Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The bathroom door clicked open. Jesper stepped out, drying his hair with a towel.

When he saw me still sitting there, he looked surprised and started walking toward me.

I stood up quickly, avoiding his eyes, and hurried into the bedroom.

As soon as I climbed into bed, a strong arm wrapped around my waist. Jesper's warm chest pressed against my back.

"Tired from work?" he whispered in my ear. "You seemed upset today."

"A little," I lied. I tried to pull away, but he held me tighter.

He nuzzled the side of my neck. "Don't worry. I'll make you feel better."

His hands began to wander. My body stiffened. I wanted to scream.

How could he be so intimate with me after spending the night parading another woman around?

I didn't get the chance to ask. Jesper's phone chimed with a specific, high-pitched ringtone.

He stopped immediately. He pulled away to check the message and was back in his clothes within seconds.

I remembered the gala. My hands trembled as I reached for his phone once he went back into the bathroom.

I knew his passcode. I opened the messaging app.

The contact was labeled with a single pink heart. No name, but I knew it was Alaina.

"Jesper! I love the dress. Thank you for remembering what I like after all these years."

"I'm home now. Drive safe on your way back!"

The intimacy in her tone made my stomach churn. I scrolled up to see messages from earlier that evening.

Then a new one popped up: "Jesper, my stomach hurts so much. I'm home alone and I don't know what to do."

"Hold on. I'm coming," Jesper replied instantly.

I put the phone back exactly where it was. My mind was a chaotic mess.

Jesper came out of the bathroom, fully dressed and grabbing his car keys.

I grabbed his hand as he headed for the door. "It's late. Where are you going?"

He paused for a split second, searching for a lie. He leaned down and kissed my forehead.

"An emergency at the office. Don't wait up."

He didn't look back. I couldn't even close my eyes.

At 2 AM, I finally broke. I called his number.

Alaina answered.

"Jesper went down to get some medicine for me," she said, her voice sweet and playful. "Leave a message. I'll tell him you called."

Her words felt like poison needles. Right before she hung up, I heard Jesper's voice in the background.

"Baby..." he murmured.

I hung up instantly. I expected to feel like my heart was being ripped out, but I felt strangely numb.

Maybe I had been hurt so many times that I had finally run out of tears.

I was just sad that I had wasted years of my life on a man who treated me like a ghost.

The next morning, my alarm woke me up. My pillow was soaked with tears.

Jesper didn't come back until the following evening. I was eating dinner when I heard his keys in the lock.

Usually, I would run to the door to hug him. This time, I didn't even move.

Jesper noticed my silence. "Why didn't you wait for me to eat?"

I put down my chopsticks and looked at him. He had changed his suit and smelled like expensive cologne.

I got up to get him a plate. "I thought you were busy at the office. I didn't think you'd be home."

My voice was calm, but the lack of warmth made his eyes flicker with confusion.

He walked over and held up a shopping bag, trying to pull me into his arms.

"I'm sorry, Cassie. Work was crazy. I shouldn't have stayed out all night. Don't be mad."

"I went by a boutique today and picked something out for you. Want to see?"

He leaned down to open the box. His top button was undone, revealing a neck covered in dark bruises and scratch marks.

The sight felt like a physical blow to my chest.

He pulled out a bracelet dangling with dozens of gold hearts. He didn't know that I hated bracelets, and I despised heart motifs.

I just stared at it. My eyes went dark.

Jesper didn't wait for an answer. He grabbed my wrist and forced the bracelet on.

"There," he smiled, holding my hand tight even as I tried to pull away. "Now you're locked to me. You can never leave."

Never leave? I thought to myself.

Jesper, you were the one who let go of my hand first. You lost me a long time ago.

The fire that had burned for him in my heart for years was finally turning to ash.

I was going to dig him out of my soul and leave nothing behind.