Chapter 1 Forced to break up

BAILEY

“Take this and leave my son.” Alice pushed a fat brown envelope across the table toward me. “That’s a lot of cash. Enough to change your pathetic life and that of your wretched father in the hospital. I still don’t know what Jace sees in you, but I’ll save that conversation for another day. Go on, take the money,” she urged when I remained reluctant.

Her words cut through me deeply. Something cracked in my heart.

But I maintained my calm, keeping my head held high.

I might be poor, but my self-control is something I pride myself on.

Keeping my tone polite, I pushed the envelope back toward Alice. “With all due respect, ma’am, I don’t want your money. I cherish my relationship with Jace.”

“Listen, I don’t think you understand.” She cut me off furiously. “I’m not offering you a choice here, Miss Bailey. My son has a bright future ahead of him, and you’re not a part of that future. The earlier you accept it, the better.”

I didn’t say anything.

But she continued anyway, reclining back in her chair.

There was a condescending edge in her tone as she spoke, “As you already know, Jace has been recruited by the greatest hockey team in New Zugo—the Arctic Wolves. They want him to play professionally, but he’s having second thoughts about going because he doesn’t want to ‘leave you.’” She air-quotes the words with a huff, disdain written all over her expression.

“That would be a silly mistake, and I can’t stand by and watch my son ruin his future for the likes of you. You’re not worth it. So take the damn money! Go start a new life elsewhere and leave my son the hell alone. That’s all I ask.” Her voice carries a low, serious, threatening edge. “Do this for your father, unless you want something... really bad to happen to him.”

My pulse leaps at her sudden threat, my eyes flickering to hers sharply. “Excuse me?”

She fake-smiles. “You’re a smart girl, Bailey. I have no doubt you’ll make the right choice.” She grabs her bag, reminding me as she stands up, “Twenty-four hours. That’s all you get. No more than that. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. When you’ve done what I asked, you know where to find me for the monetary reward.”

With that, she exits the fast-food restaurant where I work, leaving me in a conflicted state.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My conversation with Jace’s mother from earlier replays in my head as I stare blankly at the opulent ceiling of the hotel room we’re lodged in.

The comfort of this luxurious place can absolutely make one forget their problems temporarily, yet sleep evades me.

I’ve been tossing and turning in bed for a while now, the unease heightening in my chest with every passing second.

My heart keeps hurting, my eyes moistening from my tumultuous thoughts.

I feel devastated. Heartbroken. Dejected.

I know I shouldn’t be. At least not tonight of all nights, considering it’s a special night.

Yet I can’t help it.

Jace is lying beside me on the bed, his snores drifting into my ears and filling the room.

He fell asleep a while ago after we had the most amazing sex to celebrate our first anniversary.

We’ve been together for a year now. I can hardly still believe it.

Jace is my first ever boyfriend, that’s why.

He was so happy earlier to celebrate this milestone in our relationship. I’ve never had anyone feel so happy to have me in their life like Jace does.

He genuinely makes me feel loved, seen, heard, pampered, and spoiled.

He’s the best boyfriend in the world, and I don’t see myself falling out of love with him anytime soon. I think I’m already deep in the hole, but unfortunately, I have to end things with him tonight... because of his mother’s ultimatum.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not scared of Alice or her threats. But she stated a fact earlier when she said Jace was going to make a terrible life decision because of me.

I don’t want that for him.

Just like Alice, I know he wouldn’t want to leave me alone. He’d rather forfeit chasing his dreams than not have his girlfriend by his side. Yeah, that’s how deep in the hole we both are.

That’s the primary reason his mother is so concerned. The other reason Alice believes I’m not fit for her son is because of the difference in our financial and social status. There’s a long fucking gap there.

Jace and I come from two different worlds. Rich and poor, respectively. He comes from wealth, with two lovely parents supporting his journey toward a brighter future.

While me, I’m just a struggling third-year kinesiology student on a scholarship, working two jobs to keep my head above water while trying to stay afloat under a mountain of bills.

My only surviving parent — Dad — is currently in the hospital, battling kidney disease.

Mom passed away when I was five. I still haven’t healed from her death.

The truth is, my life was so fucking hard until I met Jace.

He changed everything.

He showed me there was still kindness in this cruel world.

At some point, I started questioning whether the rumors I once heard about him were true. Before we started dating, Jace was labeled the ruthless billionaire heir in our college, an arrogant bully and as intimidating as they come.

Even though I saw snippets of that cruel rich-boy vibe in him initially—because we definitely got off on the wrong foot—he changed after we started dating.

He’s been the sweetest person in my life for the past year. You have no idea how much I love him.

I turn my face to the other side of the bed to admire him as he sleeps. He looks so at peace, a complete contrast to how I’m currently feeling.

A few rebellious strands of his raven-black hair fall over his face.

My eyes trail along his neck to his bare chest, where I spot the tattoo of my name that he still has on his chest.

As a small smile tugs at my mouth, a tear trickles down my cheek.

Another tear follows as my heart squeezes painfully.

It hurts to realize this is the last night we’ll ever spend together.

It hurts to realize the circumstances around us do not support our relationship.

I don’t want to let him go—I’m not ready to. But I have to.

If I want what’s best for him, I have to.

Jace’s dream has always been to become the best center on one of the greatest hockey teams in the country. He worked so hard toward his goal, refusing help when his dad offered to bribe the coach of the New Zugo Arctic Wolves on his behalf.

My baby worked so hard, and now he finally got the offer. He was recruited.

He was so happy the day he rushed down to Erin’s fast-food restaurant, where I work, to share the good news with me. But he frowned at the fact that New Zugo is many miles away from home—away from me.

Although he didn’t say anything that day, I suspected he was having second thoughts about accepting the offer.

Alice must have noticed his hesitation too, and that’s why she’s so desperate to get rid of me. Honestly, I understand.

As much as I don’t want to end my relationship with Jace, this is sadly the only way.

With a hard swallow, I look away from Jace, quietly pulling the duvet away before I step out of bed.

I freeze when he stirs in bed and murmurs something incoherent. I swallow and heave a sigh when I hear his snores again. He’s fallen back asleep.

Tiptoeing, I quietly pick up my scattered clothes from the floor and throw them on. My panties are ruined, so I ignore the shredded fabric.

Sighing quietly with a heavy heart weighing me down, I move to the bedside drawer and retrieve a pen and paper.

My heart gradually shatters into pieces as I scribble down a breakup message on the paper. I write down a false explanation for why I don’t want to be with him anymore. I beg him not to contact me again. I beg him to forget about me.

When I’m done, I place down the pen, positioning the paper where he can easily see it when he eventually wakes up.

A few of my teardrops ruin some spots on the note, but I disregard them.

My chest feels tight as I straighten up. I feel like a part of me is twisting unprovoked in a knot. I’m barely holding back from having a loud breakdown.

I pull myself together, glancing at Jace one last time before heading for the door.

My face is flooded with tears when I step out of the room, the door closing behind me with a soft click.

The memories. Play fights. Intense sex. Pure love. Him.

I close it all behind me.

As I make my way out of the hotel lobby, my only wish now is that Jace quietly accepts my decision to break up without a confrontation.

But deep down, I know my wish is bullshit.