Sweet Divorce

Now that Isabelle had said the words "birth father", Rita didn't need to ask to know what the results were from the other report. Without a doubt, they were blood related.

At the end of the day... they were father and daughter.

Rita couldn't help her curiosity towards this "birth father" of hers. "Isabelle, could you look up... what his name is?"

"Jackson Brooks Isabelle looked at her computer and answered honestly.

Jackson Brooks?!

Hearing the familiar name, Rita's pupils shrank. Shock and confusion ran through her eyes. "What a coincidence - it's him?"

"What, you know the man?" Isabelle asked curiously.

"Can't really say I know him." She'd only seen him once.

Three years ago, Liam had gotten in a serious accident when his car malfunctioned and collided with the car in front.

The accident had injured Liam's skull and put him in a coma for days, while the female driver of the car he'd hit had died of her wounds.

And this Jackson Brooks... was that driver's husband.

That day, when Rita had heard of Liam's accident, she'd rushed to the hospital.

And chanced across Jackson, who'd been waiting outside the operating room.

Her memories were muddled, and she only remembered that he'd been an elegant, well-spoken man.

Was her birth father that man?

But if he was, then that made Liam the culprit behind her mother's death...

Thinking of that, Rita's expression started to grow ugly.

It... it couldn't be that much of a coincidence. Maybe that man from three years ago just happened to have the same name. Yes, that had to be it.

Taking a deep breath, she suppressed the unease in her heart and continued, "Isabelle, can you get your guy to dig up the dirt on Jackson Brooks? It'd be best if I could get photos and a way to communicate with him."

"Sure, I'll put him on it. Anything we dig up about him, I'll send to your phone."

"Thanks."

"Quit being so polite with me," Isabelle pouted at how she was being treated like a stranger.

It took Rita apologizing and promising she wouldn't do it again for her to accept it.

After she hung up, Rita clutched the phone worriedly, afraid things would develop in the way she least wanted them to.

Because she'd been thinking about the call, she didn't notice that Liam had walked up behind her.

A pair of large hands embraced her from behind, and a distracted Rita jumped.

Seeing the girl's shocked little gesture, Liam's dark brow furrowed. "What are you pondering so intently?"

"Nothing, just some small trouble at work." Rita turned around and shook her head. Before she was certain if there was a blood connection between Jackson and her, she didn't want to declare anything. "What would you like for breakfast, porridge or sandwiches?"

"Neither," Liam frowned.

Rita started, then teased, "Well, then, Mr. Wilson, what would you like?"

"I want to eat..."

"What do you want to eat?"

Liam stopped talking all of a sudden, and Rita blinked dubiously.

Then Liam lowered his head, his handsome face slowly approaching.

Their already close distance drew even closer in that instant, close enough for her to feel the subtleties of his warm breath, close enough for his lips to cover hers.

Her hammering heart thudded twice and lost its rhythm.

At that moment, the man's lips really did press up against hers. "I just want to eat you up."

Rita's smooth face blushed bright red.

What was this man thinking about so early in the morning?

What a pervert!

She raised her hand to push him off and escape this space before she could melt.

But the man wouldn't let her go. He took her face in his hands and kissed back imperiously.

As he kissed her, he pushed her up against the wall, his lips working their way down her neck and collarbone.

"Stop - stop messing around... people will see." Seeing his overwhelming desire, Rita panicked. "Lillian is still around."

If Lillian really did come in and see then, it'd be really awkward.

Hearing that name, Liam's eyes darkened.

Some people just lived to make trouble.

He forced his squirming lust back down, hugging the woman tightly to his chest, and spoke mildly, "Let's get remarried, Rita. The sixteenth of next month sounds like a good day." His voice was even, but it wasn't a negotiation this time.

The time this parting had took had fanned the flames under his desire to remarry.

He wanted it desperately.

He wanted to be with her forever.

Rita jolted, her mood changing subtly.

She kept her eyes in the distance for a while, then murmured, "I haven't thought it over yet... mph~"

She'd been about to say that she wanted to consider it for a while, but the man bit down on her lower lip as if he was getting even. "Thought it over yet?"

"Liam, this... this could be considered a threat, you know. I'm getting mad!" How would she dare disagree now that he had his jaws around her lip?

Rita was both annoyed and amused by the unreasonably childish gesture.

He just didn't want to let her refuse.

"Come on... I'll listen to anything you say after we get back together." If she said jump, he'd ask how high. Anything she wanted, he was ready to give.

The man soothed her softly, and while Rita's face showed nothing, her heart was wavering.

She was getting moved.

Moved as she was, she didn't want to agree to getting remarried so easily.

She pushed him off her and cocked an eyebrow. "Enough empty promises. I'd sooner believe in ghosts than men. Who's to say you're not just trying to get on my good terms with remarriage?"

"I'm not."

Seeing the man's nervousness and sincerity, Rita's heart felt like it was going to burst. "Fine, even if you're not, you... you have to play by the book. Propose to me first before we get married again." How does one remarry without a proposal, anyway!!

In her past life, she'd stupidly skipped even the wedding, signed a certificate with him, and considered themselves married.

This time, she wasn't budging.

Even if it was just par for the course, she had to run the course anyway.

They only got one wedding in their life. This time, she wasn't leaving any regrets.

Now that she said it out loud, someone as smart as Liam would get it, wouldn't he?

Of course he understood.

Even though Rita hadn't said she wanted to remarry outright, she'd said as much to the same effect.

She accepted.

She finally accepted.

Normally cold, the man's eyes were bright at this moment, and his joy was indescribable. "All right. Proposal first. I'll put it on my itinerary."☐☐☐☐☐