Chapter 243 Detached

Chapter 243: Chapter 243 Detached

The moment she saw her father’s name on the screen, she practically snatched the phone from her assistant’s hands.

"Dad! Well? What did she say?" Jessica asked, her voice sharp with impatience.

Her father chuckled at her eagerness.

"Calm down, Jessica. You’re going to give yourself a heart attack before you even get married."

"Dad!" she protested, her brow furrowing.

"All right, all right." His tone grew more serious, though she could still hear the amusement in his voice. "Mrs. Evermont has agreed."

Jessica froze.

For a second, she wasn’t sure she had heard him correctly. She stood in the middle of her room, clutching her phone so tightly that her fingers began to hurt.

"She... agreed?" she repeated.

"Yes, sweetheart. She has no objections to the engagement or the marriage. We discussed the arrangements over dinner and everything went smoothly."

Jessica pressed a hand against her mouth.

A squeal escaped her before she could stop it and she practically jumped in place.

"Oh, my God!" she exclaimed, her eyes widening with delight.

Her father laughed at her reaction.

"You’re happy, I take it?"

"Dad, I’m going to marry Cedric!" she cried, her voice rising with excitement.

"Yes, sweetheart. I gathered that much," he replied dryly.

Jessica barely heard his teasing. Her mind was already running ahead, imagining the engagement announcement, the wedding preparations, the beautiful dress she would wear and the photographs that would eventually appear in society magazines.

She would finally be Mrs. Evermont.

Jessica had wanted this for so long that the reality almost felt unreal. For months, she had endured the uncertainty of being Cedric’s mistress, the secrecy surrounding their relationship and the uncomfortable knowledge that he still had a wife.

Now, that Chapter was over.

Daisy was gone, and Mrs. Evermont had given her approval.

There was no longer any reason for Jessica to remain in the shadows. She was officially Cedric’s fiancée, and soon, she would become his wife.

The thought sent another wave of happiness through her.

"Dad, I love you!" she said, her voice warm with gratitude.

"I love you too, sweetheart. Now, try to behave yourself. You’re going to be part of the Evermont family soon and I expect you to remember your manners."

Jessica laughed, wiping at the corners of her eyes even though she hadn’t realized they had become watery with excitement.

"Of course! I’ll be the most perfect daughter-in-law ever!"

"Let’s hope Mrs. Evermont agrees with you on that," he teased.

"Dad!" she groaned, though she was still smiling.

He laughed again before reminding her to take care of herself. Jessica promised that she would call him the following day, then ended the call with a smile so wide that her cheeks began to ache.

She immediately rushed to her wardrobe.

There was no way she was spending the evening at home.

This news deserved to be celebrated, and she wanted to enjoy every moment of it with the people who mattered to her.

And she knew exactly where to go.

?┈┈┈┈?

By nine that evening, Jessica was at one of the city’s more exclusive bars, surrounded by friends who had gathered to celebrate her engagement.

She had chosen a beautiful fitted dress that emphasized her figure, paired with delicate jewelry and carefully styled hair.

Her makeup was flawless and she looked radiant beneath the warm lights of the private lounge.

Every time someone complimented her appearance, she responded with a pleased smile, secretly enjoying the thought that she would soon be attending social events as Cedric Evermont’s official fiancée.

Cedric sat beside her in a dark shirt, one arm resting along the back of the sofa. He looked handsome, as he always did.

Jessica occasionally glanced at him with an affectionate smile, imagining how wonderful it would be when they were finally married.

Unfortunately, he also looked as though he would rather be somewhere else.

His gaze wandered around the lounge and although he occasionally nodded when someone addressed him, his attention seemed to drift elsewhere almost immediately.

He barely touched his drink and there was a distant look in his eyes that Jessica, caught up in her own happiness, failed to notice.

She was too busy recounting the dinner between their families, describing how her father had called her afterward and how Mrs. Evermont had finally given her approval.

"And then Dad told me everything was settled!" she exclaimed, lifting her glass with a delighted smile. "Can you believe it? We’re finally getting married!"

Her friends immediately cheered.

"Jessica, this is amazing!" one of them cried.

"You’re going to have the most beautiful wedding!" another added.

"I knew you’d end up together!" a third said, grinning.

Jessica laughed, her cheeks glowing with excitement.

"Of course I will. I mean, look at us!" she said, leaning against Cedric’s shoulder.

She smiled as one of her friends raised a phone to take a photograph.

"Come on, Ricy. Smile!"

Cedric gave the camera a faint smile.

The photograph was taken.

His expression returned to normal almost immediately.

Jessica barely noticed.

She was already looking at the picture, deciding whether it was good enough to post.

"Look at this!" she said, showing it to the others. "Don’t we look perfect together?"

Her friends agreed enthusiastically.

Cedric reached for his drink.

His thoughts, however, were nowhere near the celebration.

He had heard the news about his mother’s approval earlier that evening. He knew that the meeting between their families had been arranged to discuss the engagement and marriage and he had no reason to doubt that the arrangements would proceed.

Jessica was happy. His mother had agreed. Their families were satisfied.

Everything was moving exactly as expected.

So why did he feel so strangely detached from it all?

He stared at the amber liquid in his glass.

For some reason, his thoughts kept returning to the divorce.

He remembered how easily she had accepted the end of their marriage. How she hadn’t begged him to reconsider or asked him to give their relationship another chance.

He had expected her to be upset, to hesitate, to cry. Instead, she had chosen to leave.

And now, she was living somewhere else with someone else, doing God knows what!

Cedric’s fingers tightened around his glass.

He didn’t understand why the thought continued to bother him.

He had always wanted the divorce from Daisy and marriage with Jessica.

He had gotten everything he had asked for.

So why did he keep thinking about a woman who was no longer his wife?

"Riccyy?" Jessica’s voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

He looked at her.

She was smiling at him, her eyes bright with excitement.

"Baby, did you hear what I said?"

He blinked.

"Sorry. What?"

Jessica’s smile faded slightly.

"I said we should start looking at wedding venues. My father wants us to choose somewhere elegant and I was thinking about the garden at the Bellmont estate."

"That’s fine," he said, his voice flat.

"Really?" she asked, her brow lifting.

He nodded.

"Whatever you prefer."

Jessica studied him for a moment.

Then she smiled again, apparently deciding that his absent-mindedness was nothing worth worrying about.

"Perfect! I’ll start looking tomorrow," she said, turning back to her friends and continuing to discuss dresses, venues and guest lists.

Cedric leaned back against the sofa.

He should have been happy.

He should have felt relieved that the future he had chosen was finally taking shape.

Instead, he sat there with a glass in his hand, listening to the woman he was about to marry plan their wedding while wondering why his past refused to stay where he had left it.

?┈┈┈┈?

Across the table, Naomi noticed Cedric’s distracted expression.

She noticed how Jessica repeatedly leaned toward him, seeking his attention, while he responded with short answers and barely looked at her.

And she noticed something else too...