Chapter 10

Jessamine shook her head. "No, it's fine. I'll be better after sitting for a while."

Thaddeus saw how cautious she was and couldn't help asking, "Are you sure you don't need to lie down for a bit?"

"Yeah."

Thaddeus' sister, Sasha Holt, came downstairs. She snorted when she heard the conversation in the living room. "She's nothing but infertile. I doubt she'd be able to get pregnant now if she hasn't succeeded over the past three years."

Heather glared at her and snapped, "How can you talk to your sister-in-law like that? You're being so disrespectful. Come over and apologize to Jessamine!"

Jessamine ignored Sasha's words. Sasha and Amy were best friends. Jessamine hadn't heard anything nice out of Sasha's mouth from the day she'd married Thaddeus.

Sasha would speak up for Amy now and then, and she would always insult Jessamine when she did. When there was no one else around, Sasha would be even nastier.

Jessamine was already used to it. At least Heather was on her side. For Heather's sake, Jessamine wouldn't argue with Sasha.

Forced to apologize, Sasha stuck her nose up in the air and threw out an insincere "Sorry".

Before Jessamine could say anything, Thaddeus snarled, "Where have your manners gone? Is that how you're supposed to apologize to someone?"

This surprised Jessamine. This wasn't Sasha's first time being disrespectful to her. Thaddeus had never bothered to say anything in the past. Why was he standing up for her today? What was wrong with him?

Sasha had never feared anything in her life except for one person—Thaddeus. When she saw how grim Thaddeus looked, she apologized to Jessamine again. This time, it was a proper one.

After that, Thaddeus dragged her over to the storeroom like she was a puppet. This scared Sasha so much that she cried, "Mom, help! He's gonna beat me up again!"

Heather smiled politely at Jessamine. "It's time she's taught a lesson. Ted's the only one who can scare her."

As she spoke, Sasha's tortured cries came from the storeroom. A trace of concern flitted past Heather's eyes. She said tentatively, "Why don't you check on them, Jessie?"

Jessamine didn't want to get involved in the sibling fight but had no choice since Heather had asked her to. She went over to the storeroom, thinking she would pretend to talk them out of it. Thaddeus couldn't really hit his own sister, could he?

She raised her hand to knock on the storeroom's door. But when she heard the conversation inside, she lowered her hand.

Thaddeus asked, "Do you think she's your maid or something? Why did you ask her to deliver something to you so late at night?"

Sasha answered, "Well, it's all because you've given her so much jewelry. What's so wrong with me wanting to borrow one to make myself look better?

"If you'd given any of those things to Amy, she would've shared them with me without hesitation. I wouldn't even have to ask."

After a few seconds of silence, Thaddeus asked, "Amy was at the bar with you last night?"

Sasha was a little nervous from his questioning. "N-No. Wasn't she with you last night?"

Thaddeus hummed in acknowledgment, then warned, "Don't order her around anymore. Did you hear me?"

He opened the door. When he saw Jessamine standing outside, he couldn't help thinking that she looked even worse than before. He asked again, "Are you sure you don't need to rest upstairs?"

Jessamine didn't answer him. Instead, she said coolly, "It's time for dinner."

Sasha stormed out of the storeroom, looking furious. There was a red mark on her forehead. Thaddeus had probably flicked her there. When she walked past Jessamine, she deliberately rammed into her with her shoulder.

Jessamine stumbled backward, almost falling. Suddenly, an arm wrapped around her waist and tugged her back.