SWNOVELS Chapter 193
In Berry City, Jocelyn was becoming quite the social butterfly under Elise's wing. Elise, a beloved figure in their circle, often took Jocelyn out for a day of shopping, where they would bump into Elise's close-knit group of gal pals. They would spend their time getting pampered at the spa, hitting up the gym for a workout, dancing their hearts out at the local studio, and mingling at various social events. It wasn't long before the whispers started, with people wondering if Jocelyn was Elise's daughter-in-law-to-be.
However, Elise took Harrison's advice and played it cool, not wanting to put any pressure on Jocelyn, who might not appreciate the assumption. When asked, Elise simply introduced her as "my goddaughter." It was through Elise's status and warmth that Jocelyn experienced what it felt like to be genuinely appreciated and embraced by a community.
Then one day, Jocelyn got an unsettling call from her mother Daisy.
"He showed up at the house," Daisy said, her tone laced with disapproval.
Jocelyn felt a pang of anxiety. She could move, but her parents' home was still there.
"What did he say?"
"I didn't let him in," Daisy replied. "Both I and your dad ignored him, and thankfully, he had the sense to leave."
Relieved, Jocelyn exhaled, "Okay."
Daisy continued with a note of concern, "Jocelyn, forget about that guy. You two are like oil and water; it's just not meant to be. I'm not saying I expect anything to happen between you and Harrison, but I just don't want you getting tangled up with that man again."
"I get it." Jocelyn didn't need others to tell her that. She knew she should not have thought she could change Melvin, nor should she have believed she was the most important person in his life. This time she had crashed and burned, and if she didn't turn back now, she was indeed a fool. There were plenty of fish in the sea-she had no business pinning her whole life on one man.
That evening, Elise took Jocelyn to the clubhouse for some fun. Just as they entered, someone called out, "Jocelyn!"
At first, nobody paid attention; after all, who knew which Jocelyn he was calling?
"Jocelyn Winslet!" The voice was closer now, impossible to ignore.
A young man approached Jocelyn with a grin. "I knew I recognized you. Jocelyn, what brings you here?"
Jocelyn was taken aback, having no idea why this stranger was addressing her so familiarly.
"Uh, I think you have the wrong person," she said, puzzled.
Elise sized up the young man, finding no match among Harrison's friends.
The man chuckled, "No mistake. Last time Melvin introduced us, it was a bit crowded, so maybe you didn't notice me. I'm Wesley, by the way."
Jocelyn's breath hitched at the mention of Melvin. Indeed, she had met too many people that day to remember.
So she didn't recognize the man in front of her. Now that he mentioned the circumstances and people involved in their meeting, she couldn't deny it anymore. "Jocelyn, this is..." Elise was a bit muddled.
Jocelyn felt quite embarrassed. She glanced at Wesley and explained to Elise, "A friend's friend."
Wesley, sensing the situation was not as he had assumed, excused himself to rejoin his friends.
After the encounter, Jocelyn felt a bit unsettled, but Elise was gracious, treating the incident as a mere blip in their evening.
Wesley, however, glanced back at them before discreetly making a phone call. "Melvin, I saw your girl... at Berry City..."
Jocelyn's disquiet was evident to Elise, who decided to cut their outing short and asked Harrison to pick Jocelyn up. Elise then made plans to play cards with her friends.
While Jocelyn was in the restroom, Elise pulled Harrison aside and whispered, "Someone recognized Jocelyn and mentioned a Melvin. Who's that?"
Harrison avoided the question with a comforting arm around Elise, "Mom, let's not speculate about those things."
"I'm not speculating; I just find it distasteful," Elise said with a pat on her son's hand. "I'm just hoping you and Jocelyn can make it official soon. That would put your father and me at ease." "Good things take time," Harrison replied with a smile, hiding his own bitterness.
Elise saw Jocelyn approaching and gently nudged Harrison, whispering to him, "You, too, need to put in more effort. Jocelyn is a good girl. If you slack off, she might slip away."
Harrison smiled faintly, not letting his mother see his bitterness. Truth be told, Jocelyn had never been his.
