Wait—Did I Steal Your Best Buddy While You Were ‘Missing’? HELL YES!! Chapter 10
“Jasper made mistakes, we know. But us and the company-we didn’t do anything wrong.”
“So what are you asking?”
“Could you put out a statement saying you’ve forgiven him? That it’s all in the past?”
I wanted to laugh.
But I’d been ready for this.
I sniffled twice and tears filled my eyes.
“Uncle, Auntie, I know you’ve been good to me. I don’t want to make things worse for you.”
“But what Jasper did hurt me so badly!”
“I’ve been having nightmares every single night!”
The tears came streaming down.
“Uncle, Auntie, I’m in so much pain. I loved him so much. How could he lie to me like that?”
“Yes, yes, it’s all Jasper’s fault, dear.”
They looked at each other.
“Honey, how about we give you some money to help? How much?”
I immediately waved my hands:
“No, absolutely not. I couldn’t take money from you.”
Are you kidding? If I named a price, they could say I was extorting them.
“Twenty thousand?”
“This isn’t about money.”
“Forty?”
“How I felt about Jasper can’t be measured in money!”
“Fifty!”
“I think.” I sighed, “I just need to see a therapist.”
I kept refusing to name a number.
Just kept going on about my mental health being destroyed.
Next day, I checked my bank account-six figures just sitting there.
The note said: Voluntary payment for emotional damages.
I looked at that deposit and couldn’t help smiling.
Callan said: “If you need money, I can give you some too.”
“That’s different. This is what they owe me.”
Whether Jasper or Callan, I’d never been after their money or status.
But what I’m owed? I’m taking that without guilt.
“So what now?” Callan asked. “Are you really going to forgive them publicly?”
“Yeah, I took their money, didn’t I?”
I do have some standards.
So I recorded a forgiveness video.
Only in the video, I cried. A LOT.
Said all the right words about moving on, but the tears kept flowing.
I guaranteed-
When that forgiveness video went out, Jasper wouldn’t get an ounce of actual forgiveness from anyone watching.
Jasper used to complain that I cried too much.
But he never understood.
cry ONLY because tears come easily.
Later.
Sloane disappeared to who knows where-no news, no updates on any of her social media.
Someone said she might’ve gone to Brazil to make a living.
Nobody really knew for sure.
As for Jasper?
Just like I thought-he became a total punching bag.
Barely showed his face anymore.
Even going out on the street, people would recognize him and curse him out.
His parents saw I was genuinely hurt and didn’t come begging a second time.
They just poured all their attention into raising their younger son.
As for their alcoholic eldest?
They stopped caring. Left him to fend for himself.
Time flew, and before I knew it, Christmas rolled around.
Callan and I were walking down the street holding hands when he suddenly stopped and pointed at a boba shop.
“That’s where I first saw you.”
I was shocked.
Because the shop where I’d worked part-time FRESHMAN year.
