"Okay, I will arrange it for you then. Your flight will probably be in seven days from now," Ruby said.
"Okay. I will have to go to the university today; I want to settle things straight," Jessy said.
Tasha sighed, looking worried. "But honestly, things are not going to be simple, boss. Things are going to be difficult for you."
"I am going to be a mother now," Jessy said softly. "I have to be strong, even if I don't know who the father is."
Just then, Eller walked into the room. "Jessy, what did you just say?" she asked, her eyes wide.
"Well, I did plan on hiding this from you, but since you've heard it all... I am two months and three weeks pregnant," Jessy admitted. "I don't know who the father of my child is, but I received a note from him. I bet the guy thought I was going to wake up later, but I managed to slip out before he did."
She paused, looking out the window. "The problem is, I didn't see his face, and he doesn't know what I look like either. So it's okay. I will be traveling abroad. I want you guys to continue developing our brands together here, while I expand our business overseas. I told you about my jewelry line—rest assured, you will be my number-one partners when I come back. Together, the four of us must send chills down the spines of the top six tycoons in this nation. Got it?"
"Okay, we are together in this," Eller said instantly, stepping forward to hug her. "But you must raise my niece or nephew with the best care!"
"Wait, who is the mother here, and who are we?" Ruby teased, wanting to claim her stake. "I want to be the godmother!"
"No way, we are both going to be the godmothers," Tasha chimed in.
Jessy looked at her friends and smiled. Excusing herself to her bedroom, she took out her encrypted, special phone and sent a text to the Netherworld Organization group chat, listing the location of the private jet.
Jet named Ghost, number xxx, to be moved to the Grays' private airport.
Instantly, the chat blew up.
"Wow, boss, this jet is special. This man is a billionaire; he clearly doesn't lack a thing," Night God messied.
"Boss, you are biased! Why does he get everything good?" the Swordsman joked.
Jessy quickly replied: You all work hard. I'm going to be off the grid for a long time, so no assignments from me for a while. Bye.
The group chat went into a frenzy with comments, and across the city, Lee suddenly bolted upright.
"What the hell? Is Ghost taking a break? He just wrote that in the group!" Lee exclaimed, walking hurriedly into the living room where his brothers were gathered.
"What did you say? That old man is taking a break?" Edmond asked, looking up from his tablet.
"That's exactly what it looks like. He's taking a hiatus," Lee said, staring at his phone.
Edward's eyes turned dark. He clenched his fist tightly, then slowly relaxed it.
"It seems there is nothing we can do to make him appear," Drake mused. "For a moment, I actually thought the owner of that villa was him. I didn't expect a young lady to be staying there instead. And another thing—Jessy Williams is staying in the exact same house?"
"Which begs the question... who is the real owner of that villa?" Edmond asked.
Edward turned his sharp gaze toward Lee. "And did you find the owner of the jade? It has been a few hours since I gave you the pendant."
"I will work on that first thing tomorrow, brother," Lee promised. "I don't know why you are looking for this woman so urgently, but to tell you the truth, she is clearly no ordinary person."
"Okay, then. I am going to rest. I want to see the information on my desk by tomorrow morning," Edward said coldly before turning on his heel and leaving the room.
Lee watched him go, a smirk playing on his lips. "Why do I feel like we will be welcoming a sister-in-law into the Gray family soon? I have never seen Edward act like this over anyone. Could it be that this is love?"
"Aren't you supposed to be the expert telling us about love and romance?" Edmond joked.
"Love is a mystery that no one can ever truly describe," Lee said philosophically. "If it can make the tallest, most powerful man in the world bend, never underestimate it."
"I'm sure I didn't understand a single word of that," Drake muttered, rolling his eyes as he headed for his own room.
Meanwhile, upstairs, Edward couldn't fall asleep. Every time he closed his eyes, all he could see was her mystery silhouette, and all he could hear was her voice. Why did she use a mask to hide her identity? Her karate was perfect, moving like a seasoned master... just who is she? These questions ran in circles through his mind, but there was no one to answer them.
Early the next morning, Eller called her family and broke the news about Jessy's plans to travel abroad. The Gray family was devastated; they felt like they were losing the perfect potential daughter-in-law.
"This is entirely our loss," the old patriarch sighed heavily. "How can such a good child go into the hands of foreigners? I can't understand why my grandson is so useless! That girl is outstanding and mysterious. She isn't pretentious like the other young ladies from rich families."
"Yes, it's a shame. But what can we do?" Edward's father added with a sigh.
Meanwhile, over at the university, the faculty members were equally heartbroken after receiving Jessy's notice. They absolutely didn't want to lose such an outstanding young lecturer. But if she wanted to broaden her wings across the ocean, who were they to hold her back?
"Don't worry," Jessy reassured them during their meeting. "If you want me to continue teaching my students, I can do so online through video calls. All we need to do is set up a system that allows the students and me to connect."
She hesitated for a moment, before gently touching her flat stomach. "And... I am also pregnant. Since my career and future are expanding, I want to ensure I can give birth as comfortably as possible and make sure nothing happens to my child."
The staff gasped in surprise. "Wow, congratulations!"
"We're so sorry, Dr. Williams, we didn't even know you were married," one of the professors admitted.
"Oh, no, I am not married," Jessy replied with a calm, graceful smile. "But that is exactly why I want to leave the capital for a while. Thank you all for everything."
"The timetable is already set, Dr. Williams," the Dean said, his voice thick with regret. "We will set up the holographic link for your lectures. Even from across the ocean, you will still be the heart of this department."
Jessy smiled warmly. "Thank you. This city... it gave me a lot, and it took a lot. I just need to find a quiet place for my little one to grow."
As she walked out of the faculty building a few minutes later, she froze. Edward's sleek, black Rolls-Royce was driving slowly toward the administration block. Jessy instinctively lowered the brim of her sun hat, her heart skipping a violent beat.
They were so close, yet separated by a mountain of secrets.
Seven days, she thought, watching the tinted windows glide past. In seven days, the 'Goddess of Studies' will vanish from this city, and only the mother will remain.
Turning back to the lingering staff members who had followed her out to say goodbye, Jessy offered a final, grateful nod. "Thank you again. I will have to trouble you all to coordinate the virtual transition, and I'm sorry for the sudden departure."
"Please don't apologize, and do call us from time to time," the Dean insisted warmly, escorting her toward the gates. "Remember, you have a young master or mistress on the way, and the entire department will be waiting to hear the good news!"