Jessica and Harry have not been speaking much lately. Their conversations were only professional, if not at all. Harry tried his best but Jessica would not budge and he did not have the heart to force her either. He figured he needed to start over again and try to win her heart back. Jessica said it herself that until he got a divorce, they would remain as friends but what if it doesn't change a thing since he would take some time to convince his father? Jessica would not wait for him forever, would she?

With all the thoughts racing through Harry's mind, he found it difficult to focus at whatever he was doing, especially with Jessica sitting just a few steps away from his desk. He reached his hand out to the phone and contemplated on dialling his father's number only to notice an envelope sticking out from underneath it. He must have shifted the documents on his desk a lot that morning that the envelope was pushed aside unintentionally. He put down the phone and took the envelope that was addressed to him and pull out the folded letter.

He frowned as he read the letter, his eyes scanning the letter quickly. He slammed the letter onto the table and got up to leave his office with the letter in his hand.

"What's the meaning of this, Jessica?" he asked when he approached Jessica's table.

Jessica took her attention off the monitor and looked at the letter that Harry presented to her.

"Well?" he asked again, expecting her to say something. He was clearly furious but was trying his best to speak to her as calmly and he could. "An explanation, Jess?"

"My explanation is written in there, Harry," she replied before turning her head to the monitor again.

"No, it is not a valid reason. I am not going to accept this resignation, Jessica and that's final," Harry stated. "I'm not going to allow this."

Jessica shut her eyes and pressed her temple. "Let's talk in your office, Harry?"

Harry made his way in with Jessica following behind. He sat on his chair and placed the letter on his desk. "You cannot talk your way out of this, Jessica."

Jessica sat on the seat across him and rested her arm on the armrest. "I'm not gonna talk my way out. I've made the decision and I'm leaving for L.A. in two days."

Harry frowned and loosen his tie. "What?! L.A?"

Jessica nodded. "Yes, I'm not needed here anymore, Harry. I'm hoping to have a fresh start there."

"Who said, you're not needed here anymore, Jess? We need you here, I need you here."

"No, Harry, I've given you a 3-day notice, I believe you can find a replacement by then."

"I don't want a replacement, Jess."

"Well, I don't want to be here either. You said it yourself that once all this is over, you will let me-"

"No, things have changed, Jess and you know that. You also know that you're leaving not because of the job or the offer but because of what's going on between us."

Jessica snorted. "You seriously think this is about you? Us? Whatever it is? No, Harry, it is not. It is me wanting a fresh start and finding a job I actually want to be in."

Harry got up from his sit and walked towards the side of the room and looked out of the window. "You're gonna find Alex, aren't you?" he asked in almost a whisper.

"Yes, I probably would since he is the only person I know who is in L.A. right now and I can depend on."

"But he left you. How is that dependable?"

"Well, whether or not he is dependable, I am capable of taking care of myself so he is not a deciding factor here, Harry."

"He left you and you forgave him. Why can't you give me a second chance, then?" Harry pled, looking at her in the eye. "Why can't you forgive me, Jess? I didn't leave you and don't intend to."

"You LIED to me, Harry! You said it wasn't important and wouldn't affect our relation..ugh whatever it is. But it was and it did! It changes everything and there's no point in fixing it."

"I told you, Jessica. We didn't love each other. We've never slept in the same room. She's now happy with whoever she is with. We're just legally married in black and white, nothing else. I'm not cheating on her."

"I'm not going to walk around having people looking at me and labeling me as your mistress," Jessica hissed.

"I wish I wasn't married, Jessica, trust me. All I'm asking is for you to give me a chance to fix this. Just wait for me, please?"

"Why didn't you tell me you were married in the first place?!"

"If I did, you would have looked at me differently, wouldn't you?"

"How would I know when you didn't tell me anyway, Harry?"

"Well, I know you would. That's why I didn't tell you. I wanted to tell you when I was ready to."

Jessica let out a sarcastic laugh. "And when was that gonna happen? If I hadn't forced you into telling me, God knows when you will be ready to tell me. You probably wouldn't and I would be living in a fantasy thinking I've changed a man for the better and he's now the best person I could possibly be in love with. What bull."

"Jessica, you did change me for the better and I want to be that person you talk to, laugh with, cry with and," Harry paused and cleared his throat."...love with. The only thing that is holding us back is this damn marriage which I will, I promise you, find a way to get out from."

Jessica shook her head in disapproval. "I'm sorry, Harry. I'm not going back to being the type of person who sits around, waiting to be wanted, needed or loved again."

"Jess..."

"I'm done with that," Jessica snapped and started walking out. "And I'm done with this."

-

"Hey, Jess, wait up!"

Jessica was on her way to grab some food for dinner when she heard someone calling out her name. She turned around only to see Louis jogging towards her.

"Oh hi, Louis."

"Hey. I heard from Wonda that you're moving to L.A.?"

"Yeah..."

"Why?"

"Just needed a fresh start. I'll come back someday," Jessica replied, forcing a smile. "I'm gonna grab take out, have you had dinner?"

"I've not actually, maybe we could have Chinese? Sit in. Talk for a bit?"

"Sure, sounds great."

They walked towards the Chinese restaurant and sat near the glass window. They browsed through the menu and ordered before Louis resumed the conversation.

"So, what's in store in L.A.?"

"I'm gonna give writing another shot."

"Ah, I see..."

Shortly after, a waitress served them their orders and they started eating.

"So...why the short notice?" Louis asked in between bites.

"Don't speak with your mouth full, Louis," Jessica laughed. "I don't know. I thought hard about it and if I wait, I'd probably change my mind so might as well."

"Seems to me you're running away from something."

"Well, I'm not going to be a secretary forever."

"But you do want to be with him, don't you?"

"Who?"

"Mr Prince Charming, of course."

"Ha. Ha. Ha. No idea what you're talking about!"

"Whether you want to hear it or not. I say you're making a rush decision and you will regret it later on."

"And why is that?"

Louis face was serious. "I'm speaking from experience, Jess."

Jessica dropped her fork and widened her eyes. "You mean you still love Wonda?!"

Louis nodded and crossed his arms on the table. "I never stopped."

"So...?" Jessica pressed on.

"You know what's funny? Back in school, we thought relationship and love were complicated. And we thought that perhaps when we grow older, such things will become clearer to us. We should be able to handle such matters better, right? But no," Louis finally smiled. "We will always be fools in love." They chuckled at his statement.

"Look, Jess. I don't know what he has done to you but if he hadn't cheated on you or blatantly hurt you, give him a chance. We all make mistakes."

"Thanks, Louis. I'll think about it."

"Don't over-think it either. That happened to me a few weeks before the wedding and look at where it got me."

"You know, Louis. She forgave you the moment you said you will be Tony's father still. And I'm thankful that you stayed."

"I know. I feel guilty all the time just thinking how Tony has a broken family just because I chickened out."

Jessica place her hand on his wrist and smiled. "When something can be fixed, it is never broken."

"Say so to yourself, Jess." Louis laughed.

When something can be fixed, it is never broken, Jessica repeated in her head.

Notes

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