Chapter 13
Seven months after Esme arrived in Meliana, she received another call from a friend back home. By then, she was living a comfortable life, funded by the money she gained from selling Isaiah’s shares.
She had purchased a building on one of New Wis” busiest streets,
The third floor and above were converted into her private living space, while the first floor was rented out as a flower shop, and the second floor was leased to a neighbor for a retail store.
Her daily routine involved sitting on her balcony, watering flowers, sipping coffee, and reading the newspaper.
Esme took a sip of her coffee but couldn’t help frowning. Even after all this time, she still couldn’t get used to the bitterness of coffee
Setting the cup on the wrought iron table beside her, she finally answered her friend’s call After exchanging pleasantries, the rest of the conversation revolved around Isalah and Audrey.
Since Isah discovered she had left and exposed the affair benveen him and Audrey, he had completely severed ties with Audrey. Not only did this lead to Audrey’s miscarriage, but Isaiah also endured a beating from Nolan and Ruby.
When the Jabs family learned of the situation, they rushed to pay off people to suppress the scandal. Unfortunately, it was too late.
The news had already spread like autumn winds across all of Jonesville, and the uproar caused a massive fallout.
Isah was stripped of his position as CEO by his long–retired grandfather, Tatum Jabs, and was forced to relinquish all the shares under his name.
Only then did the Jabs family realize that Isaiah had transferred all his shares to Esme, who had sold them entirely to Jabster’s rival
In the end, the jabs family had to repurchase those shares at prices several times higher than the market value. This ordeal cost the Jabs family billions in losses and severely diminished their standing in Jonesville’s circles.
Had it not been for Adeline’s desperate pleas, Isaiah would have been completely ousted from the family. In the end, feeling sorry for her son, Adeline gave him some of her shares. to get by.
Now idling at home, Isaiah spent his days drinking heavily. He’d clutch onto Esme’s photo, and just call out her name.
As for Audrey, the Colemans severed all ties with her after her affair was exposed. The headquarters of the fashion magazine she worked for fired her as well.
Now, Audrey had no other option but to cling tightly to Isaiah Isaiah had long lost any feelings for her, and the jabs family refused to let her into their household.
Desperate and out of options, she caused a scene on the hospital rooftop. She demanded that while she wouldn’t insist on joining the Jabs family, she must be compensated
The Jabs family outright refused, leaving Isaiah to cover the amount in the end. However, Audrey used the pretext of collecting the money to drug Isaiah again.
This time, she wasn’t as lucky Isaiah, who regained consciousness in time, sent her straight to prison.
Esme telt no emotion after hearing all of this. To her, Isaiah and Audrey were just two people who no longer mattered in her life.
She casually chatted with her friend for a little longer before hanging up, stretching lazily as she walked back into her room.
The next morning. Esme woke up early and headed out with a new friend to the opera house to watch a stage play.
The tragic love story of the main characters moved the audience to tears. But Esme, who had experienced a far more heartbreaking marriage, felt nothing.
In the play, the protagonists faced separation brought on by war, family, and countless obstacles. Yet in the end, they grew old and reunited, white–haired but still together.
As for her? Though she had married her love at first sight and spent years deeply in love, Isaiah ultimately betrayed her.
The marriage she had poured her heart and soul into ended in tragedy. She stopped believing in love altogether from that point on.
Later, while dining with her friends at a restaurant, someone confessed his feelings to her. Esme remained as calm as an emotionless doll
No matter how much the blonde–haired, blue–eyed man tried to woo her with sweet words, she rejected him without mercy,
The man was unwilling to give up, and he asked why she had turned him down. Esme was momentarily stunned, then gave a faint smile before saying, “I don’t want to fall in love, and I’ll never marry again”
The man finally lowered his proud head, clutching his bouquet as he walked out in dejection. It was only then that Esme’s friends snapped out of their shock and hurriedly pulled her back to her seat
“Esme, that was so cold–hearted!”
“You even rejected such a great guy?
Esme’s friends, who had grown up in the more open–minded culture of Meliana, believed in giving relationships acháne
If things didn’t work out, they reasoned, breaking up was always an option.
Fame’s expression remained calm, though the corners of her mouth curled slightly. “It’s not cold–hearted I just don’t feel like it.”
