Page 28 of Forgive You

Where did I go wrong?

It’s in these moments that I wonder if I did enough. Maybe I should’ve tried a little harder with Jason and flew to Los Angeles after shit hit the fan. But as much as I have my regrets, my brown eyes are looking back at me in the mirror every day with my head held high.

I vowed to not let any Spencer boy boss me around anymore. That might have been indicated for Jacob, but it sure as hell is applicable for Jason as well.

I called him so many times. I texted him, begging him to call me. But he treated me the same way Jacob would whenever we had a fight.

He ghosted me.

And even though Jacob hurt me every time he did, when Jason did the exact same thing, it broke my heart. Because I thought he knew me better than that.

I missmy Jason. I do. But I won’t chase him. I already gave him more than I was selling the second he got me alone.

I feel so betrayed, embarrassed.

When he touched me at the gala, my heart instantly purred at his comforting hands on my body, enlightening my senses as if he had a key no one else ever possessed. Like I was an instrument only he knew how to play. Until his face morphedinto something I recognized in his brother, and he stomped my heart to pieces.Again.

As if it wasn’t already crushed enough.

I bury my face in my hands, ignoring the aching path of my heart up my throat.

Was I wrong for coming here and taking this job? What was I thinking? Should I have stayed in North Carolina?And then what, Julie?

Watch Jacob destroy everything you’ve worked for? But the alternative is that I’m now working with the man who hates me as much as I believe he once loved me.

He did, right? At least as friends? Fuck, I don’t even know anymore.

My entire world is fucked up.

My phone lights up beside me, and I pick it up with a shorthellowhen I don’t recognize the number.

“Hey, Julie, it’s Mike. From the office?” he says when I stay quiet, blinking at the pink sheets of my bed, still firmly rooted on the floor.

“Yeah, of course, hey.”

“You alright?”

Not even a fucking little bit.But I push a smile onto my cheeks, hoping it will etch into my voice, curiosity taking over.

“Yeah, I’m good. What’s up?”

“Well, Edward mentioned you haven’t bought a car yet.”

Random.

“Nope, I haven’t had the chance. Just Ubering my way to the office every day.”

“I could help you with that next week. We could go car shopping. We can probably find you a decent car that will save you a lot of Uber money.”

I frown, a little confused where his sudden interest in my commuting arrangement comes from. “Uhm, yeah, sure, thoughI haven’t wanted to invest in a car yet until I get my permanent contract.”

“A sensible woman. I like that.”Thanks?“But since you don’t have a car, I figured you’d maybe want a ride tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow?” What the heck is tomorrow? It’s Saturday.

“The yacht party?”Oh, damn.“You’re coming, right?”

Truth be told, I forgot about it altogether because I’ve been too busy reliving every awful and amazing moment of the gala I haven’t recovered from.

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