Mr. Thompson, Please Be Gentle Free Preview

Jessie Summers found herself in disbelief as her apparently flawless life began to unravel right on her wedding day.

Clad in her bridal gown, her expectant belly protruding, she stood with anxious anticipation before the statue in the grand hall, her gaze fixed on the entrance.

Despite the bride and the priest being poised for the ceremony, there was a conspicuous absence: the groom, Chase Thompson.

Renowned for his punctuality and intolerance for tardiness, Chase's delay of nearly an hour was unprecedented.

"Mrs. Thompson, please, take a seat," the nanny kindly suggested, offering a chair. "Standing for too long isn't advisable for the baby you're carrying."

With the nanny's assistance, Jessie settled into the seat.

As she reflected on her nine months of pregnancy and the imminent arrival of her child, a radiant smile graced her face.

"Little one, you'll soon meet Mommy and Daddy. Just be patient and take your time, okay?"

With a gentle touch to her belly, Jessie softly murmured, her eyes betraying a hint of concern.

While it appeared she was addressing the child, in reality, she was comforting herself, attempting to quell her worries.

Jessie and Chase had shared a strong bond since the beginning of their relationship, culminating in her pregnancy with his child.

However, their once-solid foundation was shaken by unforeseen events. Following her pregnancy, her father, Peter Summers, was involved in a car accident, leading to her family's financial downfall. Jessie could not help but notice a shift in Chase's demeanour towards her; his affection waned, replaced by a palpable distance.

Despite her efforts to dismiss it, Jessie could not shake the feeling that there was a hint of fear and disdain in Chase's gaze whenever he looked at her.

Perhaps her pregnancy had heightened her sensitivity.

Jessie found herself needing to reassure herself like this often.

She believed that after the wedding and the baby's arrival, everything would go back to normal.

After all, she could only depend on Chase.

As she thought about this, Jessie clutched the hem of her dress.

Chase, the richest man in River City, was an entrepreneur, philanthropist, the youngest billionaire, and the epitome of charm for countless women.

However, those were just the images he presented to the public.

Jessie was keenly aware of his darker side: the underworld kingpin, the ruthless tyrant, the merciless killer!

He operated a mafia empire in secret and his hands were tainted by numerous crimes. Such a person was bound to have many enemies.

Yet, Jessie ignored all of this. She believed no one could love her more than Chase, and she returned his affection wholeheartedly.

She knew that even if she made enemies of the whole world, Chase would be the one standing by her side in the end!

As Jessie was lost in thought, she was startled by a sudden figure rushing in through the church's main entrance.

Her eyes shone with joy as she stood up and asked, "Warren, is Chase here?"

Warren, who served as both Chase's driver and bodyguard, shared an inseparable bond with him.

However, he seemed conflicted, struggling to find the right words.

"What's wrong? Tell me!" Jessie urged.

"Mr. Thompson ... " Warren hesitated, then continued, "Mr. Thompson told me he wouldn't be coming. He went to the airport to pick up a pregnant woman and took her home. He asked me to come back and inform you that the wedding is off ... "

"What?"

Jessie felt as if she had been struck by lightning, her head spinning.

The wedding is off?

A pregnant woman?

Her mind spun, and she looked at Warren, who watched her with concern, attempting to speak.

However, no words came, and she slumped, unconscious, falling backward.

"Madam! Madam!"

...

When Jessie woke up, she found herself staring at the white ceiling, smelling disinfectant in the air.

She realised she was in a hospital and looked around the empty ward.

No one was there, which was different from usual whenever she was sick, Chase was always there with a look of worry.

This was probably the first time she had woken up alone in such a cold, desolate room.

At that moment, the door opened, and a nurse walked in, looking surprised to see Jessie awake. "You're up."

Jessie forced a faint smile but did not speak.

Approaching with a cart, the nurse murmured, "You've just had surgery. It typically takes longer for the anesthesia to wear off. How did you wake up so soon?"

Due to her body's unique reaction and a high tolerance for anesthesia, Jessie did not pay much heed to the nurse's remarks. Instead, she exclaimed, "Surgery? What surgery?"

Ignoring the nurse's response, she uncovered her body.

Her previously swollen abdomen was now flat, with a grim surgical scar running across it like a centipede.

