The Words I Left Behind

William clenched his fists and glared at Jasmine.

Jasmine knew exactly what he was thinking.

She let out a heavy breath, feeling all the strength leave her body as she sank to the floor.

Rubbing her ear where he had struck her, she looked at the mess of clothes on the ground and slowly started folding them again.

"You're just waiting for the divorce, right? Then you'll marry Jennifer?

"Two more things to go after this. Don't tell me you're going to quit now. Honestly, I wasn't happy with how you handled the first two. You're not backing out on me, are you?"

After she finished speaking, she looked up and met his eyes.

His dark eyes were full of mockery.

"Jasmine, knowing your place is important. Too bad you don't get that."

"I agreed to this third thing, but remember this: the Spencer family can't protect you anymore. If you touch Jennifer again, I'll make sure you die a miserable death!"

Jasmine lowered her head and laughed bitterly.

Anyone could talk tough.

Back when they fought the hardest, William had never been a match for her. Not to mention, he would soon get his wish, and he wouldn't have to lift a finger.

William called Jennifer to calm her down, and then he arranged for her to return home early.

Jasmine watched the way he carefully protected Jennifer, and it felt like swallowing bitter medicine.

It hit her—William knew how to love.

He just didn't love her.

When William returned, Jasmine still hadn't finished packing. He couldn't stand it anymore. He grabbed her and started picking up her things, bending down to fold them himself.

"Pathetic. It's just this little bit of stuff, and you can't even get it together. With how you're acting like you don't even have enough strength for this, anyone would think you're about to die."

Jasmine suddenly felt a bit playful and decided to tease him.

"Yep, I'm about to die. So what? Will you regret how you treated me when I'm gone?"

William froze for a second. When he looked up again, his face was full of mockery.

"Regret? You've got it all wrong. If you die, I'll throw a party, fireworks for three days straight, and feast with everyone in Jovelle."

Jasmine laughed through her tears, clutching her stomach.

"William, your words are as sharp as ever. Given that we've shared a bed before, you could at least spare me the venom."

Jasmine didn't linger in Zaryen. She could feel her body reaching its limit.

After returning to Jovelle City, she spent another week in bed. Each time she had chemotherapy, her hair fell out at a noticeable rate.

When William called, pushing her about the last two things, she locked herself in the bathroom and cried the entire afternoon. Once she finished crying, she went to the mall to buy a wig, covered in sunglasses and a hat.

"Did you cut your hair?"

Jasmine didn't answer him. She simply walked straight to his car.

"Let's go."

William furrowed his brows, instinctively reaching for her wig, but she quickly pulled away.

"Hurry up, are we going or not?"

William got in the car and started the engine. "Just a heads-up, there's less than a week left until the waiting period ends. You better figure out the last two things quickly."

Jasmine didn't respond. Her gaze was fixed on the window. She had been so busy before, busy fighting with William, trying to get his attention, that she had missed so much of the beauty of Jovelle City.

She thought that if she stood on the same level as him, they could walk side by side and enjoy the view together.

But the truth was, when a man didn't love a woman, even standing side by side wouldn't make him notice her. But for someone he loved, he would bend down and lower himself just to be with her.

Jasmine's fourth request was simple—she wanted William to go with her to an amusement park.

"That's childish!"

William glanced at her, looking unimpressed.