Chapter 8 A massive crystal chandelier came crashing down from the ceiling, falling directly above Jace and Marissa, who had been standing together and chatting. In the split second before impact, Jace reacted instinctively. He turned around and threw his arms around Marissa, shielding her completely with his body. Boom! The heavy chandelier slammed into his back and head. Glass shards flew in every direction. Jace let out a muffled grunt. Blood immediately gushed from his forehead and back. His body swayed once before collapsing heavily to the floor, unconscious. Chaos erupted in the banquet hall. Screams, cries, and shouting filled the space. The paramedics arrived quickly and rushed the bloodied, unconscious Jace into the ambulance. Sloane and her parents followed closely behind. The light above the operating room stayed on for what felt like an eternity. Finally, the doctor emerged to announce that the surgery was successful and Jace was out of danger. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Sloane's parents glanced at her pale face and hollow eyes. They said nothing, only letting out a quiet sigh before taking her home. The car ride back was completely silent. It wasn't until much later that Evelyn spoke gently, "Sloane... are you sure? Do you really want to end things with Jace?" Sloane looked out the window at the night racing past. She gave a slow, tired smile-one filled with exhaustion and quiet acceptance. "Yeah. I'm sure. Mom, you saw it today too. The person he likes... it hasn't been me for a long time." Thomas and Evelyn watched her through the rearview mirror, their hearts aching at the sight of her pale, emotionless profile. After a long silence, as if reaching a decision, Thomas finally said, "Sloane, since you've made your decision, your mother and I support you. Actually, I've been planning to expand the company's business to Southridge. Since that's the case, we'll move the whole family. The company and our home will relocate together. It'll be good to be with you during university." Sloane froze. Chapter 8 36.36% Seeing the complete support and unconditional love in her parents' eyes, her own eyes welled up with tears. She nodded hard, her throat tightening. "Okay." It really did seem like she and Jace would never see each other again. Over the next two weeks, the entire Lane family quietly prepared for the move. On the day they were set to leave, they stopped by the Carter residence with gifts to say goodbye in person. When Grace and Richard heard they were relocating-and especially when Sloane solemnly and firmly stated that she and Jace were truly over-they were stunned and deeply regretful. "Sloane, we've always thought of you as part of our family... This... Jace was just being foolish..." Grace's eyes were red as she held Sloane's hand. But Sloane only smiled gently and shook her head. Her voice was calm but distant. "Grace, childhood promises don't mean much anymore. We'll both meet better people someday." No matter how hard they tried to persuade her to stay, it was clear Sloane had made up her mind. They had no choice but to sigh in resignation. When it was almost time to leave, Grace pulled out her phone. "II'll call Jace right now! He needs to come back and see you off! This child, really, the moment he was a little better he's never home..." She dialed and waited as the phone rang for a long time before it was finally picked up. "Jace, where are you? Hurry back! Sloane is leaving for university today, come to the airport to see her off! She-" On the other end, Jace cut her off coldly. "She's leaving today? Oh. I'm going to school with Marissa tomorrow. If she wants to leave, she can go by herself. I don't have time to see her off. Bye." Before Grace could say anything else, the call ended with a dull beep. Chapter 8 36.36%