On the Ruins of His Regret I Soar novel Chapter 83

Lance didn't come home until just before dawn.

As it happened, Jessica was just coming downstairs. They met in the middle of the grand, spiral staircase. Her eyes fixed on his wrinkled suit jacket, lingering there for a long moment.

Following her gaze, Lance seemed to realize what she was looking at. "Last night," he began, his voice low and flat, "Catherine was at a bar with friends. She had too much to drink and a couple of creeps started harassing her. I went to help."

Jessica offered a dismissive smile. "You don't have to explain anything to me."

She tried to brush past him, but he grabbed her wrist. "Even if we were just friends, I’m sure anyone would have stepped in."

A scornful smile touched her lips. "I didn't say a word. Why are you so defensive?"

A deep frown creased Lance’s brow. After a moment, he released her. "I'm heading to the office soon. I'm leaving Amy and Grandma in your care today."

Jessica continued down the stairs without a word. Lance didn't look back as he headed up to his room.

After breakfast, Jessica was walking with Amy in the courtyard. When Lance came out to leave, he finally noticed her pronounced limp and his brow furrowed. He remembered Amy finding him yesterday, saying Jessica had fallen in the bathroom and asking him to get some ointment. He’d found it, but he’d left it on his desk.

Had she not even used it?

The thought spurred him to walk over to her. "How's your foot?"

Jessica didn't want to speak to him, but with Amy right there, she forced a clipped response. "Thanks for asking. I'll live."

Catherine beamed and knelt down. "It is! Do you like it?"

Amy nodded enthusiastically.

"Then why don't you go play with it?" Catherine suggested. Amy happily agreed and ran into the living room, clutching her new toy.

Jessica walked slowly, and Catherine easily caught up with her. "Jessica, Dad wants you to bring Amy over for dinner tonight. You haven't been back to the house since you got out of the hospital."

Jessica turned to look at Catherine. There was a small cut on her lip. And though the day wasn't particularly warm, Catherine was wearing a low-cut dress that exposed a wide swath of her chest. More importantly, her pale skin was littered with unmistakable marks. Hickeys.

Lance had been out all night. Catherine was covered in love bites. It wasn't hard to put two and two together.