aycie was taken aback. She quickly waved her hand, insisting she wasn’t interested. But Megan wouldn’t take no for an answer.
She pulled out her phone and forwarded a contact to Jaycie.
“I met the young man before he went abroad. He’s incredibly handsome. Even if there’s no romantic spark, it wouldn’t hurt to
make a new friend.”
Unable to refuse her aunt’s enthusiasm, Jaycie finally agreed to the idea. However, when she opened the contact Megan had sent
her, she was surprised to find that she already had the person added as a friend.
She clicked into the chat, but there was no nickname saved. The profile picture was a crescent moon against a pure black
background, and the username was simple–just two letters, Z.R.
Jaycie frowned, trying to recall when she had added this person, but nothing came to mind. She didn’t ask any questions and
simply locked her phone screen. After all, she figured all the answers would reveal themselves when they met.
While Jaycie was preparing for this unexpected blind date, Cole finally returned home.
The sun had set, and the villa was engulfed in darkness. He didn’t notice the note stuck on the door and, as usual, entered the
passcode. But when he tried to push the door open, it didn’t budge.
Confused, he looked up and saw the note. [Since this will soon be Ms. Wise’s home, it’s only fitting that the passcode be her
birthday.]
Ms. Wise’s home? Eileen?
His heart skipped a beat. Did Jaycie know something? But she had only met Eileen once. No one else would have told her about the
wedding. How could she have found out?
Hesitant, Cole entered Eileen’s birthday, and the villa door clicked open.
He flipped on the lights, but the house felt eerily empty. Instinctively, he called out, “Jaycie?”
His voice echoed through the villa, but there was no response. It was only then that he remembered–Jaycie had gone to
Housleton a couple of days ago.
She rarely left him for long. Most of the time, she was the one waiting at home for him to return. Ever since they had moved in
together, she had always been there when he came back–except for this time.
The thought made him uneasy as a hollow feeling settled in his chest. Was she serious about leaving? But then he shook off the
idea.
How could Jaycie leave? She loved him. She was probably just upset because he hadn’t spent much time with her lately. She must
have guessed about his relationship with Eileen by chance, but she would come back to him. He’d just have to sweet–talk her
when she returned.
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With that in mind, he rubbed his temples and walked toward the living room. He decided he’d call Jaycie later to ask when she was
coming back and have a proper talk with her.
But before he could dial her number, his eyes were drawn to a stack of papers on the table as he entered the living room.
Cole’s steps quickened, and he soon sat on the couch, picking up the stack of papers. A faint hope flickered in his chest.
Were these Jaycie’s? Something she’d left for him?
See? He knew she was just upset. She wouldn’t really leave him.
A small smile tugged at his lips, but it froze the moment he saw what was written on the top page.
The page was blank except for a single handwritten line. Cole immediately recognized Jaycie’s handwriting–elegant, delicate,
and full of grace. It was beautiful to look at, but the words themselves hit him like a sledgehammer.
[Cole, congratulations on getting married. We’re done.]
His ears rang, and his mind went blank. He read the line over and over, trying to convince himself he hadn’t seen it correctly. But
there it was, clear as day.
[Cole, congratulations on getting married. We’re done.]
She was leaving him?!
This had to be a joke. There was no way she would leave him!
His hands trembled as he tore the page off, crumpled it into a ball, and threw it across the room. The action revealed the second
page beneath it–a printed screenshot of a chat log, starting from the day the conversation began.
Jaycie hadn’t added a nickname for the other person, so Cole could only see the profile picture and username. It looked familiar
because he had this person in his contacts too.
It was Eileen.
The first message was from two weeks ago.
As he flipped through the pages, his heart sank deeper and deeper.
[I heard you’re the woman Cole’s keeping on the side. Let me introduce myself—I’m Eileen Wise, his fiancée.
[You’d better leave now while you still can. Once Cole and I are married, it won’t look good for you to be kicked out of the villa.
[With just one word from me, Cole comes running. Tomorrow, we’re meeting each other’s parents. Once we’re married, what will
you be? A secret mistress?
[Cole might love you, but… he just kissed me. How long do you think it’ll be before we take the next step?]
Interspersed among the messages were photos and videos–pictures of them trying on wedding attires, picking out rings, and
touring wedding venues. There was even a video, with a single frame captured that Eileen had clearly wanted Jaycie to see the
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Chapter 10
most.
+15 Bonus
It was a frame of Cole and Eileen sharing a deep, passionate kiss in front of their families and friends.
The last thread of composure in Cole’s mind snapped. A wave of panic washed over him, leaving him pale and breathless. His lips
moved, muttering the same words over and over, “I don’t believe
it.”
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