"Where's my child?" Jessie asked, panic filling her expression as she searched the nurse's face for answers.

Touched by her distress, the nurse hesitated before speaking softly, "I heard you had a fall, and when you arrived, you were unconscious and bleeding. So, the doctor had to perform an emergency cesarean section, but ... your child couldn't make it."

Your child couldn't make it ...

After the nurse left, Jessie lay on the hospital bed, her expression empty, the nurse's words echoing in her mind.

The child in her womb was supposed to have a happy life.

Her husband was loaded, and she was kind and beautiful.

They planned to give this child the best childhood, grow up with him, and give him the best education. They planned to take him to amusement parks, travel the world, tell him bedtime stories, and he would hide his favorite candies and give them to her ...

"I love you the most, Mom!"

A gentle voice seemed to whisper in her ears, and Jessie imagined a delightful little boy standing before her, beaming.

She smiled back.

However, the perfect image shattered suddenly.

No little boy was in front of her, just the sterile hospital room with its cold white walls.

"My child ... " Jessie cried out hoarsely, tears streaming down her face.

"I'm sorry for failing to protect you," she sobbed.

She cried until she was exhausted and fell into a deep sleep, all alone in the bleak hospital room.

When Jessie woke up in a daze, she realised she was still alone in the ward.

Outside, she heard hurried footsteps and frantic voices.

In the midst of the chaos, she overheard fragments of conversation. "Mr. Thompson ... The child ... "

"Chase? Is Chase here?"

A glimmer of hope appeared in Jessie's eyes, only to vanish just as fast.

If Chase was really in the hospital, why did he not come to see her?

Jessie tried to sit up, ignoring the dull ache in her abdomen. She strained her neck, trying to hear more of the conversation.

The footsteps paused briefly outside her ward before hurrying away.

Jessie distinctly heard Warren's voice: "Mr. Thompson, Madam is inside. Aren't you going to see her?"

Although she could not make out Chase's response, her heart sank upon hearing his departing footsteps.

Why?

Why won't he come to see me?

Thinking back to what Warren had said at the church, Jessie realised that Chase had brought a pregnant woman home, which caused their wedding to be called off suddenly!

Who could this woman be?

Jessie had so many questions, and they all pushed her to go find Chase for answers.

Since he had not visited her, she would go to him!

Struggling to get out of bed, Jessie saw the IV tube in her arm, a reminder of her time unconscious. She pulled out the needle, making her arm bleed heavily and staining her gown red.

With shaky steps, she opened the door and saw two bodyguards in black near another room. Knowing they were Chase's men, Jessie went up to them.

The bodyguards were surprised to see Jessie and asked, "Madam, why are you here?"

"Where's Chase?" Jessie's voice was weak, and her face was pale.

"Tell me, is Chase inside? Where is he?"

Seeing that the two were not speaking, Jessie pushed aside the bodyguards blocking her and squeezed into the room.

The two bodyguards hesitated for a moment but ultimately did not stop her.

She used her shoulder to force the door open and rushed inside.

Her attention was drawn to a tall, slender man holding a baby in front of a hospital bed. At this moment, he was speaking to the woman in the bed with his head bowed. Jessie also noticed another baby in a cot next to the hospital bed.

"Chase ... " Jessie whimpered like a lost puppy.

Chase turned to her. His expression was unreadable as if he had been expecting her.

"Chase, our child is gone ... " Jessie looked at Chase and the woman on the bed, feeling uneasy.

Jessie understood that Chase must have already been informed about her miscarriage, and she simply needed his comfort.

As Chase gazed at the pale but still lovely face in the doorway, a hint of pain flashed in his eyes. He was about to offer words of solace when he suddenly recalled another swollen face in his trance. His pupils narrowed, and his pain quickly turned to anger.

Chase's expression hardened. Then, he briefly glanced at the baby in his arms before saying, "I see."

I see ...

Jessie felt her chest tighten and her breath become heavy at the emotionless response.

Suddenly, the woman on the sickbed spoke. "Chase, is she your wife?"

"Who are you?" Jessie had wanted to know for a while, and now she finally had the chance to ask.

"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Linda White, Chase's first girlfriend."

Although Linda lay in bed, she smiled gracefully. She shared a smile with Chase when she mentioned that she was his first girlfriend.

