Just as I was trying to figure out who could be messing with me, more calls started rolling in–one


    about a ring order, another about the wedding venue.


    That was when it hit me: this wasn’t just a prank. When I finally asked who’d ced all these orders,


    I learned exactly who was behind it.


    Jace. Of course.


    I knew he wouldn’t do something as childish as prank calls just to get under my skin. Realizing what


    he might actually be up to, I called him directly. “Jace Johnston! What the hell are you trying to do?


    We’ve already broken up, and here you are ordering a wedding dress and a ring. Who are you


    trying to gross out?” “Don’t think so lowly of me. You think I’m doing this just to annoy you? You’ve


    always doubted that I cared, doubted my love for you. Well, let’s get married now. That should


    prove I only want to be with you, right?” Jace’s words made my disappointment sink even deeper.


    “Jace, do you really think love is about forcing someone into a wedding dress and shoving a ring on


    her finger? Do you still not get why I left you?” I snapped.


    Jace went quiet for a few seconds. “Isn’t it because of Tanya?”


    “Exactly!” I admitted. “So, what’s your n to deal with that?”


    There was a long pause on his end before he finally said, “I won’t have any more contact with her.


    I’ll even have her leave thepany. Will that be enough?”


    Listen to that tone–so unwilling, so grudging.


    “And then what? You’re gonna hide her like some side chick?” I shot back, dripping with sarcasm.


    Jace snapped. “Enough! Why are you being so unreasonable? I’ve already told you, Tanya’s alone


    and pregnant. She’s pitiful. Can’t you show a littlepassion?”


    His voice was loud, almost shouting.


    I pulled the phone away from my ear, not wanting him to bust my eardrums.


    Even so, he kept going, “You’re a woman too. What if it were you in her ce? Just like when your


    parents died–if it weren’t for my family taking you in, how desperate and helpless would you have


    been?”


    Taking me in?


    Those words cut like a knife.


    So, in his eyes, I was just some pitiful, unwanted girl that his family had so graciously sheltered.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    “So, all the kindness you showed me was just charity, huh?” My voice shook with the realization.


    Jace was quiet for a few seconds before saying, “No, that’s not what I meant.”


    “Jace, I don’t need your charity. So go ahead and give your love and affection to whoever you want.


    I was once a pitiful, orphaned girl, and you gave me love out of pity. Now Tanya’s the pitiful one–so


    go ahead and love her,” I said, biting my lip, feeling like I’d just been dunked in ice water.


    Our love had soured, his feelings had strayed, and none of that even mattered anymore.


    After all, the world changes every second, so it’s no surprise that people and hearts do too.


    But I never imagined that the affection he once showed me was fake, just pity from the very start.


    “You’re beingpletely unreasonable. You know that’s not what I meant,” Jace protested.


    “It doesn’t matter what you meant anymore. Please, just stop bothering me, alright?” I was


    exhausted, worn out from this endless back–and–forth.


    But Jace only let out a coldugh. “You’re my woman. If I don’t let go, you have no right to say no.”


    His domineering words made it clear–he just couldn’t handle being the one who got rejected.


    But I’d already made up my mind. No matter how much he tried to cause a scene, I wasn’t going


    back to him.


    “Then go ahead and make a scene if you’re not ashamed,” I shot back before hanging up.


    Just like before, this call had drained me. I was left trembling with exhaustion,pletely unaware


    that Lena hade up behind me.