He refused to see her yet blatantly sent her flowers, deliberately making her anxious—what a bastard!
Rachel Foster picked up the bouquet, intending to toss it into the trash, when her assistant's respectful voice came from behind. "Mr. Reed." She froze, turning to see Jasper Reed's gaze fixed on the seductive roses in her arms, feeling lost, especially with the card prominently displayed atop the roses.
Jasper approached her and picked up the card.
Rachel's body trembled, drawing in a sharp breath as if the words "Thinking of you" on the card were magnified a thousandfold.
Jasper's eyes flickered with changing emotions, his pupils narrowing, and the next moment, he looked unwavering at Rachel.
Rachel felt speechless, uncertain of how to explain at that moment.
Jasper casually set the card on the table, his calm figure moving to the floor-to-ceiling window. The overcast sky outside cast a layer of melancholy over his silhouette. He said softly, "I think it's time you gave me an explanation."
Rachel stood dazed, not fully understanding what Jasper meant.
"Kingsly is Kingsly Scott, isn't he?"
Rachel's mouth opened slightly in shock.
Jasper spoke with a tone so steady it was almost devoid of emotion. "Why would he send you flowers? Tell me the truth."
In all her years with Jasper, this was the first time Rachel had seen anger in him, causing her to tremble slightly. "I have no connection with him and don't know why he sent me flowers."
"Really?" Jasper turned, eyes narrowing, his tone dark.
Though Rachel feared this side of Jasper, she stood firm, not guilty.
Jasper's gaze was intense, his cold lips releasing. "No connection at all? Or you just don't want to tell me?"
Rachel shook her head, confused.
Suddenly, Jasper's fist slammed onto the desk.
Her assistant, witnessing this, fled in fright, and the bouquet slipped from Rachel's hands due to Jasper's rage.
The vibrant roses scattered across the floor.
Jasper, hands braced on the desk, glared at Rachel's pale face. "Why didn't you tell me you were first loves with him? Why didn't you tell me you were always thinking about him? Why didn't you tell me you maintained an improper relationship with him?"
Rachel wanted to explain but couldn't get a word in until Jasper's last accusation left her shocked and incredulous, her face as white as a sheet, eyes wide in disbelief. "What did you say? What improper relationship?"
Jasper let out a cold laugh, looking at her with mockery. "Do I need to make 'sleeping together' more pleasant?"
Rachel stumbled back, her face drained of color, shaking her head in disbelief.
Jasper stepped on the roses, his large hands grasping Rachel as she retreated. He fixed her with a firm gaze and gritted his teeth. "Rachel, did you think I knew nothing?"
Jasper Reed's eyes were bloodshot, filled with pain as he looked at her, his voice hoarse. "Kingsly Scott is notoriously cold, arrogant, and ruthless. Why would he help me?" Jasper released Rachel Foster with a harsh motion, causing her to stagger back a step. His reddened eyes were slightly glistening, filled with heartache as he looked at her. "Because of you!"Rachel's back hit the cold wall, and she shook her head repeatedly. "It's not what you think..."
"All these years, I've trusted, cherished, and respected you, even though I knew someone was in your heart. I still pretended to know nothing, hoping you would stay by my side..."
Rachel was shocked, her cold hands gripping the wall tightly.
Jasper's wounded gaze bore into her. "You shouldn't be surprised that I know about this person in your heart because if you had truly cared for me, you would feel that my wholehearted love for you is different from the feeling of you being with me while your heart belongs to someone else..."
Rachel's eyes turned red. "Jasper..."
Jasper turned his face away, taking a deep breath to suppress the pain in his heart. "In the past, I might have deceived myself, always thinking that person had left your world and that one day you would completely forget him, until the night I proposed, when you, who never drank, got yourself drunk and kept calling out his name..."
Rachel's eyes widened in shock, uttering in disbelief. "I didn't know... Why didn't you tell me?"
Jasper turned back, gazing intensely at her. "I didn't dare question you because I care about you. I was afraid that I would lose you once the lie was exposed..."