Watching this, Jessie felt like an outsider in their family.

"First girlfriend?" Jessie stared at Chase, questioning.

"Yes," Linda said. "Thank you for taking care of Chase all these years. He's always been a bit domineering. He must have made you angry often, right? Oh, by the way!"

Linda picked up the baby from the crib and said to Jessie, "Take a look at my children. They're twins, a boy and a girl. Chase just named them. The boy is Charles Thompson, and the girl is Lily Thompson."

Jessie widened her eyes, looking at the baby in Chase's arms. "What did she say his name was?"

She remembered the day she found out she was pregnant and hugged Chase hopefully. "Chase, you're going to be a dad! We're having a baby! I've already thought of names. If it's a girl, we'll name her Vanessa Thompson, and if it's a boy, we'll name him Charles Thompson. What do you think?"

She hoped she had misunderstood, but Chase didn't avoid her gaze, saying firmly, "His name is Charles Thompson."

"You j*rk!"

Jessie raised her hand and slapped him, and Chase didn't dodge, taking the blow.

"You let her name her child using our child's name!"

The child was Jessie's last defense. Tears streamed down her face. Jessie, like a madwoman, attacked him. "You monster! Why did God take our baby's life? Why didn't he take yours instead?"

In her frenzy, Jessie pounded on Chase's body. "He doesn't deserve that name!"

Chase grabbed her hands while instructing the guards outside, "Take her away."

Jessie became even more agitated. "Chase! If you don't love me anymore, you can divorce me. Why do this to me?!"

As Chase watched, his eyes turned cold. He remembered the despairing face of the corpse pulled from the water. Any guilt he felt vanished.

Jessie, my love, don't blame me.

Let your pain atone for my sister's!

Feel the pain she felt!

Experience her despair!

I'll make the killer pay for everything he did to my sister!

Because you're the killer's daughter!

...

Weak from her recent miscarriage and emotional turmoil, Jessie couldn't continue making a scene.

Following Chase's orders, the nurses hooked her up to a saline drip and gave her a sedative. Soon, Jessie fell asleep.

When she woke from a nightmare, Jessie felt her strength returning, although her mind was still foggy.

She had always been healthy and active; she was even in the college sports team back then. If it weren't for the recent trauma, she might have been out shopping by now.

She lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. She couldn't accept Chase's sudden change. Are our years together not as meaningful as his first love?

Are all his promises lies?

How long has he been involved with Linda?

Since he already has children with her, why propose to me?

Does my pain amuse him?

Jessie couldn't tell reality from nightmare. She wished it was all a dream. She wished that she would wake up, and everything would go back to normal. Her wedding would proceed smoothly, and her child would be born healthy. Chase would still love her, and there would be no Linda, no first girlfriend, and certainly no twins!

But the familiar ceiling reminded her that she was still in the hospital, and everything she hoped for was just wishful thinking.

After composing herself, Jessie pressed the call button by her bedside, and soon, the nurse from earlier appeared. "Ma'am ... Is there anything I can help you with?"

"I want to be discharged!" Jessie declared.

"But you've just given birth. You should rest. It's advisable to stay in the hospital for a few more days ... " The nurse seemed unsure.

Jessie chuckled lightly. "If I stay any longer, my husband will get a new wife."

The nurse had heard about Jessie's situation and sympathized, but she didn't want to risk upsetting Chase, so she hesitated to say anything.

She awkwardly replied, "I'll inform the doctor first."

"Sure." Jessie didn't want to make it difficult for her. "The saline drip is almost done. Can you please remove the needle?"

After the nurse left following the removal of the needle, Jessie changed into her hospital gown and left the ward.

She checked Linda's ward first, but it was empty. It seemed Linda was eager to leave as well.

Jessie turned and left the hospital.

Since today was her wedding day, she only wore her wedding dress, leaving her phone and wallet behind.

She borrowed a phone from someone at the hospital entrance. She was about to call Warren, but she decided to call someone else instead.

Warren was Chase's driver, and if he picked her up, Chase would know.

She had things to say to Chase face-to-face, and she was afraid he would avoid her.

Soon, the person Jessie had contacted arrived. A Porsche 911 pulled up at the hospital entrance, and a man stepped out of the car.

