Chapter 4

Back then, I really did throw a tantrum.

The first time Jasper suggested that Ruby have his baby, I broke down in tears and destroyed everything in the house.

I suspected he was cheating. In a moment of anger, I leaked it to the media, causing his company to be buried in bad press and nearly crumble.

When the immense pressure became too much for him, he collapsed and was sent to the ICU.

To make things right, I switched from recorded videos of me eating to doing livestreams.

Even when my stomach hurt from overeating and I felt sick, I still had to pretend to enjoy it on camera. Day after day, I did it only to make money and help keep his company afloat.

During that time, I prayed every day, hoping he would wake up. I was willing to pay any price for it.

After he woke up, I agreed to his outrageous request and let Ruby have his child, even though I felt deeply hurt.

After all, I believed everything started because of me.

But this time, I wasn't making a scene.

I truly didn't believe Jasper still loved me.

And that was why I had to end this marriage.

-

The day before I was leaving Heston for Belton, photos of me at the hospital spread online.

The caption was especially harsh. It read, "Million-follower livestreamer Kirsten Muller exposed for fake eating videos. Hospital visit for stomach problems follows."

During the month I stopped streaming, rumors had already been spreading online.

People started guessing. Some were certain I had been faking my eating all along and stopped streaming because I was afraid of being exposed.

Others guessed I had actually damaged my health from eating too much and had no choice but to quit.

The rumors grew worse, and the situation continued to escalate. Soon, people found out that Jasper Young, the CEO of Young Group, was my husband.

I was about to explain why I stopped streaming and defend Jasper and his company from the rumors. Then I saw his apology statement trending online.

My heart sank. When I clicked on it, I felt completely numb.

Jasper had used his identity as my husband to publicly claim that my four years of eating on livestream had all been fake.

No one knew the truth better than him.

For four years, I forced myself to overeat every day. My stomach hurt every day, and I became used to vomiting. I needed medicine just to ease the pain.

On every painful night, he was the one who handed me mouthwash and tissues.

All the kindness and care he once showed me were still clear in my mind.

But now, with just one careless statement, he erased all the effort and sacrifices I had made over four years.

After that post went up, my followers dropped sharply. Messages filled with insults and mockery flooded my inbox.

While packing my things, I couldn't stop myself from calling Jasper.

He answered immediately. "Miss me? You finally decided to call me first?"

I held back my tears and asked in a trembling voice, "Why did you make a statement that I was faking it? Don't you know better than anyone if I was really eating or not?"

Jasper replied calmly, "Kirsten, don't you understand what people online are like? They believe every rumor they hear. Even if you really ate all that food, who would actually believe you?"

But I would still be hurt and sad. Did my feelings really not matter at all?

A sharp pain spread through my chest.

It didn't matter if people didn't believe me. But he knew better than anyone what I had endured and how much I had given over the years.

I never thought it would be this hard to have Jasper stand beside me through the rumors.

I gripped my phone tightly. My throat tightened, and I couldn't say a word.

On the other end of the line, Jasper remained calm and composed.

"Kirsten, don't worry about it. Don't read the messages either. I'll have someone handle it," he said. "I'm taking Ruby on an overseas trip today to help her relax. She hasn't been in a good mood lately.

"Take care of yourself at home. Wait for me to come back."

So it wasn't my emotions that he didn't care about. It was me.

My tears fell one by one onto the floor.

I ended the call and changed my flight to tonight.

If there were more tears than love between us, then this was where we had to end.