Act Like You Love Me (Jessica) novel Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Aaron’s POV

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I stared into the shattered glass of her eyes–once vibrant blue, ow clouded, as if the ocean depths had been churned up by a silent, devastating storm,

I waited, holding my breath, hoping she would confess the specic pain that had broken her.

She’d mentioned the humiliation, the bullying, but there had to be something specific that had snapped her today, and I needed to hear it, to understand so I could fix it.

But her mouth opened, then sealed shut again, and she simply let the tears fall, continuous and silent.

It hurt me deeply to see her like this.

She offered me a broken smile, the kind that didn’t reach her eyes, and looked away, gaze lost somewhere in the shadows of the room.

“You know, I was thinking…” she began, her voice barely audible, a fragile whisper that forced me to lean in closer just to

catch it.

“What do you think is the best way for suicide? If you were to choose a path, which would you pick to ensure a peaceful one?”

The rest of her words faded into white noise–my mind latched onto the word “suicide” like a vice, everything else drowning out.

From what I remembered, thoughts like that only surfaced when someone hit rock bottom, when life felt like an endless void, the pain too overwhelming to bear.

I’d been through hell after Fiona’s betrayal—the anger, the betrayal, the nights staring at the ceiling wondering if I’d ever feel whole again–but suicide? It never crossed my mind. Not once.

“Jess?” My voice came out hoarse, scraped raw.

“W–what are you saying?”

She smiled weakly, a ghost of her usual cheerful self, and bit her bottom lip. She was staring into some unreachable distance, and the tears started rolling again, faster this time.

“I’m thinking of the best way to end it all, Aaron. I see no point in living anymore,” she whispered, her voice like tissue paper tearing.

“I have crushing debts. My future is hazy, maybe non–existent. Everyone hates me, my physique is terrible… I’m just existing in the world without truly living in it.”

She released a shaky, defeated sigh that sounded like the air leaving a punctured lung.

She was utterly shattered, a beautiful object dropped and cracked into a thousand pieces.

Her eyes were terrible to look at. They were two shattered, blue mosaics where the light had gone out–the perfect picture of a soul adrift in endless night.

The sight of that pure brokenness didn’t just hurt; it was a physical terror. Her pain was infectious, a poison radiating from her to me, instantly choking the air in my lungs. It made my skin crawl with a desperate need to fix her, to shield her from the world and herself.

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Chapter 19

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I watched her be tough, been a witness to her resilience through all the crap, including the years I was an ass to her. But this wasn’t strength. This was her breaking at the core.

No one would care if I’m gone, right: I’ll barely be noticed. I think I’ll save everyone the

Jess, Icalled firmly, cutting her off. I didn’t force her to look at the this time. I simply sat down beside her, close enough that our arms brushed.

“Don’t say that. Sincide isn’t an option.” I began gently, my voice steady despite the panic rising in my chest.

“Because if you choose to go, you’re taking me along with you.” added, softly.

She slowly tilted her head toward me, curiosity flickering in her yes–more like a desperate spark of hope, searching for meaning in my words.

I knew what she wanted it to mean, and yeah, it was close, but not quite. Not yet.

Jess, it’s obvious the universe has had us in mind to be a constant in each other’s lives. Being neighbors, being my victim, to being roommates, and now this fake relationship…” I chuckled dryly, shaking my head at the absurd, beautiful mess life had made of us.

“We’ve grown into each other’s skin. You have my heart, and I have yours, Jess. If you decide to die, I’m coming along with you.”

And I meant it, every damn word. I truly couldn’t picture a world without Jessica in it. She filled the spaces I didn’t even know were empty, lighting up the dark corners with her quiet strength.

I’d met plenty of people–flashy, confident, temporary–but none slotted into my life like her. Maybe it was the weird evolution of us: from bully to defender, roommate to… whatever this tangled mess was becoming.

In her own subtle ways, she’d been there for me, “repaying” those so–called debts without realizing she’d done it a hundred times over through her loyalty, her presence.

Yes, I could have hired a model or an actress for this public ruse, but I chose Jessica. Maybe because, somewhere deep down, I hoped this fake relationship would become something real.

She sighed, the sound weary and defeated.

“You don’t have to lie to make me feel good, Aaron. I mean it, I’m tired of this world. I want to go meet my mom, wherever she is.”

Her voice cracked, and she resumed sobbing, burying her face in her hands.

I scooted closer, closing the distance until our knees finally touched. The familiar jolt of electric current jumped between us, instantaneous and sharp, but I immediately banked the feeling.

This moment wasn’t about that, it was about keeping her here.

“I’m not lying, Jess. I meant everything I said. I care about you. I want you in this world.”

“But why?” she asked absentmindedly, her gaze drifting again.

I didn’t have a simple, rehearsed answer. If I wanted her to choose life, I had to give her a genuine, rock–solid reason.

“What do you want me to do to prove I want you here?” I asked, my voice demanding but soft.

She gave a short, sharp little noise; a laugh, but utterly humorless and empty, like a broken music box. It was the first time I’d heard such a desolate sound from her; she was usually so resilient, so inherently bubbly.

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Chapter 19

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Today, however, was terrifyingly different. Her quiet optimism, the way she’d always bounced back, was gone. It felt as if the very light inside her had suddenly flickered and died.

You can’t do it for me, Aaron,” she whispered, tears rolling past er knuckles.

I knew exactly what she meant, but it wasn’t enough for me to guess. I needed her to look me in the eye and say exactly what she wanted, what she needed to stay.

She needed to be bold enough to demand the impossible.

“You don’t get to decide that for me, flower,” I insisted, my hand reaching to gently stroke her hair. “Tell me what you want me to do for you to get those dark thoughts off your mind forever. Tell me what I have to give you.”

Note: Will Jessica finally let Aaron in on what she’s really thinking? Stay tuned for the next chapter.

Thank you for following this story. Because Letterlux doesn’t offer a comment section, feel free to reach me on Facebook at Auteure Angel–I’d love to hear from you.

Thank you, truly

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