Chapter 11 Zephaniah Doesn’t Love You

“Jade, don’t be naive.” Blanche was thoroughly convinced of herself. “The banks won’t lend you any money, you don’t have any houses to sell, even your friends pathetically broke. Where would you find two million dollars?” “Did you actually think Zephaniah ever cared about your relationship with him? Hah, I don’t even need to tell you this. If he cared about you, he would bring you to see his colleagues at the office after so many years of marriage.” Blanche laughed and continued. “Speaking of which, here’s something hilarious. I’ve been at the company for more than a year, but no one in the office even knows that Zephaniah is married. Don’t you think it’s laughable?” One statement shattered Jade’s confidence. ‘It’s laughable, why wouldn’t it be?’ Her marriage with Zephaniah was a joke since the beginning. There was no wedding, only a marriage certificate, and some contracts he had written up. That was all to speak of their marriage. “Jade, stop lying to yourself and to others.” Blanche took two steps forward. As she looked down on her, her arrogance shone through. “Zephaniah doesn’t love you, and the gap between the both of you isn’t just a small crack some glue will fix.” Jade raised her head up and looked at Blanche. “When did you two become an item and lived together?” Blanche had not expected Jade to ask this question. She was dumbfounded, but quickly shook it off and sealed her lips. It was as if she wanted to push everything back to Jade, and having set the tone in stone, let Jade’s mind wander to the worst of conclusions. Jade laughed. She had a gist of things now. So she grabbed the cheque from Blanche’s fingers and tore it apart viciously. Thrice she tore the paper and threw the pieces back at Blanche. Then, with a soft voice, she said, “I will divorce with Zephaniah, but you can keep this cheque.” She shouldered past the other woman and strode off. No matter how well brought up Blanche was, she cut a pathetic sight at that moment because of Jade’s actions. She yelled at Jade, “You truly don’t know what’s good for you, you wretch!” Jade did not care. After sending her mother back home, the lawyer called her. He asked if Jade had prepared the sum of money, because the court session would be in a few days’ time. Jade told him that she would try to settle it quickly before she hung up and sighed. She truly regretted it. If she had known any better, she would not have lost herself in pride and tore the cheque. After all, Zephaniah and her would eventually be divorced. There was absolutely nothing wrong in Jade taking that two million dollars from Blanche, even if it cost her something. Her mother asked tentatively, “Jade, is the lawyer pressing you to pay?” “It’s nothing, I can solve it.” Jade smiled to reassure her mother. “Could you help me put away my clothes? I’ll go out to buy some groceries, and I’ll make you dinner when I come back, alright? “Jade, don’t make things so difficult for yourself. If there’s no other way, forget it. At most, your dad will just be imprisoned for a few more years. But you’re my only daughter, I don’t want you to live a hard life.” “Mom, don’t worry. I know my limits.” It was only when Jade swore repeatedly that she would not do something stupid did she manage to appease her mother. After she went out, she brought out a name card from her pocket and made a call. “Easton, do you have time to spare?” In less than ten minutes since Jade reached the cafe they agreed to meet, Easten arrived. He was holding a young girl who looked just like a porcelain doll with rosy cheeks. The girl was about four to five years old, and with those delicate, soft features, she was incredibly cute. After Easton Mcdaniel sat down, he laughed in a resigned manner before he said, “Sorry, Taylor was throwing a tantrum in the afternoon, so I had to pick her up from kindergarten. I got stuck in traffic on the way here as well.” “It’s alright.” Jade looked at the young girl. “Your daughter is pretty cute.” Taylor seemed to be a little shy around strangers. She kept hiding in Easton Mcdaniel’s arms. When Easton Mcdaniel asked her to greet Jade, she was bashful and unwilling. But sometimes, she would sneak glances at Jade with her round, bright eyes. As Jade looked at them, she was a little envious. When her marriage with Zephaniah was fresh, she always grew envious at the sight of someone carrying a baby in their arms. Then, she would crack her head to think of ways and schemed how to accidentally get pregnant. But Zephaniah was smarter than she was. No matter how many plans she concocted and carried out, he saw through all of them and told her to stop with all the mischief, stating that he had already mentioned he did not want any children within four years, and he intended to keep to his word. Yet it all made sense. After all, he did not want any children with her within the four years of their marriage, and after four years, they would be divorced.