Chapter 2
Amanda, Amanda Sweeney.
The woman who stole my fiancé was also Jacob's white moonlight. It turned out that Jacob had never forgotten her and even pretended to be affectionate to marry me. I underestimated his love for Amanda.
The phone fell out of the man's belt with a clang and I bent down to pick it up and a message popped up on the screen.
"Thank you, Jacob, for blocking my drink tonight. I can't take the necklace you gave me, it's too expensive."
The next second I saw Amanda's updates on Twitter, "Love is priceless." The picture was a dazzling necklace, the only one in the world that was bought by a mysterious rich man for 100 million dollars in the news.
I knew Amanda sent it to me specifically.
This week Jacob was too busy to eat, so he had a stomachache and was sent to the emergency room, but when he opened his eyes, he flew to England. I was angry and distressed that he was willing to give up his life for work.
Later I learned that he was going to attend an auction. Even if he couldn't straighten his back due to pain, he had to bid for the most precious necklace in the world and dedicate it to his white moonlight.
I entered the lock screen password for some reason. After entering the last number, the lock was successfully unlocked. It was Amanda's birthday. Jacob never let me look at his phone, saying that we should leave each other personal space.
As soon as I unlocked it, Amanda's bright smile came into my eyes. No wonder Jacob's eyes would be inexplicably gentle every time he unlocked his phone.
I clicked on the album, all the names were the same.
[Amanda, 10 years old] [Amanda, 11 years old]... [Amanda, 25 years old]
Each album recorded Amanda's smiling face at different times. None of the thousands of photos belonged to me, not even to him. Only Amanda. Just like his heart, there was only Amanda from beginning to end.
Then I opened the memo turned out to be Jacob's diary.
[20×× Sunny, Amanda scratched her leg today by a branch. It's all my fault. I shouldn't have planted trees in the yard. ]
[20×× Sunny, Amanda got married today. As long as she is happy, everything I do is worth it. I live to make her happy. ]
[20×× Rainy, I got married. The moment I saw Amanda in the audience, I wished that the person standing next to me was her. ]
The car just drove into the yard. Looking up at the bare yard, my hands and feet were cold all over.
There were originally two peach trees in the yard, which were transplanted by Jacob from the old house of the Lovato Family. They were planted by my father when I was ten years old. Whenever I see them, I feel that my father had never left and he was still with me.
But suddenly one day, the roots of the two trees that were originally full of peaches rotted inexplicably. Jacob hugged me and coaxed me for three days and three nights with tears streaming down my face. Now I know that it was him who destroyed the only thought my father left for me.
The message from his assistant popped up,
[Mr. Nolan, according to your instructions, your will has been made and all your property will be left to Miss Amanda.]
[It will take effect only after you sign it.]
I seemed to see in the hazy tears.
The man who hugged me affectionately and promised me at the funeral that year.
"Louisa, I will give you a home and everything I have belongs to you."
As I putting Jacob on the bed, I didn't take off his shoes and take care of him as I did in the past, but I turned around and went directly to the guest room. When I closed my eyes, all I could think of was how he loved me over the years.
The morning sun shone on me and I opened my eyes to meet Jacob's gentle eyes. He leaned over and gently kissed me on the forehead.
Chapter 3
"Louisa, were you angry last night? I'm sorry I drank a little too much last night. I promise you I won't do it next time." He explained as he looked at me as tender as ever.
I hummed softly and pushed him away. Then I went into the bathroom to wash off the remaining warmth on my forehead.
The table was full of breakfast. If it were before, I would be very happy. But after reading Jacob's memo, I couldn’t be happy anymore. This table was all Amanda's favorite food.
The sound of the key opening the door came from the entrance and Amanda was wearing a clean white dress. She walked in naturally and sat down at the dining table.
She smiled at me and said, "Louisa sorry to disturbed you. Jacob and I had a photo shoot this morning, so he asked me to come for breakfast."
I didn't say anything, just looked at the key chain in her hand that was exactly the same as mine. Jacob keenly sensed my emotions and came close to me to explain in a low voice.
"Amanda is my best friend, it's normal to have the key to our house..."
Before he finished speaking, his voice suddenly changed and he stood up anxiously to snatch the soy milk from Amanda's hand opposite. "Amanda, you can't drink soy milk. How come you still can't remember it after so many years?"
Amanda smiled shyly with pursed lips, "Yes, fortunately you are here all these years."
They looked at each other affectionately, like a couple of lovers for many years.
I was not interested in watching their affection anymore. So I was about to go out when Amanda called me.
"Louisa, I remember you studied photography. Can you help me take the photo today? I don't trust the new photographer."
Since my father passed away, I had never touched a camera again. Because as soon as I picked up a camera, I would think of my father who taught me photography since I was a child and my mind was filled with his unwilling and fragile appearance when he left. I no longer had the courage to press the shutter.
Jacob knew about it. He locked all my cameras in the cabinet and told me not to force myself. He would accompany me to slowly walk out until I was willing to pick up the camera again.
