The Unwilling CEO's Love Game
Chapter 102

Melvin took Jocelyn for granted, and her heart grew bitter with the thought.

For years, his presumption had made him believe that she could not leave - or perhaps, he believed she was incapable of leaving.

"This time, I'm serious," Jocelyn said, her voice unwavering. She did not want to be tangled up with him anymore; it was an endless cycle.

Melvin's face turned an ashen shade of white, the blood draining as Jocelyn steeled herself, "You need to rest."

"You're just going to leave me like this?" Melvin bellowed with all the strength he could muster, his voice hoarse and strained.

That sentence tore through Jocelyn, her back to him, swallowing hard. She questioned her right to care for him, perplexed by the mindset that allowed him to utter those words. "Someone will look after you," Jocelyn said as she pulled the door open.

"Jocelyn!" Melvin's voice followed her in a shout.

She stepped out and closed the door behind her, gripping the doorknob tightly as tears welled up and spilled over.

The nurse, arriving to care for Melvin, saw Jocelyn's red, tear-stained eyes and assumed her distress was for the patient inside.

"Miss, don't worry. It's just appendicitis; it's not life-threatening," the nurse offered kindly, but Jocelyn's tears did not stop.

Wiping her eyes, she stepped aside. "He can be difficult. Please bear with him."

"Don't worry. Sick folks are often cranky; I'm used to it. They need a bit of coddling. Illness is stressful enough; we understand," the nurse reassured her. "Thank you."

As the nurse prepared to enter, she turned back to ask, "Are you his girlfriend? You know, him seeing you might cheer him up, help him recover faster."

A pang hit Jocelyn's heart. She tried to smile casually, but it twisted into a grimace of part laugh, part cry as she uttered, "I'm not."

The nurse looked puzzled as Jocelyn walked away.

Inside, the nurse encountered Melvin's dark, intimidating gaze and felt a shiver of fear, quickly saying, "Sir, you should keep a positive attitude after surgery. Your girlfriend was quite worried when she left. Her eyes were all swollen from crying."

"She cried?" Melvin latched onto that detail.

The nurse, accustomed to various dramas, surmised a lovers' quarrel and, with a peacemaker's spirit, added, "Yes. It was heartbreaking to see."

Melvin's anger subsided slightly, "At least she has some conscience."

Back at the hotel room, Jocelyn was restless and contacted Preston to see if he had informed Willow. His prompt reply was what she had hoped for. At least Willow would be by Melvin's side the next morning. The following day, Jocelyn went to school with swollen, red eyes, somewhat concealed by her glasses. When asked, she deflected with random excuses.

Harrison was busy and had not reached out to her. That was for the best; his perceptiveness would have noticed something was off.

Jocelyn did not visit Melvin at the hospital. Having decided to move on, she intended to stick to that resolution.

Two days later, as she left school, Jocelyn spotted a striking figure: a tall woman with cascading curls, sunglasses, a red dress, and a black trench coat, standing out with an undeniable presence that drew the attention of passersby.

The woman approached Jocelyn, calling her name.

Jocelyn paused, surprised to be recognized. She did not recall ever meeting this woman among her acquaintances.

"You are?"

The woman removed her sunglasses, revealing a familiar, sharply contoured, and stunningly beautiful face. "I'm Preston's mother, Yasmine Martinez."

Hearing this, Jocelyn's heartbeat skipped a beat. This woman was Melvin's sister.

Why was she here? To see Melvin? But why approach her? Could it be...

"I came specifically to see you," Yasmine spoke, her voice as captivating as her brother's persuasive gaze.

Yasmine's allure was that of a sophisticated woman, intriguing but intimidating.

Jocelyn joined Yasmine at a restaurant where they ordered food.

"I apologize for this sudden meeting," Yasmine said, scanning Jocelyn with a measured gaze that was intense but not uncomfortable.

Jocelyn politely smiled, sidestepping the implication, "No problem. Preston is doing well academically; he's smart and capable. With a little focus, he'll excel.".

"You must realize I'm not here to discuss my son's grades," Yasmine said, sipping coffee and watching Jocelyn's reaction.

Jocelyn's hand tightened under the table, her body tensing.

Indeed, if they had met in Yanova City, it might have been about a mother checking on her son's progress, but here, it had to be more.

"Preston called me, mentioned his uncle had surgery in Berry City, and suggested I visit him," Yasmine said plainly.

Jocelyn had expected this.

"I've been with him for two days, expecting you might show up, but..." Yasmine's smile faltered. "I'm not worried, but Melvin... He's been down. He won't say it, but every time there's movement at the door, he looks up."

Jocelyn's gaze fell, her emotions in disarray.

"My brother has never been good at expressing himself. That's why he comes across as cold and indifferent. But you've been the only woman by his side all these years, the only one who made him call me in the middle of the night, choking up, saying you've left him."

Taking a deep breath, Jocelyn listened for the first time to someone else's account of Melvin's vulnerabilities, the parts she never knew.

"Do you really have no expectations left for him?" Yasmine inquired, her tone laced with a mix of concern and curiosity.

"I have a boyfriend now," Jocelyn admitted, the words leaving a bitter taste in her heart.

She knew she should not feel this way; it was unfair to Harrison.

But she could not help herself.

After all, she had loved Melvin deeply, more than she had ever thought possible.

Yasmine's brow furrowed slightly. "What about Melvin?"

"He's with Willow," Jocelyn responded with a hint of resignation. "They'll probably tie the knot soon enough."

"Willow? She doesn't even have the chops to step into the Martinez family," Yasmine spat out the name like it left a bad taste in her mouth.

Jocelyn recalled similar sentiments from Preston in the past, but Yasmine's bluntness was startling.

"If he's happy, that's all that matters."

"If he was happy with her, why did he spend over three years with you?" Yasmine's question hit home. "I didn't come here today to force a reconciliation. I just want to know if you truly have no feelings left for him. If that's the case, it's his loss. But if not, I hope you'll consider it carefully. In this world, many can make your heart flutter, but there's only one who can truly make it ache."

Yasmine looked at Jocelyn earnestly. "I quite like you, you know. Even if today's the first time we've met, that doesn't stop me from liking you."

"Thank you," Jocelyn responded, her politeness veiling her discomfort.

"I think Melvin is quite fond of you, too." Yasmine shifted gears so quickly that it caught Jocelyn off guard.

This meal had not been appetizing for Jocelyn.

Maybe it was because Yasmine had sought her out for this conversation, or maybe Yasmine's words had poked at a tender spot she had tried to ignore. And there was another reason she was reluctant to acknowledge - deep down, she believed Melvin still had feelings for her.

Stepping out of the restaurant, Yasmine asked Jocelyn, "Aren't you going to see him?"