Her heart was pounding in her throat, but she forced herself to stay calm.
“Jonathan, what are you saying?”
Tears welled up instantly, spilling down her cheeks as she started to sob, her voice trembling with hurt.
“Are you accusing me of bribing Michael behind your back? Of using Michael’s friend to threaten Niamh into giving up her shares?”
Her voice was raw as she demanded an answer, but Jonathan only stood there in
silence-
Which said everything.
Marina’s fists clenched so tightly that her nails dug into her palms.
Jonathan suspected her.
Jonathan actually suspected her?
Back in high school, if someone had dared to slander her behind his back, Jonathan wouldn’t have come to confront her–instead, he would have made sure the gossiper vanished from school altogether.
That was how much he’d loved her.
She was his first love.
The girl he’d sworn to protect forever.
Marina had never doubted Jonathan’s feelings for her–not once, at least not until they graduated. That confidence was why she’d been bold enough to break things off and leave the country.
She’d believed Jonathan would never let her go, that he’d drop everything to chase after her.
But…
Tears rolled down Marina’s cheeks, one after another, like pearls slipping from a broken string.
What had changed Jonathan?
1/3
17.25
Chapter 87
Was it Niamh?
Marina refused to believe that.
And yet, here Jonathan was, doubting her because of something Niamh said.
“Jonathan, is that really how you see me? Do you think I’m some scheming, manipulative, selfish woman?”
Her voice shook as the tears kept coming.
“After everything we’ve been through together–surviving that grim time in juvie, protecting each other, falling in love, facing life and death as teenagers… Even when fate pulled us apart, it was music that brought us back together. We broke up, yes, but I still came back. Back to you. Jonathan, I’ve never changed. And you promised you never would either. But now? Have you really stayed the same? You’d rather believe a stranger’s accusations than trust the woman you’ve known for years my character, everything we’ve shared… Do you have any idea how much that hurts me?”
When she finished, Marina buried her face in her hands, sobbing so hard she could barely breathe.
She wasn’t pretending. The pain was real, raw.
Jonathan couldn’t help but turn her words over in his mind.
She called Niamh a stranger.
But Niamh was his wife, wasn’t she? His family.
Except now Niamh wanted a divorce–maybe she was a stranger, after all.
Jonathan let out a long, heavy sigh.
“I’m sorry, Marina. This is my fault.”
In all the years he’d known her, Jonathan had never seen Marina cry like this.
And in all the years she’d known him, Marina had never heard Jonathan apologize so sincerely.
She wiped her tears with the back of her hand, sniffling as she managed a faint, “Okay. As long as you believe me.”
“Of course I do.”
Jonathan grabbed a tissue and gently dabbed her tears away. At last, a smile broke through Marina’s tear–streaked face.
213
Chapter 237
“I’ll pick you up after work tonight. Order whatever you want for dinner.”
“Is that your idea of making it up to me?” Marina teased, her voice soft and playful. “Seems like you’re getting off easy.”
Jonathan grinned. “After dinner, whatever you want, I’ll get it for you.”
“That’s more like it.” Her usual sweet smile finally returned, brightening her
tear–stained face,
3/3
