That was how Cynthia learned to cook so well.
Back then, she cooked just for Jordan. But now, Cynthia and Jackson were divorced, and she didn’t have to think about Jordan’s feelings anymore. Cynthia was finally just her mom, and her mom alone. All of Cynthia’s love belonged to her now.
“Isabella, stop ordering so much takeout. Mom isn’t home yet, so let Susan cook for you for a few days. I won’t push you to accept the flowers or the skincare products, but you have to eat breakfast.”
“If you don’t have time to eat now, just bring it to the office. It’ll stay warm in the thermos.”
“If you refuse to take the breakfast I brought, I’m not leaving.”
Ethan’s car was parked right at the exit of the villa. If he didn’t move, she couldn’t drive out to work.
Isabella stared at him. “Ethan, is threatening me the only thing you’re good at?”
Ethan’s voice was gentle. “Isabella, I just want you to eat breakfast. I don’t want you getting sick.”
“You hate me. When I try to be nice and ask you to eat, you ignore me. So now I have to force you a little. If that makes you hate me more, I’ll accept it. As long as you don’t go hungry, I can live with your hate.”
“You already hate me anyway. A little more won’t kill me. You don’t love me anymore, but you still hate me. At least that means you still remember I exist.”
Once upon a time, Ethan was so sure of himself around her, always above it all.
Now, he was almost begging, afraid of how much she might hate him.
He said he didn’t mind if she hated him more, but if Isabella actually said she hated him to his face, he’d go pale as a ghost.
Isabella walked out, spun around, and slammed the gate shut behind her, locking it.
Isabella stopped and turned to look at him. “Ethan, what are you even doing? Can’t we just end this cleanly?”
“We don’t have feelings for each other anymore. Why are you still hanging around?”
Ethan went quiet. He looked at her and said, “Isabella, what if I said I don’t want a divorce? What if I told you I think I might actually love you? Would you believe me?”
“Even if I did, what difference would it make? You can’t put a shattered mirror back together. Even if you did, the cracks are still there. Too much has happened. The things you did broke my heart, piece by piece.”
“Ethan, let’s just end things peacefully. Stop making this harder. We can’t go back. Don’t forget, I almost died because of you.”
“You basically killed me once. Do you want to do it again?”
Ethan’s face drained of all color. He tried to say something, opened his mouth more than once, but the words just wouldn’t come.

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