Chapter 4 Love me

CHAPTER 4

POINT OF VIEW : JESSICA LOPEZ

-He doesn't always answer.

-Please try to calm down, Jessica. Maybe he's just busy, so calm down, okay ?

I keep pacing around my office, my heart racing with frustration. The sound of my heels clicking against the floor echoes in the silent room, only adding to the tension. I shoot a burning glare at my best friend. I can't hold back my anger anymore. Is Miguel Hernandez seriously playing games with me ? This man clearly doesn't know who he's messing with, I swear.

I try to suppress the thoughts swirling in my mind, but it's impossible. Why hasn't he called ? Why is he avoiding me like this ? I keep replaying the events from the past few weeks over and over, trying to make sense of his behavior. He's distant. He doesn't look at me the way he used to. He doesn't smile at me when I walk into the room. I feel like I'm losing him.

-Jessica, you're stressing yourself out for nothing. You know that man is crazy about you, so just relax, Arielle says, her voice calm but firm.

I roll my eyes. She's trying to reassure me, but it's not helping. The wine in my glass sloshes slightly as I pour myself more, the cool liquid barely offering the relief I need.

If it were before, I could have slept without a care in the world. But now ? Now, I lie awake at night, my mind racing, thinking about everything Miguel might be hiding from me. I feel like he's slipping away, and the worst part ? I'm scared I can't do anything about it.

I take a long sip of the wine, savoring the momentary escape from my thoughts.

But the fear still gnaws at me. It's like he's... No. No, Miguel can't be cheating on me. He just can't. If he ever does, I'll lose it. I'll completely lose it. I'll make sure he regrets it. I'll show him exactly who he's messing with.

I look at Arielle, my voice sharp with emotion.

-Do you think he could be cheating on me ? I ask, the words hanging in the air like a heavy burden.

Her response is immediate. She starts laughing-over and over again. It's not a cruel laugh. It's the kind of laugh you share when something is so ridiculous it's almost funny.

-Stop that, please. Your man is not a cheater. You know it's one of his core values. Besides, why would he go elsewhere when you've got everything he could want ? You're beautiful, smart, hardworking, rich, and so much more. He has no reason to cheat on you. Seriously, Jessica, just forget that thought, she says, trying to calm me down.

I force myself to take another sip, trying to swallow the knot in my throat. She's right about one thing : I do have everything he could want. I've got beauty, brains, and I work hard to keep my life in order. I'm not the kind of woman to let anyone walk all over me, especially not the man I love.

But that nagging feeling won't go away. It's like a voice in my head whispering that something is wrong. And if it's wrong, I need to fix it. I need to take control.

I laugh, though it's not from amusement. It's the kind of laugh that tries to hide the insecurity that's slowly creeping into my chest.

-You've described me well, Arielle. But there's something you forgot, I reply, smirking.

She looks at me with a raised eyebrow, confusion crossing her face.

-What ? she asks, genuinely curious.

I lean back in my chair, a wicked grin spreading across my face.

-You forgot that I satisfy him very well in bed too, so...

Her face bursts into laughter, the sound of it contagious. For a brief moment, the tension in my chest lightens. I laugh along with her, the stress from earlier slowly melting away. It's not enough to completely rid me of the worry, but it helps.

-You're so funny, my angel. You're really a troublemaker, she teases.

In response, I raise my glass for a toast.

-To our health, I say with a wink.

I'm Jessica Lopez, the girlfriend-and soon-to-be wife-of actor and businessman Miguel Hernandez. I'm 29 years old, and I work in the hotel industry. I've been with Miguel for three years now, and every day I pray that he'll propose to me. I'm dying to wake up next to him every single morning, knowing that he's mine and I'm his.

The thought of spending the rest of my life with him fills me with excitement, but also a tinge of fear. Fear that I might lose him. Fear that I'm not enough.

I love this man so much that if I don't see him for even a day, I get sick. It's not just the physical desire I feel for him ; it's the emotional connection, the bond that we've built.

But lately, everything has been different. He's pulling away, and I don't know how to stop it.

Arielle's voice pulls me out of my spiraling thoughts.

-Everything will be fine. You'll see, he's going to call you soon, she says reassuringly.

I blow out a frustrated sigh and glance at my phone for what feels like the hundredth time. Still nothing. No missed calls, no texts, no emails. Just silence.

-I don't know, Arielle. I really hope he calls me. You know how much I depend on that guy, I admit, my voice laced with uncertainty.

Arielle's expression softens, and she places her hand over mine, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

-Don't worry, babe. He knows he belongs to you. So relax-Miguel Hernandez is yours, she says, her tone calm and confident.

I don't know how she does it, but her words always seem to soothe me, even if just for a moment. I pull her into a big hug, needing the comfort more than I realize.

-Thanks, Arielle. You don't know how much I need this right now, I murmur, my voice thick with emotion.

She pulls back slightly, her smile wide and genuine.

-Of course, Jessica. That's what friends are for. You've got this. Miguel loves you. You just need to trust him, she says, her words meant to reassure me, but a small part of me still can't shake the doubt.

I want to believe her. I do. But I know my mind, and right now, it's all over the place. The silence from Miguel is too much. The distance, too.

I'm a fighter. I don't back down easily. And right now, I feel like I'm fighting for something I don't even understand anymore.

Arielle's right about one thing : I am beautiful, smart, and successful. I've worked hard to get where I am, and I won't let anyone, especially not Miguel, take that from me. If there's one thing I know for sure, it's that I'll fight for this relationship, no matter how hard it gets. No matter how much it hurts.

I just hope I'm not fighting a battle I can't win.

For now, all I can do is wait. Wait for Miguel to reach out. Wait for him to prove that everything will be okay.

But what if he doesn't ?

That thought lingers in the back of my mind as I sit back in my chair, staring at my phone screen, hoping for the message that will put my heart at ease.

And I wonder-will it come soon ? Or am I already too late ?