Chapter 22
“Yara loved you so much. She stayed in Jedo for three years, never even thinking about coming home. I thought I’d never have a chance, that I should just let her go. But you were the one sneaking around with Yelena and breaking her heart, Bryce. You’re the one who lost her.”
Bryce clenched his fists in anger and snapped, “This is between me and Yara. Stay out of it!”
Jason didn’t move. He stood right in front of Yara, blocking, Bryce. “She’s not just my sister anymore. She’s my fiancée. She’s mine now. Who do you think you are, Bryce? You hurt her, and now you’re here begging for forgiveness. Do you think she’s your toy to toss aside and pick up again whenever you feel like it?”
Bryce’s face turned white with rage,
Who
was Jason to judge him? What did he really know?
He fired back, “Let me tell you who I am. I’m Yara’s husband. I’m the man she loved for three years! Yara and I are meant to be together. We’re going to get married, have a family, and spend our lives together. We…”
“That’s enough, Bryce!” Yara’s voice cut through his rant.
She looked up, her eyes glinting with cold sarcasm. “We’ve been over for a long time. What makes you think you have any right to be with me now? When you were sneaking around with Yelena, did you ever once think about how I felt? What makes you think you can get back together with me?”
Her words were like knives, cutting him to the core.
Bryce, who’d been so full of confidence a moment ago, suddenly deflated. All the pride and bravado vanished.
His eyes went red as he lowered his head and pleaded softly, “Yara, I know I was wrong. Please, don’t be so cruel. You still have feelings for me, right? I’ll change. I’ll make it up to you. I swear, I’ll never see Yelena again.”
However, Yara just lowered her gaze, her face calm as she spoke one last, harsh truth.
“Jason is much better than you. I like him.”
For a moment, it felt like the world had collapsed around Bryce. He stared at her, lips trembling like he was about to fall apart.
He looked at Yara, searching her face for hope, but she just took Jason’s hand and walked out the door with him.
Bryce stood there like a statue, his heart shattered.
He didn’t move until he heard a car start outside. Then, he broke down, covering his face and sobbing with grief.
As soon as Yara and Jason got in the car, all of Jason’s calm composure disappeared. He turned to her, his eyes shining. “Did you mean what you said back there?” Yara caught the tone in his voice, but pretended not to understand, scooting away a bit. “Mean what?”
Jason leaned closer to her. “You said I’in much better than him, and that you like me.”
Yara couldn’t help but laugh. She hadn’t said those words just to make Bryce angry. She’d meant them, honestly, with all her heart. She had truly fallen for Jason. Jason was different from Bryce. Maybe it was his age or just his nature, but he always put her first and never let her suffer.
When they finally confessed everything to her parents, Jason took all the blame on himself.
In fact, that confession to her parents hadn’t been as easy as Jason liked to pretend. Like every other wealthy family, theirs wasn’t quick to accept it. Jason had spent three days and three nights on his knees outside before their parents finally agreed.
However, Jason had to give up the Spencer fortune, return everything he’d ever managed, and not take a single penny with him.
For most people born into wealth, those terms would be impossible. But Jason agreed without a second thought. He was even relieved. If that was the price to be with her, he’d pay it a hundred times over.
It had been raining hard that night. Jason was pale and soaked to the bone, but his eyes were fixed on her.
“Yara, I told you, I’ll never let anything hurt you.”
That was the moment Yara was truly moved, and she fell in love with him completely.
