Liesel glanced out the window, then back inside the car, and finally realized something
was wrong-
The things she had left behind were gone.
Thanks to Vincent, she often rode in Jacob’s car during the past three years. Over time, her presence had left a mark inside. But now, her plushie and jasmine–scented air freshener were missing.
They were suddenly erased from his life, just like she had been.
Noticing Liesel’s gaze, Natalie spoke up with a hint of regret in her voice. “Liesel, I’m sorry. There were a lot of your things in here, but I didn’t like the jasmine scent, so I had Jake change it.
“As for the plushie… Well, I accidentally got it dirty. I had no choice but to throw it away. I hope you don’t mind, Liesel. After all, Jake couldn’t really keep something dirty, right?”
Natalie didn’t like the jasmine scent, so she had it replaced with one she preferred. Wasn’t that exactly what Jacob was doing to her? And as for that “dirty” doll, wasn’t it a metaphor for her?
Because of her connection with Elijah, had Jacob decided she was now tainted and had to be replaced? Natalie’s comments were a thinly veiled jab at her, no doubt.
Liesel smiled slightly and said nothing. She looked back out the window and ignored. Natalie, who huffed in frustration.
When they arrived at the Sharp family residence, Natalie clung to Jacob’s side and said her goodbyes before getting out of the car.
Just as the door was about to close, Liesel’s aloof voice broke the silence. “With so many things dirty, this car must be filthy by now. You should probably get rid of it soon.”
Natalie froze in place, while Jacob’s gaze slowly shifted to Liesel as though trying to understand why she’d said that.
He’d gotten used to driving this car. It was a gift Liesel had given him six months after their wedding. She’d picked it out for him after securing a big contract and using the bonus to buy him a luxury Cayenne, a car worth over a million dollars.
She’d chosen the deep gray color as she knew Jacob’s preference for blue and gray. To avoid Vincent’s suspicion about their relationship, Jacob had driven this car for nearly
three years.
Liesel’s sudden comment left Natalie stunned. Meanwhile, Jacob ran his hand over the steering wheel, silent for a long moment.
Chapter 11
+25 BONUS
Liesel let out a cold laugh. She wasn’t just suggesting Jacob replace the car. She was striking back at Natalie by telling her that she was the filthy one. A car that she had been in wasn’t worth keeping and should be discarded
When the two of them were silent for long, Liesel finally smiled and said, “This car was a wedding gift I gave to Mr. Ford. Now that we’re divorcing, there’s no need for it anymore.
Her eyes lingered on Natalie as she added meaningfully, “I’m sure you will buy Mr. Ford a new car for you both to share, Ms. Natalie.”
Just the thought of spending over a million dollars on a car made Natalie pale. Despite being pampered by Jeffrey, she hadn’t been exposed to this kind of wealth. The price of the Cayenne clearly shook her.
Natalie muttered a quick response and stumbled away. Liesel watched her retreat with a calm, steady gaze. Her eyes were filled with mockery.
“Liesel, that was a bit much,” Jacob spoke curtly.
“You think so?” Liesel looked at him sharply. “Do you honestly not understand what she’s been saying, or are you pretending to not know and let her humiliate me?
“Jacob, we’ve been married for three years, and I don’t think I’ve done anything wrong. Even if there’s no love between us, there’s at least some respect.
“You want a divorce, I agreed. You want me to stay away from her, I agreed. But the truth is, your beloved keeps running to me. She keeps taunting me over and over again!
“Do you really not understand what she meant when she barged into our meeting today? When she talked about things being dirty and thrown away, wasn’t she referring to me?”
Liesel chuckled bitterly as she continued, “You’ve told me she’s young and immature, that I should let her have her way. But look at what she’s been doing!
“Do I need to be more blunt? She’s the illegitimate child of my father’s affair. If people found out, she’d be scorned as the bastard she is. I’m the legitimate daughter of the Sharp family, and yet I’m supposed to tolerate being humiliated by someone like her? Does that make sense, Jacob?”
Too much had happened in a day, and she’d had enough.
Liesel tried to avoid Natalie, but it was the latter who kept coming after her. If it weren’t for her provocations, Liesel wouldn’t even have spared her a glance, let alone retaliate.
Jacob stayed silent. The car filled with the sound of their breathing and heartbeats in the tense quiet.
Finally, Jacob uttered, “Sorry, I wasn’t thinking ”
Chapter 1
+25 BONUS
Liesel scoffed. “No, you weren’t. You just don’t care about me. And that’s fine, really. You never had feelings for me from the start. Isn’t that right?”
She looked up suddenly. Her gaze was soft, but there was a barely concealed sharpness there. “But even if you have no feelings for me, I hope you will at least grant me some dignity as your former spouse.
Jacob said nothing this time. He fell back into silence.
Ford Manor stood in the most prosperous area of Ashthorne. It wasn’t a modern mansion but a traditional courtyard house.
Since Jacob’s grandmother, Queenie Gibson passed away early, Vincent had lived here with the family’s butler, Edgar Murray, rather than with his children.
As Vincent’s favorite grandchild, Jacob had grown up here, and he had deep ties to the place. Only those with strong family backgrounds or bureaucratic ties could live in this exclusive area of Ashthorne.
The car pulled into Ford Manor. As they prepared to get out, Jacob glanced at her composed face and reminded her, “You’re too stiff. Grandpa will notice.”
He wanted her to keep up the act in front of Vincent.
Liesel looked down, then pulled out a tissue to wipe her lips. She kept at it until her lips were swollen and slightly bruised. “Now, Grandpa won’t suspect a thing.”
In an instant, she slipped into character. Her features were soft. Her lips were red and swollen, and her face a striking picture of elegance and beauty.
It was obvious what anyone would assume had just happened between them in the car.
Jacob said nothing, but just as Liesel was about to step out, he grabbed her wrist. “Before you get out, take off the necklace.“
Liesel scoffed. “No, you weren’t. You just don’t care about me. And that’s fine, really. You never had feelings for me from the start. Isn’t that right?”
She looked up suddenly. Her gaze was soft, but there was a barely concealed sharpness there. “But even if you have no feelings for me, I hope you will at least grant me some dignity as your former spouse.”
Jacob said nothing this time. He fell back into silence.
Ford Manor stood in the most prosperous area of Ashthorne. It wasn’t a modern mansion but a traditional courtyard house.
Since Jacob’s grandmother, Queenie Gibson passed away early, Vincent had lived here with the family’s butler, Edgar Murray, rather than with his children.
As Vincent’s favorite grandchild, Jacob had grown up here, and he had deep ties to the place. Only those with strong family backgrounds or bureaucratic ties could live in this exclusive area of Ashthorne.
The car pulled into Ford Manor. As they prepared to get out, Jacob glanced at her composed face and reminded her, “You’re too stiff. Grandpa will notice.”
He wanted her to keep up the act in front of Vincent.
Liesel looked down, then pulled out a tissue to wipe her lips. She kept at it until her lips were swollen and slightly bruised. “Now, Grandpa won’t suspect a thing.”
In an instant, she slipped into character. Her features were soft. Her lips were red and swollen, and her face a striking picture of elegance and beauty.
It was obvious what anyone would assume had just happened between them in the car.
Jacob said nothing, but just as Liesel was about to step out, he grabbed her wrist. “Before you get out, take off the necklace.”
