Only Ten Years - Chapter 8

Chapter 8

In the private room, Mark gripped his phone, looking defeated. On the other end of the line, Jane had hung up on him. He tried calling again, but all he got was the automated voice.

The mood in the room plummeted. Liam’s gaze was dark, a mixture of anger and suppressed emotion. This phone call was his idea. He’d thought that if he showed some humility, she’d meet him halfway.

He asked himself, hadn’t he been good enough for her? The first time he noticed Jane was because of her striking looks.

Later, he was drawn to her “never give up” attitude. He remembered her standing on stage, challenging the college principal on the fairness of scholarship awards, a small figure defying all the rules.

He admitted it. Jane was exceptional. But in a city like this, there were a dime a dozen of talented people. He’d given her resources, contacts, and put her where she was today. He even went public with their relationship in front of his friends.

What more could she possibly want?

“Liam, if you can’t let her go, go after her,”

Mark said, giving genuine advice, having just gone through a tough breakup himself. Liam lit a cigarette, scoffing.

“It was just a bit of fun. She really thinks she’s all that.”

Liam acted nonchalant, but his recent behavior was telling. Like deliberately letting Ashley run wild. And constantly asking about Jane, even stopping by her place a few times, then taking off again.

Mark had tried to convince him to face the truth. But Liam was blinded by ego. Why should Jane get to act tough? She was just taking advantage of his feelings. He could give her everything, and he could take it away.

Now, with his relationship with his family back on track, he only had to say the word. People would be lining up to serve him. What was it like for someone so calculating to lose everything?

He would wait for that day. The day Jane had nowhere else to turn. Then, he would take her back. Maybe, out of ten years of history, he’d do it.