Chapter 7
Carter was missing?
Jessica froze, not daring to move. The knife had already drawn a thin line of blood across her throat, the sting sharp and immediate.
“Snap out of it! I have no goddamn idea where your kid is!”
But Carrie was acting completely unhinged, the knife trembling in her shaking hand.[]
“Bullshit! You’re the only one who hates Carter, and you had all those moving trucks here today. If not you, then who?”
Her eyes were bloodshot, looking exactly like a mother who’d lost her child. Her voice was raw from crying: “Mrs. Atlante, please, l’in begging you to give Carter back. He’s everything to me.
She dropped the knife and collapsed to her knees in front of Jessica ||
“Mrs. Atlante, Carter is my whole world…
Jessica finally broke free, finding the whole scene absolutely ridiculous.
She couldn’t help snapping back: “Give him back? He’s some random kid from an orphanage–what the hell does he have to do with you? Why would I give him back to you?”
“He’s my=“Carrie started to say something in her panic, then caught herself and stopped, breaking down in tears.]
But this time, Jessica wasn’t letting it slide. 0
She’d caught that slip, her eyes narrowing as she deliberately pushed Carrie’s buttons: “He’s your what? Come on, spit it outr
“Enough!” Quentin’s voice cut through the room like a whip. “Jess, quit being such a goddamn bitch.“]
Jessica looked at him in complete shock, her pupils dilating.
They’d grown up together, and he’d never spoken a harsh word to her. When Carne had a knife to her throat, he hadn’t said shit to defend her.
But the first time he’d ever screamed at her was to protect his mistress and bastard child[]
Disappointed. That single word captured everything swirling through her mind–she was completely done with Quentin Atlante.
Quentin saw the change in her expression and realized he’d gone too far, quickly softening his tone: “Jess, I didn’t mean to blame you. Carter’s been in her care since the adoption, and she just got emotional..
Jessica cut him off coldly. “Save it. I don’t want to hear your bullshit.”
“Quentin, I’m telling you one last time—I don’t know where your precious son is. If he’s really missing, call the cops.”
Her eyes were completely devoid of warmth, so eerily calm it made Quentin panic. He didn’t even notice that Jessica had just acknowledged Carter as his son.
Just then, an assistant rushed in from outside: “Mr. Atlante, we found him.“]
“He was in a delivery truck heading out of the New York. Lucky break–the truck didn’t get far. The young master’s on his way back now.”
Everyone in the room exhaled in relief, except Jessica, who knew she was still fucked. She’d called several trucks today to haul her stuff to the auction house, which basically painted a target on her back.
at now you’re trying to get rid of
Laurel, perched on the sofa and let out a cold snort: “Not being able to have kids is pathetic enough, but the one I brought you. I swear you just want to end the Atlante bloodline.”
Laurel’s words were vicious, ripping open Jessica’s deepest wounds and twisted the knife in the wound.
She instinctively looked at Quentin, but he was staring intensely at Carrie, lost in thought about something.
Suddenly, Jessica felt like she couldn’t breathe. She laughed bitterly: “You’re right. I should never have risked my life to save Quentin back then. I should’ve let him die!]
The words shattered her heart even as she said them.]
Quentin’s head snapped up, seeing the devastation in Jessica’s eyes.
The red mark on her throat looked even more brutal now, making his chest tighten: “Jess, don’t say shit like that “[]
He reached for her hand, but Jessica coldly pulled away
When your heart is already dead, nothing else matters.
The thought of those same hands touching Carrie’s body last night made her sick to her stomach []
jessica ignored him, frantically texting Betty to ask when she’d be there. But for some reason, she wasn’t getting any replies.
The mansion went dead quiet except for Carrie’s pathetic sniffling
A few minutes later, Carter was brought back.[]
The moment he saw jessica, he hid behind Quentin, pointing an accusing finger at her. “Daddy, she tried to throw me away! It was HER!“]]
Laurel immediately stood up, her expression stem: “Jessica, what do you have to say for yourself? Carter’s just a child–why would he lie?”
Quentin’s eyes flickered as he looked at Jessica, and in that moment, she could read exactly what he was thinking.[]
He didn’t trust her tool
