The Abandoned Wife's Second Chance (Scarlett and Jasper) novel Chapter 65

Chapter 65

(Dorian’s POV)

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I watch them go into the building, feeling more relaxed and fulfilled than I have felt in a long

time.

Scarlett and Lily are a blessing. I can’t comprehend what possessed Jasper to let go of them.

Admittedly, he didn’t let them go. He lost them because of his stupidity.

Sneaking around at the park like a thief, his eyes flashing with pain every time I held Scarlett’s hand or picked up Lily…

It’s sick, but I must say it filled me with a strange sense of satisfaction.

I wanted him to see. Wanted him to know that if he didn’t know how to treasure the blessings he had, there is a man who would be more than happy to fill his shoes.

I watch them go into the building, feeling more relaxed and fulfilled than I have felt in a long

time.

Walking toward my car, memories of my childhood surface unbidden.

My mother, struggling to pay bills while working two jobs. Coming home exhausted but still finding the energy to help me with my homework. Lying awake at night, hearing her cry in frustration when she thought I was asleep.

She tried so hard to be both parents. To fill the hole my father left when he neglected his responsibilities, when he ran off with another woman, deciding we weren’t worth staying for.

She struggled to raise me on her own. Until my grandfather found us.

Becoming a Cross wasn’t a walk in the park. I had to prove myself worthy of the name. The wealth, the status, and the pressure that came with it.

It took years, but in the end, I did gain the old man’s approval. And with it, the hostility of the rest of the Cross members.

Despite being a big family, there is no warmth between siblings. In the Cross, one only chased after benefits, and to get it, no means were too dirty to use.

My mother was my only harbor. The only relief from the fatigue, the constant in–fighting in the Cross family.

I see so much of her in Scarlett. The fierce love, the stubborn determination to give her child

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the best. The way she carries the weight of the world on her shoulders without complaint.

And maybe it’s because of the resemblance that I’m drawn to her. Compelled to protect her, to protect Lily, from the schemes of Virginia.

“Dorian.”

I’m halfway to my car when a harsh voice calls my name. I turn and find Jasper standing a few feet away. His suit, wrinkled. Hair, disheveled.

He looks like a man who went to hell and back.

“We need to talk.” He says, jaw clenched tight. “Let’s find a place.”

I study him carefully, and smile. “There’s a coffee shop two blocks down. We can talk there.” I need to set some records straight with him as well. And what could be a better time than the present?

We walk in silence. With Jasper glancing back at Scarlett’s apartment every few seconds. I can’t determine if he’s afraid she would suddenly step out, and catch him with me. Or if he’s unable to walk away.

His hands shake slightly, and the dark circles under his eyes make me raise a brow. Did he beat himself up, or receive a beating?

The coffee shop is nearly empty when we enter. We claim a table by the corner, ordering drinks neither of us is interested in.

“You love her,” Jasper says without preamble. It’s not a question.

“Yes.” I don’t see the point in lying. “I love them both.”

He flinches like I’ve hit him. “But she’s my wife.”

“Soon to be your ex–wife. And clearly one you failed to cherish.” I lean back in my chair, and smirk at the dark expression that covers his face. “Tell me, Jasper – did you even remember she was pregnant when you left her in the middle of nowhere for another woman?”

“I didn’t leave her for another woman. Virginia was having a panic attack.”

“Do you even believe yourself?”

“She was my oldest friend. My only family before…” He runs his hands through his hair. “I thought I needed to protect her, to be there for her after everything she did for me.”

“And what, exactly, did she do for you that was so great you failed your wife?”

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His face goes pale then. I almost, almost, feel sorry for him. Because from our few interactions, I can tell.

He loves Scarlett. And Lily too.

Too bad he kept a snake by his side. And by the looks of it, a snake he can’t even see through.

That saved me trouble. I now know this i***t hasn’t a clue of what Virginia has been up to behind his back. And since he doesn’t know what she’s been up to… it means he’s not the one who’s been covering her ass.

That brings me back to the main question. Who is helping Virginia, and why?

Resting my elbows on the table, I clasp my hands together. My tone is no–nonsense and all business now that I got the answer to what I needed to know. “Scarlett is done with you, Jasper. She doesn’t love you anymore. She asked me for help in finalizing your divorce. And I am going to help her, whether you like it or not.”

“Does Old Mr Cross know his grandson is lusting after a married woman?”

“My grandfather has no say in the woman I love.”

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