Since he couldn’t recall it right away, Ian didn’t overthink it. He saved the photo and had a short chat with
Ben.
After sorting everything out, Ian instructed him, “Don’t mention this to anyone else for now, including, but not limited to, Stanley and Jeffrey.”
“Alright,” Ben didn’t press for details, just agreed.
“Make sure to take care of yourself,” Ian said this and then left.
He had to figure out who this scar belonged to–and fast.
Even though Becky and Andrea were working together now, Ian still felt more secure digging into it himself.
After getting home, he dropped the photo into the girls‘ group chat and typed, “This scar looks pretty familiar -any of you remember seeing it before?”
As soon as the message went out, Jessica flooded the chat with a string of question marks.
Ian was totally baffled. “What’s up?”
Jessica didn’t bother replying–she just called him up and started yelling, “Ian, are you some kind of creep?”
“What do you mean, creep?” Ian waspletely lost.
“If you’re not a creep, why are you even taking pictures of Reba’s thigh? Seriously?” Jessica blurted out, not even bothering to read the caption. “Are you out of your mind?”
Ian: <b>“</b><b>???</b><b>” </b>
Ian: “!!!”
Ian’s pupils practically shook in disbelief.
Jessica kept ranting, “Seriously, you say you like her, but you pull this disrespectful stunt–and you call that love? Where’s the respect?”
“Wait, are you absolutely sure the photo I just sent was of Becky’s thigh?” Ian’s voice brimmed with pure excitement and anticipation.
Jessica raised an eyebrow as a hint of annoyance crept in.
‘That tone? Seriously?‘ she thought to herself.
‘Why does he have to sound so damn cocky?‘
“Get Becky to check if that’s her scar–like, right now!” Ian was practically losing his mind; he’d never felt this out of control before. “Once you confirm, reply to me in the group chat. It’s super important!!!”
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Jessica wanted to ask something else, butn had already hung up before she got the chance.
She was about to go off on him again, but then stopped herself. Sure, Ian was a bit of a smartass sometimes. but he was never actually creepy.
Thinking that over, she decided to let it go.
Once Reba was done with her shower and had her hair dried, Jessica showed her the photo.
Reba looked carefully at the scar, checking every little detail, then she simply replied: [Yes.]
Ian called up instantly, barely containing his excitement. “For real? It really is?”
Reba picked up and replied coolly, “If there’s no such thing as two identical scars in the world, then yeah- this one’s definitely mine.”
“Do you guys even realize where I snagged this photo from?” Ian started bragging, voice full of pride. “Straight out of Ben Cole’s inbox–the same doctor Andrea sees, if you can believe it!”
Reba froze for a second, letting that sink in.
Jessica blurted out, “How’d he even get that?”
‘Seriously? What do you think!‘ Ian’s heart was racing–he could barely hold back his excitement.
Jessica racked her brain over it.
But she just couldn’t see how it all fit together.
She never even thought about a hospital getting involved in something shady like copying scars–aren’t they supposed to be saving people?
“Seriously, you still can’t figure it out?” Ian jumped in as soon as he couldn’t take the silence anymore, practically about to spill over with excitement. “Andrea sent Ben that photo–she wanted him to clone the exact scar on her right leg.”
Jessica: “<b>??</b><b>” </b>
Jessica’s mind went nk for a second. “Wait, hospitals actually do stuff like that?”
Ian was so exasperated he felt like cracking open her skull to see what was inside.
‘Is that really what you’re worried about right now?‘ Ian thought.
‘Why can’t she ever get to the point?‘
“Come on, think it through—what’s the actual takeaway from what I just said?” Ian pushed, impatient.
Before Ian could say anything more, Reba’s gentle voice cut through.
‘So if Andrea tracked down Jeffrey because of that scar… doesn’t that mean I’m the real one who saved his life?‘
13:39 Mon, Oct <b>6</b><b>. </b>
Reba murmured, barely audible.
Jessica was stunned speechless.
Suddenly, it all clicked for her.
” </b>
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“You sure you’re okay?” Jessica asked, noticing how upset Reba looked and feeling genuinely worried.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” Reba said, even though it felt like something heavy was crushing her chest and every bit of happiness had been drained away. “I need to check something in the study. You guys keep chatting.”
