The Divorce That Brought Us Back novel Chapter 170

Nora was entirely unprepared to be smacked in the face with such massive, shocking gossip the moment she arrived.

Making matters even more awkward, Felix was standing right on the other side of the doorframe.

Nora and Felix locked eyes, entirely speechless.

Inside, Valery's soft voice continued. "He said I had never been with a man. He said I was incomplete. He asked if I wanted to kiss him."

"I didn't know what to do. I had never kissed anyone before. I thought he was right—aside from him, no other man in this world would ever want to kiss me. I wanted to know what it felt like, so I agreed."

"He visited me every single week. I knew exactly why he was coming. I knew he just wanted to kiss me."

"But I didn't care. As long as he was willing to sit beside me, I was willing to let him kiss me."

"Jasmine, do you blame me? I knew you two were together, but I still let him kiss me. I was terrified to tell you. I was so scared you would hate me, and I couldn't bear the thought of you leaving me."

"Mom and Dad promised that as long as I kept it a secret, you would never find out. They said he belonged to you anyway, and I was just borrowing him for a little while. They said since you were my younger sister, you wouldn't mind sharing."

"But it felt wrong. I wanted to tell you."

"Jasmine, it's okay if you hate me. I promise I won't kiss him ever again."

"I want you to be happy. No matter where I end up, I'll always be rooting for you. Please, just be happy together. Don't let me ruin your relationship."

Dead silence filled the room for several agonizing seconds.

Finally, Jasmine spoke, her voice eerily calm. "When exactly did Mom and Dad find out about this?"

Valery answered softly, "After you both went off to college. He kept coming back every week, and Mom and Dad walked in on us once."

"He's been doing this since... high school?"

"Yes."

"And Mom and Dad... they just agreed to this?"

"What?"

"Nothing," Jasmine whispered.

"Jasmine," Valery's voice trembled. "Do you hate me?"

"No."

"Mom and Dad swore that if you found out, you would hate me forever."

"I don't hate you, Valery. I really don't."

"Will you still come visit me?"

"Of course I will."

"I promise you, I will never kiss him again. You two need to be happy. I wish you nothing but the best."

"I'm not with him anymore," Jasmine said quietly. "Valery, Yates and I broke up."

"Was it because of me?"

"No. It has absolutely nothing to do with anyone else. I broke up with him because I don't love him."

"Why not?"

"He's just not my type."

"But I thought you swore you'd never marry anyone else?"

"I never said that."

Valery fell silent for a moment before asking cautiously, "Then what is your type? Do you like Felix?"

"Felix and I are just friends," Jasmine replied instantly.

"Will he still come visit me?"

"He will."

Out in the hallway, Nora couldn't help but shoot another glance at Felix.

Jasmine stared at him, unblinking. "I am trying to protect my sister's reputation."

"You are the one who caused this entire disaster!" Mr. Smith roared, his face turning purple with rage. "If you hadn't thrown a tantrum and broken off the engagement, none of this would have ever happened!"

Jasmine stubbornly forced the conversation back on track. "Right now, my sister's reputation is the only thing that matters."

"You have some nerve bringing up your sister!" Mr. Smith jabbed a furious finger at her. "If anything happens to her because of this, the blood is entirely on your hands!"

Jasmine suddenly turned to her mother. "Mom, aren't you worried that my sister will be devastated when she sees people cursing her name online?"

Mrs. Smith's eyes instantly snapped wide, filling with panic.

She looked frantically at Mr. Smith.

Mr. Smith slammed his hand violently onto the table. "Jasmine Smith, shut your mouth!"

"Who gave you the right to invite those people here?! You know her heart can't handle the stress of socializing!"

"You created this mess, now you figure out how to clean it up!"

"And stay the hell out of company business!"

Unable to hold it in, Mrs. Smith whimpered, "Maybe we should just confiscate Valery's phone for a while..."

Jasmine stood frozen, staring blankly at her parents.

Every single word she had just spoken was part of a meticulously crafted script Maloney had given her.

Maloney had told her that no matter how they reacted, she had to push through and finish the script at her own pace.

Then, she just had to watch, and think.

She couldn't wrap her head around it.

It wasn't that she didn't understand the reality of the situation.

It was the terrifying, mind-bending vertigo of watching everything she had ever known instantly warp into something utterly unrecognizable. Her entire world had just been turned violently upside down.