The Unwilling CEO's Love Game
Chapter 82

"Go and see him off," Calvin said with a glance at Jocelyn.

After pondering for a moment, Jocelyn stood up and made her way to the stairs. However, halfway down, she stopped.

"I'll stop here. You go on," Jocelyn said, her voice betraying her reluctance to encounter Melvin. She couldn't imagine what she would say to him. It was like meeting an ex after a breakup. There was no way to stay cool and composed.

Preston seemed confused. "Why? Don't you miss him? It's been ages since you two saw each other."

"Just go," Jocelyn replied. It's impossible to share her inner turmoil with Preston, who was practically still a kid.

Seeing how adamant she was, Preston didn't press further and went downstairs alone.

Leaning against the wall, Jocelyn listened and waited.

After a long while, she heard a car pull away. As the tension in her heart eased, a sense of emptiness washed over her.

She went back home to prepare for the upcoming exams. Her workload wasn't going to ease up anytime soon. It was only after she sat down for a while that she grabbed her bag and hailed a cab back to her own apartment.

As soon as the elevator doors opened, a familiar scent of cigarette smoke hit her nostrils.

She looked up and locked eyes with those deep, soulful eyes that she knew all too well. Her heart skipped a beat.

Melvin crushed his cigarette in the stand-up ashtray in the hallway and approached her, wrapping his arms gently around her waist and resting his head on her shoulder. He seemed to let go of all his strength, seeking comfort in her presence.

Jocelyn wasn't sure how to respond to his embrace, so she just let him hold her.

After a while, she felt the weight on her shoulder grow heavier, followed by the steady sound of his breathing.

Was he asleep?

How exhausted must he be?

Unable to stand still too long, Jocelyn softly called his name, "Melvin?" There was no response, so she tapped his shoulder.

He murmured something, his voice low and hoarse, betraying his fatigue.

"Don't sleep here, go home to bed," Jocelyn urged, helping him stand.

As he opened his eyes, he leaned against the wall, and only at this close distance did she see how weary he looked. Dark circles under his eyes, bloodshot scleras, and a stubbly chin. Frowning, Jocelyn eventually opened the door.

Melvin went straight to the couch and collapsed, appearing utterly spent.

Jocelyn asked if he wanted a shower, but he was already asleep again.

What could have worn him out so much? He looked like the tired heroes from the old stories, drained by some enchantress.

She let him be and went to the kitchen to cook some porridge for him, anticipating that he might want something warm when he woke up.

The porridge was ready, but Melvin was still sleeping. Jocelyn worked on her computer in the living room, leaving him to rest on the couch.

By the time she finished preparing the exam items, it was midnight. Stretching, she looked up to replace Melvin watching her.

Startled, she asked, "Hungry?"

"A bit," he replied.

Jocelyn got up, her legs numb. She leaned on the table for support as she made her way to the kitchen and served him a bowl of porridge. Melvin sat up and gulped it down.

"Want more?"

"No, that's enough."

Not pressing further, Jocelyn cleaned up the bowl and put away her laptop and papers. The awkward silence hung heavy, and she bit her lip, "You... not heading back?" Melvin raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised by her question.

The air turned even more awkward.

Touching her nose and forcing a smile, Jocelyn added, "I've got a bit more work. You can rest if you need to."

She wasn't sure why things had become so strained. She had finished her work but right at the moment she didn't want to share a bedroom with him.

Melvin, now seeming more lively, fished a small handmade box from his pocket and handed it to Jocelyn.

She knew it was a gift, a gesture he made every time he came back from his travels.

Accepting the box without opening it, she placed it on the table. "It's late. You should get some sleep."

"Aren't you curious?" Jocelyn glanced at the box. It was a hand-made box, less opulent than his previous gifts, but looked special.

"You don't need to bring something every time. It's too much," she said, suspecting it contained jewelry, which she seldom wore.

"Too much for you?"

"It's excessive and inappropriate," she explained, guessing it was either a bracelet or earrings. She hardly wore earrings; the holes had nearly closed up. Melvin studied her. "What's wrong with you?"

Jocelyn was taken aback but quickly smiled. "I'm fine."

"Why the formality then?"

And there it was. She was being formal, not with him, but with herself.

He didn't know what she had discovered, nor did he understand why she hadn't greeted him warmly.

In that moment, Jocelyn seemed to be a person laden with heavy thoughts, while Melvin appeared blissfully unaware.

"Nothing. You look tired. Go take a shower. I'll finish up here and then head to bed," she said, suddenly losing the will to explain or argue.

Every time she needed to express herself that she didn't like the things he did, but he never took it to heart either.

He never took her words seriously.

Acting obediently this time, Melvin headed to the bedroom for his clothes and then to the bathroom.

Jocelyn sat outside, unable to focus. The sound of the shower was clear, and involuntary images of his body invaded her thoughts, stirring forbidden desires. She despised herself for these thoughts.

It seemed that emotional and physical desires could be separate. Despite knowing about his ambiguous relationship with Willow, it didn't stop her from craving his touch. Thankfully, the thought was fleeting as her phone buzzed with a message from Ulla.

[They're back. The guy didn't stay with Willow. Digging up dirt on them will take some effort. But Willow is wild. It's possible to catch her off guard if we're careful.]

At this moment, Jocelyn truly didn't care anymore.

She replied: [It doesn't matter now.]

[Weren't you eager to expose Willow before?]

Jocelyn was just about to text Ulla that they should stop contacting each other when Melvin appeared.

She quickly pocketed her phone, her expression cool and composed as she turned to look at him.

"Aren't you in bed yet?" Melvin, using her pink towel to dry his hair, was decently dressed in pajamas. "Just about to," Jocelyn smiled.

Melvin stood there, not moving. Jocelyn knew he was waiting for her.

She got up, took her phone and went into the bedroom.

"Go take a shower," Melvin urged.

Jocelyn was aware that absence makes the hearts grow fonder. He'd made the effort to come see her, cleaned himself up and lay in bed. Something was bound to happen tonight. After all, physical intimacy often keeps the flame alive in adult relationships. Isn't there a saying? Couples argue but make up by the end of it?

When she was showering, the thought of Willow in a sultry spaghetti strap nightgown sharing a room with him made Jocelyn feel uneasy. She could overlook his pre-marriage escapades. But post-marriage infidelity, even the possibility of it, made her stomach churn. Though she and Melvin weren't exactly in a pre- or post-marriage situation, the principle was the same.

She couldn't stomach a man who played the field.

Dragging her feet, she entered the bedroom to replace him holding her phone with a serious look on his face.