Divorce With Benefits: A Second Chance At Love
Chapter 48: Stretching Silence

Chapter 48: Stretching Silence

Jared was still wrestling with the seatbelt, his face only inches away from hers. Jerica felt the warmth of his breath brush against her lips, an almost forgotten sensation that sent a shiver through her. His proximity made her heart pound in a way that felt foreign, yet achingly familiar. She could see the tension in every line of his jaw, the tightness in his shoulders, as if he were fighting a battle inside himself.

For a fleeting moment, their eyes met, and the world around them seemed to freeze. The air thickened, charged with a tension that was both exhilarating and terrifying. It was like standing on the edge of a precipice, caught between wanting to leap into the unknown and the fear of what might happen if she did. In that single heartbeat, it felt as though the distance between them dissolved, leaving only raw, unspoken yearning in its place.

Her heart pounded so loudly she was certain he could hear it. As she stared into his eyes, she searched for something, anything that would remind her of the man she had fallen in love with—the man who used to hold her so tenderly, who made her laugh, who looked at her like she was the only woman in the world. But his lips were pressed into a hard, unforgiving line, and his gaze was an unreadable storm.

Jerica wanted to reach out, to touch him, to close the aching gap between them. What was so wrong with wanting to kiss her husband? Her fingers twitched at her side, aching to feel the familiar warmth of his skin beneath her touch. For a brief, insane moment, she thought maybe—just maybe—he was thinking the same thing.

His eyes darkened, softening at the edges as he leaned just the tiniest fraction closer. That fire, the one she hadn’t seen in his eyes for so long, flickered back to life, igniting a small hope within her. Her breath hitched, and for a second, it felt like they were on the verge of something—a reconnection, a rekindling of what they had lost.

Could he feel it too? The magnetic pull between them, the connection that had once been so effortless? Jerica’s heart skipped a beat, daring to hope that they were not as lost as she feared.

But just as quickly as it had ignited, the fire died. Jared’s expression hardened, his body stiffened, and whatever had sparked between them vanished in an instant.

He turned away, clicking the seatbelt into place with a finality that felt like a slap. The coldness that followed was suffocating, wrapping around her like a heavy, impenetrable fog.

The rejection stung more than she expected, slicing through her chest like a blade. She had thought—no, she had hoped—that there was still something left between them. But in that moment, she felt like she was sitting beside a stranger. Her heart sank, leaving her feeling hollow and defeated, her lips parted with words that never came.

Then, a loud bang shattered the quiet, and Jerica jumped, her hand flying to her chest. Outside, Harold was pounding on the window, his face frantic and his mouth moving with words she couldn’t hear. He looked wild, desperate, his eyes wide with panic as he gestured for her to get out of the car.

Click.

The door locks engaged with a sharp snap. Jerica turned to Jared, her pulse quickening, confusion swirling in her chest. Before she could say anything, the engine roared to life, and without a word, Jared slammed his foot on the gas. The car lurched forward, tires screeching against the pavement as they sped away, leaving Harold in a cloud of dust.

Jerica’s breath caught in her throat as she looked back, watching Harold stumble, his hands reaching out in vain as he tried to chase after them. Her phone buzzed insistently in her lap, and she unlocked it, her stomach twisting as she saw message after message flood the screen.

Where is he taking you?

Get out of the car! Please!

Jeri, listen to me!

Jump! Get out before it’s too late!

The desperation in Harold’s words gnawed at her. She swallowed hard, glancing sideways at Jared, whose profile was set in stone, his hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles were white. There was something dangerous in his silence, an undercurrent of rage simmering just beneath the surface.

Another message popped up.

He thinks you’re connected to Lydia!

Jerica blinked, her mind racing. Lydia? What did Jared think she had to do with her? Her hands trembled as she hovered over the "block" button, her instinct screaming at her to shut Harold out, to stop listening to his increasingly frantic texts.

But then, the final message came through, and everything inside her went cold.

Lydia Sutherland is the presumed heiress of the Glover family. Your husband came there for a reason. Something happened... Get out!

The Glovers. The one family Jared had a long-standing vendetta against, a deep-seated grudge that had only grown colder and more dangerous over the years. He never let her in on the details, always keeping that part of his life locked away, a fortress of secrets and bitter memories.

Was this why he had been so distant? Was this why he had dragged her out here in the middle of the night? Did he think she had something to do with Lydia?

Her breath came in shallow, shaky gasps as she stared at Jared’s rigid form. His jaw was clenched, his eyes dark and unreadable, and for the first time, fear crept into her chest. Could Harold be right? Would Jared tell her if she asked—or was there something darker he was hiding beneath that cold exterior?

She put her phone on silent, turning her attention to the window, doing what she always did when things got too overwhelming. The city lights blurred past them, neon streaks of pink and blue offering a fleeting comfort, a reminder of the world that still existed outside the bubble of tension in the car.

She shifted uncomfortably in her seat when she noticed that they had missed the exit that led home. Jerica turned to look at Jared, her heart pounding faster now. He was driving with focused intensity, his gaze fixed on the road ahead, no hint of stopping or turning back.

Jared shot her a fleeting glance from the corner of his eye. It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but she saw it. He knew. He knew she had figured it out.

Yet, he said nothing.

The silence stretched between them like a taut wire, ready to snap. It was as if he was deliberately letting her unravel, letting her sit in the uncertainty. He didn’t confirm her suspicions, but he didn’t deny them either.

He just kept driving, his eyes forward, as though he was leading them both into a place where words no longer mattered.