Chapter 3
"I said no need," I said.
Harley finally let go of her mask of friendliness, her gaze growing icy.
She shot back, "Jenna, what's that supposed to mean?
"Who gave you the right to make decisions for Jake? You're just his caregiver."
Her words were like a venomous barb, stabbing straight into my heart.
His caregiver?
I had given up my studies and my career to take care of him day and night for three years. And to her, I was a caregiver?
No. That wasn't Jacob's opinion. That was Harley's opinion.
That was what she wanted me to believe.
She wanted to belittle me, break me down, and make me leave in shame.
My baby said in my mind, "Mom, don't let her get under your skin. Clap back at her.
"Tell her you're Dad's fiancée."
Right. I was Jacob's fiancée.
We had been engaged long ago. The wedding had only been postponed indefinitely because of the accident.
I stared Harley down, making sure she heard every single word.
I said, "I'm his fiancée.
"Is that good enough for you?"
Harley's expression shifted in an instant.
She clearly hadn't expected me to push back so hard.
She took a deep breath, then suddenly changed the subject, giving me a cryptic, self-assured smile.
Harley said, "Jenna, I know you won't believe me.
"But here's a tip. If you're holding any Eclipse Technology shares, you'd better sell them quickly.
"In three days tops, they're going to crash to the bottom."
After she finished, Harley cast me a smug look, clearly waiting for me to be stunned.
She knew my family had put every penny we had into the stock market, all to cover Jacob's medical bills.
Eclipse Technology was the stock my dad pinned all his hopes on.
My heart skipped a beat.
It wasn't her words that got to me. It was the fact that this proved everything my baby had told me was true.
Harley really had traveled back to a few years ago.
My shock lasted only a split second.
Then, a surge of rage and icy dread crashed through me.
Harley watched my reaction, the smile on her lips growing even more self-satisfied.
She thought she had intimidated me.
She thought she was calling the shots now.
She said, "So, Jenna, what do you think now?
"Do you believe me now?
"I know what will happen in the future. Only I can help Jake make a comeback.
"But you? All you do is drag him down."
Harley tried to intimidate me with her advantage of knowing the future.
Before, I probably would've fallen for her act.
But this time around, I had my "cheat code" baby.
My baby reassured me, "Mom, don't be scared.
"She knows Eclipse Technology will crash because she set it up herself.
"She teamed up with others to short the stock to make money and cut off our last source of income.
"She knows our family is heavily invested in it."
My baby's words snapped me out of it in an instant.
So that was it.
This wasn't some kind of psychic prediction. It was a full-blown conspiracy.
I looked at Harley's smug face and felt nothing but coldness.
Fine.
If she wanted to play, I would play along.
I ignored her talk about stocks and shot a frosty look at the thermos in her hand.
I said, "The soup looks good.
"Unfortunately, Jake is weak right now. The doctor said he can't eat anything this greasy."
I made up an excuse on the spot.
Harley chuckled dismissively, clearly not buying it.
She said, "Jenna, quit with the excuses.
"You're afraid I'll get back together with Jake, aren't you?"
She was playing mind games, trying to provoke me.
Harley continued, "Don't worry, I don't have feelings for him anymore. I'm here as a friend, that's all.
"Besides, what's the point of keeping me away?"
She leaned in close, lowering her voice so only I could hear.
She said, "A paralyzed man and a perfectly healthy woman.
"Jenna, you're still young. Don't you ever feel lonely, wasting your best years on someone who's lost everything?"
Her words were loaded with nasty hints and pure malice.
So it really was she who left that lace underwear there.
Harley not only wanted to drive me away but also to smear my name.
She was hell-bent on tearing Jacob and me apart for good.
My whole body was trembling with fury.
My baby urged, "Mom, stop wasting your time on her.
"I scanned her memories and found some seriously juicy leverage.
"That fancy necklace she's flaunting? She sold the matching watches Dad once gave her to buy it."