"Jessie, what's going on?"

The man walked over, looking surprised. "Did you have the baby? Is it a boy or a girl?"

Jessie smiled sadly. "I had a miscarriage, John. But don't worry about me."

"What?"

The man, named John Limberg, was Jessie's senior in college. After graduating, he worked at another hospital.

They hadn't been in touch much after college, but a month ago, Jessie's father, Peter Summers, had a car accident and was in a coma. John happened to be his attending physician.

John had been diligently treating Peter, and Jessie was grateful to him.

Now she realised that besides the Thompson family, John was the only one she could turn to.

"Jessie ... "

John hesitated, not sure what to say to comfort her.

"I'm okay, John." Jessie smiled and approached John's car. "Could you please take me home? I didn't bring my wallet or phone."

John nodded and got into the driver's seat, starting the car.

They were quiet during the drive.

Jessie didn't feel like talking, and John focused on driving, occasionally glancing at Jessie's pale face in the rearview mirror.

John didn't know much about Jessie. He knew she got married right after graduation and heard that her husband was wealthy. However, he had never met the husband. The medical expenses for Peter were high, and without financial support, they couldn't afford them.

When he saw Jessie again, she was pregnant and seemed genuinely happy, with not a trace of falsity in her smile.

But in just a month, her smile had disappeared, replaced by deep sorrow hidden in her eyes.

"We've arrived. You can stop here." Before entering a villa area, Jessie spoke up suddenly.

Ahead was Jessie and Chase's house. She didn't know if Chase was there. He was possessive and never allowed strange men around her.

Jessie remembered a college incident when a suitor touched her face without her noticing.

The next day, he disappeared. Later, she heard he had a fractured arm, and his family left the city with him overnight.

Although she and John were just friends, it was better not to let them meet, just in case.

John shot her a worried glance. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm good. It's just a few steps away. I can walk. Don't worry, John. I was the captain of our college sports team, remember?" Jessie chuckled.

John furrowed his brow, not understanding Jessie's worries, but since she insisted, he didn't argue.

Watching John drive off, Jessie turned and strolled towards her home.

It was a solitary villa, only for her and Chase, but now, it felt like a whole different world.

The place was empty, devoid of life. Chase wasn't around.

Jessie went to their bedroom and lay on the bed, above which hung a photo of them. Then she got up, grabbed her phone, and called someone named 'Hubby' in her contacts.

The call connected quickly, and a cold voice rang out. "The hospital said you ran off?"

"Ran off? I'm not a criminal. Why would I run off? I just came back home," Jessie retorted.

Chase didn't reply immediately. Jessie could faintly hear a child crying and another woman's voice, likely Linda.

Jessie bit her lip, lowered her tone, and said, "Chase, we need to talk—"

"We do." Chase cut her off. "I was going to wait a few days, but since you're back, I'll say it now ...

"Let's get a divorce!"

"What?"

Jessie had anticipated it, but it still hurt to hear Chase say it.

They had just registered their marriage last month!

"Why? Because of Linda?" Jessie tried to keep calm.

"Linda is better suited for the Thompson family," Chase stated. "So, for me and for the family, you should step aside and let Linda take over."

Jessie couldn't believe Chase could say such heartless things. Her anger boiled over. "Chase, you heartless j*rk! You killed our baby, betrayed our marriage, and now you want me to do such a thing for you and the Thompson family? No way!

"You want to divorce me so Linda can take my place? Over my dead body! Go ahead, Mr. Thompson, send someone to kill me! I'm ready!"

After hanging up and throwing away her phone, Jessie panted heavily.

Once the anger subsided, sorrow engulfed her. Like a ghost, she wandered into the nursery they'd prepared together, curled up on the small bed, and cried silently until sleep took her.

Meanwhile, Chase listened to the dial tone, his face blank.

At that moment, Linda, who had been watching him, approached. "Chase, what's wrong?"

Chase looked at her calmly. "Nothing. It doesn't concern you."

With that, he walked away, leaving Linda staring at his leaving figure with a dark expression.

I heard everything. Chase was talking to Jessie, and he even mentioned a divorce!

How could it not concern me?!

It must be Jessie, that awful woman, refusing to let go and agree to a divorce!

"That b*tch!" Linda cursed under her breath.