After the meal, Jaycie and her friends parted ways, and Cole offered to drive both her and Eileen home. Perhaps remembering the earlier incident with the front seat, Cole had learned his lesson. This time, he brought out the family’s limousine, complete with a chauffeur, eliminating any need for a front-seat debate.

The car glided smoothly toward the Wises’ residence, the ride uneventful. No one could have predicted what would happen next. Out of nowhere, a speeding, out-of-control truck barreled toward them from the opposite direction.

The driver instinctively swerved, but with a deafening crash, the two vehicles collided.

As the windows shattered and the force of the impact threw Jaycie to the side, she caught a glimpse of Cole shielding Eileen in his arms, protecting her from harm. He was gently patting her back and soothing her, his focus entirely on her.

Jaycie’s consciousness began to fade, and at that moment, she remembered the accident her friends had mentioned earlier. It had been during their fourth year together, when his love for her was still at its peak.

It had been at an intersection just like this, with a truck speeding toward them. Her side of the car had been in the direct path of the collision. In a split second, realizing they couldn’t avoid the truck, Cole had forcefully turned the wheel, putting himself in harm’s way instead.

The front of the car had crumpled, trapping him in the driver’s seat. It had taken firefighters and doctors working together to free him. He had nearly died that day, but even when he woke up, his first words had been to ask if she was okay.

Now, in a similar accident, the person he instinctively protected was no longer her.

The rear of the car was a mangled mess. Once everyone had gotten out of the car, Cole, who had been comforting Eileen, finally noticed Jaycie.

She was standing silently, holding a hand to her bleeding forehead. Fortunately, her injuries weren’t severe, and after being treated at the hospital, she was declared fine. However, because the injury was to her head, the doctor recommended she stay for observation for a couple of days.

Cole looked at the bandage on her head, his face filled with guilt. "Jaycie, I’m so sorry. Eileen and I have an upcoming collaboration, and we have to attend some events together, so her face couldn’t be injured. That was why I protected her. You can hit me, yell at me—I’ll take it all. Just don’t shut me out, okay?"

His apology seemed sincere, and his reasoning almost made sense—if Jaycie hadn’t known the wedding was less than two weeks away. The event he mentioned was likely the wedding.

She kept her eyes down, neither accepting nor rejecting his apology. Her expression remained unreadable, calm and detached.

Cole continued to apologize, his words tumbling out in a rush. Suddenly, as if he was struck by an idea, his eyes lit up with hope. "Your birthday is coming up in a few days. Let me give you your gift early, okay? What do you want? I’ll buy you anything."

At this, she finally looked up at him, her gaze steady and emotionless. "Then buy me a plane ticket to Housleton, three days from now."

"Housleton? What for?" He was surprised but quickly supplied his own answer. "Do you want to go on a trip?"

Jaycie didn’t explain. She simply nodded and said, "Yeah."

Cole didn’t press further. Right there in front of her, he pulled out his phone and booked a ticket to Housleton. After completing the purchase, he added, "I’ve been really busy lately, so I can’t go with you. But you go ahead and enjoy Housleton. When I have time, I’ll join you. A plane ticket is too small for a birthday gift. I’ll make it up to you with a bigger surprise later."

Jaycie shook her head, a faint smile playing on her lips. "It’s not small. Not at all."

After all, this plane ticket was her ticket home.

She wanted to thank Cole for the gift—for sending her home with his own hands.

During the two days Jaycie spent in the hospital, Cole seemed to revert to the attentive, caring man he had been at the start of their relationship. But, as expected, his attentiveness didn't last. It ended the day she was discharged.

He claimed he had urgent business at the office and arranged for the driver to take her home. Not long after, she received a taunting message from Eileen.

[Sorry. Since Cole and I are getting married, he's taking me to the family estate for dinner today and won't have time to pick you up from the hospital.]

Jaycie didn't let the message bother her. She quietly went home and began packing her things.

On the day of her departure, she woke up early. Seven hours before her flight, she was hauling her suitcases out the door when she ran into Cole, who had just returned.

Seeing the pile of luggage at the entrance, he paled, and a wave of unease washed over him. "What's all this?"

"Didn't I say I was going to Housleton for a trip? You even bought the ticket for me. Did you forget?" Her tone was casual, as if she were really just preparing for a short vacation.

But her explanation didn't convince him. "Isn't it just for a couple of days? Why so much luggage?"

Jaycie smiled faintly. "Girls like to pack extra clothes for photos. You know how it is."

But she had never been one to take many photos, and on past trips, she had never brought so much luggage. His unease grew, spreading through him like a cold wave. He was tempted to open her suitcases right then and there to see if she was telling the truth.

Just as he was about to act, his phone rang urgently. It was Eileen.

After answering, he listened in silence for a moment, then reluctantly left, but not without turning back to remind Jaycie, "Don't be gone too long. Send me your return flight details, and I'll pick you up."

She didn't respond because she knew she wasn't coming back.

This was their final goodbye.

Five hours before her flight, she changed the passcode on the front door. She replaced her own birthday with Eileen's, then stuck a note on the door.

[Since this will soon be Ms. Wise's home, it's only fitting that the passcode be her birthday.]

Three hours before her flight, she gathered all the photos of her and Cole from around the house and tossed them into a fire pit.

There were pictures of him holding her under a sky full of fireworks, kissing her and declaring she was his. Photos of him kneeling under a starry sunset, vowing to love her forever. Memories of him breaking three ribs to save her from a car crash, remembering her menstrual cycle, and filling his social media with her.

They had shared springs, summers, autumns, and winters together.

Now, as the memories burned to ash, so did their relationship.

Two hours before her flight, her phone buzzed. It was a video from Eileen.

The video appeared to be from a family dinner, with Cole's friends, Eileen's close companions, and both sets of parents gathered around. The crowd was cheering, urging Cole and Eileen to kiss.

"Kiss her! Kiss her! Kiss her!"

"Come on, Cole. The wedding's in a few days! Don't be shy. You can't wait for the girl to make the first move!"

Amid the cheers, Eileen, her cheeks flushed, closed her eyes and leaned in. The crowd erupted as Cole cupped the back of her head and kissed her deeply.

The video played on a loop. By the seventh replay, Eileen sent another message.

[Jaycie, did you see? I'm the one everyone recognizes as the future Mrs. Benson. With your family's background, the Bensons would never accept you. Someone like you would be lucky to marry a beggar.

[Cole might love you, but his defenses are crumbling. First, he met my parents, then my friends. Now we're living together, and he just kissed me. How long do you think it'll be before we take the next step?]

Jaycie didn't reply. Instead, she printed out every taunting message Eileen had sent her over the past few days, compiling them into a stack and leaving them on the empty living room table.

One hour before her flight, she added a final note to the pile.

[Cole, congratulations on getting married. We're done.]

Then, she dragged her suitcases out of the villa, hailed a cab, and sped off toward the airport.

She would return to being the heiress of the wealthiest family.

And Cole would mean nothing to her.