Chapter 5
I discreetly trailed Jack and, as I anticipated, found him at the hospital, gently feeding Lily some soup. His face was softer than I had ever seen, as he carefully blew on the soup to cool it, ensuring it wouldn’t be too hot for her.
“Julia!”
It was Jack’s mother. In the café, she looked at me with disdain and contempt.
“I hear you’re the design director now?”
I nodded. “What are you trying to say?”
“Lily’s back, and my son should be getting married. You should keep your distance.”
That disdain and contempt, it turns out, he inherited from his mother.
“Julia, don’t refuse a good offer only to end up with a worse outcome. My son and Lily have been childhood sweethearts and engaged since they were kids.”
I didn’t reply, clenching my fists, and ran out. I took a taxi back to what Jack and I called home.
After college, our relationship deepened. Jack wanted me to join his company as his secretary, but I declined and became the design director at Anderson Corporation instead. I didn’t want Jack to look down on me, thinking I was incapable. I worked hard to earn money, but it was just a fraction of what he made. I felt even more inadequate.
Yet, he kept reassuring me, saying, “Julia, you’re a priceless treasure in this world.”
The phone rang again; it was Jack. He said, “Julia, you’re the only one for me. Why did you insult my mother?”
I was stunned by his accusation. He continued.
“Julia, I didn’t expect you to be so cruel. My mother fainted because of you.”
My heart ached and trembled. Thankfully, we were arguing over the phone, so he couldn’t see my heartbroken expression. I forced myself to retort, “Jack, you’re such a jerk! Let’s break up.”
I hung up and blocked him. “Clatter.” The bracelet Jack gave me fell to the ground. I didn’t have the heart to pick it up, so I swept it into the trash.
Rose texted me, and I was about to meet him when Jack suddenly returned. He grabbed my hand frantically, then let go, as if remembering something.
In a rush, he said, “Julia, let’s not break up.”
I didn’t say anything, just stared at him. Seeing his growing anxiety, my heart softened…
“Don’t break up, Julia, did you hear me?” he shouted again.
“The bracelet?” He noticed it was missing from my wrist.
“It broke and got lost.”
“It’s okay, I’ll get you another one, alright?” he muttered to himself.
“What’s wrong with you?”
He seemed nothing like the confident, successful Jack. His deep affection seemed so genuine that, if not for the earlier shouting and accusations, I might have believed he truly loved me.
<
“One last chance, Jack. Let’s give ourselves one more try.”
I softened, gave in. I couldn’t help it. Seeing Jack still made my heart ache, and I wanted to extinguish the last flicker of hope in my heart.