She put her phone down and walked off.
Watching Reba drift away, clearly lost in thought, Jessica couldn’t hide the worry etched on her face.
Ian immediately picked up on the heavy vibe. “Becky?”
Jessica pulled her gaze back, sighing softly. “This is a lot for her to take in. Just give her a little space.”
“Isn’t this a win?” Ian said, totally clueless about the mood. “It’s the perfect p in the face for Jeffrey and Andrea, plus Becky can finally cut loose and walk away free!”
“And that’s exactly why you’re single,” Jessica replied, savage as always.
Ian: “?”
‘Did I say something wrong?‘ Ian wondered, genuinely lost.
Jessica nced toward the study. “She and Jeffrey loved each other for five years. If it weren’t for Andrea, they could’ve had a lifetime of happiness together.”
After all those twists and turns, they’re right back at square one.
Honestly, who could possibly ept that?
“Do you think I should gofort her?” Ian asked, a little guilty.
“No,” Jessica said, knowing Reba all too well. “She needs time to deal with this herself. If I go now, she’ll just put on a brave face and hide what she’s really feeling.”
*****
Reba settled by the floor–to–ceiling window in the study, her gaze drifting through the ss to the grass and garden beyond. Without a single thought in her head, she just sat there quietly, lost in the silence.
She wasn’t even sure what she was feeling right now.
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Not sad, not angry. <fn87af> ?????? ???? F?ndNovel</fn87af>
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She simply found herself uninterested in everything, as though her emotions had been drained in an instant, her eyes fixed on the world outsidepletely unfocused.
Reba sat there in that daze all the way until the early hours, one or two in the morning, stillpletely checked out.
It was only when Jessica finally came in that Reba slowly came back to herself.
“Reba,” Jessica called softly.
Reba blinked and looked up, her expression steady and eerily calm.
Jessica sat down next to her and wrapped her arms around Reba in a warm,forting hug.
“Really, I’m okay,” Reba said gently, her look so calm it almost felt unreal. “Go get some sleep, Jess.”
“No way, I’m not letting you mope around. Grab your stuff–I’m dragging you out! We’ll party till you forget all your worries,” Jessica insisted, knowing full well that a calm Reba usually meant she was holding in way too much.
“I’m not stressing,” Reba said, her mind clearer than ever. “Just got a lot running through my head, that’s all.”
Jessica rested her hand on Reba’s shoulder, leaning her head gently against her. “Are you afraid Jeffrey won’t be able to handle it?”
Reba didn’t respond.
Reba could already imagine how Jeffrey would take the news.
He’d be so happy, probably grinning from ear to ear, saying, “So we actually met way back then? That’s incredible!” Then he’d promise that he’ll always keep his word and look after her forever.
He’d get all hopeful about their future and spoil her even more.
Still… some things can’t ever be undone.
No matter how much you wish, there are pieces of life you just can’t get back.
And no matter what, she couldn’t just erase everything that happened as if it never existed.
“Girl, you just need to think about what you really want–let everything else sort itself out,” Jessica said, clearly understanding how Reba felt. “Right now, what’s most important is this: do you still want to call it quits with him?<b>” </b>
Reba answered without a trace of doubt. “Yes. I still do.”
“Then tomorrow we march over there and get this done!” Jessica said, her tone fired up and ready for action.
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Reba pressed her lips together, feeling a storm of emotions swirling inside her.
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Jeffrey still hadn’t really moved past what happened back then. If she said it out loud right now, she worried he’d just fall right back into that pain Stanley always used to talk about.
“Better to let him figure it out for himself,” Reba said quietly, thinking that’s really the only freedom she could offer him now. “Just tell Ian’s people not to block anyone–if they’re itching to find answers, let them dig all they want.”
Reba knew that dropping the truth on him herself would be way too much–a total emotional grenade with zero warning.
He’d go from the rush of finding out she was the one who saved his life, mmed right into the heartbreak of divorce–all in the same breath, without even a second to let the joy sink in.
After loving her for years and never once cking off, after giving her all those seconds of special care and little exceptions, at the very end she just wanted to offer him a shred of kindness in return–nothing big, just a small way to pay back all those years of devotion.