Chapter47 Jake was juststartingtofeelpleased,butherememberedseeingTheagetintoanothermanscarafewdaysago.Thenhisfacesuddenly turnedcold. Withascoff ,Jaketiltedhischinupslightlyandsaid,Thea,stop.Thiskindofbehaviorisjustmakingmeannoyed. Ifyouwanttomarrymeoneday,youseriouslyneedtoworkonthatspoiledlittleprincessattitudeofyours. Thea wasutterlyconfused byhiswords. Jake grittedhisteethandtookastepcloser.Thenhecontinued.Ivealreadytoldyou,IcanapologizeforwhathappenedwithMadelyn,butyouneedtodosomereflectingtoo. Yourtemperisawful,andifweevergetmarried,Idbemiserable. Ivegivenyouso manychances,butyoukeepputtingup thisfront,thenpullingtheselittlestuntstogetmyattention.Isntthisexhaustingforyou? Finally,Theaunderstoodwhathewasimplying.Shealmostlaughedoutloudathowridiculousitwas. Thealookedathimasifhewereanidiotandsaid,Whyonearthwouldyouthinkthatafteryoucheatedonmewithanotherwoman.Idstillbeintoyou?AndthatIdgooutofmywaytogetyourattention? Jakesfacetightened,andheshotback,Thenexplainwhyyourehere Theaslipscurledintoasmirk,astrangeglintinhereyes. Jake ,theHendrixfamilydoesntonlyhave you.Therearewaybetteroptionsthanyou. IstillplanonmarryingintotheHendrixfamily,butnottoyou.Gotaproblemwiththat? Jakesfistsclenchedashisvoicebecamemorestrained.Whatdoyoumeanbythat? you.Idratherchoose someone Thearaisedaneyebrow,hertonelightbutsharp.ExactlywhatIsaid.Idontwanttochooseyoelse Theapaused,thencontinued,Takeyouruncle,Nicolas .Hesgoodlooking,rich, andhesgoingtoinheriteverything.WhywouldntIgoforhiminstead?Givemeone goodreason whyI shouldsettleforyou, WhenJakeheard this,hisexpressionchanged,butinsteadofanger,hechuckled.Thea,e venifyourejusttryingtopissmeoff,theresnoneedtodragmy uncleintothis. Peopleoutsidedontknow,butthoseofusinthefamilydo.Nicolaswillneverlove anotherwoman,Hehas someone hesbeeninlove withabroadforyears. As farasIknow,evenifhegetsmarried, its justtokeephisfamilyoffhisback .Thespotforhis realwifehasalreadybeentaken,andwhenshecomesback ,whoeveriswith himwillhavetostepaside. Theasfaceremainedcalm,butherhearttwistedpainfullyforasecond.Nicolasalreadyhassomeoneheloved?Whyhasntheevermentionedit?shethought. Jakeswordsechoedinhermind,and shecouldnthelpbutwonder.Willourmarriageendoncethatwomanreturns? Thea knewitwasa marriageofconvenience.Shedalwaysknownthisday wouldcome.Butnow,facedwiththereality,thetruthstill stung. Theadug hernailsintoherpalm,lightingtokeep any signofenjotionfromherfaceinfrontofJake.Hervoice grewsharper,lacedwithsarcasm.Ifthatstrue,thenIlovetosay,thegap betweenyou and youruncleisenormous. 11:51Sat,Oct26kiuu. Chapter47 Oneofyouknowshowtostaycommited,whiletheotherthrowsawayyears offeelingswithoutasecondthought . ImaynotbegoodenoughforNicolas,butwhatmakesyouthinkyouaregoodenoughforme? Jakesfacedarkened,his chestrisingandfallingashistemperflared. 68 ThenJakegrabbedTheaswristroughly,hisvoiceharsh .Thenletmeteachyoualesson.Youvebeentheonechasingafterme andtryingtogetintotheHendrixfamily. WhetheryoulikeMadelynornot,youdontgettomake thatchoice. Andjustsoyouknow,Grandpaisheretoday,andIlltellhimaboutourengagementpersonally. Oncehemakesadecision,theresnoturningback.BeingthefutureMrs.Hendrixwithoutmyloveisthepunishment youllgetforyourattitude. SENDGIFT COMMENT 111 0