"No..." Rachel's tear-filled lashes trembled, tears sliding down her cheeks. "You've misunderstood, Jasper..."
Jasper let out a painful laugh. "If I had truly misunderstood, I wouldn't have seen him kiss you at the bridal shop, wouldn't have seen you watching him at the business summit, and certainly wouldn't have seen him boldly send you flowers today..."
Rachel shook her head repeatedly. "It's really not what you think... I know Kingsly Scott, but that's from long ago. These years, I haven't been in contact with him... I only reconnected with him after your accident because I sought him out for your sake. I admit I would sacrifice anything for you. Still, he didn't make things difficult for me, and there's nothing improper between us... As for you saying I'm still pining for him, that's simply not true. From the time we parted until today, I never thought of meeting him again, especially since he forgot about me due to an accident six years ago. We are from two different worlds..." She clung to Jasper's arm, leaning into him and hugging him, her tears soaking his white shirt. "Jasper, believe me, I've long since decided you are my other half in life..."
Jasper hesitated, but in the end, his trembling hands slowly pushed Rachel away from his embrace. Closing his eyes, he said with deep pain. "Rachel, if one day you can throw away everything about him that you keep under your bed, maybe I'll believe you."
Rachel felt like she had been struck by lightning, standing in a daze.
Jasper gave Rachel one last look, then turned coldly and walked away.
Rachel Foster rushed out of the company but couldn't catch up to Jasper Reed, watching helplessly as he drove away. She stood on the roadside, frustrated.Jasper's disappointed gaze and pained words left her deeply upset... It wasn't the misunderstanding that pained her; it was the fact that she had inadvertently hurt him.
Although they had never argued in their seven years together, this misunderstanding had caused them significant damage.
It was all her fault. He wouldn't have misunderstood if she hadn't drunk that night and spoken carelessly. If she had been more attentive, she would have noticed that he hadn't been happy these past few days...
But he had truly misunderstood. She had never fantasized about reconnecting with him in the seven years since she broke up with Kingsly Scott. That night, when she got drunk, she was merely mourning the past and celebrating the start of a new life. She just wanted to put the past behind her.
Lost in thought by the roadside, she overlooked a gray Bentley pulling up in front of her.
The driver in the car respectfully addressed the person in the back seat. "Mr. Scott, it's Miss Foster."
Kingsly Scott was reviewing documents. Upon hearing the driver's words, he saw Rachel standing by the roadside, looking dazed. She was dressed in formal business attire, with light makeup, appearing sharp and capable. Yet, two unruly strands of hair fell over her delicate face, making her look both despondent and endearing.
Kingsly frowned slightly and instructed the driver. "Invite her in."
The driver obliged, stepping out and approaching Rachel.
Rachel only noticed the car at this point. As she looked up, the driver was already in front of her. "Miss Foster."
Recognizing the person, Rachel sniffled, not wanting anyone to see her current state.
The driver respectfully said. "Mr. Scott requests that you get in the car."
She glimpsed the handsome profile inside the car from the corner of her eye. Considering that this detestable man had provoked her conflict with Jasper, her anger flared, and she glared at him. But her reason and composure reminded her that she couldn't afford to offend him. Her only option was to distance herself from him.
Ignoring him, she turned and walked away coolly, but at that moment, the car window rolled down.
"Rachel, I thought you'd want to discuss your brother's matters with me."
His measured voice reached her, stopping her in her tracks.
"I'll give you this one chance. Get in the car!" He continued to look at the documents in his hands, seemingly confident that she would get in.
Rachel's legs felt rooted to the spot, unmoving momentarily. Finally, she bit her lip hard, turned, and walked towards the car.
The misunderstanding with Jasper could be resolved eventually, but dealing with Noah's issue was more urgent.
As she got in the car, she saw him in his suit, focused on the documents, every bit the CEO of a major corporation. With his striking looks, he was the perfect image of a romantic novel's young executive. Yet, to her, he was detestable. She spat at him in her heart, concluding that he was just a well-dressed scoundrel!
"Feeling better?" he said suddenly, without looking up.
She snapped back. "What?"
"Insulting me in your mind."