Chapter2
I left that day to the sound of their shouting echoing behind the door.
By the time I got home, by the time I cried into my pillow until it was soaked through.
Jack still hadn’t realized that I’d been the one locked out in the hallway.
It wasn’t until the next morning that he finally sent a text.
“The wedding planner called. We’re scheduled to try on dresses this morning.”
“I’ll come pick you up.”
Short, clipped. So very Jack.
If I hadn’t seen him screaming his lungs out at Olivia Moore, I might’ve actually believed he was
just the quiet, comosed type.
When we first pmet through our parents‘ arrangement, he came across as the perfect gentleman, polite, considerate, polished. Nothing like the man I’d seen arguing with Olivia like a madman.
Still, I replied with a simple, “Okay.”
After all, I was the one who’d fronted the deposit for the wedding planner.
I needed to go cancel everything and get my money back.
My father might be powerful, but we weren’t in business.
That wedding budget had come from my own savings, earned one paycheck at a time since I started
working.
And I had a few things I needed to say to Jack too.
Like the fact that I wanted to end this.
My eyes were still swollen from crying all night, but I’d managed to cover most of it with a thick layer of concealer. Barely enough to look presentable.
Since Jack said he’d pick me up, I waited at home.
We were supposed to meet at ten. He didn’t show up until noon.
I didn’t ask why he was late.
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And he didn’t offer an explanation.
But I already knew from Olivia Moore’s latest Instagram Story, Jack had taken her to get her hair
done.
The same man who could barely sit through a movie with me without fidgeting, who always
claimed to be too busy to go on weekend dates, had spent the entire morning hobnobing with his ex.
On the day we were supposed to pick out wedding attire.
I didn’t need him to spell it out.
His priorities were loud and clear.
Still, I’d been raised to value dignity over drama, so I said nothing.
I even went along with his suggestion that we grab lunch before the dress fitting.
It worked out. I figured I’d break up with him over the meal.
But the moment I got in the car, Jack’s phone started ringing, over and over again.
I leaned slightly to glance at the caller ID.
It was the same number, saved under “Sweetheart.”
The first couple of times, Jack hung up instantly.
By the fourth or fifth call, though, he’d had enough.
He answered in a fury, already shouting before the line even connected.
“Olivia Moore, what the hell are you pulling now? I’m going to a wedding fitting, how is that your
business? Stop calling me!”
“I swear to God, if you try to mess with me again, I’m throwing you out for good!”
Out of the twenty–minute drive, Jack spent fifteen bickering with her on speaker.
Only when we pulled into the mall’s parking lot did he finally hang up and turn to me with a sheepish smile.
“Sorry about that. Olivia’s being a nightmare again. So, what do you want for lunch, Mexican or Italian?”
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For the first time, I calmly met his gaze.
“Jack, I can’t eat spicy food. And Italian happens to be my least favorite.”
His fingers, still holding the car keys, twitched slightly.
“You’re mad? Is this about the call with Olivia?”
There it was.
He knew.
He knew how inappropriate it was to keep taking Olivia’s calls, how ridiculous that her contact
name was still Sweetheart.
But he did it anyway.
I shook my head with quiet finality. “I’m not mad. I just don’t think we’re a good match, and I want
to break up.”
Jack’s expression hardened.
“You’re still upset about the whiskey, aren’t you?”
“Emma, come on. I know your dad’s a powerful man, but it was an honest mistake. I didn’t mean to give him fake wine.”
There it was again, excuses.
I offered a small, tired smile.
“My dad isn’t as petty as you think. He didn’t even care about the whiskey.”
“I just,
I didn’t get to finish my sentence.
Right as I was about to say ‘want to break up‘, the squeal of tires cut through the garage.
Jack’s weekend Jeep, one he usually only drove for fun, came screeching to a halt right in front of
- us.
He barely glanced at me before storming over and yanking Olivia out of the driver’s seat.
“Olivia Moore, are you seriously following me around now?!”
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She didn’t flinch.
Face pale, she met his eyes without blinking.
“Jack, come on. You can’t just shake me off.”
“Don’t forget, I installed a location tracker on your phone a long time ago.
Chapter2
