Chasing Stars with Another Woman

After that, I became Jacob's girlfriend.

Seven years passed before we finally got engaged. During the seven years, Jacob hadn't so much as glanced at another woman. He even turned over a new leaf for my sake, no longer the haughty prince who put having fun above all else.

He grew into a mature, sensible, and responsible scion of the Gardner family. He learned the ropes and prepared himself for the duties of the head of the family. Even his parents stopped picking on me after a while after seeing how much Jacob had changed for the better.

I, on the other hand, had mellowed down considerably since dating Jacob.

I gave up on my college major for the Gardner family. I looked after Jacob and learned the ways and unwritten rules of Kingsbury's high society. I also worked hard to get along with the Gardners, and now, I was on their good side.

My dad had also gained the respect of the other businessmen in the industry thanks to my relationship with Jacob and, by extension, his family.

Jacob had even pulled out all the stops to throw me a lavish party that became the talk of Kingsbury's high society.

At the time, I was all that mattered to Jacob. He once promised to bring me traveling all over the world after our wedding. "I want our wedding to be something you can look back on and flaunt to all your friends," he had declared.

He also told me he had fallen for me at first sight, but he'd been too prideful to admit it all those years ago. He claimed he was glad that his wish had come true at last.

So, I had believed Jacob was as excited for the wedding as I was, and that he wanted to start a family with me. I never expected such a pathetic end to await us after seven years together.

Jacob held the ring I had thrown at his face and sneered, "If you think I'll give in to your whims just because you're threatening to call off the engagement, you're wrong. I'll let this incident slide for now, but you ought to think about what you did today, Ariel!"

I scoffed. Did he still think I was the same Ariel who loved him so deeply that I would burn the world and myself for him? I stared at him with nothing but frost and steel in my eyes. "I wasn't joking. As of now, you and I are over, Jacob."

With that, I turned and left.

However, Jacob gripped my arm, finally realizing that I meant every word I said. Panic lined his features as he began, "Ariel, you—"

Ivana, who had been left out of the conversation for some time, suddenly broke into a violent coughing fit.

Jacob immediately snapped out of his daze and released my arm. He swiveled to hold Ivana upright and patted her back to ease the coughs. Thank the heavens I hadn't been holding out hope for him to change his mind, or I would have been crushed.

I had only just opened the car door when Jacob forcefully pulled me out of the way. "Ivana's condition is acting up. She needs to see a doctor right away. Driver, head to the nearest hospital!" he demanded.

My blood boiled when I heard this. "Are you out of your mind, Jacob? This is my car!"

Jacob had his arms around Ivana and was already easing her into the backseat. He shot me a withering look. "Didn't you hear what I said? Ivana's condition is acting up! Do you not have any respect for human lives?"

I stubbornly held onto the door, refusing to let go.

Just then, the brilliant actress herself panted as she tugged on Jacob's sleeve and said, "Jacob, let me talk to Ariel."

…

Moments later, my hand dropped from the car door. I watched as Jacob hijacked my car and sped off with Ivana. Her words were still ringing in my ears like a melody I could not tune out.

"Ariel, the hooligans who tried to kidnap you seven years ago were hired by Jacob."