Jared's POV
Uncertainty gnawed at me as I contemplated whether Stacey would agree to this unusual arrangement. The prospect of revealing all the intricate details of my impending marriage was daunting. I decided it was best to keep the conversation with Stacey simple and straightforward. She needed to know that I had no intention of severing our relationship because of the company's demands.
To be perfectly honest, our relationship was almost too good to be true. We had never experienced those fierce arguments or heated disagreements that often test a couple's bond. Stacey had a remarkable way of managing our relationship with grace and poise. She never lost her temper with me, even when circumstances pushed me to the brink. It was as if she were immune to my flaws.
There had been moments when I failed to meet Stacey's expectations, like the time she waited for me at a boutique until it closed. The clothes she desired were sold to another customer because my flight had been delayed while I was out of the country. Despite my lapse, Stacey never reproached me; instead, she displayed remarkable understanding and empathy. Her unwavering support made me feel incredibly fortunate, and I couldn't help but cherish every moment with her. I couldn't help but fall deeper in love with her.
Stacey possessed a rare quality—she was not the clingy type. Whenever I expressed hesitation or reluctance, she never pressured me into anything. She allowed me the space to make my own choices. Our relationship flowed smoothly, and I couldn't have been happier.
As I contemplated the impending conversation with Stacey about my marriage to another woman, I hoped she would be open to understanding my predicament. Stacey had always shown herself to be an exceptionally understanding person, as far as I knew. It was perplexing to me that my mother, Claire, and sister, Ingrid, couldn't see the qualities I so admired in her.
For four years, they had remained silent about my relationship with Stacey. So, when they suddenly informed me that I was expected to marry Colleen and end my relationship with Stacey, I was taken aback. While I hadn't contemplated marrying Colleen, I had looked forward to a future with Stacey as my wife.
I made my way to the Poppy Hotel, our usual meeting place. Although I had initially considered booking a villa for both of us, I couldn't help but second-guess my decision, and I ended up staying at the hotel. Maybe I had arrived too early because I waited for Stacey for over an hour, growing increasingly anxious as time passed. The sound of the door opening finally broke the silence.
As Stacey walked in, her radiant smile greeted me, and my heart ached at the thought of the path we were about to embark upon. She approached me, her smile unwavering, and settled onto my lap, sealing our reunion with a kiss. It was a bittersweet moment, knowing that we were heading for a parting of ways.
"I missed you, honey," Stacey murmured, her words saturated with affection. It struck me as somewhat ironic, given that we had seen each other just a couple of days ago. Yet, in our relationship, time seemed to possess a fluid quality. There were instances when we would only meet once a week due to my business commitments or Stacey's own busy schedule.
"I missed you too," I replied, wanting to reassure her. "What took you so long?" I asked, my concern genuine.
Stacey smiled playfully. "Now, I'm sure that you missed me," she teased, capturing my lips in a passionate kiss. Our fervent embrace only subsided when the need for air became undeniable.
"What's on your mind? I can tell something is bothering you," Stacey observed, her intuition remarkably sharp. Guilt coursed through me as I acknowledged her unease.
I stared at her, trying to summon the courage to convey the painful truth. I didn't want to break her heart, but I knew it was a necessary conversation. I refused to be the kind of man who would exploit a woman's feelings or tarnish her reputation by continuing our relationship.
Stacey, with her unwavering gaze fixed on me, waited patiently for my response. With a heavy heart, I finally dropped the bomb, uttering the words I had long been dreading. "Let's break up," I said, the weight of my decision evident in my voice.
Stacey's eyes widened as she struggled to process the shocking revelation. After a few moments, she managed to find her voice. "Let's break up?" Her question hung in the air, her disbelief palpable. I nodded, unable to utter a word.
"Why? Did I do something wrong? Did I hurt you in any way?" Stacey fired a barrage of questions, her desperation growing by the second.
I shook my head in response to each of her inquiries, unable to speak the truth about why I was ending our relationship. The truth would be too painful for her to bear.
