Chapter 17

Nadine hadn’t learned until later that Adam had emotionally blackmailed Brad into giving up on his relationship with Jean.

The only reason Brad had shown up at the beach that fateful night five years ago was because he saw no point in living if he could not have Jean.

It was bad enough that he had a heart problem, but to have his beloved sent away by Adam ruined him completely. With neither hope nor ambition to keep him going, his life seemed bleak.

He had been lost in his thoughts when he saw Nadine leap off the cliff and into the ocean.

Nadine’s slender silhouette bore a striking resemblance to Jean’s. At that moment, it wasn’t some strange woman Brad saw falling into the ocean, but Jean.

He jumped in after her without a second thought. From that moment on, he treated Nadine as at replacement for Jean.

Jean’s name was like a curse that shackled Nadine to this loveless marriage.

Nadine couldn’t escape Jean even in her nightmares, for the latter smiled sweetly at her as she purred, ” You’ll always be nothing more than my replacement, Nadine. Now and forever!”

A sharp pain stabbed through Nadine. She bolted upright screaming, drenched in cold sweat.

She reached to turn on the lamp on her nightstand and realized the space next to her was empty.

She brushed her fingers over the sheets where Brad would normally lay. They were icy, with no lingering

trace of warmth that indicated he might have slept here at some point.

Brad had to be sleeping with Jean tonight. Nadine doubted he was coming home.

Nadine was only human, after all. Since the day Brad took her and Sean in, she immersed herself in

playing the role of his dutiful wife and homemaker.

Jean’s return was like a hard slap in Nadine’s face.

Nadine stared out at the rain that fell from the night sky and finally saw through the mask she had put on for the last five years: she was not Brad’s wife.

She was nothing more than a damsel in distress who had been given the chance to play princess for a while, but the magic had long worn off, and it was time for her to snap back to reality.

No matter how much she loved Brad, it was time for her to let him go.

But that was easier said than done. Nadine hadn’t even told him how much she loved him yet.

The heartache that ripped through her cleared her addled mind. Now that she was completely awake, she grabbed her phone and gave Brad a call.

other end before her call was rejected, followed by a text

Chapter 17

on her screen.

astute is

before, and the one time he

to bother him while he was in

message, and she was still staring at it as she clutched her phone

up: she was

she was going to give Brad and his true love

wanted.

torrential rain

up an umbrella and shrugged off his coat to drape it over Jean’s shoulders.

followed her to the

sure she stayed completely out of the rain, so

were soaked with rainwater.

Jean feigned heartache and said,

-cold.”

down her offer. Pulling his umbrella shut and

to one of the

see you back here, Ms. Sawyer! This house. has stood empty all

thought Mr. Hamilton would dismiss me after you left, but he was kind enough to let me

don’t know how horrible the last five years have been for Mr. Hamilton, Ms.

Nadine if she hadn’t been so demanding

behind Jean and surveyed the furnishings within the

it had been five years ago before

took in the familiar surroundings,

up on us five years ago. I should have fought for us even when your

stayed

her tiptoes to stretch herself higher,

Chapter 17

were at the same height, she suddenly

soft and had an alluring, faint rosy scent. When she blinked, she looked so harmless and

was drawing Brad in with each flutter

his arms and being kissed by her. This should have been the greatest moment of his life, one that he had fantasized about countless times when he

lips brushed against his, he realized he

imagined he would be.

did not race, and the kiss was nothing more than a physical touch of their lips.

about to push Jean away when she stepped out of his embrace and ran upstairs,

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