All Chapters of I Gave Up on Her, and Now She’s Afraid to Lose Me: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

“You’re leaving? Who’s going to look after Grandma?”“She’s having breakfast. Something urgent came up at work, so I have to go.”I pressed the elevator button.“Urgent?”She looked me over with suspicion and a hint of displeasure.“What could be more important than having breakfast with Grandma? You just don’t want to stay with her, so you’re making an excuse to leave.”The elevator doors opened with a chime.I stepped inside, turned to face her, and answered evenly.“Think whatever you want.”Just before the doors closed, I saw surprise and anger flash across her face.She clearly hadn’t expected me to brush her off.As the elevator descended, my phone vibrated. Jasmine sent me a text that read like an accusation.[What’s gotten into you lately? Come home tonight. We need to talk.]Which home?The one where I tore up our wedding photo, and she told me never to return?I gave a humorless smile, tossed my phone onto the passenger seat, and started the car. We had nothing to discuss.T

When I opened my eyes again, a glaring expanse of white filled my vision.The familiar ceiling told me I was lying in a hospital bed.“Jensen, you’re awake! Do you feel unwell anywhere?”Margaret’s anxious voice reached me. She looked at me with such concern that I could tell how frightened she was.“You gave me such a scare when you fainted outside the hospital. Thank goodness someone saw you. I don’t know what I’d have done otherwise.”“Jasmine told me you make nutritious meals every day. How could you faint because you haven’t been eating enough?”I lay there, blinking in confusion.Jasmine stood beside my bed. She came back after all, and now she gave a scornful laugh.“You’re putting on an act. You wanted me to pay attention to you, didn’t you? Well, you win. I canceled my plans to legally marry Tristan so I could stay here with you.”I glanced at her and answered calmly.“Then go marry him. Don’t say later that I held you up.”Eleanor was impatient enough already.My answer caugh

I said, “I sold the company because I’m tired of being taken for a fool. Besides...”I paused and looked at her.“We’re divorced. I have no obligation to keep supporting you and your ‘brother.’”“You bastard!”She slapped the steering wheel, and the horn let out a piercing blast.“Yes, I spent your money! You gave it to me willingly. You were the one who said, ‘What’s mine is yours,’ when we got married. Don’t play the victim now!”“Yes, I gave it to you willingly.”I nodded. “So, I brought this on myself.”My answer left her speechless. Her chest rose and fell, and her eyes glistened in the dim light.I thought she might cry, but she only stared straight ahead.“How much did you sell it for?”Her question came out cold and abrupt.“Enough to live comfortably for the rest of my life.”“And then what? You’re just going to walk away? Six years, Jensen Cole. Six whole years. Do you feel nothing about leaving?”I was quiet for a moment.Outside the window, a couple walked past with their a

The doorbell rang insistently. I rubbed my forehead as I went to answer it, expecting the building manager or a delivery at the wrong address.Jasmine stood outside.Her eyes were red and puffy, as though she hadn’t slept well, but they blazed with stubborn anger.Before I could speak, she pushed past me. She glanced around my spacious, tidy living room, then looked at me.“You’ve made yourself comfortable.”Her tone was stiff.“I brought some things you left behind.”She put a bag of things I’d left behind on the table.“If that’s all you came to say, you can leave.”I rubbed my forehead and stepped aside to clear the way to the door. I didn’t want an argument first thing in the morning.I didn’t want to know what she brought either.But she ignored me and sat on the sofa, staring at me intently.“Jensen Cole, are you that eager to get rid of me?”“I thought we were clear in the car last night.”“No, we didn’t!”Her voice rose.“I don’t understand. I took care of Tristan, so you sold

The server smiled and explained.“The Reed family paid for ads all over the city. Our café is joining in the celebration.”Jasmine was turning her wedding into a spectacle the whole city would see.It was as though she needed everyone, especially me, to know she made the right choice.She wanted to show that without me, her life would be better and more glamorous.I sat by the café window and stared at the words on my cup. The whole thing felt absurd.She used to sulk for hours if I so much as glanced at someone else. Now news of her wedding to another man was everywhere I looked.My phone vibrated. Vera sent me a message.[Mr. Cole, I emailed you the additional details for the project handover. Please take a look when you have time. Also, I’ve seen the wedding ads everywhere. Are you okay?]Her messages were always like that: professional, with just enough concern to feel kind. She never overstepped or flirted, and talking to her felt easy.Since Jasmine saw her bring me breakfast, Ve