The eighth time I proposed to Jason, he shut me down cold and indifferent, just like all the times before.

He said he needed more time, and I was ready to keep waiting.

However, out of nowhere, I saw a post on social media. He and my sister went and got their marriage certificate.

When I confronted him, Jason was perfectly calm.

"Tessa is pregnant and needs to avoid stress. Stop causing trouble for no reason!”

Both were wearing wedding rings in the photo. Her baby bump was already starting to show.

Something inside me just went quiet. I gave the post a like and left a comment.

[Wishing you a lifetime of happiness and love!]

A year later, Jason came to see me. He looked tired and defeated, asking to get back together.

By then, I was already visibly pregnant.

Before I could say a word, his best friend stepped forward with a smile and pushed him back.

“Come on, man. The baby’s almost here. My wife already has a husband. She does not need a backup.”

The moment I finished posting my comment, Jason called.

He did not even say hello. He just started yelling at me over the phone.

“Sheena, have you learned nothing? I just told you not to stir up trouble, and now you are showing off on your social media. Really?

“If you’ve got so much energy, why don’t you try solving some of the company’s problems instead?!”

His tone was cold and condescending. It was like he was scolding an employee, not talking to his girlfriend.

I always thought Jason and I were in love.

At the very least, he cared about me enough to become my boyfriend.

We had been together for eight years. I had been by his side through everything since he graduated college.

From having nothing to becoming the chairperson of a company.

We weathered so many storms together.

In the early days, when money was tight and he was starting the company, I borrowed from every bank and loan app I could find to help him stay afloat.

Later, when we could not pay it back, my phone was flooded with calls. Debt collectors showed up at the door of our tiny apartment.

They even mass-texted my relatives and friends, so everyone knew I owed money.

Even then, I did not shed a single tear.

The moment Jason learned the truth that night, his eyes instantly filled with tears. He clung to me tightly, whispering his sobs in my ear.

He said,

“Sheena, I swear I’ll never let you down in this lifetime.”

Looking back now…

His so-called “lifetime” only lasted eight years!

I gripped my phone so tightly that my fingers turned white.

“How is that ‘showing off?’ My boyfriend just registered for marriage with my younger sister. Of course, I have to congratulate you. Otherwise, wouldn't I seem like a rude girlfriend and an even ruder sister?”

The voice on the other end suddenly went silent.

Then I heard Tessa’s loud cries and dramatic sobs, and Jason comforting her.

I could not help but let out a bitter laugh. Even my tongue felt numb with the taste of bitterness.

I thought he went quiet because he felt guilty and his conscience kicked in.

It turned out that he was just busy consoling his sobbing newlywed wife.

“Sheena, how can you say that? I did not have a choice. That’s why I asked Jason for a little help.

“Don’t worry. Once the baby’s born, I will divorce Jason right away. I will step aside for you two.”

I had not even responded yet when Jason’s furious voice came through the phone again.

“Tessa’s pregnant. She can’t get upset like this. Sheena, enough is enough!

“I can’t believe how cold and heartless you are! You’re jealous of your own sister? Why don’t you go drown in a pool of your own tears!

“If anything happens to Tessa because of you, I swear I’ll never forgive you for the rest of my life!”

The words I was about to say got stuck in my throat.

I sat there quietly, listening to Jason insult me over and over again. Tears were streaming down my face before I even realized it.

My heart felt like it had been torn to shreds. My voice came out hoarse as I asked him, “Jason, did you ever love me or thought of me as your girlfriend?”

There was a long silence on the other end.

I gently nodded my head.

Before he could say anything, I added, “I got it now.”

That thoughtful pause was the clearest answer I needed.

I often doubted whether Jason really loved me over the eight years we were together.

Still, he always acted like the perfect boyfriend in front of everyone.

His eyes would light up when he spoke to me, and his every gesture showed love.

Even trivial things, like remembering to bring an umbrella on a rainy day.

One phone call was all it took for him to stop whatever he was doing and come pick me up.

Even after eight years and eight proposals, he turned me down each time.

Everyone still believed we would eventually get married.

Now, seeing him share a photo of his marriage certificate with Tessa’s name instead of mine, I was certain everyone would be shocked.

Tessa is my sister. She was my real sister.

She always took my things since we were kids. No matter how much I cried, I never got them back.

Our parents never liked me. They disliked me and never protected me.

They said that my mother nearly died from a severe hemorrhage when I was born.

Hence, I was called a jinx.

I knew I was not loved by this family.

That was why I studied hard to prove myself.

However, every time I brought home top grades, it only ended with my sister screaming and me getting beaten.

I learned to play it safe after those times.

I never scored higher than her on tests again.

Eventually, everyone just wrote me off as a poor student and a troublemaker.

It was not until my fourth year in college, that Jason was the first person who gave me hope.

He was the first to support me, never judging me by my appearance or my history.

When I worked in the cafeteria, Tessa made my life miserable.

“Sheena, are you really just washing dishes now?

“Are you so broke that you have to take our leftovers home to eat?”

The moment she said that everyone around started laughing and mocked me.

Even with my face hidden behind a mask, my cheeks burned red.

Tessa hated me.

Ever since she found out I was outperforming her in school, she started tormenting me behind my back.

She once waved a hundred-dollar bill in front of me.

“If you eat just one bite of those leftovers, this money is yours!”

I stayed silent, but she would not let it go.

