7
That ended things with the Jackson family.
Jackson’s mother stopped calling.
I saw Lily once more, at my gallery.
I was talking to Sophia when my assistant
said someone wanted to buy a painting and
speak with me.
く
Lily stood before one of my paintings.
She turned, looking at me. The timid, anxious
girl was gone, replaced by resentment. She
asked, “Willow, are you laughing at me?” I smiled. “You’re imagining things.”
She cried, “Jackson wants a divorce! I‘
overheard him calling a divorce lawyer! He
doesn’t want me anymore. Why? You’re
getting engaged, why is he divorcing me?”
“What did I do wrong? I had a poor
upbringing, no education like yours. You’re all
laughing at me. But that’s not my fault!”
“I wanted to be like you, but I couldn’t. If we
started at the same point, I wouldn’t be like
this. If you were me, you wouldn’t have
reached where you are now.”
“I—” She cried, thankfully, we were alone.
I didn’t want to deal with her, but she
wouldn’t leave. She’d been holding these
feelings in for a long time.
I thought of her fawning over everyone at the
party. I sighed, “Lily, you’re wrong. If I were
you, I wouldn’t be where you are now.” “First, you were a top student. I wouldn’t
have stayed at Jackson’s family home after college; I would have used their connections
to build my career.
“”
“Second, you said you lacked a good
upbringing. I would have studied etiquette,
improved my manners, refined my style, but
you haven’t improved in the last two years.”
“Third, I wouldn’t let my family leech off
Jackson’s. You expect respect when your
family acts like parasites?”
I felt sorry for the anxious girl’d met years
ago, trying so hard to fit in, to succeed.
Lily stopped crying, her eyes brightening. “If
I… If I do what you said, will I have a
chance?”
She was beyond help. Her future depended
<
on Jackson’s love, and now he was giving up.
It was too late.
I pitied her. “Jackson is getting a divorce
lawyer. If I were you, I’d initiate the divorce.
You have a prenup, Jackson’s family might
give you more compensation if you show
remorse.”
She shook her head, crying and laughing.
“No, Willow, Jackson and I can still make it.”
She left, presumably to make amends.
Sophia emerged. “I thought you hated her.”
I smiled. “I never considered her a rival.”
I felt sorry for her. She saw Jackson as her
ticket to a better life, but she forgot that her
biggest asset should have been self-
improvement.
Lily blamed her circumstances, but she made
wrong choices along the way.
