Chapter-5

After the fourth call came through, Jayceon finally broke the silence. “I’ll leave the driver here for you. Go home and get some rest. Don’t wait up for me.”

As he rose from his seat, Arabella stood as well, her heart heavy with a dull ache that refused to ease. She clutched her purse and phone tightly. “You’re busy. I’ll just take a taxi,” she said quietly.

He offered no explanation, and she didn’t press him for one.

Lost in her thoughts, Arabella stood up and accidentally collided with a passing server. Her phone and handbag slipped from her grasp, tumbling to the floor. Papers spilled out, fluttering across the floor like fallen leaves—including the divorce documents she had just printed at the law firm earlier that day.

Jayceon bent down to gather the scattered papers, but Arabella was quicker, snatching the documents before he could reach them.

This wasn’t the moment to confront him—not yet. She decided to wait until after her mother was discharged from the hospital.

Jayceon bent down to gather the scattered papers, but Arabella was quicker, snatching the documents before he could reach them.

This wasn’t the moment to confront him—not yet. She decided to wait until after her mother was discharged from the hospital.

Jayceon’s gaze flickered between the scattered makeup on the floor and the papers clutched tightly in Arabella’s hand. A wary look crept into his eyes.

He reached out toward the papers. “What are these?” he asked, his voice low and cautious.

“Just some medical files,” she replied vaguely, hoping to brush it off.

He didn’t seem convinced. “Really?”

Arabella tried to pull the papers away, but Jayceon’s fingers nearly closed around them.

They both held onto opposite ends, neither willing to release their grip.

Just as Arabella’s strength began to falter, Jayceon’s phone buzzed again. He glanced at her one last time before letting go.

Without another word, Jayceon hurried away, leaving the car and driver behind for Arabella.

But instead of accepting the driver’s offer, she sent him off and caught a different taxi, following Jayceon to the hospital.

She needed to see for herself the woman who had occupied Jayceon’s thoughts for so many years.

Arabella waited until she saw him step into an elevator before boarding another one herself.

When she stepped off, however, he was nowhere in sight.

A bitter laugh escaped her lips.

Once proud and confident, she now found herself reduced to lurking in the shadows, stalking her unfaithful husband with a heart full of bitterness.

The weight of misery pressed down on her chest.

If it weren’t for her mother’s fragile health, she might have screamed at Jayceon and let him go without looking back.

The torment inside her was unbearable, tearing her apart from within.

After taking a deep breath, Arabella wiped away her tears, touched up her makeup, and made her way to her mother’s room.

Seeing her daughter arrive so late, Kayla’s eyes filled with concern. “Bella, be honest with me. Did you and Jay have a fight?”

Arabella pulled a chair close to the bedside and forced a small smile. “No, Mom. We didn’t argue.”

Not long ago, she had boldly told her parents that marrying Jayceon would bring her happiness.

Now, she couldn’t bring herself to confess that their perfect son-in-law had betrayed her, or that she was planning to divorce him.

Roderick handed her a packet of snacks brought by a relative. “Bella, Jay has supported our entire family for the past three years. If there’s a problem, talk to him properly. Don’t throw childish tantrums like a spoiled girl.”

Kayla looked at Arabella with a mixture of worry and frustration. “You’re 25 now. It’s time to be sensible. Jay is the only heir of the Melendez family. Have a child with him—that’s how you keep a marriage strong.”

Arabella remained silent.

It was Jayceon who had refused to have children with her.

She remembered a time when he returned from a week-long business trip.

She had hidden the condoms away.

That night, Jayceon was unusually passionate. They made love through the night without any precautions.

For the first time, she felt hopeful, believing he had finally agreed to start a family.

But the next morning, he handed her a pack of morning-after pills—and even made sure she took one.

After that, she stopped trying. She gave up on the hope of having a child with him.

Only now did she realize the truth: Jayceon wasn’t against having kids. He just didn’t want any children with her.

Later that evening, Arabella’s younger brother, Emmett Palmer, stopped by after his classes. His face lit up when he saw her. “Bella, I just saw Jay.”

Arabella’s smile froze in place.

Kayla frowned. “Bella, did Jay come with you here?”

Flustered, Arabella quickly lied, “No, he was visiting a friend. I just happened to tag along.”

She turned to Emmett. “Emmie, where exactly did you see him?”

Emmett scratched his head thoughtfully. “We got on the elevator together. I remember he pressed the button for the 13th floor.”

Excusing herself, Arabella headed alone to the 13th floor.

She didn’t dare ask anyone openly, so she walked slowly down the quiet hallway, peering into each room.

Though she wasn’t the one at fault, each step she took filled her with mounting dread.

This floor was reserved for VIP single rooms, and the corridor was nearly deserted.

Suddenly, Arabella stopped outside a door left slightly ajar.

Through the narrow gap, she caught sight of Jayceon standing beside a hospital bed, holding a woman tenderly in his arms.

This had to be the woman who had haunted Jayceon’s heart for all these years: Georgina Carrillo.