"Why, then? Why are you breaking up with me?" Stacey implored, tears streaming down her cheeks. The sight of her pain cut deep into my soul.
"Mom and Ingrid have arranged a marriage for me," I confessed, my voice heavy with sorrow.
"But you don't love her; you love me, right? Why did you agree to marry her?" Stacey cried, her anguish now apparent for all to see.
"I'm sorry, I couldn't bring myself to say no to them," I replied, my own eyes betraying the turmoil within.
"Is she wealthy? Will she help with your company? Will marrying her expand your business?" Stacey continued her questioning, each word laced with desperation.
"No, she's an ordinary person without any notable background," I admitted, though I couldn't bring myself to tell Stacey that Colleen was incomparable to her. I didn't want to give her false hope, nor did I want to encourage her. My primary concern was sparing her from further heartache and embarrassment. I knew the gravity of my decision, and it weighed heavily on me.
"I'm sorry, Stacey," I murmured. She was crying, and I couldn't bear to witness her pain any longer. I rose from my seat and left the hotel, leaving her behind to grapple with her sorrow.
As I walked away, a profound sense of worthlessness enveloped me. I couldn't defend the woman I loved, and I despised myself for my apparent greed. I had allowed the company's demands to dictate the course of my life, and I knew I would carry this guilt and self-loathing with me for a long time. My hope was that Stacey would find success and happiness in all her future endeavors, even if it meant that I would forever remain a regrettable chapter in her life.
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Stacey's POV I was with Derrick, making out in his living room, when Jared called me. I didn't want to answer, but Derrick urged me to do so. I rolled my eyes at him, and he just laughed silently, worried that Jared might hear him. I answered his call in my sweetest voice so he wouldn't notice anything unusual. He said he wanted to talk to me tomorrow, so I agreed. He was always so surprised that he would call me out of nowhere and ask me to see him the next day. I acted worried and asked him if there was anything wrong. He said nothing and just reminded me. He is at tomorrow's meeting. I said yes, and we hung up the call. "What is it?" Derrick asked curiously. "He wanted to see me tomorrow. We just saw each other about two days ago, and yet he wanted to see me. I wonder what it is that he will be giving me,", I told him, and he laughed. "I didn't know that Jared was that idiot; I mean, we had been cheating him from the very beginning, and yet he didn't get any clue. Does his bra
Third Person's POV The breakup with Stacey angered Jared so much. He pitied her for hurting her, and he was sure that Stacey was mad at him now. He thought Stacey loved him so much. That's why he felt frustrated. As for Colleen, the woman he was about to marry, he didn't know what would happen to her. Marriage is a lifetime commitment for him, and he believes in the sanctity of marriage. If there was something in this world that Jared was most serious about, it was marriage. Jared was now in their library and decided to read to get rid of everything that was happening in his life in his head for a moment. For him, reading was the best medicine to clear his mind. He has been a bookworm ever since, and he has brought that up to himself until now. He was sitting on the couch reading a Tom Clancy book when his sister Ingrid got in and got his attention. "What do you want?" he asked, putting the book on his lap. He was sitting comfortably on the couch with a cup of coffee, sitting at th
Ingrid's POV I wanted to pity Jared for being mad about everything. I didn't want that to happen, and I knew Mom as well. When I found out that he was in our library, I gathered myself, went to see him, and had a little chat with him. As I entered the room, I saw him seated on the couch beside the shelf where his favorite author's books were properly lined up according to their date of publication. Yes, from the oldest to the latest. She knew how much Jared liked to read when he was still a kid. I had a feeling that reading calmed him and made him think rationally. That's why I asked mom and dad to put a library at home. I love my little brother so much. Although it was a bit awkward to call him my little brother when he was way taller than me, he even passed as my big brother. He was overprotective of me. You think that because I'm older than him, that makes me dominant over him. But I wasn't. He was dominating me and our entire family. He is really fit to be the CEO of our multi
