Chasing His Rejected Wife
Chapter 75 -

Aiden

I'd thought I could handle anything thrown my way, but the sight of Jessica collapsing onto the floor in the waiting room had nearly been my undoing. I'd never moved so fast, practically sprinting across the distance to mercifully catch them both before Jess' head could hit the ground.

With a muffled groan, I leaned forward on the uncomfortable seat in the waiting room and propped my elbows on my knees, my head bent as I cursed myself once more. I really shouldn't have given in to the urge to find out how she was doing.

The past three weeks had been nothing short of a new level of hell, haunted night and day by memories of the anguish on Jessica's face, the words she'd thrown at me, each time cutting a fresh layer of wounds in my heart. I worried about her, I missed her and in all, I had started to accept the truth I had hidden from myself all this time.

I am in love with my ex-wife. I had fallen hard and deep for Jessica.

It was a feeling that left me exhilarated and anxious at the same time; especially coupled with the knowledge that I had likely ruined any chance of forgiveness from Jess. I had burned all bridges and all that was left were the charred pieces of our broken hearts, sinking slowly in a pit of despair.

And the fact that she had a panic attack at the mere sight of me, did not leave me with much hope.

"Here." A cup appeared in front of my face. I sat up, my gaze flying to Vince's face, anxious for news about Jess.

"How is she?" I asked.

"She's awake and moving around," Vince replied, his face solemn and devoid of its usual humor. He held out the cup again and I took it, relief flooding me to know she was right.

I wrapped my hands around the warm cup and shut my aching eyes briefly, offering silent thanks to whatever deity had bothered to answer my prayer. "That's a relief, thank god."

Vincent grunted in assent and sat down next to me. For several seconds, we sat in silence as I drank the horrible-tasting coffee, the liquid so bloody thick and foul I had to force it down my throat. Still, I was grateful for the shot of caffeine, since that was the only thing keeping me going these days.

I downed the last dredges and grimaced, then glanced at Vincent. He sat with arms crossed against his chest, a dark scowl on his face, annoyance emanating from every pore. I let out a breath, raking my fingers through my hair, and leaned back against the hardback of the bench.

I knew Vincent was pissed off at me and with good reason. I'd lied to him about my affair with Elisa, I'd held back a lot of things from him and he wasn't impressed with the way I'd handled things with Jessica.

Three weeks ago, I had shown up at his place, several hours after getting kicked out from Jessica's apartment, half drunk and nearly out of my mind with worry and guilt. I had poured out everything to Vincent, admitting all the ways I'd fucked up. It had felt cathartic to admit my failings, something I rarely did, usually preferring to keep everything locked in tight.

He'd let me crash in his spare room and work off my hangover. Then the next morning, he laid into me hard, called me a bloody shitfaced coward who didn't deserve someone like Jessica, and threatened me bodily harm if I didn't get my shit together and make up for my wrongs.

"Thanks for the coffee," I said, keeping my gaze on his stony face. "And thanks for keeping me updated on Jess' condition."

He kept his gaze fixed ahead and merely grunted an acknowledgment.

I sighed again and rubbed the back of my neck. "I fucked up again. I shouldn't have come here, I knew better than to stress her out again. Fuck!"

He remained silent for a short while then sighed as well. "Coming here wasn't a wrong move."

When I gave him a curious look, he explained. "Look, whatever your problems with Jessica, the truth is, it doesn't change the fact that the two of you are going to be parents, ergo, the responsibility for those kids falls on the two of you. If you hadn't shown up today, I'm sure Jess would have taken it as a sign that you had abandoned the babies as well and I can't imagine that will help convince her that you're trying to change."

I pondered over his words, not sure if I saw it that way. "How am I supposed to be there for her when she literally can't stand the sight of me?"

Vincent shrugged. "I wish I had the answer, but I don't. The best I can advise is to take Anna up on her offer and use that as a way to keep abreast of things." "Yeah...I guess so." I slid my phone from my pocket and made sure I had saved Anna's number. Assured that I had set it on the bench. "I'm sorry, Vince."

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I received another side eye, this one skeptical. "Hmm, what exactly are you apologizing for? For being a dirty, lying bastard?"

I winced and rubbed the back of my neck, feeling sheepish. "Yeah, that and more."

"I can't believe you would stoop so low. You know I wasn't exactly on board with you and Elisa carrying on in front of Jessica the way you did, but in the end, I decided to keep my damn nose out of your business because I thought your feelings for her were genuine."

I could hear the hint of hurt underneath all that anger and I felt terrible. "I knew you wouldn't approve if I told you the plan."

"So, you hid it from me and played me just like everyone else?" He glared at me. "Tell me something, who thought up this asinine plan? You or Elisa?"

"Does it matter?" I asked with a shrug. "It was stupid and fucked up regardless of who thought it up and I should never have allowed it to get out of hand and hurt so many people."

"Just answer the damn question, fool," Vincent demanded, though his tone carried noticeably less heat.

I thought for a moment. "Elisa came up with it, more as a joke than anything serious. Remember that day we were at her house for drinks and you had to leave for an emergency?"

"Yeah, I think so. That was a couple of days after your wedding, right?"

"Yeah...we were talking about Julian's fucked up conditions and Elisa made a joke...ah...can't remember the exact wording, but something along the lines of how I could always cheat and make Jess dump me."

A light flashed in Vincent's eyes and he nodded. "Thought as much. I'm not surprised she brought it up first, you always were a bit oblivious when it comes to Elisa."

"You mean how I didn't realize her feelings for me extended more than friendship?" I asked with a wry twist of my mouth. "Yeah, I was a bit of an idiot there."

He chuckled at my admission, then sobered. "Have you talked to her lately?"

I shook my head in the negative. "Nah. Not since before I traveled to Austin with Jess." She had tried calling me several times, but I didn't take her calls and had actively avoided her in the office - a difficult feat considering how closely we usually worked together. But each time she tried to start a conversation, I made excuses and walked away.

Elisa had seemed to sense my withdrawal because she had started keeping her distance as well. I knew I couldn't keep up this avoidance game forever, and eventually, I planned to confront her, and find a gentle but firm way to put an end to our friendship.

However, between my troubles with Jess and putting the finishing touches on my plans for Skylark, I was under a ton of pressure. I certainly wasn't in the right frame of mind to handle that minefield right now.

My phone began to vibrate with an incoming message and I picked it up.

Then shot to my feet when I saw who the message was from.

"Hey...what's wrong?" Vincent asked in alarm, but I ignored him, my entire focus on reading what Jessica had sent.

It's not your fault. I read those four words over and over again, my pulse racing, emotions split between relief that she was okay and joy that she was texting me, which meant that she didn't blame me for her fainting spell.

It didn't negate my guilt, but it felt damn good to hear from her. I sent her a reply and a smile nearly split my face in two when she replied promptly.

"What the hell are you grinning at your phone for?" Vincent asked, watching me with an amused smile.

"It's Jess. She texted me to say she's okay."

Vincent looked surprised at that, but I ignored him and instead texted Jess to say I was sorry.

But this time, there was no response. A minute passed, five, then ten in which I sat back down, my mood dampening, checking my phone for a new message every second, getting restless and worried when nothing happened. Damnit! Had I fucked up again with that last text?