Chapter 5
She floated and dived into the sea for three hours.
Every cut on her body burned way worse as the saltwater hit them, but she pushed through the pain and didn’t give up. Eventually, completely drained, she finally spotted the emerald necklace.
Soaked and a mess, Caitlin dragged herself back onto the deck, barely
able to breathe.
Clutching the necklace tightly, a flood of memories hit her. Back when she pawned it, Xander had sworn he’d give her the world and stay loyal forever. Now, it all felt like a big joke.
She threw her head back and laughed out loud.
But behind the laughter, she couldn’t stop the tears and the sharp ache in
her chest.
Once Caitlin made it home, she was burning up with a fever.
Lying in bed, she felt weak and powerless. Just then, Xander came in and yanked her out of bed.
Thinking he was finally taking her to the hospital, Caitlin got in the car obediently. /
But halfway there, something felt off.
“This isn’t the way to the hospital. Where are we going?” she asked in
confusion.
“Hospital?” Xander let out a cold laugh. “How dare you still say that after
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Chapter 5
the mess you caused?!”
Caitlin was still out of it, too fuzzy to make sense of what was happening, until the car stopped.
He brought her to see Eleanor.
After everything blew up online, people were criticizing Eleanor nonstop. She quit her job, left the villa overnight, and went back to her old place.
Now, she was on the rooftop, ready to jump.
When Xander brought Caitlin there, Eleanor backed up in a panic. “Stay back!”
“Eleanor, please don’t do anything stupid!”
His hands were shaking as he advised, “I brought Caitlin here. She said. she wants to apologize and post a statement online to clear your name.”
Caitlin immediately snapped out of her daze.
“No way.” She winced through the pain. “Why should I apologize to her?”
They were the ones who cheated. She was the victim. Why should she be the one to apologize?
Eleanor’s fists clenched.
She kept her broken, pitiful look and said, “Of course, Mrs. Jackson. You don’t need to apologize. I deserve all this hate. My life is worthless anyway. Maybe I should just end it.”
“No!” Xander shouted.
Then, he turned and growled at Caitlin, “How can you be so heartless?! It’s just an apology!”
Chapter 5
Then, he kicked her.
Caitlin hit the ground hard, knees slamming against it.
“If you won’t do it, I’ll crush your dad’s business,” he threatened.
Suddenly, she remembered her previous life. With tears in her eyes, she looked up and asked, “Xander, do our years together mean less to you than Eleanor’s?”
She asked that question on behalf of her from her previous life.
They had been together for ten years, through every up and down. And now, everything was shattered.
Xander was stunned for a moment, but he quickly returned to his cold. self. “Are you apologizing or not?”
What other option did she have?
A tear slid down her cheek as she said with humiliation, “I’m sorry, Ms. Leonard. I’ll post the clarification now.
She pulled out her phone and made the announcement.
Right after that, Xander walked over to Eleanor, gently coaxing her. “You heard it. It’s done. Come down now.”
Then, he helped her down.
Caitlin felt heartbroken when she saw that.
As she stood up, Eleanor came over, grabbed her hand, and said gratefully, “Thank you, Mrs. Jackson.”
But when Xander wasn’t looking, Eleanor gave a smug smile and whispered. “Don’t you think it’s kinda pathetic to be a woman like you?”
Chapter 5
Caitlin’s anger flared. She tried to yank her hand free.
But Eleanor clung even harder and yanked her off balance. They both stumbled backward, heading straight for the railing.
“Ah!”
They screamed together.
Xander rushed over to help, but he only managed to catch Eleanor’s hand.
Caitlin fell.
As she fell, flashes of their past ran through her mind.
In the end, he still picked Eleanor.
