(Virginia’s POV)
Once ir and James leave the shop, I move out of the driver’s seat and sit in the back.
The car ride back feels endless. James grips the steering wheel so tight his knuckles have gone white, while ir stares out the window with tears still streaming down her face. The silence is suffocating, but I need it. I need this quiet to think, to n.
That little girl’s face won’t leave my mind. Those brown eyes that are so clearly Jasper’s. The way she smiled, so innocent and trusting. She has no idea what her existence could cost me.
What it <i>will </i>cost me if I don’t act fast.
“We can’t tell Jasper,” I say suddenly, breaking the silence.
James’s eyes meet mine in the rearview mirror. “What?”
“About Lily. We can’t tell him about her.”
“Are you insane?” ir turns in her seat to face me, her mascara smudged and her face blotchy from crying. “That’s his daughter, Virginia. His child.”
“I know exactly who she is.” I keep my voice soft, reasonable. Like I’m not dying inside at the thought of losing everything. “But think about what telling him will do.”
“It’ll give him his daughter back-”
“It’ll make Scarlett run.” I lean forward, letting desperation creep into my voice. Not fake desperation–real fear that they can hear and believe. “You saw how angry she was. How protective. If she finds out Jasper knows about Lily, she’ll disappear again. This time for good.”
James pulls into the driveway but doesn’t turn off the engine. His jaw works like he’s chewing on something bitter.
“She already hates us,” I continue. “She made it clear we’re not family anymore. If we tell Jasper about Lily without her permission, she’ll see it as the ultimate betrayal. She’ll take that little girl and vanish, and none of us will ever see her again.”
ir’s face crumples. “But she’s our granddaughter-”
“And Scarlett is your daughter.” The lie tastes like ash, but I force it out. Me, not Scarlett, I am their daughter. But swallowing this loss means achieving my goal. “If we want any chance of
(Chapter 34
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being part of their lives, we have to respect Scarlett’s wishes. We have to wait until she’s ready.”
“How long?” James asks roughly. “How long do we wait while our son–inw doesn’t even
know he has a child?”
“As long as it takes.” I reach forward and touch ir’s shoulder, putting every ounce of false sincerity I can muster into my voice. “I know how much this hurts. I know you want to tell him. But pushing Scarlett right now will only make things worse.”
James turns off the engine. The sudden quiet feels heavy, loaded with all the things none of us are saying.
“She might never give us permission,” ir whispers.
“She might. But only if we show her we respect her boundaries. Only if we prove we’ve changed.”
It’s a good argument. Logical. The kind of thing that would appeal to their guilt over how they treated Scarlett before.
“I hate this,” James says finally.
“I know. But it’s the right thing to do.”
ir nods slowly, wiping her eyes. “You’re right. We have to think about what’s best for Lily. And if telling Jasper now would make Scarlett run…”
“It would,” I say firmly. “I guarantee it.”
James sighs, suddenly looking every one of his sixty–two years. “Fine. We wait. But Virginia…”
“Yes?”
“This better work. Because if we lose our chance to be in that little girl’s life because of your
advice…”
The threat hangs in the air between us. I nod, epting it, even though my stomach is churning.
“It will work. I promise.”
But as we walk toward the house, I’m already nning my next move. Because waiting isn’t enough. I need Scarlett gone permanently, and I need to make sure Jasper never finds out why.
The front door opens before we reach it. Jasper stands there, his hair messy like he’s been running his hands through it, his eyes bright with hope and impatience,
“How did it go? Did you see her? Did she listen?” <fnfe36> ??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? FindN0vel</fnfe36>
The hope in his voice makes me sick. He’s practically vibrating with anticipation, like a man starved, waiting for news that could change his life.
If only he knew how that sickens me.
“We saw her,” James says heavily, pushing past Jasper into the house.
“And?” Jasper follows us into the living room, his eyes darting between all of us. “What did she say?”
ir copses onto the sofa like all the strength has gone out of her legs. “She… she doesn’t want us in her life anymore.”
The light in Jasper’s eyes dims. “What do you mean?”
“She’s angry,” I say carefully. “Angrier than I’ve ever seen her. She told us to leave and note back.”
“That’s it. I’m going over there.” Jasper turns toward the door, his jaw set in that stubborn line I know so well. “I’m going to talk to her myself.”
“No.” I grab his arm, my fingers digging into his arm. “Jasper, you can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because she’s <i>not </i>ready. She’s hurt and defensive, and if you show up now, you’ll only make things worse.”
He shakes me off, but he doesn’t head for the door. “She’s my wife-
“She doesn’t want <i>to </i>be <i>your </i>wife anymore.” The wordse out sharper than I intended, and I see him flinch. “She made that very clear.”
“I don’t care what she thinks she wants. We belong together.”
“Maybe <i>you </i>do. But right now, she can’t see past her anger. If you push too hard, she’ll run away again. This time, she might just disappear forever.”
Jasper’s hands clench into fists. “So what? I’m supposed to just sit here and do nothing?”
“No, you’re supposed to be patient. Give her time to calm down, to think about what she really wants.”
< Chapter 34
“I know what she really wants-
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“Do you?” I step closer, letting vulnerability show in my eyes. “Because the woman we met today wasn’t the Scarlett we used to know. She’s stronger now. Colder. Independent in a way that…”
I trail off, letting him fill in the nks. Letting him imagine a Scarlett who doesn’t need him
anymore.
“She built a whole life without you,” I continue softly. “A sessful business, friends, a routine. Maybe she doesn’t want to give that up for a man who hurt her.”
The words hit their mark. I can see the doubt creeping into his expression, the fear that
maybe I’m right.
“But she loved me,” he says, and he sounds lost. Like a little boy who’s just been told there’s no Santa us.
“She did. But love isn’t always enough, Jasper. Sometimes the hurt goes too deep to ovee the hatred.”
He runs his hands through his hair, pacing to the window and back. “No, Scarlett doesn’t hate me. She’s just angry. I have to try. I have to-”
The room spins suddenly, ck spots dancing across my vision. My chest tightens, and I can’t breathe. Can’t think. The walls feel like they’re closing in.
“I can’t…” I gasp, clutching at my throat. “I can’t breathe.”
“Virginia?” Jasper’s voice sounds far away, muffled. “Virginia, what’s wrong?”
My legs give out. I’m falling, the world tilting sideways as panic ws at my chest like a living thing. My heart pounds so hard I think it might burst.
Not now. Not now when I need to be strong, need to be in control.
But my body betrays me, just like it always does when the stress gets too much. When the fear of losing everything bes too real.
“Call Dr. Morrison,” I hear James, my father, say from somewhere above me. “Now.”
Strong arms lift me, carry me to the sofa. Jasper’s face swims into focus above mine, creased with worry and guilt.
“It’s okay,” he murmurs. “You’re okay. Just breathe.”
But I can’t breathe. Because I can see my future crumbling, can see Jasper walking away
< Chapter 34
from me the moment he learns the truth.
The panic attack feels different this time. Sharper. More desperate.
Maybe because this time, I have so much more to lose.
Violet Moon
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