Jared's POV After my breakup with Stacey, I stayed at home. I was feeling guilty towards her, and I was afraid I might go and see her if I didn't distance myself from her. I needed to calm myself and be rational about everything. I didn't want to have a fight with my mom and sister. They had relied on me ever since my dad passed away, and he asked me to take care of both my mom and sister, Ingrid. I didn't want to break my promise to him, as I knew he had done everything to protect us as well. Now that it was my turn, I had to hold myself back so I wouldn't hate them. I love Stacey, but maybe not as much as I love my family. It's not entirely about the company; that's why I decided to agree with them. It was for them as well. We are close to each other, and I didn't want matters like this to break our family apart. I went to our mini library and decided to calm myself there through reading. I really need it. I asked one of our maids to bring me a cup of coffee as well. I was in my r
Colleen's POV Reading helps me relax, and I make sure to do this from time to time. I didn't want any negativity in life because I don't have much of that. I wanted to spend the rest of my life in peace and harmony. I was now on my small sofa and reading when I heard the message alert tone on my phone. I took it and read the message I received. It was from an unknown number, but I still read it, thinking it was important. "Let's meet at Lin's Café; this is Jared's girlfriend." I thought for a moment. How did she know my number? The only contacts on my phone were Mommy Claire, Ingrid, and my doctor, and I'm sure that none of them would just give my number to anyone. "OK," I replied. I didn't think there was anything wrong with meeting her. Maybe she wanted me not to marry Jared. "3 pm later," she replied. I did not bother texting her back, as I had already confirmed that I would be going. Lin's Cafe was just beside the hospital where I was doing my check-up. I might as well visit m
Dr. Gerard's POV I called Colleen to make sure that she didn't forget her check-up for later. Although she was very punctual, I always made myself present in her daily life. I always feel like I want to protect her with everything. She was my patient, who was about to die in three years if she didn't manage to have her surgery on time. She was alone, and her parents lived separately with their new families, and none of them knew about her condition. I admire her for being strong and good-spirited. I never saw her lose hope when it came to her situation. She was always positive in her way of thinking, and even if she ended up thinking she would die, I never saw her eating sad. I remember when I offered her my help. "Why don't you accept my help?" I asked her. "You already waived your professional fee for me. I didn't want you to spend it on my surgery as well," she replied. "You will have your own family, and the amount of my surgery was enough for you to take care of them and give
Third Person's POV Colleen went home after her check-up. She was happy that nothing happened to her. She didn't know why Stacey acted that way when she thought Claire had canceled their arranged marriage already. She was at home and was done with her dinner when she decided to watch a movie. She likes sci-fi movies, so she didn't know why she decided to watch an old movie by Mandy Moore and Shane West. It was a happy story but had a sad ending. That's in the eyes of many because Mandy Moore ends up dying at the end of the story. But for Colleen, it was still a happy ending because they ended up being together despite Mandy Moore's illness. She then wonders if she will be able to find someone she will love and who will love her back despite her condition. She felt like it was wishful thinking because, unlike her, Mandy Moore had her father to support her while she had no one. It was getting late, and she remembered Dr. Gerard and what he would tell her if he found out that she was
Jared's POV Today, I am going to talk to mom about the wedding. Yesterday was a mess, and I didn't know what I would do if Stacey called again. I should refrain from coming to her every time she calls me. It's not good; even if I was just being forced into this marriage, I still need to respect Colleen. We were at the breakfast table, and mom was quiet. I was waiting for her to talk, but we were almost finished, and she wasn't even looking at me. “Mom,” I called her. “I am going to marry Colleen," I added, and she sighed. “You have to think about it. I didn't want Colleen to suffer,“ Mom said. I don't know how I should feel concerned; I was his son, but she was more concerned for Colleen than me. "Why would she suffer? Isn't it me who will suffer more?" I asked her. I was furious, but I held myself. I didn't want to argue with her anymore, especially when I found out that she had been sick. Mom looked at me and shook her head. Did I say something wrong? Am I really the one who is