Chapter 14%
Jacob’s POVI
Jacob searched the house frantically, but he didn’t find anything related to Josephine and Jasmine.
The housemaid saw that he had turned the house upside down and made it a mess, so he couldn’t help but ask, “Mr. Gilmore, what are you looking for? Tell me, maybe I can help.”
Jacob’s eyes were red–rimmed as he enunciated each word with heavy emotion, “Where are Josephine and Jasmine’s things? Why are they all gone?“!
The housemaid cautiously replied, “Madam had everything packed up several days ago. Even Miss Jasmine’s belongings were packed and shipped away together. Mr. Gilmore, weren’t you aware?“)
Jacob remembered how Selena had thrown her luggage out just a few days ago, while Josephine didn’t even bat an eye. She just picked it up and walked away without a care. So, she’d already planned this all along!
A wave of panic surged through his heart. Something was slipping away from him, something he could no longer grasp.
He stood frozen, whispering, “How did it come to this? I loved her so much. How could she just leave me like that?”
When the housemaid heard that, her eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at Jacob. “Sir are you saying you love Madam?
He retorted, “Isn’t it obvious?2
“If I didn’t love her, I wouldn’t have married her, let alone willingly given her all my assets!”
The housemaid shook her head. “But all we ever saw was how much Madam loved you. You’ve barely been home these past few and shown Madam so little care. Yet, Madam never got angry at your neglect, instead, she treated you even better.”
Yes, Jacob remembered. No matter how late he came home, Josephine would always be waiting in the living room. She would always bring out piping hot meals if he hadn’t had time to eat because of work.
She would hand him a warm glass of sobering tea if he had drunk too much at social gatherings.
Even if he didn’t need anything and gave her a cold shoulder, she would still gently say goodnight.
Later, when Jasmine got a little older, she would wait in the living room whenever she heard he was coming home.
years
The housemaid paused and continued, “But you’ve poured all your attention into Miss Jones and her daughter, constantly neglecting Madam and our young lady because of it. Even when something as huge as the young lady’s death happened, you couldn’t be bothered to
care.
“Enough! Stop talking!”
His face had gone pale. He couldn’t bear to hear anymore.
He turned and ran upstairs, locking himself in the attic.
Up in the attic, only that empty swing remained. He slumped onto it, toes brushing the floor, swaying gently.
When this swing was just finished, Josephine came to play on it. He pushed her and together, they looked up at the night sky outside the window, counting stars all night long. It was one of the few intimate moments they had shared.
He raised his face to look at the night sky as if he could return to the past when Josephine and Jasmine were still there.X
He locked himself in this space, refusing to let anyone nearby.
Whether it was text messages from Selena or business calls, he ignored them all.it
Right now, he didn’t want to deal with anyone. He just wanted to stay quietly in this place, still holding a faint trace of Josephine’s presence.).
Still, no matter how long he stayed here, he felt a chilling emptiness.
Josephine had truly left his world.