But at this moment, he didn't wait for me to speak and pushed me to the back seat of the car. Then he said, "Louisa, you know that Amanda is carsick, so I wronged you to sit in the back."
But he forgot that I was more carsick. I didn't eat two bites of breakfast and my stomach was churning all the way.
When we arrived at the location, Jacob carefully held Amanda's skirt and bent down to follow her into the shooting room.
I leaned against the side of the car and breathed in fresh air.
Jacob shouted at me from a far, "Louisa, the shooting is about to start. Don't be willful and shoot well. This shooting is very important to Amanda and me."
Suddenly Jacob came closer and pulled me in with great force. I didn't stand firmly and almost fell to the ground.
Picking up the camera again after five years, unfamiliar and fearful, my hands couldn't help but tremble slightly. I tried to restrain the sadness in my heart and pressed the shutter again and again.
During the intermission, only Amanda and I were left in the studio. She flipped through the photos with a mocking smile on her face.
"Louisa, you are just as useless as your father. You can't do anything right. Like father, like daughter."
My nails dug into my palms and I trembled slightly and I saw that my anger was about to burst out.
Suddenly a slap fell hard on my cheeks. I felt a burning pain on my face. Amanda shook her hands and looked down at me with contempt.
"Louisa, you are so shameless. I didn't expect that you would immediately hook up with Jacob after being rejected. How can you be worthy of him? I tell you, whether it's your ex-fiance or Jacob, they are all mine. You don't deserve it."
Chapter 4
My head tilted to one side after being hit and before I could react, Amanda suddenly raised my hand, threw it on her own face and fell softly to the ground. She covered her face with tears in her eyes, looking pitiful and she was completely different from the second before.
"Louisa, I don't think your photos are bad. I just want you to take two photos for me from a different angle. If you don't want to, forget it..." she sobbed.
Jacob, who had just opened the door, dropped the cup in his hand. He rushed over and pushed me away, squatting down to anxiously check Amanda's condition.
"Jacob, I'm fine. Don't blame Louisa. She didn't do it on purpose. I didn't stand firmly."
Jacob squinted his eyebrows and said, "Amanda, you are just too kind. You don't have to defend her. I saw it with my own eyes!"
Jacob carefully helped Amanda up, his movements were as gentle as treating a porcelain doll. He hugged Amanda in his arms and looked at me with anger. This was the first time he had been so angry in the five years since I married him.
"Louisa, apologize to Amanda! I have spoiled you too much in the past five years and I have spoiled you into a vicious woman! You know how important face is to Amanda!" Jacob said as he looked at me angrily, but he didn't seem to see the redness and swelling on my face.
I looked up at him calmly, "Amanda should apologize, not me. She mentioned my father. Jacob, don't you have anything to apologize for what happened to my father?"
Jacob's eyes flashed with surprise. "If I hadn't been there, Dad would have gone earlier. Louisa, I promised Dad that I would take care of you for the rest of your life, but the premise is that you won't hurt Amanda."
I pulled a self-deprecating smile from the corner of my mouth. I shouldn't have any expectations of him anymore.
Suddenly, my eyes went dark and I fell backwards without consciousness. When I opened my eyes again, the smell of disinfectant filled my nose and the nurse was removing the needle for me. "Congratulations on your pregnancy. You are weak and must pay attention to your emotions and eat well." Said the nurse.
I subconsciously stroked my lower abdomen. I had been wanting to have a child with Jacob for the past five years. I didn't expect him to come at this moment.
Suddenly my phone buzzed and it was a message from Jacob. [The doctor said that you will be fine as long as you rest more. When you apologize to Amanda, I will take you home.]
I smiled weakly and turned off the phone.
"Miss Lovato, the doctor has arranged a checkup. Please come with me."
I followed the nurse to the stairwell.
I was feeling strange when Amanda's familiar voice sounded behind me. "I heard you are pregnant? I underestimated you, Louisa, do you know why you haven't had a child in the past five years?"
I turned and met Amanda's proud eyes as she said, "Because I told Jacob that I don't want you to have a child. The vitamins he feeds you every day are actually contraceptives."
Amanda tilted her head to look at my expression, trying to see pain and despair on my face.
But I just said lightly, "I know."
After that, I brushed past her and just as I was about to open the door, a force came from behind. I was pushed down the stairs unexpectedly. My whole body was in excruciating pain and I tilted my head weakly to see a bloodstain under my lower abdomen.
I had a miscarriage.
I put the divorce agreement on the bed after coming out of the operating room. I walked out of the hospital and got on a taxi to the airport.
A second before boarding, Jacob's message appeared on the phone screen.
[Louisa, I didn't expect you to be so stubborn that you dared to cause trouble for Amanda. Be obedient and apologize, don't force me.]
[Apologize to her? Never!] I pulled out the SIM card and threw it into the airport trash can and I got on the plane.