The Ruthless CEO's Revenge Wife
Chapter 26: The Good Berries & The Bad Berries

Chapter 26: The Good Berries & The Bad Berries

Jean didn’t say anything at first. She just gave a stiff nod.

Logan narrowed his eyes. "Words, Adams. I need you to speak to me."

Still wary, Jean muttered, "It’s nothing I can’t handle. Now get off me."

Logan didn’t move right away. His hands loosened their grip, but he hesitated for a second longer than he should have before finally backing off.

The second he did, Jean shoved him aside and scrambled to her feet. She brushed off the sand from her damp dress and stepped away, arms crossing over her chest like a shield.

"Don’t ever do that again," she snapped, her voice shaking but firm. "I’m warning you, Logan. Stay at least an arm’s length from me at all times."

Logan got up slowly, brushing the sand off his palms. His jaw clenched.

He didn’t get her. No matter what he did, whether he ignored her, helped her, spoke softly, or just stayed silent... She found a reason to push him away. He was trying. Hell, he saved her life. But she made him feel like a villain.

"You know what?" he said, throwing his hands up. "Why don’t we just stay separately while we’re stuck here? That way, we don’t have to see each other’s faces at all."

Jean didn’t answer. She just turned away from him, facing the trees in the distance.

Fine. Let it be that way.

Logan had enough.

Without saying another word, he turned and walked off toward the other side of the island, his footsteps heavy with frustration.

"She’s still the same," he muttered to himself. "Just like she was in university. Self-absorbed and all high and mighty."

He kept walking until the beach turned to dense trees and thick green. The forest air was cooler, shaded from the sun, but he wasn’t there to admire the scenery. He scanned the ground and branches, looking for anything that could be useful.

Then something caught his eye, clusters of dark purple berries hanging from a bush. They looked ripe and edible. He crouched down and picked one, rolling it between his fingers before popping it into his mouth. It tasted a little tart, but it wasn’t bad.

"Well," he sighed, leaning against the tree, "the princess can serve herself while I enjoy these berries."

He plucked a few more and sat down beneath the tree, letting the quiet of the forest settle around him. As annoyed as he was, he couldn’t shake the image of her... so small and defensive, as if she was ready to fight the world alone.

Let her starve for the day, he told himself. She’ll come crawling back when she’s hungry.

At least, that’s what he hoped.

_____________________________

Jean watched Logan disappear into the trees and didn’t bother to follow. Good. Let him go. It’s better this way.

She was always better on her own.

Relying on others only ever got her hurt. She turned toward the dense forest ahead. It looked wild and untamed, but she wasn’t intimidated. A thick forest meant one thing... resources.

Plants, maybe water, maybe even fruits. Danger too, sure. But she’d studied this stuff before. Creating her beauty line had forced her to dive deep into botanical medicine and natural remedies.

She knew what could be eaten and what could kill.

"Fine," she muttered under her breath. "Let’s get something to eat."

She took one step forward and immediately groaned. Walking in sand with a tight, soaked party dress was already hard enough. Going into a forest like this? Impossible.

With an annoyed huff, she reached down and tore the fabric clean up to her knees. The torn hem flapped around her legs. Better. She glanced down at her heels next.

"I can’t go inside the forest with heels on."

She kicked them off and left them behind on the sand, barefoot now and lighter. Her feet dug into the warm earth as she stepped forward. Every rustle of the trees, every distant bird call heightened her senses... but she stayed focused.

She wasn’t going to sit around and wait for Logan Kingsley to save her. She’d find her own way to survive.

Just like she always had.

The forest floor was cooler than she expected. Damp leaves and soft moss cushioned her bare feet as she moved between the trees.

It was quieter here, only the occasional chirp or rustle reminding her she wasn’t alone. Jean kept her eyes sharp, scanning the bushes and low branches. She wasn’t walking in blind... She knew what to look for.

Her fingers brushed a leaf and she stopped. The shape and vein pattern were familiar.

Ficus auriculata.

Not edible, but the leaves had a natural wax, maybe useful later for wrapping food or covering wounds. She noted the spot and moved on.

Then, a flash of color caught her eye.

Dark red berries. Plump, shiny, and nestled between large green leaves.

She crouched down and inspected them closely, not touching yet. "Not nightshade... not holly," she whispered to herself. She took a deep breath and smiled.

Rubus moluccanus. Forest raspberry. Edible. Not sweet, but safe.

She plucked one and popped it in her mouth. Tart. Not great, but enough to fill the ache in her stomach.

As she picked a few more and cupped them in her hands, she heard a branch snap nearby. She froze. Her heartbeat quickened.

Probably just an animal.

Still, she moved slower now, more careful. She wasn’t about to be some predator’s next target.

After gathering a decent handful of berries, she turned back, retracing her steps with a bit more confidence. Her dress was torn, her hair a mess, but her mind was sharp and steady.

Logan might think she was helpless.

But Jean Adams had just found her own food and is going to keep herself alive without him.

___________________________

Logan walked back to their raft, berries in hand, expecting to find Jean at least keeping an eye on the boat. But when he arrived, she was nowhere to be seen. The boat was still there barely touching land but it hadn’t been pulled in any further. He sighed in irritation.

"At least she could’ve dragged it up the shore..." he muttered.

Then something made his chest tighten. His eyes locked on the piece of her dress lying in the sand... and her heels discarded a few feet away.

"Shit... where did she go?" he whispered, scanning the area, heart starting to pound. Suddenly, a sharp itch clawed at his throat. He coughed, but it didn’t help, his throat only felt worse.

"Logan?"

He turned at the sound of Jean’s voice. She was walking toward him... barefoot, her dress torn at the knee, hair tousled from the wind. She looked so unlike her usual composed self.

Wild.

Real.

"You’re staring, Kingsley. It’s creepy," she said with narrowed eyes.

Logan blinked and cleared his throat. "Where were you? I thought..."

"You’re sweating like crazy," she cut him off. "And your face; Logan, it’s red."

He wiped his forehead. "Yeah... it’s hot."

"No," she said, stepping closer. "Your face looks flushed."

Now that she mentioned it, he could feel the heat spreading across his cheeks, the itch in his throat worsening. "Shit," he muttered. "It must be the berries I had."

Jean’s eyes widened. "Berries? Show me."

Logan tried to wave her off. "No, Jean, don’t eat them. I thought..."

She ignored him and checked his pockets. Pulling out the handful of dark berries, she examined them and brought them close to her nose. Her face turned pale.

"Shit, Logan. These are toxic. They’re not edible."

Logan groaned. "Great. Just my luck."

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