Never Surrender

I had been married to Matthew Zackman for 20 years, taken care of my bedridden mother-in-law for ten years, and supported him as he transformed from a rural teacher to a well-known professor. Everyone called me a model of a virtuous wife and a great contributor to the Zackman family.

When my mother-in-law was on her deathbed, she held my hand and said that she still wanted me to be her daughter-in-law in her next life.

Matthew had held me in his arms and said gratefully, "Jamie, you've worked so hard all these years. I'll make it up to you in the future."

I thought the hard times were finally over, but my mother-in-law had just passed away when he handed me a divorce agreement and embraced my best friend, who had grown up with me.

He said, "Jamie Lingsworth, I've endured this marriage for 20 years and am finally free. Rosie is the one I've loved all along."

I left the marriage empty-handed and was forced to wander the streets until a car accident ended my life.

When I reopened my eyes, I had returned to the day of my blind date 20 years ago.

The matchmaker was enthusiastically praising Matthew, "This young man is a diamond in the rough! He's kind and filial. Whoever marries him is one lucky woman!"

I looked at the polite and sincere-looking man across from me and smiled. Then, I threw the matchmaking document in my hand into the trash can. "Sorry, I don't think we're a good match."

The smile on Matthew Zackman's face froze. He propped up the gold-rimmed glasses on his nose bridge, his tone still gentle. "Ms. Linsworth, do we have a misunderstanding here? We can take our time getting to know each other. No need to come to that conclusion so quickly."

The matchmaker, Miriam Winston, also got anxious and grabbed my hand. "Oh, Jamie, you silly girl! It's hard to find a fine man like Mr. Zackman, even if you search high and low! Don't be foolish!"

I gently withdrew my hand as my gaze calmly fell upon Matthew. In my previous life, it was his gentle and refined appearance that deceived me for an entire lifetime.

I had thought he would not be poor forever and that his character made him one of a kind, so I took out all my savings, gave up the opportunity to further my studies at an art academy, and stayed with him in that small town. I took care of the house for him, entertained his superiors for him, and gradually paved the way to a bright future for him.

However, what happened in the end? After achieving success and fame, the first thing he did was to kick me away.

I smiled slightly. "Mr. Zackman, it's not a misunderstanding. You're great. It's just that I'm not good enough for you." Having said that, I stood up, took my bag, and turned around to leave.

"Jamie!" Matthew grabbed my wrist at once.

I turned around and looked at him icily.

He seemed to realize he had lost his composure and loosened his grip. "Ms. Linsworth, I just find it a pity. I promised my mother I'd find a wife as gentle and virtuous as you. I—"

I interrupted him and forcefully shook off his hand. "Then keep looking, Mr. Zackman. Stop following me. It's unsightly."

I walked out of the noisy café without looking back.

The early summer breeze brushed against my face with a hint of warmth, and I let out a long sigh of relief, thinking how great it was. It was not too late to change things.

Just then, my best friend, Rosalie Beck, called.

I swiped to answer the call, and her soft, concerned voice immediately came through. "Jamie, how did the blind date go? Ms. Winston said Mr. Zackman is a really nice guy. Did you meet him?"

I leaned against a sycamore tree by the roadside. Watching the mottled shadows cast from the tree, I chuckled softly. "Yes."

"That's great! What's he like? Is he as Ms. Winston said?"

"Yeah, he's got potential," I answered flatly.

Rosalie, on the other end of the line, seemed relieved. Her voice was full of joy. "I knew it! Jamie, you have to seize the opportunity! For a woman, marrying a good man is more important than anything else! Don't worry. I'll treat Mr. Zackman like a brother after you marry him!"

She had said the same thing in my past life.

Then, while I was overwhelmed with caring for my mother-in-law, she wore the dress I bought to comfort Matthew. While I was begging for funding for his research project, she accompanied him to various academic conferences as his confidante. In the end, she held my husband's arm as she told me, "Jamie, I'm sorry. Love is uncontrollable."

I closed my eyes, suppressing the simmering hatred within me. "Rosalie, why don't I give him to you if you think he's a good man?"

On the other end of the line, Rosalie's breath hitched.