The Unwilling CEO's Love Game novel Chapter 81

"Why did they break up?"

"No clue. Mom reckoned maybe Willow thought Uncle was too broke. Or maybe 'cause Willow wanted fame, so she took off," Preston Turner shrugged, "I was just a kid back then, all hearsay from Mom."

Jocelyn felt as if a heavy rock was pressing on her chest, making her hard to breathe.

Preston noticed her discomfort, "Don't overthink it. Mom says they're ancient history. And hey, Uncle's a peculiar guy. He doesn't reheat old soup. Most importantly, the whole family of us don’t like Willow."

"As long as she had chemistry with your uncle, that's enough."

"No way," Preston shook his head with conviction, "If there were, they'd be together by now. Jocelyn, don't sweat it about Willow. Uncle won't rekindle his love for her. They're just friends at most, or maybe it's a business thing."

Preston's words didn't console Jocelyn.

First loves are never easily forgotten, like a flint stone burning the back of your hand, always leaving a scar.

Exiting the Martinez’s, Jocelyn dialed Melvin's number.

After a few rings, he picked up.

"Hello."

"Preston's home now," Jocelyn said, her voice steady.

"Okay."

"When are you coming back?" Fearing he might think she was prying, she quickly added, "School's starting. You should be there for Preston's registration."

"He can handle it," Melvin replied. "If you're free during the registration, could you help him out?"

Jocelyn detected the underlying message: he wasn't coming back soon.

Perhaps she was silent too long because Melvin asked, "Anything else?"

"No."

"Bye then."

"Bye."

The call ended with a click, leaving a hint of bitterness in Jocelyn's heart.

With the start of school and a hectic schedule, Jocelyn had little time for sorrow, throwing herself into work. Without love, she found she could still manage just fine.

Ulla sent Jocelyn a Facebook message again.

[Caught her! Pictures of her and that guy spending the night together at a hotel.]

She attached five high-resolution photos. Willow leaning on Melvin as they entered the hotel, then heading into a room together. Ulla had somehow managed to capture images of them inside the hotel.

Willow in a sultry spaghetti strap nightgown and Melvin in a black dress shirt and slacks, stood by the French windows on the phone.

Though there were no intimate gestures, he had stayed the night in Willow's room.

[Looks like Willow's the other woman now. This kind of scoop could ruin her reputation.]

Ulla's excitement about taking down Willow shone through her message.

Jocelyn felt an unprecedented calm at the sight of these photos.

No one could track down Melvin's girlfriend, nor prove he was taken. So the idea of Willow as the other woman was baseless.

Jocelyn replied. [I'm out. Look for something else.]

Ulla responded with a 'confused' emoji.

[Weren't you after dirt on Willow? Why give up now?]

[Exhausted.]

Jocelyn messaged back before tossing her phone face down on the desk and picking up her textbooks, heading out of the office.

She truly was tired.

She trusted Melvin, but the images of him with another woman made it impossible for her to ignore.

She had enough of it.