Jason was the student council president back then.

When he showed up, he stood up for me and gave Tessa a stern warning.

After that day, he kept coming back to find me.

He brought me into the student council and took me on to do tutoring jobs so I could make some money.

He told me not to be afraid, and that life demanded courage and moving forward without hesitation.

Jason, those words really sank in.

I would not let my journey halt, nor wait in the shadows for another.

Suddenly, my phone rang, breaking my thoughts.

It was another shareholder from the company.

“Sheena, are you okay? I just saw Jason’s post on social media…”

“I’m fine. Don’t worry, Mr. Scott. No matter what happens between Jason and me, it won’t affect the company.”

At that moment, a thought welled up inside me.

“If you’re interested, I can sell you all my shares.”

Mr. Scott’s voice caught and went silent for a long moment.

Then he said he would think about it and hung up.

I had no idea when Jason came back.

He appeared behind me right after I hung up.

His voice was cold with a hint of surprise.

“Sheena, to whom were you talking? Are you selling something?”

I kept my expression blank, but my heart skipped a beat.

I chose not to tell him about my plan.

“Zayden called. It’s just some recent business contracts for selling certain products.”

“Why would he contact you instead of me, since I usually handle these?”

Jason frowned, staring straight at me as though trying to catch me in a lie.

For the first time, I felt this man was more difficult than I expected.

I raised my eyebrows and deliberately mocked him,

“You are my own sister’s husband, and now you’re acting like you care about me?

“Honestly, with a relationship like ours, no one in society would accept it.

“You’re busy taking care of Tessa all day. When will you finally start focusing on the company?”

The next second, Jason’s attention was, unsurprisingly, diverted.

He furrowed his brows, and his gaze instantly turned cold.

“I’ve explained this a thousand times already. I don’t want to waste my breath discussing something so pointless.”

Then, he turned and went into the bedroom. A moment later, he came out holding a piece of clothing.

“Looks like you need some time to cool off. Once you have calmed down, I’ll come back, and we can have a proper talk.”

Before he left, as he closed the door behind him, he looked at me with disappointment and said,

“Sheena, you’re being a jealous mess, and it seriously makes me sick.”

Bang. The door slammed shut.

My head buzzed as the echo of the slam rang in my ears.

Pointless? Jealous mess?

So, he had really come to resent me that much.

The sour feeling that had just subsided in my chest rushed back up again, and the tips of my fingers, still not fully warmed, turned cold once more.

I sat on the sofa in a daze. I did not even know how much time passed.

What Jason did not know was that this version of me was actually very calm.

I pulled out my phone to check recent company performance reports and roughly calculated the value of the shares I held.

Suddenly, a news alert popped up in the local trending section.

Two familiar faces appeared in the photo, caught in a paparazzi shot.

[Renowned entrepreneur Jason Grant rumored to be married and living with his pregnant wife!]

Jason was smiling warmly, walking with Tessa in the park, gently supporting her.

The last photo showed the two of them entering the same villa.

A fresh wave of betrayal surged through me.

No wonder he left so decisively, taking only a few clothes and telling me to calm down.

It turned out that was just an excuse to get away.

I calmed myself down and exited the news app. Then, a message popped up from Jason:

[Sheena, there is a box I left in the safe. Could you drop it off for me? I will be waiting at Tessa’s villa.]

Even though I was a little surprised he would text me something like that out of the blue.

I knew whatever was in the safe must be important. After thinking about it for a while, I decided to take it to him.

Outside the villa.

Tessa was sitting on a swing, and Jason was patiently pushing it behind her.

My presence felt like a crack running through that calm, picture-perfect moment.

“Hey, Sheena, you are here! It has been so long since we’ve seen each other.”

As Tessa rose from the swing, Jason’s expression turned stormy. He shot me a furious glare. His eyes were burning with rage.

“Who told you to come here?! Sheena, you’ve completely lost it. Are you seriously stalking me now?!”

Before I could say a word, his expression looked like he wanted to tear me apart.

“Jason, I’m the one who asked her to come.

“You said the heirloom bracelet in the safe was for me. I couldn’t wait any longer, so I asked Sheena to bring it over. If you’re mad, be mad at me!”

As soon as Tessa put on that pitiful expression, Jason’s tense expression eased right away. There was even a hint of tenderness in his voice.

“How could I be mad at you? I told you, it’s yours. Since Sheena brought it here, I’ll put it on you now.”

He stepped forward and coldly snatched the box from my hands.

That was when I realized that it was not some important document inside.

It was the only bracelet left behind by his late mother.

Back when the company was struggling the most, Jason pawned it.

I remembered catching him staring at a photo of it on his phone, lost in thought. Therefore, I sold my blood to scrape together enough money to redeem it.

Later, he told me that the bracelet would only ever be passed down to the Grant family’s future daughter-in-law.

I waited for so long.

I never imagined that after everything, he would end up giving that bracelet to Tessa. The meaning was clear.

I bit down hard on my tongue. The taste of blood filled my mouth as I forced myself to stay composed.

“The box is delivered. I will be going now.”

I had barely taken two steps when Tessa rushed forward and grabbed my arm.

The bracelet was already on her wrist, swaying gently as she moved.

“Sheena, why are you leaving in such a hurry? Is it because you don’t want to see me?

“I know you’ve never liked me growing up. You always thought Mom and Dad favored me, so you have been holding a grudge.”