On the Ruins of His Regret I Soar novel Chapter 25

In the coffee shop, Rebecca got straight to the point. “Did you do something to piss off Lance Smith?”

Jessica gave a bitter smile. “No.”

“I don’t believe you,” Rebecca said. “Then why did he lock you in a psych ward for six months? Why did you have to drug him just to get him into bed?”

Jessica took a deep breath. After her father had remarried, everyone in her life had slowly drifted away. Looking around now, she realized there wasn’t a single person she could confide in. The thought of pouring out her heart to Rebecca, of all people, felt surreal.

After a long pause, she followed her gut. “The reason I was sent to the institution… it started when Catherine sent Lance provocative pictures of herself, wearing nothing but lacy lingerie.”

Rebecca’s eyes widened in shock. “That’s shameless.” She leaned forward, bewildered. “But why were you the one who got locked up?”

A humorless laugh escaped Jessica. “What was I supposed to do? I saw the photos and lost it. I stormed over to my father’s house and slapped her twice. She made a huge scene, ran up to the roof, and threatened to jump. My husband, my father, and my cousins… they didn’t hesitate. They had me committed just to coax her down.”

Rebecca was speechless. She’d heard the rumors, of course, but the story Jessica was telling was completely different. Her old annoyance with Jessica melted into sympathy. Jessica had done nothing wrong. She’d given up a promising career for a man, had his child, and became a housewife, only to be thrown away like trash.

Rebecca found herself grateful that she’d never managed to win Lance over back then. Otherwise, she might be the one living this nightmare.

Rebecca ran a hand through her hair, frustrated. She’d always had a strong sense of justice and couldn’t stand seeing Jessica being bullied like this.

“Honestly, I’ve got my own problems,” Rebecca admitted with a sigh. “My mother’s in the ICU, barely hanging on. The board is trying to push out my grandfather and uncle’s factions, and my dad’s three illegitimate children are circling like vultures. I can’t afford to make a single mistake right now.”

Jessica stared, stunned. She remembered when Rebecca’s parents’ love story had been the talk of the town. To think that it had all been a lie…

Rebecca laughed, a self-deprecating sound. “Surprising, isn’t it? What’s even more surprising is that his oldest bastard daughter is only two years younger than me. I’ve learned my lesson about men.”