He Lost Me to His Best Friend novel Chapter 246

Jacqueline snapped back to reality and replied coldly, "Take it back. Tell the store we're refusing the delivery. Whoever bought it can deal with it."

-

In the living room, Scarlett was digging through the first-aid kit.

Julian was bruised pretty badly. Discoloration bloomed around the corners of his mouth and eyes, and his arms were scratched raw by gravel.

Holding an iodine swab, Scarlett gently dabbed around the edges of his cuts, her every movement heavy with guilt. "I'm so sorry, Julian, for dragging you into my mess. If I had known Yardley would misunderstand you like this, I would never have wanted to associate with you."

Julian, however, offered a casual smile, his tone relaxed. "Scarlett, you just have to focus on being yourself. Don't worry about how others see you, or life gets too exhausting. Besides, who could have predicted that the man behind Croft Design Studio was me, and that you were S.L.? Some connections are just meant to be. We should appreciate them, not push them away."

Scarlett paused, then felt a wave of relief.

He was right. The gears of fate had long been turning; no one could have predicted this.

Since she had already decided on a divorce, why should she care about what anyone else thought? She just needed to focus on the road ahead. Let Yardley think whatever he wanted.

"You're right. We can't control other people's minds, we can only do our best," Scarlett's mood brightened, and she shared a genuine smile with him.

Just then, Jacqueline pushed the door open. Seeing the sincere smiles on their faces, her heart gave a sudden lurch.

"Julian, are your cuts taken care of? It's getting late, you should head back and rest," her voice carried a subtle edge of strictness.

Julian was smart. He immediately stood up to take his leave. "Jacqueline, I'm all set. I apologize for causing so much trouble tonight. I'll get out of your hair."

After seeing Julian out, Scarlett returned to the living room to find her mother still sitting there, her gaze heavy.

"Scarlett, you and Julian..."

"Mom, you have absolutely nothing to worry about," Scarlett immediately cut her off, her tone unwavering. "I have zero interest in men right now. All I want is to focus on my career and raise Dawn with everything I have."

Looking at her, Jacqueline's tense expression finally softened. "I didn't mean anything by it, I'm just terrified you'll repeat past mistakes. If you aren't thinking about that, then I can rest easy."

She paused, then spoke with profound earnestness. "I've been through it all before. The scariest thing for a woman isn't a breakup, it's jumping into a rebound relationship before the dust has even settled. That only makes you look cheap and puts you in a passive position; you'll never break the habit of depending on a man."

"After choosing a divorce, you need to try living on your own for a while. Embrace the solitude. Only then will you realize what it is you truly need."

Scarlett listened quietly, deeply moved.

She vaguely understood these concepts, but hearing them laid out so bluntly by her mother gave her an unprecedented sense of clarity and strength.

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