Jessie already knew that the Hickman family wouldn’t stand up for her, but she never expected them to say something so revolting.
“Hah! Young? Doesn’t know any better? Just because Anna was born a few hours after me, she gets a free pass to act shamelessly, and I’m expected to forgive her no matter what? Mom, you’re a woman too. If you truly believe what Anna did can be excused, then I sincerely hope you’ll experience the exact same betrayal one day.”
Jessie’s words had Phillip and Liliana fuming.
Phillip snapped, “Enough! What’s done is done. There’s no point in arguing who’s at fault now. I’ll give you one last chance, Jessie. Cut things off with that old man and go back home
with Brandon. I can pretend none of this ever happened, and you’ll still be a good daughter of
mine.”
If this had been the past, Jessie might have yearned to be the daughter Phillip acknowledged.
Now, those words only made her feel sick to her stomach.
“Dad, Anna has always been your good daughter. The Hickman family clearly adores her, so I’ll stop getting in the way.
“Since you all don’t welcome this biological daughter of yours, starting today, I’m severing all ties with the Hickman family. From now on, we’re strangers. I’m no longer your daughter, and
you’re no longer my parents.” 1
Everyone in the room was stunned. No one had expected Jessie to go so far as to cut ties.
Brandon grabbed her arm, trying to reason with her. “Jessie, I know you’re upset, but don’t be so impulsive. You had to rely on the Hickman family back then, and after marriage, you relied on me. Without us, how are you going to survive?”
Casting a look of disgust at the arm Brandon had touched, Jessie forcefully yanked it away from him before wiping the spot he had touched with a tissue, rubbing so hard her skin turned
red.
“Don’t flatter yourself, Brandon Kerr. I earned the money for all of my clothes and food myself. Only by getting away from you people will I be able to live a better life. And trash like you deserves to be hit by a bus the moment you step outside!”
Shocked and offended, Brandon scoffed. “I really underestimated you, Jessie. The moment you married me three years ago, you already lost the right to walk away on your own. I don’t care where you’ve been or who you’ve been with these past few days—I’ll pretend none of it happened. But from now on, you belong to me.”
Hearing that, Jessie was sure Brandon had lost his mind. “You’re crazy!”
She struggled to break free from him, but the difference in strength was just too great. She couldn’t get away.
Wallace rushed forward to help, but the Hickman family’s bodyguards came out of nowhere to stop him.
Brandon turned to Phillip and Liliana. “Sorry for the trouble, Phillip, Liliana. I’ll be taking Jessie home now.”
“Brandon Kerr, you and I are already divorced! What you’re doing is false imprisonment! I’m going to sue you!”
Brandon, who had always put on the facade of a gentleman, rarely showed his controlling
nature.
Phillip and Liliana, still seething from Jessie’s declaration to sever ties, gave him the green light. “Go ahead. We’ve been too lenient with her over the years. Maybe a little discipline will do her good.”
Seeing that Jessie was about to be dragged away, Wallace shouted sternly, “Ms. Hickman is now Mr. Stafford’s future wife! What you’re doing is declaring war on the Stafford family!”
Even though Wallace had just revealed Jessie’s identity, no one paid him any mind.
Yanking his tie off, Brandon used it to bind Jessie’s flailing arms.
Jessie’s eyes filled with despair as she lost all hope in everyone present.
At that moment, a gunshot rang out, startling everyone. It was immediately followed by Brandon’s agonized scream.
Jessie was flung aside by him but was caught in Zane’s arms almost instantly.
“The Kerr family dares lay a hand on what’s mine? I’m only taking your leg today, Brandon Kerr. Next time, I’ll be taking your life.”
