Chapter 13 ( Jasper's POV ) I sit in my office , staring at the latest stack of receipts from private investigators . Denver . Portland . Seattle . Phoenix . Every major city west of here , and some small towns too . All dead ends . She's vanished like she never existed . " You're doing it again . " Virginia's voice cuts through my thoughts . She stands in my doorway holding two cups of coffee , wearing that soft smile she thinks will make me forget what she did . " Doing what ? " " Staring at those papers like they'll magically tell you where she is . " She sets a cup on my desk and perches on the edge , too close as always . " Jasper , it's been four years . " " I know how long it's been . " " Maybe it's time to accept that she doesn't want to be found . " My jaw clenches . We've had this conversation before . Every few months , Virginia suggests I stop looking . Every few months , I tell her the same thing . " She's carrying my child , Virginia . I have a right to know them . " " Had, " she corrects quietly . " She was carrying your child four years ago . For all we know , she lost the baby . Or gave it up for adoption . Or- " " Don't . " The word comes out sharper than I intended . " Don't even say it ." Virginia's face softens with fake sympathy . The same expression she wore when she told me she'd " helped " by signing those divorce papers . Like destroying my marriage was an act of kindness . " I'm just trying to protect you from more heartbreak . " " The only heartbreak I have is the one you caused . " Her smile falters . " That's not fair . I was trying to help you see what everyone else could see- that marriage was making you miserable . " I stand up so fast my chair hits the wall . " You forged my signature . You ended my marriage 1/4 < Chapter 13 without my consent . How is that helping ? " More Rewards > " Because you weren't happy with Scarlett . I was just helping you do what you were too proud to do yourself ! " The mask slips . For a moment , I see myself the way Virginia described me - a man forced into a marriage against his will , bending to circumstances , yet too proud to admit he used a woman to achieve his success . Spineless enough to blame a woman who loved him for the disgrace he believed his life had become , failing to properly see his heart , blinded by shame and rage , until he lost what he never learned to cherish . The one pulling the strings behind the scenes for years , creating misunderstandings , timing her panic attacks exactly when Scarlett and I had plans might've been Virginia . But looking closely , I am the one to blame for where our relationship is at the moment . " I loved her ," I say , smiling bitterly . I loved her , but failed to understand my heart , failed to express my feelings for her , leading to this situation . " No , you didn't . " Virginia stands too , coffee forgotten . " You felt guilty about her . Obligated . But love ? Real love ? You don't know what that looks like . " " And you do ? " " Yes ! " Her voice cracks . " I've loved you since we were kids , Jasper . Through everything . When your family had nothing , when you were too proud to accept help , when you married another woman because her father offered you money . I've loved you through all of it . " The raw pain in her voice almost makes me feel sorry for her . Almost . " We've been together for four years now , " she continues , stepping closer . " Four years of me taking care of you , supporting you , being here when you needed someone . Doesn't that mean anything ? Can't you spare even a little bit of your heart for me ? " I look at her - really look at her . The woman I've known since childhood . My first friend , my constant companion through school , the person who held me when my father died . There's history between us , shared memories , comfort . But there's no fire . No desperate need to see her smile or hear her laugh . No ache in my chest when she's not around . Not like with Scarlett . " Virginia . " I reach for her hands , hating the hope that flickers in her eyes . " You know my feelings for you aren't the same . We grew up together , we've shared experiences , but you're not the one I love . " 2/4 < Chapter 13 Her face crumples . " Why ? What does she have that I don't ? " More Rewards How do I explain it ? How do I tell her that Scarlett's laugh used to light up rooms , that the dishes she cooked made me feel more at home than any five - star meal ? How do I describe the way she'd curl up next to me while reading , completely absorbed in her book but still reaching for my hand without looking up ? How do I explain that I threw all of that away because my pride mattered more than her heart ? " It's not about what she has . It's about what I feel when I'm with her . What I felt . " I correct myself . " She made me feel the warmth of having a home . " " I can make you feel that way too . If you'd just give me a chance- " " I can't . I'm sorry , Virginia , but I can't . You know my feelings for you aren't the same . We grew up together , shared experiences , but that's about it . I don't feel for you the way I feel for Scarlett . It's just not the same ." The words hang between us like a death sentence . Virginia's hands slip from mine , and she takes a step back . " Then you're going to spend your whole life chasing a ghost . " Maybe she's right . Maybe Scarlett really doesn't want to be found . Maybe she's built a new life somewhere , with someone who deserves her smile , her gentle hands , her fierce loyalty . The thought makes me sick . " That's my choice to make ," I say . Virginia picks up her coffee cup with shaking hands . " Japser , don't destroy yourself . You're wasting your feelings on someone who abandoned you . " " She didn't abandon me . I drove her away . " " Stop lying to yourself . You and I both know Scarlett isn't coming back . She made that clear when she sent you those divorce papers . " She snaps and walks out before I can lash out on her . I sink back into my chair and pull out my phone . The same routine I've followed for four years . I scroll through social media , searching for any sign of her . I check missing person databases , pregnancy forums , hospital records . Nothing . 3/4 < Chapter 13 More Rewards > My private investigator calls every month with the same report : no trace of Scarlett Blake or Stone in any major city database . No credit card activity , no social security records , no hospital admissions . It's like she disappeared into thin air . But people don't just disappear . Especially not pregnant women . So where did she go ? Why can't I find her? :. < Chapter 14 Chapter 14