Chapter 16 The Next Suitor
Finished
Sitting across from Ruby was a middle–aged man, his large belly pressing against the edge of the table as he shoved pieces of meat into his mouth, his face shiny with grease.
The sight alone made Jazlyn’s stomach turn.
“Jazlyn, you’re finally here!” Ruby called cheerfully.
With that, every pair of eyes in the room shifted to Jazlyn, their curious stares making her skin crawl.
Was Ruby trying to arrange another marriage for her now that Kingsley had left?
Jazlyn barely glanced at the man before turning to walk out.
“Jazlyn!”
Ruby’s voice was sharp as she rushed after her, grabbing Jazlyn’s arm to stop her.
“What do you think you’re doing? Mr. White is waiting there! You’re being so rude,” Ruby scolded angrily. “He’s willing to give our family 300,000. If you agree to marry him, there will be even more betrothal gifts and benefits coming our way.”
Jazlyn sneered. “So, you’re trying to sell me off for money now?”
Ruby’s expression turned wounded as she wiped at her eyes dramatically. “How can you say that? If you’d managed to keep Kingsley’s heart, I wouldn’t have to consider something like this. You can’t hold onto him, so what’s the plan? If you don’t find another man, how will we survive in the future?”
Jazlyn looked her mother straight in the eyes. “Do you think I can’t take care of us on my own?”
Ruby scoffed, disbelief written across her face. “You? You’ve been spoiled your entire life in the Zinns. You’ve never worked a single day. How could you support us?”
Jazlyn sighed. Even her mother thought she was useless. Maybe that was why Kingsley and his family had looked down on her, too.
There was no point in arguing anymore.
“You should give up on this idea now, Mom.”
“You-”
Before Ruby could finish, Jazlyn turned and walked out.
At that moment, her phone rang. She answered quickly, only for her best friend’s voice to come through, loud and frustrated.
“Jazlyn! I’ve been overseas for just a little while, and now I hear you’re getting divorced! What’s going on?”
Jazlyn winced at Emily Quirk’s shouting and held the phone a little further away.
“Did Noah tell you?”
“Of course he did! And you’re unbelievable–you didn’t even tell me when you got married!” Emily grumbled.
Jazlyn sighed softly. Back when she married Kingsley, he’d insisted on keeping their relationship a secret.
Blinded by love, she had agreed without hesitation and hadn’t even told her closest friends.
If she hadn’t failed to hide it from her family, she probably wouldn’t have told anyone at all.
Chapter 16 The Next Suitor
“Wait, what? Are you back in Clarethia?” Jazlyn asked, jumping up in surprise.
Finished
An hour later, the two best friends were reunited. Jazlyn and Emily hugged each other tightly.
“I missed you so much!” Emily said with a grin before pulling back to look at her. “But where’s your so–called husband? I’ve got to see what kind of man swept you off your feet and tricked you into marrying him in secret. Does he look like a prince or something?”
Emily knew her so well.
Back then, when Kingsley had appeared in her life, Jazlyn had been completely captivated. He was so strikingly handsome that she’d felt her heart skip a beat just looking at him. It was no surprise she had fallen so hard, so fast, and ended up entangled in the Zinns‘ complicated world.
Send Gifts
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