Chapter 107 107

Chapter 107 107
Maddy's POV 
I looked up at him, scanning his face for any firm expression that would give me a hint at whatever he was thinking. After what felt like an eternity, Jason finally spoke. His words struck me like a cruel blow. 
"I'm not here to make peace or bury any hatches, Miss Maddy," he said with a tone of disdain. My heart sank, realising that he still didn't trust me at all, and it was just all in my head.
He continued, his voice filled with resentment. "Hazelp pleased with me to come here, to try and reason with you so you'd get some sleep. But just so you know, I have the opposite idea of what should be done to you." His voice was so dark and relentless at that point.
"Maddy, I can't, and I will never be able to accept, let go, or forgive the fact that you jeopardize your Hazel’s safety because of your stupid infatuation with Zac." His words stung like venom, each syllable tearing at my soul.
"No, I didn't do it because of my infatuation with Zac; I don't even feel anything for him anymore, and he got upset as he noticed that the mating mark had disappeared, which meant I now felt nothing for him.”
“He got mad about it, then hit me, and I desperately tried to explain, my words tumbling out in a rush.  But Jason cut me off, his tone firm and unyielding. 
“If you love Zac so much, then go back to him willingly," he suggested, his voice laced with bitterness. "Go back to him and remain by his side forever."
The weight of his words crushed me. I had never imagined that our friendship could be reduced to this. The pain in his eyes mirrored the pain in my own heart. His words hurt a lot, but I decided to push them away.
I suddenly felt desperate—too desperate. I suddenly felt courage build up inside me as Jason turned to leave. I couldn't bear the thought of losing him completely, and most definitely not this way, at least. 
I sobbed uncontrollably, my cries mingling with pleas for him to stay and hear me out. I reached out, my trembling hand grasping his arm and refusing to let him go.
"Please, Jason," I begged through my tears. "Just listen to me. I'm not infatuated with Zac anymore. That's why you're upset, right? I didn't do any of these things out of infatuation, I swear!"
Jason's eyes were filled with a mixture of frustration and pain. He pulled his arm away from my grip, his voice filled with bitterness. "You think realising your mistake changes anything?”
“You were willing to sacrifice your best friend, Maddy, to be a coward and put your loyalty to Zac above everything and everyone else."
Tears continued to stream down my face as I desperately tried to make him understand. "No, Jason, it's not like that. I never wanted to hurt you or Hazel. I was just so lost, so confused."
He cut me off sharply, his tone cutting through the air like a knife. "Lost and confused? That's not an excuse, Maddy. To think that I ever saw you differently, that I had started having feelings..." he trailed off, his unfinished sentence hanging in the air.
Hope flickered in my heart as I was immediately able to grasp what he wanted to say, and I interrupted him, pleading for him to finish his sentence. "Please, Jason, what were you going to say? I need to know."
He stared at me for a moment, his expression hardening. "What's the point, Maddy? You've already shattered my trust. Whatever feelings ever tried to exist between us are gone. Long gone."
His words struck me with a force that I couldn't comprehend. The realisation that I had not only lost his trust but also any chance of something more between us tore at my soul. I fell to my knees, my voice trembling with desperation.
"Jason, please," I implored, my voice filled with heartache. "I'm begging you to give me another chance. I'll prove the truth to you. I'll do whatever it takes to make things right and earn back your trust. I can't bear to lose you, not like this."
He looked down at me, his expression softening slightly. But the pain in his eyes remained. "Maddy, you don't understand. Trust is something fragile, and once it's broken, it's hard to mend. You've hurt me deeply, and I don't know if I can ever trust you again."
I kneeled by my bedside, tears streaming down my face and my heart heavy with sorrow. Clutching my legs tightly, I felt the pain of losing Jason consume me like quicksand. The room was filled with silence, broken only by my quiet sobs. I felt so exhausted,and eventually, I fell into a fitful sleep.
When I woke up, I found myself lying comfortably on the bed. Confusion washed over me as I remembered falling asleep on the floor. I sat up, rubbing my eyes, trying to make sense of what had happened. And then I noticed something on the spot where I had fallen asleep.
There, lying idly on the floor, was a golden amulet. It was old, with intricate designs etched into its surface. Curiosity sparked within me as I picked it up, feeling its weight in my hand. It didn't belong to me; that much was clear. I inspected it closely and saw a bold, prominent letter "J" inscribed behind it.
My heart skipped a beat as I realised what that meant. It was Jason's amulet. He had been the one who tucked me into bed last night. A surge of excitement mixed with hope flooded through me. Could this be a sign that he still cares about me? Maybe he is just being stubborn?
With trembling hands, I put on the amulet, feeling its coolness against my skin. I traced my fingers over the rough edge and noticed something written beneath the surface. I leaned in closer, squinting my eyes to read the words.
And there it was—Jason's name etched into the amulet. The realisation filled me with a sense of warmth and possibility. He had left a part of himself with me, a silent message that spoke volumes.
I wore the amulet, kept it tucked under my shirt, and sat up in bed waiting for the maid. Soon she came in, and I had ordered her to prepare the bath for me.
I finally got down and got out of my nightwear, and that's when I realised that Jason had seen me in my underwear. My whole face had turned red, and I had to give it my all not to yell out in frustration and embarrassment. 
I picked up my nightie from the floor and tossed it into the washing machine. Then, tiptoeing and wrapping myself up in a plush towel, I tiptoed into the bathroom.
The bathroom was so nice to be in for me; it was a place where I could unwind and relax. I turned on the taps, adjusting the water until it was just the right temperature—warm but not too hot. As the bathtub filled, I lowered myself into the soothing water, the heat seeping into my muscles and making me sigh in contentment.
As I lay there, surrounded by the scent of lavender from my bath bomb, I found my thoughts drifting to Jason. I felt so bad for making him so mad at me, but he just didn't understand the situation. 
I had to admit that I missed the sound of his laughter, the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled, and the annoying yet comforting presence he brought into the room. I felt a burning guilt within me. It was longing, and that made my heart ache. 
I picked up my phone and stared at the blank screen for a while. I had no idea what to do. "I'm so sorry, Jason, Please forgive me," I whispered into the silence, hoping that somehow he could hear me.
I closed my eyes and let the warmth of the bath seep into my bones, imagining Jason speaking to me again and teasing me like he usually does. With that comforting thought, I knew I could manage to face him and explain things in the hopes that he'd hear me out this time. 
But then I thought about what he said, which hurt my feelings badly. "If you are so in love with that Zac, then you should just go back to him." It hurt so badly when he said that, and I had no idea why. 
I still love Zac, right? But now I don't want to leave here because of Jason. And why did it feel like I could hear jealousy in Jason's tone at that time?
After a long, soothing bath, I stepped out of the tub, feeling the cool bathroom tiles under my feet. I reached for my fluffy towel hanging nearby and wrapped it around myself, the soft fabric soaking up the water from my skin.