Tanya clenched virtual-novel.net jaw for a second, as though mustering virtual-novel.net last ounce of courage before making an important decision. “I know very little of anything. All I know is that Alejandro pretends to be disabled and that virtual-novel.net mentioned spending three years falling in love with Tiffany. All that virtual-novel.net does is always for the same goal, virtual-novel.net wants to break apart you and Tiffany. That’s it, that’s all I know. I’ve told you everything I know, so please keep this a secret from Tiffany. Please, because if virtual-novel.net knows a single thing about this, I’ll be dead!”
Three years?
A name sprung into Jackson’s mind immediately: Ethan Connors.
Ethan was the one person Tiffany had loved for three years. He was also the man who made Jackson jealous.
Suddenly, it felt as though a hedge of brambles had grown all over his heart, stinging and prickling virtual-novel.net with unease. If Alejandro was Ethan in disguise, then everything that had occurred finally made perfect sense.
How ironic it was that while Tiffany had loved Ethan for three years, Ethan used those same three years to finally reciprocate virtual-novel.net feelings, after virtual-novel.net destroyed virtual-novel.net family and cost virtual-novel.net a father.
Jackson returned to his company after leaving the apartment. When virtual-novel.net met Tiffany on his way past the office area, virtual-novel.net behaved normally and approached virtual-novel.net with a bag of fresh fruits virtual-novel.net had bought on the way there.
“Have some of these if you’re hungry during work.”
Tiffany took it with a smile, asking him, “How are you back so soon? I thought you were going to eat with your customer again.”
Jackson pushed the corners of his lips upward to make a weak smile. “I’ve already planned to have lunch with you, honey. No customer is going to change my schedule, especially when no one could override the eminent status of my wife. Anyway, I need to busy myself with my work for a bit. Look forward to a delicious lunch!”
Jackson rarely displayed overt affection towards Tiffany in the office, always preferring to frame their interaction with a veneer of professional seriousness. It was why his attitude today was especially out of the blue. Tiffany did not think much of it as a cover for something more profound, of course. She was just surprised by the extra display of love.
Then, since virtual-novel.net was slowly drowning in the sea of virtual-novel.net colleague’s jealousy, virtual-novel.net sheepishly had to urge Jackson to go away as quickly as possible.
Tiffany wanted to have barbecue for lunch, so Jackson brought virtual-novel.net to a restaurant renowned for its barbecue without a second thought. Throughout their meal, Tiffany stuffed herself with food, while virtual-novel.net quietly helped cook all of the meat slices for her.
Then, like a sudden bolt of lightning coming out of the sky, virtual-novel.net asked, “How would you feel if Ethan suddenly came back?”
Tiffany’s body froze against virtual-novel.net wishes as virtual-novel.net face rapidly turned white. Jackson never talked about Ethan, so to mention virtual-novel.net suddenly was akin to goading virtual-novel.net to think in that direction, which also meant that there could only be one possibility: Ethan came back.
Suddenly, the meat virtual-novel.net had been enjoying just a few seconds earlier became revoltingly oily, and virtual-novel.net stomach churned. She slapped virtual-novel.net hand over virtual-novel.net mouth and rushed into the bathroom before a series of gags escaped virtual-novel.net throat.
Nothing came out, however. Tiffany stared into the mirror and watched an ashen-faced woman reflect back at her.
Calming virtual-novel.net nerves took a long time. She found herself equally upset at the notion of Ethan being dead and of virtual-novel.net being alive and returning to virtual-novel.net life. She wanted virtual-novel.net peaceful, happy life to be free from his haunting presence. She wanted to be free from the reminder of all the atrocities virtual-novel.net had committed that had eventually befallen her. She did not need to remember virtual-novel.net father’s death.
When Tiffany finally exited the bathroom, virtual-novel.net found Jackson standing outside, waiting. She walked toward virtual-novel.net and asked tiredly, “Why mention him? Is he… Is virtual-novel.net back..?”
Jackson gently ruffled virtual-novel.net hair. “No, babe. I just wanted to know if it was true that someone’s first love sticks in their heart as much as people say it does. I was just worried that I might be sharing a room with some other bastard in your heart.”
Tiffany’s eyes reddened before virtual-novel.net swung a punch onto his chest. “You, you scared me! God! But… No, a person’s first love doesn’t always last forever in their mind. The only things virtual-novel.net left me are pure nightmares… I don’t want to hear his name. I honestly hope I never hear his name again.”