Page 59 of Broken Hearts

The mention of her past actions hits a nerve, and her face contorts with rage. “That bitch thought she owned you! She—”

“Because she fucking did!” I cut in, my voice thundering in the room. “Because she still does.”

Jenny stumbles back, her bravado crumbling.

“You’ve been playing with fire. But here’s the thing about fire—it burns everything in its path. And I’m that fire. I won’t stop until there’s nothing left of you.”

She stumbles back, her face draining of color. “She’s not good enough for you!” she spits out, desperation lacing her voice.

I can’t help but laugh, a sound bitter with irony. “Fuck, Jenny. She’s not just good enough; she’s better than me. She’s the best part of me. And what you did to her…”

My voice trails off as I see the fear creeping into Jenny’s eyes, realizing she’s losing whatever control she thought she had. I lean in closer, my voice dropping to a menacing whisper. “You know, I’ve been thinking about how your school would react if they found out you cheated on the entrance exam.”

Her eyes widen in shock, and for a moment, she’s speechless. “You wouldn’t dare,” she finally manages to choke out.

“Oh, but I would,” I reply, stepping back with a cold smile. “See, I’ve got nothing to lose anymore. You tried to take away the one thing that matters to me, so why should I play fair?”

Jenny’s arrogance begins to fade, replaced by a dawning realization of the seriousness of her situation. She takes a shaky breath, looking like she might crumble right there on the spot.

“Please, Cole,” she whispers, her voice trembling. “I… I didn’t mean for things to go so far. It was a stupid mistake.”

“A mistake that could have cost her life,” I say sternly. “You don’t get to play the victim here. You made your choices, and now you have to face the consequences.”

My voice trails off, but I can’t stop myself from asking the question that’s been gnawing at me. “How did you find out? About my dyscalculia? I know for a fact my girl didn’t tell you.”

Her face contorts with disgust when I say, “my girl.” “I heard her asking the school psychologist where she could find information about dyscalculia and how to help her little cousin. I’m obviously not as stupid as you are, Cole. I knew it could only be you, and you fell for it.”

The urge to strangle her for all the pain she’s caused me and Eva is overwhelming, her lack of remorse fueling my anger. Maybe I should take everything from her. To hell with my father’s advice.

I watch her struggle to compose herself, her hands trembling at her sides. There’s a part of me that almost feels sorry for her, but then I remember Eva’s face, the pain she went through because of Jenny’s actions.

“Now leave,” I say, pointing at the door with a firm gesture. She hesitates, still reeling from the revelation, but I’m not done yet. “Oh, and before you get any ideas about retaliation,” I add, my voice low and controlled, “be thankful that your school and reputation are all I’m taking.”

My smile widens, a cold, calculating expression that I know will send a clear message. “Because guess who is now the major shareholder in your father’s company?” The shock on her face is satisfying. “Tread carefully and forget we exist. Because I swear on what I hold dearest to my heart, I will get him fired. You will be poorer faster than you can blink if you even think about approaching my girl. Do I make myself clear?”

I initially wanted to strip her of everything and watch her downfall, but my father pointed out a crucial flaw: if she had nothing left to lose, she'd have no reason not to fight back. By ensuring she still has something at stake, I can keep her in check. So, for the first time, I put aside my urge for total destruction and followed my father's advice.

Jenny nods, her usual confidence shattered. She knows I’m not bluffing. The power dynamics have shifted, and she’s on the losing end. Her eyes, once so full of malice, now reflect fear and resignation. Without another word, she turns and hurries out of the house, the sound of the door closing echoing through the room.

As I stand there, the weight of what I’ve just done settles on me. I’ve played the game she started, but I’ve ended it on my terms and won. Protecting Eva, ensuring she never gets hurt by Jenny again, is all that matters. The lengths I’ve gone to or would go to might be extreme, but when it comes to her, there are no half measures.

Now, with Jenny out of the picture, I can focus on what’s important—fixing things with my girl. I need to make things right, to show her that she’s my priority, my everything. The thought of seeing her, of explaining everything and hoping for her understanding, fills me with a sense of urgency.

Grabbing my keys, I leave the house, each step feeling like a move toward the future I’m determined to build with her. When I get to her place, I’m surprised it’s not empty—it’s just Poppy and me. It’s kind of odd, actually, it's the first time we’ve been alone together.

“Eva’s not here,” Poppy tells me cautiously. “She’s working with her professor on her project.”

I play it cool, though I already knew that. “Mind if I wait for her?”

She hesitates but then opens the door wider. “Sure.”

“Do you want something to drink?” she offers, going back to her tray of cupcakes.

“No, thanks.” I sit at the counter and look at her as she puts some frosting on them.

“My little brother has a bake sale tomorrow, but I got caught up with class, so I made them here, and I can drop them off when Ethan and I go for dinner tonight.”

I feel a twinge of jealousy—Ethan’s fitting into her world so easily. I wonder how it’ll be when I eventually get to bring Eva home and when she will introduce me to her father as her man.

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