The Ex-Wife He Can’t Have novel Chapter 206

He was likely using those girls to erase the humiliation of his past, trying to save the memory of the desperate young man who had been forced to surrender his pride for cash to keep his family alive.

"But I still don't understand," Jillian continued. "If he hated you that much, why did he agree to a friends-with-benefits setup for five years after he moved back?"

Mallory's face flushed deeply, a mix of awkwardness and vulnerability. "I guess... because the physical chemistry between us is off the charts."

Jillian was rendered speechless.

After a long silence, Jillian murmured softly, almost hoping to offer some comfort. "I still think Preston genuinely cares about you."

The words hung in the sprawling, silent apartment, the only sound the low hum of the central air conditioning.

Jillian looked over and saw that Mallory's face was completely drenched in tears.

"Do you honestly believe that, Jill? Because that's exactly what I told myself during our last few months in college. I was completely in love with him, and he was so good to me—not in a fake, transactional way. I really thought he loved me back. I knew how badly I'd messed up, so I started treating him right. I fiercely protected his pride and dropped all my toxic friends for him. It wasn't until he vanished without a trace that I realized he hated my guts the entire time."

Jillian nodded slowly, the pieces falling into place.

Love and hate were never simple, especially when they were so deeply tangled.

Suddenly, Jillian remembered something. "You've been doing all that charity work and teaching in those remote areas for years. Was that because of Preston?"

She had suspected it for a while. Back in college, it was common knowledge on the forums that Preston came from one of the most notoriously impoverished regions in the country.

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