Chapter 9:
Jacobs POV
Jacob tried calling again but got a cold, mechanical voice telling him the number was unavailable. He couldn’t reach Josephine at all
Just half an hour earlier, his phone had suddenly started buzzing nonstop.
One, two notifications, a string of messages and then one call after another, over and over again.
Then, his assistant called E
“Mr Gilmore, lum on the TV Right now!”
He turned on the TV in confusion, only to see that he had made the headlines.
He felt that his heart had stopped for a moment and he even forgot to breathe.
The massive television screen on the living room wall of his villa displayed various intimate photos of him and Selena
Scandal: Prominent New York City Business Heir, Jacob Gilmore, Cheats on Wife with Single Mother Selena Jones!
No, no, no! How could this be happening?
Nothing happened between him and Selena, so how did they manage to take these shady photos?
Selena hod obviously seen the news, too.
Her face was pale. She muttered under her breath, “How could this happen? Jacob, what do we do now?”
Jacob gently placed Sadie back down, turned off the TV and roared into the phone at his assistant, “I don’t care how you do it, get all the related news taken down immediately! Now!“}
His assistant sounded troubled. “Mr. Gilmore, it’s too late. The whole city’s already talking. The story’s gone viral and
“And what? Spit it out!
“And… I checked with the press. The one who leaked the story was your wife
“Josephine!”
Jacob, in a fit of rage, dialled Josephine’s number, only to be met with her cold, final words:
After that, her phone was no longer reachable.
Jacob was swamped in the following three days, dealing with the public relations disaster.
The company’s stock plummeted, wiping out ten billion in market value. Jacob also faced questioning from the board of directors.
By the time the scandal finally died down and he stabilized the stock price, he had just taken his first deep breath when Selena called..
“Jacob, Sadie’s been asking about you these past few days. Today’s the seventh day since Jacky passed and she’s begging to go with you to say a final goodbye”
Rubbing his temples, be hesitated. “Selena, the scandal just cooled down. If we get photographed again, we won’t be able to explain it away.”2
Selena sounded hurt. “But you haven’t been home in days. Sadie hasn’t seen you and she’s been refusing to sleep because of it
He sighed. Ultimately, he agreed to go to the cemetery with them.
The cemetery was quiet, with only a few visitors. But as Jacob walked through the paths, a strange unease tugged at his chest.
Suddenly, a grave in the corner of the cemetery caught his eye.
The grave was distinctive, decorated in pink and covered with Peppa Pig decorations.
He walked over involuntanly but stopped momentanly when he saw the photo and name on the tombstone.
It clearly read: “Tomb of Beloved Daughter, Jasmine Gilmore T
He felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave. His heart was gripped and the pain made it hard to breathe.
Images from the past few days flashed through his mind. He recalled Josephine’s strange behavior. Her haggard appearance, her coldness, her decisiveness
It was all because Jasmine had passed away.
He felt as if all his strength had been drained from him and he collapsed to the ground.
He didn’t know how long passed before Selena finally found him.
“Jacob, why are you sitting here? What happened?”
Jacob snapped out of his daze as if waking from a dream and murmured, “No! This can’t be true! Jasmine must still be alive! And I’ll find Josephine! Josephine will listen to my explanation
He violently pushed Selena away and stumbled away!
He hadn’t run for when he received another call from his lawyer!!
“Mr. Gilmore, we’ve received a court summons. Could you come and handle it? Your wife is suing you for divorce!”
He could no longer hold on. His vision went black and he fainted
When he woke up again, Jacob found himself lying in the hospital
There was a glaring incandescent light above his head and the tip of his nose smelled of disinfectant!
He was confused for a moment, but soon remembered that he had seen Jasmine’s grave in the cemetery and seemed to have received a
- Vy are you sitting here what happeneds
Jacob snapped out of his daze as if waking from a dream and murmured, “No! This can’t be true! Jasmine must still be alive! And I’ll find Josephinel Josephine will listen to my explanation!”
He violently pushed Selena away and stumbled away.
He hadn’t run for when he received another call from his lawyer.
“Mr. Gilmore, we’ve received a court summons Could you come and handle it? Your wife is suing you for divorce!“%
He could no longer hold on. His vision went black and he fainted
When he woke up again, Jacob found himself lying in the hospital
There was a glaring incandescent light above his head and the tip of his nose smelled of disinfectant.)
He was confused for a moment, but soon remembered that he had seen Jasmine’s grave in the cemetery and seemed to have received a
call from his assistant saying that Josephine wanted to sue for divorce from him.
It was not the time to lie in the ward; he had to figure everything out and explain it clearly to Josephine!
He pulled out the drip in his hand and struggled to get up from the bed.
Just then, Sadie pushed the door open and gasped in surprise when she saw he was awake. “Daddy! You’re finally awake! That’s great!”
She ran to his bedside, holding out a small invitation card with bright eyes. “Daddy, since you’re awake now, can you come to my kindergarten’s parent–child event tomorrow?”
The word “Daddy” made Jacob frown. For once, he corrected her, “Sadie, I’m not your father. I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to go to that event.”
Sadie looked heartbroken. “Why not? Did I do something wrong? Is that why you don’t want me anymore? I promise I’ll be good to you
Jacob gently patted her head. “No, Sadie, you’re a very good girl. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
Still, her eyes were full of confusion and sadness.
She didn’t understand. How had everything changed overnight?
Hadn’t he always loved her mom the most? Why was he suddenly acting like he didn’t even know her?]
Had all her efforts been no match for Jasmine Gilmore?
She so desperately wished that Jacob could become her birth father
“I understand. Is it because Sadie isn’t as good as Jasmine?”
At the mention of Jasmine’s name, Jacob’s face fell and a sharp pain hit him in the chest.
Before he could respond, Selena walked in with a bag of fresh fruit in her hand.
“Thank goodness you’re finally awake, Jacob!
Sadie ran into her arms, choking back sobs. “Mommy, Daddy doesn’t want just be a family?”
d and listen
it me anymor
anymore! I’m going to lose my dad again! Why
cant we
you say to her?”
Selena froze but quickly put on a calm smile and looked toward Jacob. “Jacob, what did His tone was calm and distant: “I realize now that I might have made you and Sadie misunderstand things before. It’s time I made things clear. You and I, we’re just friends. The only person I ever call my wife is Josephine. And the only child I’ll ever have is Jasmine.“) Even though Jasmine was gone, she would always be his daughter. No one could ever take her place.
Selena stood there like she had been struck by lightning, frozen in disbelief.
After a long pause, she finally came back to her senses. Her face had gone pale. She held Sadie’s hand and said “Come on, sweetie. Let’s go. Hospitals aren’t a good place for kids.“..
Out in the hallway. Selena finally let go of Sadie’s hand.
gently.
She stood by the window, looking down at the hospital’s garden, taking deep breaths as she tried to calm herself. Sadie’s eyes were red from crying “Mommy, I thought Daddy liked you the most. Why doesn’t he want me anymore?” Selena crouched down and wiped away her daughter’s tears. She forced a gentle tone. “Don’t worry, Sadie. He still likes you.”
Jacob is mine
That Mrs. Gilmore title is mine, too.
“There was just a little misunderstanding between your daddy and me. But I promise, I fix it today.“8
“You’re not going to lose your dad, sweetheart. Mommy won’t let that happen.”
Her eyes drifted back to Jacob’s ward door and a new plan began to form in her mind 5
