After I Stopped Loving Him, He Lost His Mind - Chapter 6

The video of me surrounded by reporters in front of my car quickly replaced the footage of Jack kissing Emily as the top trending topic.

As I expected, Jack wasted no time issuing a response. In the video, his tone was icy and detached:

“I do not want any online rumors to disturb my wife. Furthermore, I will never divorce her. If anyone continues using this situation to harass her, we’ll meet in court”

“I do not want any online rumors to disturb my wife. Furthermore, I will never divorce her. If anyone continues using this situation to harass her, we’ll meet in court.”

The next day, Joshua Blair–the reporter who had grabbed my sleeve–was fired.

The housekeeper, who was one of the only two people aware of my health condition, told me this news with the pride of someone presenting a trophy.

The other person who knew was my former best friend, who had cut me off after I married Jack. Perhaps because I was nearing the end, I found myself missing those carefree days when we’d bicker and laugh together.

Online, opinions about me were divided.

Some praised me for being rational, while most criticized me harshly:

“What did Mrs. Sullivan do to deserve this? Why are people blaming her like she’s the villain?”

“She’s so fake–hogging the title of Mrs. Sullivan while acting all magnanimous.“”

“It’s probably because of her parents. Poor Jack, unable to be with the person he truly loves.”

“I heard she’s the reason Jack and his first love couldn’t be together.”

“Rumor has it she threatened to marry Jack by saying she’d jump off a building if he didn’t.”

“Jack clearly still has feelings for her. Look at how protective he is.”

“Please, he’s only defending her to protect his company’s reputation. Who would love someone as manipulative as her?”

Amidst the chaos, a new video surfaced–one featuring Chloe, Jack’s first love.

In it, she tearfully recounted the story of how she was “forced” to leave Jack. Though she didn’t name names, the internet quickly deduced that the “villain” in her story was me.

“I’ve known for a long time that there was another woman around my first love. I thought she was just like a little sister to him. I even bought her bubble tea whenever I saw her.

I thought we were friends. But in the end, she betrayed me.

She went behind my back to badmouth me to his parents, even threatening them- saying that if I didn’t break up with him, they’d cut ties with him entirely.

I couldn’t let my presence make his life harder…”

The video ignited a firestorm online. Reporters swarmed both my home and Jack’s company.

Even Jack called to demand answers.

It was then that I finally understood the sheer power of the internet. It was also then that I began to grasp what my mother had endured all those years ago.

My parents had once been the picture of a loving couple, admired by everyone around them. But when my father was diagnosed with cancer, everything fell apart.

The media reported on them relentlessly, and online rumors spiraled out of control. People began asking why they didn’t “die together.” If they were so in love, how could my mother let him go to the afterlife alone?

I remembered my mother growing quieter and quieter, retreating into herself.

The day before my father passed, she seemed like her old self again–gentle and warm. She held my hand and spoke to me in a soft voice.

If I had known those were her final words, I would have stopped her. I would have begged her to stay–for me.

“My sweet Taylor,” she murmured, “I hope one day you’ll be strong enough to withstand the world’s cruelty. And…I hope you’ll stay far away.

My sweet Taylor, hope one day you be strong enough to withstand the world’s cruelty. And…I hope you ll stay far away from Jack Sullivan. He’ll only bring you pain.”

I didn’t understand her words at the time. Confused, I asked, “Why? He’s not as cold as he seems. Deep down, he’s really gentle.”

I’d been trying to reassure her. Or maybe, I’d been trying to reassure myself.

She didn’t argue. She just smiled at me, her eyes full of love and quiet resignation.