Chapter 19
1546 Words
Ellie’s P.O.V.
“Mrs. Zackary Walton?”
The applause around me shattered my fantasy, bringing me back to reality. The ballroom was still lively, guests praising the ideal couple on the stage.
Jared stood beside Alice exactly where he had been, unslapped, unfortunately.
The server asked me again.
“May I take your glass, ma’am?”
Exhaling slowly, I handed him the empty glass, my gaze glued to Jared's face. My hands were itching to slap that smile off his face.
To calm the fire in my chest, I grabbed another glass from a passing tray and emptied it in one go.
The burn slid down my throat, but it didn’t feel enough.
The flower festival, the dates, the late-night calls, the promises, and the future we planned together suddenly felt poisoned. It was like I just woke up from a long dream to face the horrifying truth.
I hadn't lost Jared.
I had lost the version of him that never existed.
The ceremony continued, and the couples began dancing, the festivity peerless. My dad had arranged the most extravagant banquet to celebrate his golden child’s marriage.
By the time I finished my third glass, my head felt slightly warm. Not drunk, just reckless enough to finally ask the questions haunting me.
Instead of leaving, I waited for the perfect opportunity. And like fate was on my side, Jace excused himself for a phone call.
I watched him walking out of the hall and then followed. He went to a private guest room to take the call, and five minutes later, I stood outside, my heart thundering against my rib cage.
Mustering up some courage, I knocked on the door.
No answer.
As he could be busy, I knocked again after a pause.
Silence.
Soon, my patience snapped, and I pushed open the door. Jared stood near the window, scrolling his phone.
His head snapped up.
“Ellie?”
Surprise flashed across his face, followed by the satisfaction that instantly made me regret coming.
A smile spread across his lips.
“I knew you’d come.”
He stepped forward and opened his arms, like he expected me to run into them like before.
My stomach turned. I stepped back immediately.
“I am here for answers.”
His confident smile remained arrogant and certain. Jared glanced at his watch.
“Fine. I am feeling generous tonight. So, I’ll give you five minutes.”
He slipped his phone into his pocket.
“Ask whatever you want. I’ll answer it for old times sake.”
The old times.
These words made me chuckle bitterly.
My nails dug into my palms.
“Whatever you said out there… Was it true?”
My voice shook despite my efforts.
“You wanted Alice all along?”
Jared’s expression remained calm. He said after a beat of silence.
“Of course I love my wife.”
The truth cut far deeper than I anticipated.
Jared smiled slightly.
“Alice is smart, kind, and loving.”
Every syllable felt like a strike against my fragile heart.
“And you?”
His gaze then settled on my face, his voice softening.
“You are my little boogie bear.”
What?
I physically recoiled as the nickname that once melted my heart made my skin crawl.
Jared stepped closer.
“I care about you, Ellie. We had something real too.”
Real?
Was he serious?
I scoffed bitterly. “You humiliated me in front of the entire city, Jared.”
His jaw tightened.
“You forced my hand, Ellie.”
I choked on my own breath.
“What?”
“You failed, Ellie.”
The words landed coldly. His tone was matter-of-fact, as if he was discussing weather.
“You didn’t reach the weight goal. I gave you enough time.”
Humiliation crawled beneath my skin.
“You set unrealistic weight targets for me, Jared. Even so, I tried my best to lose weight.”
Jared spoke icily.
“I set standards, Ellie. That was nothing unrealistic.”
I stared at him, utterly horrified.
“After everything, you actually believe this?”
“You are still acting ignorant, Ellie.” Jared let out a sigh. “Tell me honestly, can you move in our society, looking like… this?”
His gaze swept over my body.
“Nobody likes laziness or lack of discipline.”
The familiar insults echoed in my head, suffocating me with another truth I was too blinded to see before.
The fire in my chest turned into something dangerously cold as I lifted my chin, my voice calm.
“I understand now.”
Jared frowned.
“What?”
I nodded slowly.
“You already had a plan, Jared. You wanted Alice all along.”
His expression shifted.
“It’s not that simple, Ellie. And you know it.”
“Do I?” I laughed. “You saw Alice at the flower festival and decided to date me to approach her. This is the truth, isn’t it?”
Jared’s silence in response was enough to tear my world apart.
Two years of serious relationship… for this?
Jared’s expression hardened.
“Don’t reduce my life to a simple equation, Ellie. It’s far more complicated.”
I snapped. “Then explain! I am all ears.”
Jared took a step forward.
“I loved you, Ellie.”
My eyes grew impossibly wide.
“Do you hear yourself? You just admitted loving Alice, Jared.”
A flicker of confusion flashed across his face.
“So?”
I gasped. “So?”
He looked genuinely confused.
“People don’t stop catching feelings because they are in a relationship, Ellie.
I felt sick to my stomach.
“Seriously?”
Jared continued without a speck of shame or guilt.
“It happens. If your partner isn’t putting effort into the relationship, feelings change.”
For a second, I couldn’t believe my ears as he said,
“I was sincere with you. But you stopped trying, Ellie. We broke up because of you.”
That accusation stunned me speechless. I stared at him for a long time before finally lashing out.
“I didn’t force this relationship on you, Jared. You knew I was fat and still approached me.”
My heart burned with rage.
“After two years, you cheated. And I am the reason we broke up?”
“That’s not cheating.” His arrogance nearly blinded me with anger. “I adapted. I couldn’t sacrifice my public image.”
There it was!
The truth!
Jared didn’t care about love or loyalty. He simply picked a pretty partner to flex her in the society.
A small smile curled my lips.
“So, I was just a backup plan.”
Jared opened his mouth to speak, but I raised my hand.
“Don’t!”
Tears burned my eyes.
“You know what’s funny, Jared. I actually loved you.”
For the first time that night, Jared looked uncomfortable. His confident smile finally disappeared.
I didn’t pay much attention to him and spoke firmly.
“Thanks for finally telling me the truth, Jared. I got all my answers.”
With that, I turned to leave, spending a second more in his presence was impossible for me. However, Jared grabbed my wrist from behind.
“Ellie…”
His voice dropped to a husky whisper I loved.
“Don’t walk away from me.”
For one awful second, I remembered every moment when I thought he loved me.
But then my wedding day flashed across my mind.
The humiliation, abandonment, white mansion, and then… Zack. It was all a gift from my cheater ex.
I faced him with a cold glare and ripped my arm free.
“No! We are done here.”
Jared moved forward, closing the distance between us.
“Do you think letting you go was easy? We had a future together, Ellie.”
I refused to look at him. The words like “future” and “home” were my weakness, and he knew how to use them on me.
But not anymore. I wouldn’t let him break me.
I raised my head and spoke sternly.
“You had a future planned with Alice. Not me.”
He grasped my arm again, his grip firm.
“You are being unfair here, Ellie. You know it’s not the truth.”
“Oh, really?” My voice shook with anger. “You spent two years lying to me, Jared.”
My hand shot out to grab his collar.
“Your wife is waiting for you in the hall. And you dare to say I am being unfair.”
Anger coiled in my chest. I pulled his collar and shook him forcefully.
“You are an asshole. A cheater!”
Jared’s eyes widened. He stuttered.
“Ellie…”
But I didn’t let him speak and shouted.
“How dare you stand here like a victim and justify your cheating?”
I tightened my grip.
“You are nothing but a selfish…”
The rest of the words died down in my head as the door burst open all of a sudden. I flinched and looked over my shoulder, only to find Alice in the doorway.
She pointed at me.
“Ellie, what exactly do you think you are doing?”
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