His Ex-Wife Is A Billionaire (Evadne and Thaddeus) novel Chapter 755

Marilla approached Jareth, a solitary figure standing in front of him.

She was still wearing that white fleece loungewear she favored at the villa they once lived at, her cute and playful appearance causing Jareth's pallid lips to lift in an involuntary smile.

Tears welled up in his eyes as he laughed, a single drop escaping to trace the line of his cheek.

Their eyes met, and a tumultuous tide of emotion surged between them, their hearts pounding fiercely within their chests.

The man before her had grown so thin; she could barely recognize him. She pressed tightly her lip to hold back the pain, afraid to utter a single word; afraid that if she did, she might break down in tears. If she cried, all her resolve would mean nothing.

Eyes bloodshot, Jareth shuffled forward with heavy steps, reaching out to wrap her in a fierce embrace.

Tears cascaded down Marilla's cheeks silently, her sobs muted as she refused to return the embrace. Yet even in her restraint, her ragged breath and racing heartbeat betrayed her feelings.

There were three things one cannot hide - coughs, poverty, and love.

Jareth had so much he wanted to say. He wanted to ask her, why was she marrying Alston? Why?

Why?!

But when he finally spoke, all that emerged was a concern, "Dressed so lightly, what if you catch a cold?"

Marilla, her forehead pressed against his chest, just shook her head slightly. Lily and Dean averted their eyes, unable to bear the sight of such star-crossed lovers. After a few moments of silence, Jareth's cold lips brushed against Marilla's ear, pleading softly, "Marilla, don't marry anyone else; please come home with me."

The woman in his arms said nothing, only her tears falling hot and fast onto his heaving chest. After a long moment, Marilla clenched her teeth and pushed him away with trembling hands, "Jareth, you have to take care of yourself from now on. Don't come looking for me again."

Jareth. A name she hadn't uttered in so long. Yet now, it carried a distance that was foreign to the warmth and sweetness it once held.

As she turned to leave, Jareth's restraint shattered. He grabbed her arm with a grip so tight it could crush her slender bones, "Marilla, how can you do this to me. How can you be so cruel. Wouldn't it be easier to just kill me?!"

"Mr. Fairhaven! Please, be calm!" Lily and Dean panicked, fearing he might hurt Marilla by accident.

But Jareth's eyes brimmed with fragmented tears, "Didn’t you say you loved me? That you'd only be mine? How could you go back on that? How could you?!"

He ranted in desperation, his hysteria carrying a taste of raw bitterness.

"A marriage not blessed by family will never be happy." Marilla endured the pain, her voice soft as she lied to him, and to herself, "I'm weak, and I'm scared. I'm afraid of getting hurt, afraid of causing trouble for those around me. I'm just an ordinary person; I can't handle the storms. I just want a simple life. Even without love, as long as it's peaceful, that's enough. Jareth, it hurts at first, but it’ll get better with time. I've let go of a lot, and you will too."

Lily was stunned. She finally understood what it meant to speak the most heartless words in the gentlest voice.

But having dealt with Gary earlier this evening, Lily hesitated. As long as Gary lived, he would seek revenge.

If Mr. Fairhaven and Ms. Abernathy reconciled, she would instantly become Gary's target, subject to whatever vile schemes he might concoct against this poor girl.

The best course of action would be to keep their distance for now, to resolve all the dangers first, and then let the young master court his woman cleanly. But who could have anticipated the Bartley family's interference! What if Ms. Abernathy truly married Alston in the end?!

Upon hearing Marilla's words, Jareth broke out in a cold sweat, his complexion void of any color. Could memories etched so deeply within the heart be so easily forgotten?

The harsh blare of a horn cut through the tension. Marilla's heart skipped a beat as she turned to see headlights illuminating her startled face.