Dumped My Cheating Ex. Now I'm Sleeping Next to a Billionaire CEO novel Chapter 1312

“I grew up an orphan. Even though he was born into a rich family, he was sent away so young that, in a way, Nico was an orphan too, wasn’t he? Jamie once told me no one in this world had ever really loved Nico. He said he was the only one who ever tried to bring Nico a little warmth. Jamie always hoped that, someday, Nico could let go of the past and not try to take revenge on the Nelson family. He just wanted Nico to be okay.”

“When Jamie was gone… it felt like all we had left was each other. That’s why we threw ourselves into our work, trying desperately to prove ourselves in our own ways. I don’t even know when it happened. I just… fell in love with Nico. And I always thought, maybe, even someone as cold as him, if he was willing to support me and be there for me without ever asking for anything in return… could it be because he cared for me too? My manager always said Nico wasn’t really any different from the rich men who tried to chase after me. But I kept telling myself I had to work harder. Only if I made it big in Hollywood, only if I became a global superstar, would I ever be worthy to stand by his side.”

“So it was me who ended our silent understanding. I wanted Nico to know that I recognized him, that I wanted to tear down the wall between us. But I never thought he would react with so much anger. Did he really just see me as some responsibility Jamie left him? I don’t believe it. I really don’t. All I wanted was to work hard enough to deserve being by his side. How is that wrong? I kept pushing myself in Hollywood. I just wanted to prove to him that everything he did for me wasn’t for nothing. But then… Emmy, you suddenly appeared.”

“You made Nico fall in love with you. You took everything from me. Emmy, I hate you so much. I’m so jealous. If you hadn’t shown up, I’d be the one standing next to Nico now. It should have been me. You took everything that was supposed to be mine…”

The last of Mercedes's messages played. After that, the room went completely quiet.

Emmy turned to look at the man behind her. James still had his arms wrapped around her. His eyes were tightly closed, his brow drawn in a deep frown. He was trying to hold it together, but Emmy could feel how much he was hurting. And it wasn’t just Mercedes’s words that cut so deep. It was hearing Jamie’s name again and again—the one person who’d ever shown him true warmth, the one who lost his life because of him.

It was a long moment before James opened his eyes again. His expression was a sea of emotion, all twisted up and impossible to read. He looked down at Emmy and, voice hoarse and low, asked, “She loved Jamie, didn’t she?”

Emmy nodded right away. “She did.”

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