Marla’s POV
We headed straight to the dining hall, and Jason, for once, didn’t say a word.
He quietly followed me, his presence heavy yet silent.
Once we sat down, I tried my best to act like everything was fine, but deep inside, I was seething. I wanted to strangle him. I wanted him to suffer for everything he was putting me through.
As soon as we settled at the table, I couldn’t help myself—I had to bring up the issue about Chestnut.
“So, who did you sell Chestnut to?” I asked, keeping my tone as steady as I could.
His eyes locked onto mine, his jaw clenched tightly, and his gaze was sharp, almost dangerous. Then, with unsettling calmness, he replied, “It was just a business partner.”
I scoffed, barely hiding my disbelief. “A business partner, huh? I doubt that,” I muttered under my breath.
Before the tension could thicken any further, my phone buzzed with a notification. I paused, putting down my fork to check the message. And, oh, wasn’t this just delightful? The message was from Shane.
As I read it, my stomach twisted in anger.
Attached to the message was a photo—a picture of her kissing Chestnut on the forehead.
Looks like I know who he gave it to.
I couldn’t help but laugh, the sound escaping me bitterly and uncontrollably. Jason immediately noticed, his eyes narrowing, his brows furrowed in confusion.
“What’s so funny?” he asked, his voice laced with suspicion.
I turned to him and shook my head. “Nothing,” I said curtly. “Just finish your dinner.”
But I had no appetite left. I pushed back my chair, stood up, and left him sitting there alone.
“Marla!” Jason called after me, his voice firm and commanding, but I ignored him. I climbed the stairs to the second floor, heading toward a different room—one that wasn’t ours.
He followed me, his footsteps echoing behind mine. Before he could catch up, I turned around and looked him straight in the eyes.
“I’m not sleeping in our room tonight,” I said coldly.
“Marla! Don’t you dare turn your back on me,” he said, his voice booming with authority, but I didn’t flinch. Instead, I shut the door in his face, cutting off whatever argument he was about to make.
The next morning, I forced myself to rest. After everything that had drained me emotionally and physically, I needed to regain my strength.
Over the next few days, I wasn’t surprised that Jason didn’t come home. I knew he was busy dealing with issues at his company.
I was sipping a glass of water when my phone buzzed with another message from Shane.
My heart sank as I opened it and saw a photo of her and Jason together at his company.
They were holding hands, her face glowing with satisfaction. The message was loud and clear—she was flaunting their closeness, as if to remind me that Jason, my fiancé, was hers in every way that mattered.
I don’t know why she’s doing this or how she even got my number, but one thing is for sure—she’s trying to mock me.
This is the moment I need to leave everything behind.
But then another message came in from Shane, accompanied by a new photo. The sight made my world come to a screeching halt.
It was an x-ray. An ultrasound, to be exact.
The image of an unborn child stared back at me, accompanied by Shane’s message:
‘We’re looking forward to the baby’s arrival. We’ll meet this angel soon.’
My heart plummeted, and the strength in my legs gave out. Before I could process what was happening, I collapsed.
“Lady Marla!” panicked voices echoed around me as the house staff rushed to my side.
“Call Jason!” I managed to scream, my voice breaking with desperation. “Tell him to come home. Now!”
The servants sprang into action, and I was left. Minutes passed like hours until Matthew returned. His expression was a mix of hesitation and disappointment as he approached me.
“Lady Marla,” he began carefully, “Sir Jason said there was an emergency at work. He instructed us to take care of you and ensure you recover… before the wedding.”
His words cut through me like a knife.
“Where is he?!” I screamed, my voice echoing through the room.
Matthew hurriedly handed me a phone. “He’s on the line. I was just speaking to him.”
Without hesitation, I snatched the phone from Matthew’s hand. “Jason! Where are you?!” I demanded, my voice trembling with anger and desperation.
But instead of hearing Jason’s voice, a different, unmistakable tone greeted me. The voice on the other end was high-pitched, playful, and far too familiar.
“Jason, hang up already,” the voice chirped. “Come here. Let’s continue what we were doing.”
Shane.
Her voice was like nails on a chalkboard, and the casual intimacy of her words made my blood boil. I felt my grip tighten around the phone, my knuckles turning white. My heart raced, each beat filled with rage and betrayal.
For a moment, I couldn’t speak. She was with him right now. Whatever he was doing, it was with her, not handling an "emergency," as he had claimed.
“Jason!” I finally yelled, my voice sharp enough to cut through the tension. “Answer me!”
But the line had already gone dead.
