Chapter 130
Jackson slammed the platinum card bill onto the kitchen counter with such force that the vase nearby trembled. His jaw clenched as he stormed out of the study, the papers crumpled in his fist. His veins throbbed with rage, each step toward the living room heavier than the last.
He found Candice lounging on the white velvet sofa, flipping through a high–end fashion magazine while surrounded by several shopping bags–Chanel, Dior, Hermès–like trophies from a war only she was fighting.”
“What the hell is this?” he barked, throwing the bill toward her. “Are you trying to bankrupt me?“}
Candice blinked lazily, setting her magazine down. “What are you talking about now?”
He gestured wildly at the bill. “You spent two million pesos in one day, Candice! Jewelry, shoes, a goddamn purse than a car!”
worth more
“So?” she drawled, unfazed. “I was just shopping. It’s your money too. And don’t act like you’re suddenly poor.”
Jackson’s nostrils flared. “That’s not the point. There’s a crisis in the company. Investors are pulling out. Our stocks are dropping–and you’re out here playing dress–up?”
Her lips twisted. “Oh, I get it now. This isn’t about money. This is about her again, isn’t it?”
“What are you-“}
“You’re comparing me to her,” she hissed, standing. “Samantha wouldn’t spend this. Samantha cooked your breakfast. Samantha folded your damn ties. Samantha, Samantha, Samantha! Are you that fucking obsessed with a woman who’s gone?”
Jackson’s hand flew before he could stop it. A sharp slap echoed in the room.
Candice stumbled back, a hand to her cheek, shocked. “You hit me… for her?”
“I hit you because you crossed the line,” Jackson growled, eyes dark. “Don’t talk about her like that. You don’t get to.“”
From the hallway, Nathan began to cry.
Jackson’s fury collapsed into a tired sigh. He ran a hand through his hair and muttered, “Damn it…”
He crouched down as Nathan came running in, sniffling and rubbing his eyes.
“Daddy?” the boy whimpered. “Are you and Mommy fighting again?”
“No, no,” Jackson murmured, scooping him up. “We’re fine. We were just talking, okay?”
Nathan sniffled against his chest. “Are you gonna break up?”
Jackson glanced at Candice, who was still glaring at him with glassy eyes. He hesitated, then kissed the top of Nathan’s head. “No. We’re not breaking up.“>
Nathan looked up again, hopeful. “Are you gonna marry Mommy now?”
Jackson didn’t answer. He just hugged his son tighter.
Later that evening, Candice stormed into her room, slamming the door shut behind her. She kicked off her heels and threw her purse across the room, letting it crash against the wall. She screamed into the silence.
It was supposed to be perfect. Samantha was gone. Gone. That woman had vanished from their lives, and this house should’ve been filled with celebration, laughter, plans for a wedding.
Instead, Jackson had only grown colder.”
He didn’t talk about marriage anymore. He barely looked at her. Every time she tried to bring up plans, he deflected, claiming he had business to attend to. Business. It was always business now. And worst of all, she saw the regret in his eyes every damn time he thought no one was looking.”
He still missed her.
Candice paced the room, her nails digging into her palms. She couldn’t take it anymore. She had tried to be patient. She had Nathan. She had the house. But it wasn’t enough. Not when she was still invisible.
And then… she found out.”
Jackson had hired a team to look for Samantha–discreetly, of course. Candice discovered it through an overheard phone call, one he thought she’d never catch. He was still searching for that woman, even after everything. Even after she gave him a
son.&
Candice doubled down. She called the same men. Paid them twice what Jackson offered.W
“Find her, she ordered. “But when you do–tell me first.”
A few days later, Candice was scrolling through social media while lounging in the spa room. She half–listened to the bubbling sound of the Jacuzzi, idly tapping on videos of cute dogs and viral dance challenges.
Then something caught her eye.!
It was a viden of a flower chan onaning in a emall countrveida town–colorful enft warm A crowd gathered around the
11:02 AM
It was a video of a flower shop opening in a small countryside town–colorful, soft, warm. A crowd gathered around the storefront, snapping photos. It looked like a scene from a postcard. But that wasn’t what made her pause.”
It was the woman in the center.
Her smile.
Her laugh.”
Her.&
Candice leaned forward, heart pounding.”
There was Samantha–in a white dress, arranging blooms in the window with her hair tied up and a soft glow on her face that screamed of peace. She looked different–free, whole.}
And then Candice saw him.
Inigo Velasco.
He was behind her, helping arrange the sign above the shop, and at one point, he kissed Samantha on the cheek. The crowd clapped.
“Congratulations to the couple!” someone cheered in the background.
Candice’s breath hitched. She rewound the video. Played it again. And again.
It couldn’t be.
Samantha was happy. With Inigo. She had a flower shop. A new life. She wasn’t hiding. She was thriving.
And Jackson hadn’t found her yet.”
Candice gripped her phone so tight, her knuckles turned white.
“No…” she whispered. “No. No. No.”
This wasn’t how it was supposed to end. Samantha wasn’t supposed to rise from the ashes. She was supposed to broken. Lost. Gone.[
stay
Candice stood up, her chest heaving. If she couldn’t have Jackson… then no one could. And if Samantha thought she could have happiness after destroying everything–then she was dead wrong.
Because if Candice couldn’t be happy… Samantha couldn’t be either.
Not ever again.”
