Chapter 10 Two days before the wedding , the Lennons reserved the biggest beachfront hotel and paid out of pocket to fly in all our family and friends early for a seaside getaway . Everything went on their tab . Sean thought of everything . He even brought along Mom and Dad's eight - year - old dog . It was obvious he'd done his homework . Every moment we spent together felt effortless . That night , back at the hotel , Mom's phone rang out of the blue . The number wasn't one she recognized . When she picked up , Jared's voice came through . " Mrs. Clarke , can I see Willow ? " She gave a soft , amused laugh . " And you are ? " Jared's voice caught . He started to speak , then hesitated before finally saying , " I'm her boyfriend . " Mom glanced at me and smirked . " Oh ? The ex who couldn't keep it in his pants a few miles away ? Hate to break it to you , but Willow's not the type who takes back what she already threw out . " And with that , she ended the call . This was the first time in the three years that he actually picked up the phone and called Mom . Every time I brought up properly introducing him to Mom and Dad , he'd shoot me a look like I'd just said something disgusting . At first , I thought it had something to do with my background . But even after I kept telling him that my parents didn't care about money or social status , he still wouldn't budge . It wasn't until I overheard him talking to his friends at a gathering that it finally clicked . This all traced back to what happened three years ago . Because I had a thing for Jared , I secretly asked Dad to pull some strings and help him pass his professorship review . That move backfired , and the professors at the college , who'd always been jealous of him , jumped at the chance to tear him down . A They started spreading nasty rumors , saying he was cheating on Eleanor and just cozying up to my family to land himself a cushy son - in - law gig . Jared , proud to a fault , immediately assumed that I was the one who started the rumors . He was planning to meet up and set the record straight , but before he had the chance , Eleanor saw his messages . And just like that , everything blew up . Eleanor stormed out in a fury and ended up getting hit in the middle of the road . She was gone before the ambulance even got there . After that , Jared hated me and my parents . However , he couldn't let go of everything my family offered . In the end , he agreed to be with me , reluctantly . But he never laid a hand on me . He was still hanging on to Eleanor's memory . He would be warm for one moment and turned cold as stone the next . 1/2 Chapter 10 L +25 BONUS Then came Elsie , who became his way out . Jared poured all the guilt and longing he still carried for Eleanor onto her , bending over backward to please her while leaving me to bleed in this mess of a relationship . He kept jabbing at my weak spots - testing me , mocking me , taunting me - never once believing I'd actually leave . V "