Divorce With Benefits: A Second Chance At Love
Chapter 49: Ignoring Him

Chapter 49: Ignoring Him

Jerica should have felt uneasy, especially after Harold’s frantic reaction back at the city. The way he had charged toward the car, panic in his eyes—it would have been enough to send anyone into a spiral of fear. But not Jerica.

A calmness had settled over her, unexpected and soothing. There was no fear in her heart, only a quiet certainty that Jared wasn’t taking her anywhere to hurt her. If anything, the tension in his silence hinted at something deeper, something that wasn’t rooted in malice but in... intention.

Out of reflex, she took a glance at her phone. Harold’s messages lit up the screen in a steady stream of texts, each one more desperate than the last. She read the latest:

[Please, talk to me, Jeri. Where is he taking you?]

But she sighed and swiped it away, ignoring him completely. Harold had been part of her past, and right now, the only thing that mattered was the man beside her, steering them both into the unknown.

Minutes passed, and Jerica’s curiosity slowly turned into realization. Her eyes widened, her breath catching in her throat as the pieces fell into place. She turned to Jared, her voice barely a whisper, tinged with disbelief and anticipation. "We’re going to our summer home, aren’t we?"

Jared didn’t answer right away. He didn’t need to. His hands remained steady on the wheel, his expression unchanged. For a brief moment, he tilted his head ever so slightly, giving her a sideways glance—just enough to acknowledge her, yet his lips stayed sealed. The silent confirmation sent a thrill through her, like a secret shared between only the two of them.

Jerica’s heart lifted. Excitement, mixed with nostalgia, swelled in her chest, blooming like wildflowers. The thought of returning to that place—her

place—brought a kind of joy she hadn’t felt in a long time. The summer home in East Hampton, filled with echoes of laughter, childhood dreams, and the warmth of endless summers. A sanctuary where her best memories had taken root.

For the first time since their marriage, Jared would be stepping foot inside. That thought alone quickened her pulse. What would he think? Would he feel the magic of that place the way she did? Would he see her differently, standing there where her heart had always been so free?

As they drove deeper into the night, the familiar road stretched out before them, winding through the dark like a pathway to the past. Moonlight spilled through the dense canopy of trees, casting soft, silvery shadows that danced along the car’s hood.

Jerica’s eyes wandered across the landscape, her mind drifting back to her younger years. The smell of the ocean, salty and fresh, clung to the air, reminding her of summers spent playing by the shore, her feet sinking into the cool sand as the waves lapped at her toes. The wooden bridge they passed had been the site of countless bike races with her friends, her laughter echoing against the wind. Further up the road was the field where they’d set up picnic blankets, her parents absent but the warmth of camaraderie more than enough.

Jared’s silence wrapped around them like a cocoon as the familiar iron gates of her family’s estate came into view. She sat up straighter, her heartbeat quickening. They had arrived.

Jared slowed the car and honked, the sound slicing through the stillness. Almost instantly, a familiar figure rushed from the shadows of the property. Mr. Walsh, the caretaker who had practically watched her grow up, emerged from the house, his weathered face lighting up in pure joy the moment he saw her.

"Stella! Look who’s here!" Mr. Walsh shouted, his voice carrying a warmth that made Jerica’s heart swell. His grin was wide, his eyes crinkling with delight as he waved enthusiastically toward the house.

Mrs. Walsh appeared not long after, wiping her hands on her apron as she rushed to the gate. Jerica couldn’t contain herself any longer. Before the gate had even fully opened, she flung open the car door and sprinted toward them. Her feet barely touched the ground as she leapt into their arms, engulfing them both in a tight, gleeful hug.

"Oh, my sweet girl!" Mrs. Walsh exclaimed, her eyes misty with affection. Jerica let out a joyous laugh, bouncing up and down as the three of them embraced in a reunion that felt long overdue.

Behind her, the car idled as Jared slowly pulled it through the gate. Jerica turned for a brief second to glance at him, but something else caught her eye—a tall figure emerging from the shadows near the house.

"Alex!" Jerica screamed, her voice full of shock and excitement as she recognized the broad-shouldered man making his way toward her.

"Puppy! Long time no see!" Alex’s familiar grin broke across his face, his arms outstretched as he moved toward her.

Without thinking, Jerica ran to him, throwing herself into his embrace. Alex caught her effortlessly, spinning her around like he had done a thousand times before, her laughter ringing out into the cool night air. She could feel the strength in his arms, the way he held her steady, like the big brother she never had but always needed.

As he spun her, Jerica’s mind raced with memories. All those summer days when Alex had picked her up and twirled her around the yard, making her feel as if she could fly. Now, even though so much time had passed, the warmth and comfort of his presence felt the same.

"Did you finally retire with honors?" she asked, still clinging to him as they slowed to a stop.

Alex was in the navy, joined right after he finished high school. But he always found time to visit her in summers when she returned.

Alex chuckled, his deep voice rumbling through his chest. "Promoted, actually."

Jerica gasped, her eyes widening in exaggerated shock. "Promoted? Again?!" she shrieked, smacking his shoulder playfully. "At this rate, when are you ever going to have time to start a family?"

Behind them, the car engine revved once more, louder this time, like an impatient growl. But Jerica barely noticed. The horn sounded a second later, but she didn’t even flinch.

Alex laughed, the corners of his piercing blue eyes crinkling with amusement. "Family? Oh no, I’m going to build an entire fleet and conquer Antarctica before I settle down."

"Antarctica? Are you going to fight the penguins and seals there?" Jerica teased, still holding on to him.

Jared’s car suddenly sped off, the sound of tires crunching gravel piercing through their conversation. Jerica glanced over briefly, watching as her husband drove toward the main house, leaving her behind without a word. His absence barely registered with her, her attention firmly planted on Alex and the warmth of the Walshes.

Mrs. Walsh clucked her tongue and shook her head with a playful smile. "Alex, let the poor girl breathe! Jerica, come inside, darling. I was just preparing supper for Alex. You must join us."