Returning to Her Madness

Jessica brought me home and treated me like something fragile. She had become extremely suspicious. The entire villa was filled with bodyguards, and security cameras were installed everywhere.

Meanwhile, she rarely left my side. She was worried that if she looked away for even a second, I would disappear again.

"Wil, these are your favorite barbecued ribs. I made them myself." Jessica placed a piece of rib on my plate as we sat at the dinner table, her eyes full of expectations.

She had never cooked for me before.

Even when I ran through the rain to deliver a contract for her and caught a fever afterward, all I got was her ordering takeout food for me. She had changed so much after I left, but why did she never care when I had given her my whole heart?

"It's really good. Thank you." I set down my fork and knife and tried to smile at her.

Jessica stared at me for a moment, and the light in her eyes dimmed a little. "Wil... Do you still blame me?"

"No." I shook my head and told her the truth. I did not blame her, because I neither loved nor hated her. Why would I blame anything on a stranger?

"Then, why are you..." Her voice trailed off, almost as if she wanted to ask how I could be so calm. Why was I acting so differently than before, when I would be touched by the smallest thing she did for me in the past. Now, I acted like a polite guest staying in someone else's house.

Just then, the person most responsible for bringing us to this point showed up.

Henry.

He was Jessica's best friend, and he was also the wedge that had come between us two years ago. He was still dressed in that polished way, but there was a trace of jealousy in his eyes when he looked at me.

"Wil, you're back." Henry sat on the couch, holding the cushion that used to be mine, and he looked at me provokingly. "Jessica had been having it hard for the past two years. You can be pretty heartless when you want to, leaving just like that."

Jessica was peeling an apple for me. When she heard that, she paused with the knife still in her hand, but she said nothing.

She was observing my reaction.

I guessed she wanted to see me get angry and jealous, then argue with Henry the way I had in the past because I cared about her. But I no longer felt that way. I simply gave Henry a brief glance as my heart remained still.

"I was," I said as I went along with him, my tone calm as if I was commenting on something insignificant. "Good thing you two are so close. Thank you for taking care of her these past two years."

Henry froze, clearly not expecting his attack to be deflected so easily.

Jessica's expression darkened. She slammed the peeled apple down onto the table. "Wil Lane, what do you mean by that? You don't mind it at all?"

I turned to look into Jessica's eyes and the anger she was trying to hold back. It was confusing for me. I was being generous, reasonable, and not making a scene. Was that not exactly what she wanted?

"Why would I mind?" I asked in a mild tone. "He's your best friend. Of course, he should be taking care of you. I just got back, and I'm getting tired, so I'm going upstairs to rest."

I stood up and left, my steps unhurried.

Behind me, I could hear Jessica let out a muffled roar of anger, followed by the sound of glass shattering.