Revenge: Start by Not Loving Him

For days on end, Jessica remained locked in her silence, draining every ounce of patience Jeremy had left. Just as she buried her head in the curtains again, he snapped. With a swift motion, he yanked her out.

One hand gripped her shoulder while the other pinched her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. "What do you want from me?" he demanded.

Jessica's eyes darted around, filled with nothing but fear. She tried to shrink away from him, but no matter how hard she struggled, she couldn't escape his hold.

"Get out!" Jeremy barked, his voice echoing in the room. Amy and the other maid quickly retreated, sensing the storm brewing.

With a furious shove, he tossed Jessica onto the bed and leaned over her. "Since you love this bed so much, let's have a little chat here."

He bore down on her, searching for any emotion other than fear in her eyes. He desperately wanted to believe that her terror was just an act, but disappointment washed over him as he realized the truth—she was genuinely afraid of him.

In a fit of rage, he slammed his fist beside her ear, the sound reverberating in the stillness. "Jessica, what do you want?" he shouted.

All he received in response was her frantic gaze and a body that trembled like a leaf. She must have been terrified out of her mind.

Seeing her like this finally calmed the storm inside him. He stood up, stepping away, unable to bring himself to hurt her any further.

When Amy entered, she found Jessica curled up in the corner of the bed, shaking uncontrollably.

Once upon a time, Jessica had never feared Amy. But now, even the sight of her maid sent her into a panic. Whenever Amy approached, Jessica would tremble violently, retreating as if trying to turn herself into a ball.

Recognizing the distress she caused, Amy hesitated to draw closer. To avoid further traumatizing her, she set the food on the table and left the room.

Once the door clicked shut, Jessica slowly lifted her head, scanning the room. Seeing that she was alone, she inched her way to the edge of the bed.

After sitting there for a moment, reassured by the absence of company, she approached the table, grabbed a piece of pastry, and darted back to the bed. But this time, instead of climbing onto it, she crawled beneath.

As she nestled herself under the bed, a sigh of relief escaped her lips. It felt like a safe haven, a sanctuary from the chaos above.

She glanced at the pastry in her hand, straining her ears to listen for any signs of danger. When she detected nothing amiss, she began to eat.

After nibbling on the treat, exhaustion hit her like a freight train. She laid her head down and drifted off to sleep beneath the bed, finding comfort in the tight space.

Meanwhile, Amy stood outside, listening intently for any sounds from within. She figured that if Jessica was alone, she might be tempted to eat.

After a while, Amy felt it was time to check in. She gently tapped on the door, but when no one answered, she pushed it open.

Relieved to see that a piece of pastry was missing, Amy felt a moment of calm. But her relief quickly turned to panic when she realized Jessica was nowhere to be found.

Knowing she wouldn't just vanish into thin air, Amy began searching the room, recalling Jessica's previous behaviors. It was likely she had hidden herself somewhere.

Moving cautiously to avoid startling Jessica, Amy finally spotted her beneath the bed, sound asleep. The sight made her heart drop—Jessica was curled up in the chilly space, and if she stayed there much longer, she'd catch a cold.

But Amy didn't dare disturb her. Instead, she decided to inform the king.

When Jeremy arrived, Jessica was still fast asleep, even letting out soft snores that filled the quiet room.