The Unwilling CEO's Love Game novel Chapter 102

Melvin took Jocelyn for granted, and her heart grew bitter with the thought.

For years, his presumption had made him believe that she could not leave - or perhaps, he believed she was incapable of leaving.

"This time, I'm serious," Jocelyn said, her voice unwavering. She did not want to be tangled up with him anymore; it was an endless cycle.

Melvin's face turned an ashen shade of white, the blood draining as Jocelyn steeled herself, "You need to rest."

"You're just going to leave me like this?" Melvin bellowed with all the strength he could muster, his voice hoarse and strained.

That sentence tore through Jocelyn, her back to him, swallowing hard. She questioned her right to care for him, perplexed by the mindset that allowed him to utter those words.

"Someone will look after you," Jocelyn said as she pulled the door open.

"Jocelyn!" Melvin's voice followed her in a shout.

She stepped out and closed the door behind her, gripping the doorknob tightly as tears welled up and spilled over.

The nurse, arriving to care for Melvin, saw Jocelyn's red, tear-stained eyes and assumed her distress was for the patient inside.

"Miss, don't worry. It's just appendicitis; it's not life-threatening," the nurse offered kindly, but Jocelyn's tears did not stop.

Wiping her eyes, she stepped aside. "He can be difficult. Please bear with him."

"Don't worry. Sick folks are often cranky; I’m used to it. They need a bit of coddling. Illness is stressful enough; we understand," the nurse reassured her.

"Thank you."

As the nurse prepared to enter, she turned back to ask, "Are you his girlfriend? You know, him seeing you might cheer him up, help him recover faster."

A pang hit Jocelyn's heart. She tried to smile casually, but it twisted into a grimace of part laugh, part cry as she uttered, "I'm not."

The nurse looked puzzled as Jocelyn walked away.

Inside, the nurse encountered Melvin's dark, intimidating gaze and felt a shiver of fear, quickly saying, "Sir, you should keep a positive attitude after surgery. Your girlfriend was quite worried when she left. Her eyes were all swollen from crying."

"She cried?" Melvin latched onto that detail.

The nurse, accustomed to various dramas, surmised a lovers' quarrel and, with a peacemaker's spirit, added, "Yes. It was heartbreaking to see."

Melvin's anger subsided slightly, "At least she has some conscience."

Back at the hotel room, Jocelyn was restless and contacted Preston to see if he had informed Willow. His prompt reply was what she had hoped for. At least Willow would be by Melvin's side the next morning.

The following day, Jocelyn went to school with swollen, red eyes, somewhat concealed by her glasses. When asked, she deflected with random excuses.

Harrison was busy and had not reached out to her. That was for the best; his perceptiveness would have noticed something was off.

Jocelyn did not visit Melvin at the hospital. Having decided to move on, she intended to stick to that resolution.

Two days later, as she left school, Jocelyn spotted a striking figure: a tall woman with cascading curls, sunglasses, a red dress, and a black trench coat, standing out with an undeniable presence that drew the attention of passersby.

The woman approached Jocelyn, calling her name.

Jocelyn paused, surprised to be recognized. She did not recall ever meeting this woman among her acquaintances.

"You are?"

The woman removed her sunglasses, revealing a familiar, sharply contoured, and stunningly beautiful face. "I'm Preston's mother, Yasmine Martinez."

Hearing this, Jocelyn's heartbeat skipped a beat. This woman was Melvin's sister.