I froze, gripping the phone tighter. I didn’t know him, not truly. All I knew was that Jackson hated him with a passion so deep it turned his voice sharp whenever his name was mentioned. And maybe that was enough.
Because if Jackson despised him, then perhaps Ryle was the perfect person to ruin him with.
A bitter smile tugged at my lips. My voice was steady, but inside, my chest burned. “Well… maybe you should be the one to pick me up then?”
He chuckled, low and confident. “Sure. I’d do a runaway bride any day.”
I exhaled, a shaky laugh escaping me. “See you tomorrow then,” I whispered, before ending the call.
My chest tightened—not from fear, but from something darker. Revenge.
And then I froze.
Jackson was standing at the doorway, his eyes narrowed.
“Who were you talking to?”
My heart raced, but my lips curved into a practiced calm. “My friend, Lina. You know her, right? She’s attending our wedding.”
Jackson studied me for a moment, then nodded. “About that…” He paused, his tone too casual. “I think we might have to postpone the wedding.”
The words hit me like a stone to the chest. “What?”
He sighed, stepping further into the room. “I need to cancel for now. A business trip came up. Once I’m back, I’ll be with you. How about that?”
I forced my lips into a smile, even as my throat burned. “Sure.”
“You’re not mad?”
I shook my head slowly. “No, not really. I understand.”
He reached out, brushing my hair back, guilt flickering in his eyes. “I’m sorry… for everything. I’ll make it up to you.”
“Would you like me to pack for you?” I asked softly, my voice steady despite the storm inside me.
He smiled faintly. “Yeah. Thanks.”
That night, I folded his shirts, arranged his ties, and zipped his luggage. When he finally left, kissing my forehead like a man who still believed he was loved, I remained behind, alone in the silence of the penthouse.
I tried to distract myself with chores, cleaning, rearranging—anything to silence the ache. That was when I noticed his laptop on the desk, still open.
I shouldn’t look. I knew I shouldn’t. But my curiosity burned stronger than my restraint.
And when I clicked, the screen lit up with an email.
“Wedding Confirmation – Maldives.”
The names read clearly. Jackson & Ivy.
For a moment, the world tilted.
Then I laughed. A bitter, hollow laugh that echoed through the empty room. “So much for business trips,” I whispered.
My phone buzzed again. This time, a message from Ivy.
It was a picture—her lips pressed against Jackson’s, his hands tangled in her hair. A caption below: “Here’s your fiancé. Doesn’t he look happier with me?”
I stared at the screen, my chest hollow. Then, with one swift move, I blocked the number. Enough.
The next morning, Jackson’s message arrived like nothing had happened. “I’ll buy you something when I come back. See you soon.”
I didn’t reply. Instead, I pulled my coat tighter around me and walked toward the door.
The butler looked up. “Madam, may I ask where you’re going?”
“I’m buying something for the wedding,” I lied smoothly. “I’ll take a taxi.”
I left my luggage in the corner deliberately. If Jackson’s men were watching, they wouldn’t suspect anything. Let them think I was still here, still waiting.
But around the corner, a sleek black limousine was waiting.
The window rolled down, and there he was. Ryle.
His grin was sharp, dangerous, yet oddly comforting. “Ready to be my bride?”
For a moment, fear flickered through me. I didn’t know this man. I didn’t know what he wanted from me. But I knew one thing—anything was better than the cage I had lived in with Jackson.
So I nodded. “I’m ready.”
The door opened, and I slid inside. Hours later, we boarded his private plane. The engines roared to life, and as the ground shrank beneath us, I took out my phone one last time.
I stared at Jackson’s name on the screen, the endless texts I had once cherished. Then I removed the SIM card, my hands steady.
With a final flick, I tossed it into the trash bin beside me.
“Goodbye, Jackson,” I whispered. “Goodbye to everything.”
Jackson’s POV
I couldn’t sit still. My feet wore grooves into the marble floor as I paced back and forth. Cassandra wasn’t replying. Was she mad about the wedding and just lied to me?
“Jackson,” Ivy’s voice purred behind me. I felt her hand snake across my arm, her lips brushing against my shoulder. “Why are you wasting your time? She’s probably sulking again. We have a wedding to—”
I pulled away sharply. “Don’t.”
Her brows arched, a playful smirk tugging at her lips. “Don’t what? Don’t remind you that I’m here? That I’m the one by your side?” She laughed softly, pressing closer. “Why pretend? You and I—we’ve always fit better.”
I turned on her, my voice hard. “Don’t twist this, Ivy. You know damn well this is just business. Nothing more. I’m still marrying Cassandra.”
She chuckled, low and mocking. “Serious? You want to keep her? Come on, Jackson, she’s nothing. You even hurt her for me, remember? You made her feel worthless. And now you’re telling me you still want her?”
The memory of Cassandra’s tear-streaked face flashed before me, unbidden. My jaw clenched.
“I told you,” I muttered, each word heavy. “This is business. I’ll do what I must, but I’m not leaving her.”
Ivy rolled her eyes, leaning back against the sofa with a dramatic sigh. “Fine. Keep your little charity case. Just don’t expect her to survive in your world.”
I ignored her, turning my attention back to my phone. My thumb hovered over the screen, but the truth hit me like a blow to the chest. Cassandra’s name had vanished from my list. Blocked.
“What the hell…” I whispered, a cold dread curling in my gut.
I dialed the butler’s number, my voice sharp when he answered. “Where’s Cassandra? Why is she not answering her phone? It’s been a day! Tell her to call me!”
There was hesitation on the other end. Then the butler’s voice. “I’m sorry, sir. She left yesterday… but she never came back home.”
