What She Overheard in Her Own Marriage novel Chapter 539

"Of course I didn't! I could never do something that monstrous to her," Jasper cried. "I worshipped her. She was like a goddess to me. I knew I was completely out of her league, but I couldn't stop myself from falling for her. She'd always come up to me to ask questions. Her voice was so sweet and soft. She was always so genuine and kind. How could any guy not fall for a girl like that?" As Jasper got lost in the memory, a naive sincerity bled back into his eyes. "Whenever I helped her, she'd buy me dinner or give me little gifts. She was always checking in on me. If I got sick, she brought me medicine. When I got hurt playing basketball, she was the very first person to run over and make sure I was okay. She was so perfect, so attentive... she made me believe she was in love with me too."

Finnian didn't interrupt. He sat perfectly still, his face an emotionless mask, waiting for the rest. "You assumed she liked you, so you felt entitled to force yourself on her? Did you conveniently forget you were already dating Seraphina?"

"No! I never forgot about Seraphina," Jasper choked out, clutching his head in agony. "But... I was weak. And Noelle fed that delusion so perfectly. I started comparing them in my head. Noelle was so warm, so proactive, so attentive. She felt like a much better fit for me than Seraphina, who was always so brash and unfiltered. That's why I... I know I'm a bastard." Jasper rocked back and forth, drowning in remorse. "I'm so sorry. I ruined everything with Seraphina."

"What made you so arrogant to assume Noelle would ever accept you as her boyfriend?" Finnian demanded, his voice dangerously low.

Jasper slouched in his plastic chair, offering a pathetic, self-deprecating laugh. "I didn't know for sure. I just knew she grew up in a small, working-class town. The wealth gap between Seraphina and me was massive. When I was with Seraphina, I always felt inferior. But with Noelle? Never. She spoke to me so gently. When she asked for help, she would look me right in the eyes, hanging on my every word. At the time, I thought that was just who she was—an angel who was good to everyone, but especially good to me... I guess I just wildly overestimated my own worth."

The words struck Finnian like a physical blow. The exact dynamic Jasper was describing... it mirrored his own experiences perfectly. His jaw locked, and a suffocating knot formed in his throat.

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