When Jocelyn returned, Elise encouraged Harrison to drive her back to her hotel, then left for her card game.
Outside the clubhouse, Harrison asked, "Ran into someone you knew?"
"Not really," Jocelyn admitted, truly not recognizing the man without the Melvin context.
In the car, as she buckled up, Jocelyn spotted Wesley again, standing at the entrance.
Harrison saw him too but said nothing, driving her to the hotel.
Once parked, Harrison hesitantly asked, "Can I ask you something?"
Jocelyn unfastened her seat belt, "Sure, what is it?"
"If Melvin came back and asked for forgiveness, would you forgive him?" Harrison asked, gripping the steering wheel, a nerve struck with anxiety.
Jocelyn's jaw dropped slightly, "No, I won't."
Harrison took a deep breath, "Then, is there still a chance for me?"
Jocelyn stared at him, stunned, at a loss for how to respond.
"You..." Jocelyn cleared her throat, avoiding his gaze, "Why even bother?"
"I've never hidden my feelings for you. No matter what your past is, it doesn't matter to me. Adults aren't like teenagers fresh into adulthood; life should be rich with experiences, and that's how you learn what's truly right for you."
Harrison's thoughts were eye-opening. He knew all about the history between Jocelyn and Melvin, and still, he didn't mind.
"At this point in my life, I'm not looking to fall head over heels. I just want to find someone compatible, someone with shared values to settle down with. Life's messy, and I want to make sure my marriage and my partner are sources of happiness."
Harrison spoke with reason, "The end game of love is family. I want to build a family with you, to have you as my lifelong partner. As long as I'm here, I won't let you suffer the slightest bit. Maybe I'm not the one you love the most, but I will be the one who loves you the most."
His unexpected confession caught Jocelyn off guard.
Every word was spoken with sincerity and conviction, not just idle talk but a promise made after careful consideration.
He had a charm that made Jocelyn want to believe him.
Jocelyn admitted to herself that she was moved, even if just for a moment.
What woman could resist such a heartfelt lifelong promise?
Especially from a man of his caliber.
Jocelyn didn't respond immediately. She wasn't weighing the consequences of acceptance or rejection; she was thinking about how not to let down his genuine feelings while allowing herself to let go. "If I said yes now, I'd be making you my fallback," Jocelyn said softly, with honesty, "You're a good man. I've thought countless times that if I'd met you first, maybe things would have turned out differently." Jocelyn offered a wistful smile. "I've already hurt you once; I don't want to do it again. I know that I'm not ready to start something new."
Harrison frowned and asked, "Are you still in love with him?"
The word 'love' caused a pang in Jocelyn's heart.
She smiled bitterly. "I don't even know. After loving someone for so many years, genuinely wanting to spend a lifetime with them... Who could have expected..."
She shook her head, giving Harrison a small smile, "I guess it was just fate."
Harrison fell silent.
He could feel that Jocelyn wouldn't be able to forget Melvin anytime soon.
Love, deep as the ocean. So profound, so heavy, like a fish in the sea, unable to flip to the surface.
Jocelyn turned Harrison down.
His disappointment was inevitable, but he also let go. It was clear that Jocelyn was being rational, not impulsive. She was being responsible to herself, as well as to him. For a rational woman, it was just a matter of time. Harrison believed Jocelyn would find her way out.
After a shower, Jocelyn was at her laptop when the doorbell rang.
She glanced at the time, not expecting service, and wondered who it could be.
Approaching the door, she called out, "Who is it?"
Silence from outside.
She furrowed her brow and was about to turn back when the doorbell rang again.
"Who is it?" Jocelyn's patience was thinning, "Speak up, or I'm calling the cops."
It was an empty threat.
She expected the person outside to quiet down, but through the thick door came a voice.
"It's me."
The door muffled the sound, but Jocelyn instantly recognized the voice.
She couldn't help but clench her fists, the suffocating feeling in her chest surging. She forced her eyes wide, fighting the sting as a wave of emotion rushed over her. Leaning against the wall, she took several deep breaths, trying to steady her heart.