Chapter 283
Liberty cried for a long time, only stopping when Hank returned home. She pretended to be asleep, but her ears were alert to the sounds outside.
Since the incident of domestic abuse, the couple had been sleeping in separate rooms. Hank was likely afraid that Liberty might harm him while he slept.
The bedroom door opened, but Hank didn’t enter. Instead, he peered in from the doorway. Noticing that his wife and child were asleep, he quietly closed the door and went to the adjacent bedroom.
Once inside, he made a phone call to Jessica.
“Mr. Brown,” she answered.
“We’re not at the office. Call me Hank,” he replied.
1
Hank spoke softly, ensuring his wife wouldn’t hear him from the next room.
“Are you home, Hank? I was really worried about you. You drove after drinking a lot, and I was anxious. Please don’t do that again. It’s dangerous to drink and drive. You could get in trouble if you get pulled over for a DUI,” Jessica expressed her concern over the phone, making him feel cherished with her kind words.
“You’re right. I won’t drive under the influence again. I’ll arrange for someone else to drive me. Get some rest, Jessica. I just wanted to say goodnight.”
Hank was infatuated with Jessica. They had spent the entire night together before returning to their respective homes. However, he couldn’t stop thinking about her—her beautiful face, her alluring figure, and her sweet voice.
He missed everything about her.
Perhaps he had drunk too much, as the mere thought of Jessica ignited his passion.
“Hank, get some sleep. We have work tomorrow. Goodnight. I’ll miss you in my dreams,” she said.
Jessica held the phone to her lips, making smooching sounds. “Kisses for you.”
Hank smiled and replied, “A kiss isn’t enough. You need to make it count.”
“Up to me tomorrow. I want a French kiss. Jessica, I really, really want… You understand, Jessica.”
“Goodnight, Hank.”
Deliberately overlooking the implications of his words, Jessica playfully said goodnight and ended the call. Hank was infatuated with Jessica, but she constantly led him on, unwilling to advance their relationship.
“That little flirt!”
“But that’s what I love about you,” Hank murmured.
While her flirtation excited him a bit too much, Hank sent Jessica money in two separate transactions: $143 and $1,437, accompanied by a kissing emoji.
Jessica accepted the transfers and sent back $1.43 and $14.37, respectively, along with a cheeky text: “Hank, I love you with an extra point.”
Hank felt elated.
The two exchanged affectionate texts for half an hour before deciding to call it a night.
After some contemplation, Hank chose to leave the guest room and return to the master bedroom. He pushed the door open and entered.
Having kept her sadness at bay, Liberty pulled herself out of her funk and let sleepiness take over.
She turned as the door swung open and her eyes flew open to see Hank entering the room. “What are you doing in here?” she asked sharply.
Stopping in his tracks, Hank replied curtly, “This is my bedroom too. What’s wrong with sleeping in my room?”
“Aren’t you afraid I might chop you into bits?”
Liberty’s tone dripped with sarcasm.
Hank ignored her.
He walked over, kicked off his shoes, and climbed into bed next to his son.
