Chapter 588 Tell Me, Have You Ever Liked Him? 3
Just then, Sarah entered and took Diana away, leaving Jacob and Serafina alone in the spacious master bedroom.
Serafina remained standing, motionless.
Jacob grabbed his bathrobe and went to shower. When he emerged, Serafina was already in bed, her body curled tightly under the covers with her back to him—perhaps to avoid his presence.
Jacob lay down beside her. With a quick motion, he switched off the bedside lamp, plunging the bedroom into darkness.
In the blackness, senses became heightened; Serafina could clearly feel Jacob's warm breath brushing against the nape of her neck, sending tiny shivers across her sensitive skin.
After a long silence, Jacob's voice emerged from behind her. "What do you think about Diana's situation? Should we let them be together, if they truly love each other?"
Serafina remained quiet for a considerable time before countering, "What are you really asking me?"
Jacob offered no response.
The warmth at her neck subsided as Jacob shifted to lie flat, staring into the darkness. His mind was filled with images of Serafina walking alongside Floyd. He had asked her if she had feelings for Floyd, and while she hadn't confirmed it, she hadn't denied it either.
At the very least, she must have some affection for him.
At the very least, she didn't dislike him!At the very least, she didn't dislike him!
Jacob couldn't articulate his feelings. He knew with clarity that he hadn't fallen in love with Serafina, yet something bothered him deeply—the fact that she allowed other men into her life, even if their interactions were purely professional.
Sleep eluded him all night.
Morning brought activity to Windsor Mansion.
Diana was sent away.
Though reluctant to go to Sovelan, she had no choice; Oliver had made his decision. He personally escorted Diana on his private jet, accompanied by Sarah and Jacob.
However, Jacob returned the same day, while Oliver and Sarah planned to stay in Sovelan for a while, partly to care for the pregnant Nicole.
Jacob flew back from Sovelan, arriving as dusk settled over the city.
As he stepped out of the black town car, a servant approached to take his luggage.
"Mrs. Windsor just returned home," the servant informed him.
Jacob, preoccupied with his thoughts, merely nodded.
He carried his bag upstairs but found the bedroom empty. After searching briefly, he located Serafina in her studio, still working on her embroidery piece, her features serene as she bent over her work.
On a side table lay an invitation.
Jacob picked it up—a farewell dinner for Floyd, hosted by Leap High School at a nearby restaurant.
He looked up at Serafina. "Do you want to attend?"
Serafina's hands paused momentarily, though she didn't raise her head.
"No," she said softly. "Not to avoid suspicion, but because I know you wouldn't want me to go. Why create unnecessary tension between us?"
Throughout this entire situation, she had never offered an explanation.
Nor had she asked Jacob for one.
She only felt sorry for Floyd, and her way of making amends was to distance herself from him. She didn't want Floyd to face any more consequences because of her.
Serafina continued her embroidery.
Each stitch was steady but monotonous and repetitive, much like her marriage to Jacob—the same routine day after day.
Jacob observed her composed demeanor, his brow furrowing slightly. Just as he was about to speak, a servant knocked at the door: "Mr. Windsor, a Mr. Larson is here to see you."
Mr. Larson? Dwayne.
Jacob glanced toward the doorway.
After a moment, he said evenly, "Please show Mr. Larson to the study. I'll be there shortly."
Ten minutes later, Jacob met Dwayne in the study.
He was an impressive young man—handsome and well-spoken.
Diana had good taste.
But Dwayne's family background made this relationship unacceptable to the Windsor family. Despite Diana being the apple of everyone's eye, Oliver had been harsh enough to confine her to her bedroom and confiscate her phone, cutting off any contact with Dwayne.
Jacob stood tall in a crisp white shirt, the picture of aristocratic elegance.
A cigarette rested between his long fingers, pale smoke curling around him as his face remained expressionless.
Jacob spoke directly, "Mr. Larson, I'll be frank. My father disapproves of your relationship. Diana has gone abroad and won't return for at least two or three years. And you'll likely find it impossible to purchase a ticket to follow her."
"Personally, I don't oppose your relationship," he continued. "But you and Diana simply aren't compatible. Persisting will only lead to your ruin. What's the point? I understand you come from a prominent family in your homeland. Sacrificing those resources for Diana doesn't make sense. It's better to part ways—better for both of you. Continuing would merely waste time."
After a prolonged silence, Dwayne asked quietly, "Mr. Windsor, do you believe every relationship should be weighed in terms of material gain? To you, is a perfect marriage nothing more than a practical arrangement?"
Jacob's gaze was penetrating, as if it could consume everything in its path.
Dwayne smiled faintly. "I suspect, Mr. Windsor, that your own marriage must be quite unhappy."
With that, Dwayne left.
He hadn't come to beg Jacob for help. He had simply been trying every possible avenue to discover Diana's whereabouts. Eventually learning she was in Sovelan, he attempted to buy a plane ticket to find her, but as Jacob had implied, his travel had been restricted.
Dwayne didn't return to his homeland to claim his position as clan leader.
Instead, he remained in Evergreen City and founded a tech company. The beginning was difficult, but he persevered. He wasn't sure if he was waiting for someone, holding onto something, or if he still loved her or hated her.
Perhaps only his midnight dreams could provide the answer.
Dwayne's words affected Jacob deeply.
Jacob didn't know what happiness meant, but he recognized that his marriage to Serafina was teetering on the edge. While not terrible, it certainly contained no sweetness.
Two months after Serafina's miscarriage, they had resumed physical intimacy.
Initially, she had wanted to take contraceptive pills, but Jacob stopped her. She shouldn't conceive for at least six months, and as her husband, he shouldn't let her bear that risk.
Beyond their nights together, they barely communicated.
Their marriage was riddled with cracks. There had been no great injury, yet exhaustion permeated everything. Perhaps the absence of love made it seem more difficult and predetermined their eventual separation—it was only a matter of time.
By late summer, Nicole gave birth to a baby boy in Sovelan.
Oliver's entire family went to visit.
Serafina, unable to get away due to a major domestic exhibition, scheduled her trip for three days later.
The night before his departure, Jacob sat on the sofa while Serafina packed his suitcase in the dressing room.