Chapter 3

Jacob looked at me, his eyes seeming to see right through my attempts to avoid him.

His room was right next door.

Back in my previous life, before the whole engagement mess, Jacob and I actually got along pretty well. When I was a teenager, Andrea once joked about what kind of guy I liked. I glanced at Jacob, who had just come back from a workout, and blurted out, "Someone like Jacob."

That little joke ended up as undeniable proof that I'd had designs on Jacob all along, even going so far as to drug him just to marry him.

Every time I tried to explain that I didn't do it, Jacob would grab my chin and sneer, "You said you liked me when you were 16, and later, you even stooped this low? Emily, you really disgust me."

Maybe because I was back in this place again, that night, I was haunted by nightmares.

In my dream, I was seriously ill, on the verge of death. The doctor advised, "Try to have your family and friends come visit you more often."

I shook my head. "I don't have any family."

Friends? My only real friend used to be Olivia Summers, the one Jacob was supposed to marry.

Five years into my marriage with Jacob, Olivia came back from studying abroad. Jacob personally picked her up at the airport and even threw a lavish welcome party in her honor.

Someone "thoughtfully" sent me a video—Jacob and Olivia were locked in a passionate kiss in a secluded corner booth, completely wrapped up in each other.

I replayed those few seconds of video over and over the entire night, unable to look away.

The next day, I went to the hospital and terminated my second unexpected pregnancy, then put the divorce papers in front of Jacob.

He asked, "Why?"

I showed him the video.

"Olivia's back. It's time we end this. Let's get a divorce," I said.

I'd tried to bring up divorce before, but he shot me down every time.

I thought maybe this time, he'd finally agree.

But he tore the papers to pieces, deleted the video, and stared at me with ice-cold eyes. "Don't even think about it."

"Em? Em!" I heard someone call me.

I was jolted awake, my heart still racing from the nightmare, and before I knew it, I slapped the person.

The sharp sound of the slap echoed in the quiet night.

Jacob, looking younger than I remembered, held his cheek, wide-eyed—clearly hurt, but also worried. "I heard you crying..."

With that, he turned and headed for the door, stopping briefly by the doorway. "Breakfast's ready. After you eat, I'll take you to your new school."

Just like before, I transferred into the same fancy private school where Jacob studied.

*****

I followed him into the classroom, and instantly, I could feel everyone's eyes on us.

"Jacob, who's she?" someone asked, their curiosity obvious.

Jacob smiled and said, "This is Emily Carter. She's staying with me for now."

He made the words "for now" sound like they were nothing important.

Watching Jacob's broad shoulders as he walked ahead, I suddenly felt a strange sense of unease. Something about him just didn't fit.

He wasn't that distant teenager I remembered from my previous life, and he definitely wasn't the cold, gloomy man he'd eventually become.

My heart skipped a beat as a wild, almost absurd thought popped into my head.

"Jacob," I called out, making him pause mid-step.

But almost at the same moment, another voice called out from across the room, "Jacob."