for him. “Thank you,” he pulled her cheek adoringly, but it made her hiss in pain. “Sorry.” He tried to rub his cheek, but she pushed his hand away and told him to just go. And he waved a little goodbye to both the women before rushing to the other bedroom.

Silence followed Both Jane and Rebecca were wide awake now. “How the hell did things turn out like this?” Rebecca asked what she believed was a legitimate question. “How can you of all people be interested in my husband?”

“I thought you two broke up,” Jane sounded rather shocked herself. “When the hell did things become cool between you two again? How did he forgive you for fucking my fiancee?”

Rebecca gritted her teeth. “Look, I already told you and your mother that nothing happened between me and Donovan.”

“And how am I supposed to believe that? By your words? Yeah, you’re Jesus, aren’t you?”

“If not words, then what more do you want me to do?”

“Just give Benjamin to me.”

“Huh?” Rebecca went speechless.

“I think he’s too good for you,” Jane used to approach of rubbing salt to the wounds.

“And how in the world did you arrive at that decision?”

“How good is your husband in bed?” Jane posed a simple question.

“That’s...” Rebecca went silent, looking slightly baffled.

“Thought so. You call him your husband, but you don’t know shit about him other than that he works at a pizza shop,” Jane harrumphed. “Do you know what color he likes? What his favorite food is? What his favorite place is?” Jane shook her head.

“Your married life is such a joke. You can spoil your career, but what wrong did Benjamin do? How long will you punish him for one mistake? How much more selfish can you be?”

Jane’s questions brought out the guilt Rebecca kept hidden in her heart. Rebecca’s stomach plummeted.

“So, are you willing to divorce him?” Jane asked the question she had been meaning to ask.

“No,” Rebecca replied lightning fast.

“EHH?” Jane’s face swelled, and the rashes hurt all the more. She didn’t speak so many words in her weak situation just to get nothing in return. “You are unbelievable.”

“Thanks, but that’s also why I’m your best friend.”

“No.You WERE.”

“Really?” Rebecca picked up a neem branch and poked Jane’s nose. Jane told her to stop, but she didn’t. Jane ended up sneezing once, and then Rebecca went back to poking her nose again, making Jane sneeze many more times, until Jane said that Rebecca was still her best friend.