Chapter Nineteen
Perhaps it was the nerves of rekindled love or maybe just the winter chill, but in the days following that innocent kiss Jacob and I shared, my head felt lighter, my heart fuller.
A week had passed, filled with laughter and shared moments, each day a new adventure. We hadn’t defined our relationship, and that was fine by me. Titles seemed unnecessary when everything felt so perfect.
I had been receiving flowers every day. Jacob and I spent our days enjoying each other’s company, and I eagerly expected each new day, knowing Jacob always had something new up his sleeve.
Some mornings, I woke up to text messages from him, sweet reminders of how great my day was going to be.
Whenever he could, he would bring lunch and join me at the coffee shop. When he couldn’t, he made sure lunch was delivered.
Today was one of those busy days.
I woke up to a text from Jacob:
Good morning, beautiful. I’ve got a hectic day ahead, but I’m thinking of you. Expect a little surprise at lunchtime. Have a great day!
I smiled at my phone, feeling a rush of warmth and excitement. Around noon, a delivery arrived. It was a beautifully arranged lunch, complete with a note:
I wish I could be there with you, but I hope this makes up for it. Enjoy your meal. I can’t wait to see you tonight.
Later in the evening, when Jacob finally had a moment to breathe, he called me.
“Hey, beautiful,” he greeted, his voice filled with warmth. “Did you get the lunch I sent?”
“Yes, I did. Thank you so much, Jacob,” I replied. “It was delicious. But I missed having you here.”
“I missed you too,” he whispered. “I promise, once this project is done, I’ll make it up to you. How about dinner this weekend?”
“That sounds wonderful,” I said, feeling the excitement build. “Any hints about what you have planned?”
“Nope,” he chuckled. “It’s a surprise. You’ll have to wait and see.
We spent the next few minutes talking about our day, sharing little details and jokes that made the time apart feel shorter.
Jacob sighed, “I’ve got to get back to work now. But I’ll be thinking of you. Can’t wait to see you tonight.”
“I can’t wait either,” I said. “Take care, Jacob.”
“I love you, Clara,” he replied. “See you soon.”
As I hung up the phone, I couldn’t help but feel grateful for Jacob’s care and thoughtfulness. Each day felt like a new adventure, and I eagerly looked forward to what he had planned next.
After a long day at the coffee shop, I stepped out of the taxi and trudged through the snow to my porch. The sun had long set, leaving the world in an icy twilight. I craved warmth and sleep.
Inside, I made a cup of tea and wrapped myself in a duvet, but even with the heater running, the house felt as cold as a morgue. I wondered if the heating was faulty.
My phone chimed, interrupting my thoughts. It was an email notification. I opened it and froze. My debts had been cleared. I was listed as a beneficiary of Jacob Sebastian Bradley.
Wait, what?
How did he find out about the foreclosure? Had he been snooping through my things? To think I was beginning to trust him, and he did this? I felt a mix of shock and betrayal. How could he do this without asking me?
The doorbell rang. I stormed to the door, and there he was, standing with a bouquet, looking pleased with himself.
“Hello, beautiful,” he said, leaning in to kiss me. I dodged it.
“Is everything okay?” he asked, stepping inside. “I’m sorry I’m late—“
I shoved my phone in his face. “What is this?”
“Oh, Clara,” he sighed, setting the bouquet on the console.
“Tell me, how did you find out?” I demanded.
“Do you have to know?”
“Really, Jacob? You think I don’t need to know?” My voice was rising.
“I thought you’d be happy,” he said, looking genuinely puzzled.
“Happy? You cleared my debts without asking me! How could you do that? I’m not some damsel in distress. I’m a grown woman who can handle her problems.”
“For goodness’ sake, Clara, it’s just money!” He raked his fingers through his hair in frustration.
“Just money? Is that all this is to you?” My voice trembled with anger and hurt.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you’d be upset. I was trying to help. I wanted to make things easier for you, sweetie.”
“Easier? Do you know how demeaning that is? And don’t call me sweetie!”
“Clara, please—“
“I can’t believe you thought you could swoop in and fix everything. I don’t need your help. I need your respect, Jacob, not your money!”
“I respect you, Clara. I do. I just thought clearing the debt would relieve your burden. I meant no harm.” His voice was desperate.
“You don’t even know me anymore,” I said, my voice cracking. “Or maybe you never did.”
He reached for me, but I stepped back.
“I know I’ve made a mistake,” he said. “But I only did it because I love you. I wanted to make you happy.”
“That’s just it. You don’t get to decide what makes me happy. Love is about respecting someone’s choices, and standing by their side. You should have asked me. It disgusts me that you were snooping around.”
“I wasn’t snooping. I thought it would make things better. I didn’t want you to struggle.”
“Struggle?” I spun to face him. “Do you think I’m so weak that I can’t handle hardship? I never told you I was struggling. I had everything under control.”
“I know that now. But I didn’t mean to hurt you. I was trying to show you how much I cared.”
“Well, you’ve certainly succeeded in showing me something. You’ve shown me that you don’t understand me at all.”
He reached out again, and I pulled away. “Don’t,” I snapped. “Just don’t.”
His hands dropped. “I know I’ve messed up. But please, let me make it right. Tell me what I can do. I love you.”
“I don’t think you should bother. This is not leading anywhere.”
“Please, can we talk about this later?” He pleaded.
“No. Please, leave.”
“Clara—“
“Leave, please,” I repeated, shutting my eyes.
The last sound I heard was the door closing behind him. As the silence settled in, I wondered if this was really the end or just the beginning of something neither of us had anticipated.
.