CHAPTER 65 - I had no Choice

Why were they here now? Why was Jayden acting like everything was normal, like nothing had happened between us?

I could barely take a breath as they settled into the room, their sudden closeness suffocating me. It felt like I had no space left to breathe, no room to think. All I could focus on was the overwhelming pressure of their expectations, the silent judgment in their eyes, and the oppressive weight of Jayden’s gaze.

“Surprise!" They all said at once and clapped.

“Look at my darling grandchildren." Mrs. Horton, Jayden's mum said heading to my child. I couldn't help but keep my eyes on her and my baby even when Jayden's grandfather came to have a word with me. It was only Jayden's grandfather and Grace that actually came to see me. As for the rest, they were all gagging all over my baby girl.

“Daphne,” Jayden said softly, signaling for his grandfather to excuse him. His voice was so gentle, it almost made me want to believe he was genuinely concerned. But I couldn’t afford to be fooled anymore. “I think we should talk. Alone.”

I stiffened. “Alone?” I repeated, my tone betraying the uncertainty bubbling up inside me.

He nodded, his expression earnest but tinged with something I couldn’t quite place. “Please. I need to speak with you privately.”

Reluctantly, I glanced at the people around me, my gaze landing on my father, who didn’t look particularly thrilled by the prospect of me being alone with Jayden. But he didn’t intervene, and neither did Anna or Cara. I could feel Grace’s eyes on me too, but she said nothing. Perhaps she knew how much I needed this conversation, even if she didn’t understand why.

Jayden must have sensed my hesitation because he added, “My mother will watch over Jade. I promise. She’s in good hands.”

That promise made me hesitate. I didn’t trust Jayden with my heart, and I certainly didn’t trust him enough to leave my daughter in his mother’s care. But for some reason, I found myself nodding. Maybe it was the exhaustion weighing down on me, or maybe it was the small flicker of hope that Jayden’s words would mean something more than just a well-constructed lie.

I stood slowly, feeling every pair of eyes in the room following my every move. My heart thudded painfully in my chest as I walked toward the door, Jayden trailing behind me. We stepped into the hallway, away from the prying gazes of our families, and I felt a brief sense of relief. But it didn’t last long.

Jayden led me to a small, quiet sitting area. The moment the door clicked shut behind us, I crossed my arms defensively, unwilling to give him any ground. The air between us was thick with unspoken words, things we both wished we could say but couldn’t.

“I’ve been thinking about this for a while, Daphne,” Jayden began, his voice steady but laced with an underlying urgency. “And I need you to listen to me. I want to marry you. For real.”

I blinked, my mind struggling to process the words he’d just spoken. Marry me? After everything? After the lies, the betrayal, the manipulation? My chest tightened, and anger surged through me like a raging fire.

“Are you serious?” I hissed, my voice shaking with a mix of disbelief and frustration. “You want to marry me for real now? After everything that’s happened?”

“I know it’s complicated,” he said quietly, stepping closer. “But I’m done pretending, Daphne. I don’t want this to be just a contract anymore. I want us to be a real family. I want to be with you.”

The anger bubbling inside me refused to be contained any longer. “A real family? You think this is what a real family looks like?” I spat. “You think that because you suddenly decide you want me, everything will magically be okay? You don’t get to just come in here and pretend like everything is fine. We don’t work like that, Jayden. You don’t get to rewrite the terms just because you want to feel better about yourself.”

Jayden’s face shifted, a hint of frustration creeping into his expression. He stepped back, running a hand through his hair. “I’m not trying to rewrite anything. I’m just telling you how I feel. This isn’t about my inheritance anymore. It’s about you. About us.”

“Don’t lie to me,” I shot back, unable to contain the anger rising in my chest. “This is about your inheritance. This was never about us. You only married me because of that ridiculous clause your grandfather put in place. You never cared about me. You just wanted your inheritance.”

Jayden’s jaw tightened, and for the first time, I saw something akin to guilt flash across his face. He didn’t deny it. He couldn’t. The truth hung in the air like a heavy fog, and we both knew it.

“I had to,” he said quietly. “I had no choice.”

“Had no choice?” I echoed bitterly. “You didn’t think I had a choice either, did you? You didn’t think about how I was being used too. You think I’m just a pawn in your game, something to be discarded once you’ve gotten what you wanted.”

Jayden’s hands clenched into fists, his frustration evident. “I didn’t want to hurt you, Daphne. I never wanted to hurt you.”

“But you did,” I whispered, the words tasting bitter in my mouth. “You’ve been hurting me this whole time. I trusted you. I let you in, and you lied to me. You manipulated me. And now you expect me to just forget it all and marry you for real?”

Jayden opened his mouth to say something, but I raised my hand to stop him. “No,” I said firmly, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me. “You don’t get to apologize your way out of this. You don’t get to fix everything with a few words. The damage is done, Jayden. And I’m not just going to forgive you because you suddenly decided that you want more than a contract.”

I could see the frustration in his eyes, but he didn’t argue. He just stood there, staring at me with a mix of regret and something deeper—something I couldn’t quite name.

“I get it,” he said softly. “I understand why you’re angry. And I don’t blame you. But I don’t want to lose you, Daphne. I don’t want to lose this chance with you.”

The words hung in the air, a plea, a confession. But it was too late. I had been broken too many times, and I couldn’t allow myself to be hurt again. Not by him.

“I’m sorry, Jayden,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “But I can’t do this. I can’t trust you anymore.”

Jayden’s face fell, and for a moment, he looked like the man I had once loved—the man I thought could be different. But that man was gone, replaced by someone who had used me for his own gain. The realization hit me like a punch to the gut, but I knew it was the truth. There was no going back.

“You’re right,” he said quietly, his voice thick with regret. “I can’t make you forgive me. And I don’t expect you to. But I’ll be here, Daphne. I’ll be here for you and Jade, no matter what.”

I nodded, unable to speak the words that were choking me. I wasn’t sure if I could forgive him. I wasn’t sure if I ever would. But for now, I had to walk away. For Jade. For myself.

“I need to go,” I said, turning toward the door. “I need to be with my daughter.”

Jayden didn’t stop me. He just watched as I walked away, feeling the weight of everything between us.