Chapter 4

Hayden came back in the evening, looking exhausted and travel-worn.

In just a few days, he had lost a noticeable amount of weight.

I felt a little worried, but thinking that he wasn't feeling down because of me made my heart ache even more.

"We need to have a proper talk," Hayden said. He held me close, refusing to let go. "I went to see her to settle the past once and for all. Didn't you want to know our story? I'll tell you everything."

He pulled out a cigarette, lit it like he'd done it a thousand times, took a deep drag, and started opening up about everything that happened between him and her.

He said, "You know, my dad died a long time ago, and my mom passed away the year I graduated from college."

His voice was steady, not a hint of emotion as he talked about losing his parents.

He said, "My mom was always sick, and when she ended up in the hospital, I just couldn't afford the bills.

"Scarlett was my college classmate. She liked me, saying if I dated her, she'd help pay my mom's bills."

He spoke slowly, his voice heavy with lingering affection.

It turned out that Scarlett had done so much for him. Every penny of his and his mother's expenses came from her.

Even when her family was about to go bankrupt, she still wired him 30 thousand dollars for his mother's treatment. That might have been the only money she had left.

When they graduated, Hayden's mom passed away, and Scarlett's family went under.

Scarlett made up a reason to end things with him. After that, they lost contact for good.

By the time he found out about Scarlett's family going bankrupt, she had already vanished without a trace. He spent three years searching for her, scouring the whole country.

Even after he started his own business, he never gave up.

Some people said she might not be alive anymore, and that nearly broke him. It wasn't until we met each other that he slowly started to heal.

Hayden buried his head in his hands. "Jocelyn, I feel so guilty towards her. We never really got to say goodbye. I went to see her this time because I really needed answers."

My heart was a storm of jealousy and despair, my whole body icy.

They had been through so much together. How could I possibly compete with that?

I was sure that if Scarlett ever came back, Hayden would leave me without a second thought and go straight to her.

I felt like a clown who snatched away someone else's happiness, but deep down, I knew I hadn't done anything wrong.

'So, what are you going to do?' I asked.

"She doesn't want to be with me anymore. She told me to leave her alone. Jocelyn, I respect her decision. I've let it go," Hayden said. "Let's get married."

He was only with me because she didn't want him, right? What would he do if she wanted him back?

I just couldn't stand it. I'd always been so proud, and now here I was, secretly hoping she would never want him back.

My mind was a complete mess, and I couldn't stop overthinking.

Hayden pulled me into his arms and murmured, "Jocelyn, let's get married just like we planned."

Was he saying it to me, or just trying to convince himself?

"What's done is done. After talking to her, I'm finally moving on," he said.

For the next few days, Hayden, who was usually a total workaholic, actually took time off and helped me with all the wedding stuff.

Hayden went all out and popped the question with a huge, unforgettable proposal.

He put our house under my name and even handed over half his shares of the company, which was worth billions of dollars.

All my friends kept saying I'd found myself a great husband.

"All that money? He must really love you."

"They say where a man's money goes, his love follows. Jocelyn, you're really lucky to have Hayden. I'm so jealous."

Hayden got down on one knee, slipped a huge diamond ring onto my finger, and my friends gathered around, all offering their congratulations.

I should have been over the moon, feeling like the luckiest girl in the world, but the more Hayden showed his love for me, the more uneasy I felt inside.

I could see he was trying to make me feel secure, but it was a rational decision, not something he truly felt.

After seeing him get so emotional over someone else, whenever he showed me any affection, I couldn't help but think of Scarlett.

Even after ten years, she could still push him to lose his temper.

Scarlett hadn't done anything wrong, but my jealousy towards her just kept growing.

I felt like I was sick, afflicted with some deep, psychological illness.

Three days before the wedding, Hayden just disappeared out of nowhere. He didn't show up at work and ignored all my calls and messages.

I spent the whole night staring at the ceiling, wide awake till morning.

I had a hunch about what was happening, but I kept lying to myself, convincing myself he must have something super important going on.

It wasn't until the night before the wedding that he finally called me back, sounding completely drained. "Jocelyn, I'm sorry. We have to cancel the wedding."

The last thread of hope in my heart shattered completely. My mind froze, and I couldn't say a single word.

After a long, heavy silence, I finally managed to ask, "What did you say?"

"Let's call off the wedding. I'll take care of all the losses. I'm sorry," he said.

"Alright," I replied. My throat tightened, and all I could manage was this faint word, barely audible.

I didn't cry or argue. I just hung up quickly.

For the first time in my life, I knew what heartbreak felt like.

I held the phone, staring blankly, not knowing what to do.