All Chapters of One Careless Night : Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

The weight of Rachel’s words sat heavily on my chest as I left her apartment, my mind spinning with a million thoughts. Jack had lied to me. He had betrayed me. And Rachel—someone I had once called a friend—had been playing a game all along.As I walked down the street, I felt like the world around me was moving too fast, blurring together while I remained frozen in place. I wanted to scream, to cry, to demand answers from Jack. But at the same time, I felt so empty inside, as if my heart had shattered into pieces that I might never be able to put back together.By the time I reached home, I felt numb. I pushed open the front door and walked straight to my room, ignoring my mother’s questioning gaze. I knew she’d be smug if she found out the truth, and I wasn’t ready to deal with her gloating.I threw myself onto my bed, staring at the ceiling. The memories of Jack—his touch, his words, his promises—played in my head like a cruel joke. Had he ever really loved me? Or had I been nothin

I zipped up my suitcase, my hands steady despite the storm of emotions raging inside me. My decision was made. Staying here would only lead to more pain, more accusations, more screaming matches with my mother. It was time to leave.As I stepped out of my room, I treaded carefully down the hallway, listening for any signs of my mother. The house was quiet, but I knew she was still awake. The tension from our earlier argument still lingered in the air like thick smoke.Just as I reached the front door, her voice rang out behind me."And where exactly do you think you're going?"I froze, my grip tightening around my suitcase handle. I turned around slowly to face her. She stood by the staircase, arms crossed, eyes burning with anger and something else—hurt, maybe."I'm leaving," I said, keeping my voice even. "I'm going to stay with my father."Her lips pressed into a thin line before she scoffed. "Oh, so now you suddenly care about your father? The same man who abandoned us? The same m

A heavy silence settled in the room after my father’s words.Jack's expression remained composed, but I could see the subtle shift in his posture—the tightening of his jaw, the way his fingers curled slightly on his lap. He hadn’t expected this condition, and I knew why. He had made my mother sign a prenup when they got married and that was why he was able to divorce her without splitting his wealth.Jefferson leaned back in his chair, his piercing gaze fixed on Jack. "What’s wrong? You said you love her. Surely, you’re not planning for a future where you two split?"Jack exhaled sharply, looking away for a moment before returning his eyes to mine. His hesitation made my heart race.I knew this wasn’t about money. Jack wasn’t a man who needed financial security—he had built his empire from nothing. But a prenup was protection, a safety net for someone like him who had been through a divorce before. And now, my father was testing him. And I didn't even know whose side to be on. My fath

The next day, I heard the doorbell ring just as I was stepping out of my room. I didn’t think much of it until I heard my mother’s voice—firm, yet sickeningly polite.“Alex, what a surprise.”I froze mid-step, my heart jumping at the sound of his name. Carefully, I moved closer to the hallway, staying out of sight but close enough to hear.“I came to see Sophia,” Alex’s voice was calm, but I could hear the slight edge of confusion. “Is she home?”My mother let out a short laugh. “She is, but there’s no need for you to see her.”There was a beat of silence before he spoke again, his tone more serious now. “No need?”“That’s right,” she said smoothly. “Sophia will be getting married soon. There’s no reason for you to be coming around anymore.”I clenched my fists at her words.Alex scoffed, clearly caught off guard. “Married?” His voice dipped into disbelief. “You mean to Jack?”“Who else?” my mother replied, her voice laced with triumph.Another beat of silence. Then Alex let out a low

Gasps rippled through the crowd as all heads turned toward Rachel. She stood at the entrance, chest heaving, eyes darting between Jack and me.Jack’s jaw tightened. “Rachel, what the hell are you doing?”I stood frozen, my fingers trembling around my bouquet. My mother shot up from her seat, her expression a mask of barely concealed rage.Rachel took a shaky step forward. “I can’t let you do this, Jack. Not after everything we shared.”Whispers swirled around us. Jack exhaled sharply, rubbing a hand down his face. “Rachel, this is not the time or the place.”“I don’t care.” Rachel’s voice wavered, but she held her ground. “You can’t marry her.”A lump formed in my throat. I had been prepared for doubts, for hesitation, even for Alex to make a last-minute plea—but not this. Not from Rachel.Jack’s shoulders squared. “Rachel, stop.”“No,” she shook her head. “You don’t love her, Jack. You love me. At least that's what you told me when we had sex.”Silence.My eyes flickered toward Jack,