It ended with my father throwing a severance document at me, threatening to disown me if I didn't call off the wedding.
I cried for a month. Then, out of sheer defiance, I signed it.
We had a small wedding. We couldn't afford much—even my dress was rented.
My parents weren't there. Jeffrey noticed.
That night, he pinned me down and took his time with me, but didn't say a word.
Until the very end, when he bit my ear and whispered, "Jill, stop being foolish for my sake."
I didn't understand then.
Later, I realized what he meant.
He didn't think it was worth it—me turning my back on my family for him.
And he didn't need my devotion that badly.
"Miss, we're here."
The driver's voice pulled me back.
The car had stopped outside the courtyard of a well-known private dining club.
The moment I stepped out, I heard a voice calling from the entrance.
"Is that Jill?"
I composed myself and walked in with a smile. "Mrs. Lambert, I'm sorry I'm late."
Nellie Lambert's hair had gone silver at the temples, but her step was steady—a spirited woman who carried her years well.
"I was just giving Jeffrey a hard time," she said. "Why didn't he bring you along when he drove over?"