The Nation's Jackpot Girl (BWWM)

Chapter 32

Jocelyn's POV

I pad my foot against the cold wooden floor as I go deep into her room. Her room is built in a way that has her bed at the far east end of the room. There's a wall demarcating her room from the space of the outer chamber and that is where I cross through to see her seated in her bed, facing the window and utterly still.

"Leela," I call softly. She doesn't turn so I decide to go closer to her. She's not saying anything. "Are you okay?"

I hear a sniffle and Leela raises her hand to wipe her nose with a tissue paper.

I immediately take a seat beside her and throw an arm around her. "What's wrong?"

Leela leans against me and begins to sob. She sobs so deeply that I am totally upset and worried as to why she's crying. Her not saying anything is making things worse.

She's probably too overwhelmed to talk so I do the best thing I can. I let her cry in my arms while rubbing her shoulders softly.

She cries for a long time and keeps wiping her nose. After some time, she pulls away from me and stands on her feet and walks to her dresser. Standing on the flat surface is an array of framed photos, some scented candles and jewelry. She picks a frame and lowers it to look at it.

Her fingers graze across the surface of the frame before she cradles it in her chest and continues sobbing. Something is wrong and I do not want to pry. It's her business.

But why did she call me here if she knows I'll see her crying?

Absolutely weird.

She wipes her tears and sniffles before turning to look at me. Her eyes are red and puffy. Her cheeks are streaked with endless tears and she's shaking from the hiccups of her cries.

"I'm sorry you have to see me this way," She says and laughs but it's laced with tears.

I immediately stand to my feet and walk towards where she's standing. "No! It's totally fine. It's nothing. You're free to cry around me," Then I take her hands and stare into her eyes. "I'm really worried. Is it something you want to talk about?"

She doesn't reply to my question. Instead, she stares down at the picture before her and smiles fondly. "I miss him so much,"

I look down at the picture. It holds a photo of three people. Leela, smiling broadly and her blond hair blowing in the wind, a little boy, brown haired with the most beautiful eyes she'd ever seen. He's smiling and holding onto the neck of an equally handsome man who's smiling broadly like the world is fucking good to him.

"Even though he left me and my Julian, he has always remained here," She says and places a hand on the left side of her chest. She shuts her eyes tightly. "I've never hated him for one day. Disappointment, yes. Hurt, yes. Everything in-between, yes. But I have always loved him with every one of my being. I spent the whole day overworking myself because I knew that today would be the worst ever. How the fuck did I make the dinner this evening!"

I say nothing. I just listen to her. She's venting and I have to act as composed as ever, not ask any questions that might trigger or the sorts.

She looks at me. Her blue eyes are as red as ever and tears keep brimming. She breaks out into a shaky smile and lifts the frame to her chest again. "We were so happy. My Julian was such a happy boy. He had the best father, I had the best husband. I don't know what I did wrong. I stayed faithful to him. I made sure he had no reason to overthink or complain. I had my own fucking money and job and he had his, too. There was nothing that caused a problem between us. Why did he leave me and my son for some woman who couldn't give him what I could give him? Why did he fucking leave me for a woman who ended up sending him to his grave!"

The photo frame crashes to the ground, shattering into shards. We both look down at it and immediately I go to grab a brush and parker to clean it up but by the time I am back, I find Leela holding the picture in her hand with blood dripping from her thumb.

"You're bleeding!" I scream in horror but she just looks at me and smiles like she's crazy.

"I'm fine. It's just a splinter and I removed it already. Just clean this place up,"

I nod and do as I am told. As soon as I am done, I trash it into the waste bin before rushing back to where she is. Now, she's seated on her bed and trying to clean her hand with some cotton buds and spirit. There's a first aid box on the bed beside her so I just join her on the bed.

"You have to be really careful. Let me do it."

She lets me. Once I'm done wiping her wounds, I cover it with a plaster and a gauze and make sure it's properly covered before covering the box and standing with it cradled in my arms. "Where do I keep this box?"

"Just leave it on the window sill." She instructs.

I do as she says and after dropping the box, I shut the windows and the curtains before checking her air conditioner and humidifier as it is hot in here.

When I return to her, I stare at her composure for a while. "Are you good, Leela?"

She's stopped crying now but her eyes are still red and puffy. "Yes, I am. Thank you so much, Jocelyn. You handled this situation so we'll. I'm impressed."

Smiling, I nod politely. "I actually came because Adelaide told me that you requested my presence."

"Of course, I did," Leela replies. "This is why. She couldn't handle it the other times and I felt like you'd be the best person."

It's weird but I feel honored anyways. She places me on such a high pedestal and even if I'm scared, I just nod my head and smile. "It's my pleasure, Leela."