Chapter 0023
Chapter 0023
When Mia saw the headline, her mind went blank for a moment.
The Jasper family bracelet.
Hadn’t Mr. Jasper Sr. said that the bracelet was meant to be her birthday gift from Hunter?
Taking a deep breath, Mia suppressed the flood of emotions rising inside her and opened the news article. The timestamp showed it had been posted just thirty minutes ago, right after midnight.
She remembered now.
Today was Jenna’s birthday.
In the photos, she saw Hunter sitting by the hospital bed, his expression tender as he gently placed the bracelet on Jenna’s wrist. The woman leaning against the headboard wore a radiant, content smile, looking every bit like a woman basking in happiness.
Mia’s grip tightened around her phone. She couldn’t bring herself to read the rest of the article. All she felt was a chilling cold creeping over her.
Hunter had given Jenna the family bracelet that was supposed to be hers!
Just then, her phone buzzed with a new message. She opened it to find a picture from an unknown number. The photo showed a hand wearing the very same bracelet, accompanied by a message: “Do you like the bracelet?”
Mia’s face drained of all color. She knew it was Jenna, taunting her, flaunting her victory without uttering a single word.
In that instant, Mia’s heart shattered completely.
Hunter had abandoned her on the highway, leaving her stranded without a care. She had called him for help, and he had responded with cold mockery before hanging up on her.
One painful memory after another flooded her mind.
It dawned on her then, that in the three years of their marriage, her life with Hunter had been reduced to little more than routine meals, showers, and nights in bed.
He had never been there for their anniversaries, her birthdays, Valentine’s Day, or any other special
occasion.
She used to convince herself that Hunter was simply too busy, that he didn’t have time for her.
But now she realized the truth. He just didn’t care enough to spend time with her.
Turning off her phone, Mia curled up tightly in the dark, trying to comfort herself. Yet, by the middle of the night, she was shaking with chills, and her head throbbed with unbearable pain.
Half–conscious, she reached for her phone and dialed a number without even checking who it was.
The call was answered almost immediately.
“Why are you calling Hunter so late?” Jenna’s icy voice rang out, dripping with superiority.
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Chapter 0023
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Hearing Jenna’s voice made Mia feel sick to her stomach. “He’s my husband. Why shouldn’t I call him when he hasn’t come home? But you… A widow, spending the night with another man. Aren’t you afraid people will start calling you shameless?”
Respect, after all, was a two–way street. If Jenna had no respect for her, Mia wasn’t about to show any in
return.
“You know I’m carrying Hunter’s baby, yet you refuse to divorce him,” Jenna hissed. “You’re deliberately keeping our family from being together. You’re so cruel.
“Hunter has always loved me, not you! Why do you insist on holding on to the title of Mrs. Jasper? Jenna’s voice was laced with venom. “It’s my birthday today. Hunter gave me the family bracelet and proposed to me.
“We love each other. The one who’s truly unwanted is the real mistress here. Mia, you have no shame! Jenna’s low accusations echoed in the darkness. Mia felt as though an invisible hand was tightening around her throat, making it hard to breathe, pushing her to the brink of suffocation.
“Why are you still on the phone at this hour? Just go to sleep,” Hunter’s voice suddenly came through the line. It wasn’t as cold as usual. In fact, it carried an unexpected trace of warmth.
Mia’s chest tightened, her heart feeling as if it were being torn apart. The pain in her head was unbearable, as if it were about to explode.
Hunter had been there all along. He had listened to everything Jenna had said, but he hadn’t uttered a single word in Mia’s defense. His silence felt like a quiet agreement, a tacit approval of Jenna’s words.
It hit her like a wave that he was already eager to divorce her.
By the time Summer rushed in to check on Mia after hearing the commotion, she found her burning with fever and unconscious.
Chapter 0024
