Chapter 8
By the end of the auction, Jonathan had bought every piece of jewelry Lucy so much as glanced at. He didn't care about the price. If she looked twice, it was hers.
The final item of the night was a necklace once worn by a British princess in the last century. A rare treasure money alone couldn't easily buy.
When Jonathan saw the deep blue gemstone, the first thought that crossed his mind was—Anna. She looked best in blue. It would suit her perfectly.
As bidders competed fiercely, Jonathan said calmly, "Unlimited bid."
The auctioneer brought down the hammer. "Congratulations, Mr. Rivers. The 'Heart of the Ocean' is yours."
Jonathan took the necklace from the staff and examined it closely.
Lucy looped her arm through his, her gaze fixed on the sparkling gem. "Thank you, Jonathan. I love it," she said sweetly.
At her words, Jonathan slipped the necklace back into its box and shook off her hand, his tone cold. "This necklace is for Anna. It has nothing to do with you."
He'd been so wrapped up with Lucy and Henry lately that he had forgotten Anna's birthday. This would make the perfect gift.
Lucy wore a gentle smile as she said, "Of course it should go to Anna. After all, Henry hurt her—think of this as making it up to her." But her fingers clenched until her knuckles turned white, fury burning under her calm exterior.
That night, Jonathan drove Lucy back to the Summers residence. Just before she stepped out of the car, he called her name. "After Henry's third birthday, let's finalize the divorce."
"No!" Lucy's reaction was immediate, almost a shout.
Realizing she had lost it, she quickly grabbed Jonathan's hand, eyes shimmering with tears. "Jonathan, Henry's still so young. He needs his parents. Let's wait until he starts elementary school. Then we can talk about divorce, okay?"
Jonathan slowly pried her fingers off, his voice cold as ice. "We agreed—this marriage was only supposed to last until Henry turned three. Now you want to drag it out until he starts grade school?
"What's next? Wait until he's taking his midterms? Or his SAT? Lucy, I don't have all the time in the world to play house with you."
She went quiet for a second, then replied in a petulant, defiant tone, "If it weren't for that misunderstanding back then, I'd be the one who married you. You loved me, not her."
Her indifferent tone struck a nerve.
"You were the one who walked away first," Jonathan snapped. "Liking someone isn't the same as loving them. I won't deny I used to like you. But the only person I loved now was Anna.
"If you hadn't drugged me at that party the night before the wedding and then run off to have the baby behind my back, how would I have ended up divorcing Anna and living apart from her for three years?"
"Get out of the car!" he snapped.
Lucy fell silent. For the first time, she looked afraid—afraid of the man who was no longer under her control. She could only stand there, teeth clenched, watching his car disappear into the night.
Before heading home, Jonathan stopped by a bakery and bought Anna's favorite cherry cake. Then he went next door and picked up 99 red roses.
When he got home, the lights were off. He assumed Anna had already gone to bed and quietly pushed open the bedroom door.
He flipped on the light, but the room was empty. Her packed suitcase was still there. He took out his phone and typed: [Hey, I'm home now. Where are you? I'll come pick you up.]
But before he could hit send, his phone rang.
"Jonathan, you barely come back to Beimora twice a year. When was the last time you had a drink with the guys? Get over here. There's a real show waiting for you."