Chapter 8

During the two days Jaycie spent in the hospital, Cole seemed to revert to the attentive, caring man he had been at the start of their relationship. But, as expected, his attentiveness didn't last. It ended the day she was discharged.

He claimed he had urgent business at the office and arranged for the driver to take her home. Not long after, she received a taunting message from Eileen.

[Sorry. Since Cole and I are getting married, he's taking me to the family estate for dinner today and won't have time to pick you up from the hospital.]

Jaycie didn't let the message bother her. She quietly went home and began packing her things.

On the day of her departure, she woke up early. Seven hours before her flight, she was hauling her suitcases out the door when she ran into Cole, who had just returned.

Seeing the pile of luggage at the entrance, he paled, and a wave of unease washed over him. "What's all this?"

"Didn't I say I was going to Housleton for a trip? You even bought the ticket for me. Did you forget?" Her tone was casual, as if she were really just preparing for a short vacation.

But her explanation didn't convince him. "Isn't it just for a couple of days? Why so much luggage?"

Jaycie smiled faintly. "Girls like to pack extra clothes for photos. You know how it is."

But she had never been one to take many photos, and on past trips, she had never brought so much luggage. His unease grew, spreading through him like a cold wave. He was tempted to open her suitcases right then and there to see if she was telling the truth.

Just as he was about to act, his phone rang urgently. It was Eileen.

After answering, he listened in silence for a moment, then reluctantly left, but not without turning back to remind Jaycie, "Don't be gone too long. Send me your return flight details, and I'll pick you up."

She didn't respond because she knew she wasn't coming back.

This was their final goodbye.

Five hours before her flight, she changed the passcode on the front door. She replaced her own birthday with Eileen's, then stuck a note on the door.

[Since this will soon be Ms. Wise's home, it's only fitting that the passcode be her birthday.]

Three hours before her flight, she gathered all the photos of her and Cole from around the house and tossed them into a fire pit.

There were pictures of him holding her under a sky full of fireworks, kissing her and declaring she was his. Photos of him kneeling under a starry sunset, vowing to love her forever. Memories of him breaking three ribs to save her from a car crash, remembering her menstrual cycle, and filling his social media with her.

They had shared springs, summers, autumns, and winters together.

Now, as the memories burned to ash, so did their relationship.

Two hours before her flight, her phone buzzed. It was a video from Eileen.

The video appeared to be from a family dinner, with Cole's friends, Eileen's close companions, and both sets of parents gathered around. The crowd was cheering, urging Cole and Eileen to kiss.

"Kiss her! Kiss her! Kiss her!"

"Come on, Cole. The wedding's in a few days! Don't be shy. You can't wait for the girl to make the first move!"

Amid the cheers, Eileen, her cheeks flushed, closed her eyes and leaned in. The crowd erupted as Cole cupped the back of her head and kissed her deeply.

The video played on a loop. By the seventh replay, Eileen sent another message.

[Jaycie, did you see? I'm the one everyone recognizes as the future Mrs. Benson. With your family's background, the Bensons would never accept you. Someone like you would be lucky to marry a beggar.

[Cole might love you, but his defenses are crumbling. First, he met my parents, then my friends. Now we're living together, and he just kissed me. How long do you think it'll be before we take the next step?]

Jaycie didn't reply. Instead, she printed out every taunting message Eileen had sent her over the past few days, compiling them into a stack and leaving them on the empty living room table.

One hour before her flight, she added a final note to the pile.

[Cole, congratulations on getting married. We're done.]

Then, she dragged her suitcases out of the villa, hailed a cab, and sped off toward the airport.

She would return to being the heiress of the wealthiest family.

And Cole would mean nothing to her.