After the divorce, he begged

Chapter 6

To Rebecca, Jeffrey’s words felt like a sharp blade piercing her heart.

Even though the news about Jeffrey and Andrea had hurt her, Rebecca had clung to the hope that it might have just been a misunderstanding.

But hearing those cheesy words firsthand felt even worse than being stabbed. Her chest grow fight with a heavy, suffocating pressure.

“What is it?” Jeffrey’s voice was deep, but his tone was colder and more distant than she had ever heard, making her feel completely insignificant.

Still, Rebecca wanted to hear him clarify it. “What are you two doing?” she asked

“Did you call me just for that!” he replied, deflecting her question.

She was completely disappointed in him. Collecting herself, she saw no point in wasting more time. “Where is my suitcase? I want it back.”

His response was the silent void of a disconnected call.

She stabbed the redial button without hesitation. Her passport was in that suitcase, and she knew leaving it in his hands any longer was asking for

Trouble

This time, he didn’t pick up.

Andrea saw the call coming through on his phone, the ser

showing the contact hame Rebecca, and asked tentatively, “Aren’t you going to get that?”

allmustaying with you now,” he said: “Let’s finish your show first.”

Jeffrey let his phone koop ringing, making no move to answer or decl

Andrea, fresh from the shower in a sleek cambole, slipped her arms around bis “Forget the show,” she murmured. “I’d rather do something else with

you

She pressed herself closer against him, putting herself in a position where Jeffrey would get an eyeful if he glanced down.

“Be good now,” Jeffrey said, stopping her advances with calm detachment, “Your main focus right now should be resting and recovering your health.”

voice took on a hurt tone, “You’re rejecting me because you don’t like me, aren’t

not it,” he

to kiss Rebecca, but you won’t even touch me?”

hand from his arm. “That was just an act for Samuel’s benefit; he explained, “You should never

a subtle unease in her

had saved him in their childhood, not her, sho would lose everything she had and truly be left with

from Jeffrey appeared on Rebecca’s phone:

to run an errand, she drove straight over. But when she pulled up to the estate, the place was dead silent -door shut tight,

but he didn’t

1/3

Chapter 6

her, she refused to play along and sent him a message. If you’re not

divorce wasn’t finalized yet, she still had every right to be in his

move from her. Thirty minutes later, he returned with

how close they appeared, Rebecca didn’t get angry or make sarcastic comments. She simply walked over and asked him, “Why didn’t you answer

have?” Jeffrey replied coldly, looking at her as if she were a complete

a slap. In that moment, everything became clear–from the

strangers

heavy weight that had

“You’re right. I’m not anyone important, but if you had returned what you took on your own, none of this would have

Jeffrey. “It’s

said, her voice hollow. The usual emotion in her eyes was gone, replaced by a

Jeffrey’s expression darkened.

“Give me my things, and I’m

she found herself letting go of everything–his sudden coldness and his clear preference for

the suitcase, Jeffrey

with an identical one,” she said, surprising herself with how numb

that she was just putting on an act, but she remained

a long moment, he turned to the bodyguard behind him. “Get her

bodyguard nodded before

moment later, he returned carrying a soft colored

to simply take the luggage and leave, she surprised them by flipping it open right there in front

asked hesitantly, “Rebecca,

in a deceptively calm voice that somehow

anticipated she would learn to mirror his tactics so