A Life Debt Repaid novel (John and Cordy)
Chapter 1040

Chapter 1040

Chapter 1040

Jay then continued, “Somehow, destiny granted me yet another boon-the fine gentleman was forced tobreak up with Zoe because of family reasons … or perhaps it would be more accurate to say Zoe didnot want him to be caught in a difficult situation, which would lead to him being disowned like she was.She decided to break up with him and used the excuse that she wasn’t over me. I was certainlyhonored that I could be her love even for one night, to put up an act with her, so that the gentlemanbelieved that we got back together.

“After the man left, Zoe offered her body to me as reward… though it would be more accurate to saythat she just didn’t want to owe me.”

Jay blinked just then as if to recall the bliss of that night. “I could tell that she was not actually willing,that she wanted to do it just to strengthen her resolve to leave the gentleman. Even so, that was thehappiest night of my life.

‘ However, I had to leave before daybreak the next morning for a film, and Zoe was still sound asleepwhen I left. I couldn’t bear waking her, so I left her a note to tell her to wait for me. My intention was topropose when I was done with work that day, and I would have refused to let go even if she refused-even if she did not love me anymore. I had my assistant buy a ring fit for her finger and a surpriseproposal… But I was rushing on my way back from the film set and met with an accident. I almost didnot survive at the time when my car slid off a cliff.”

Zoe’s tears were welling in her eyes.

She remembered how long she had been waiting for him that day, and she was actually not asdisenchanted as she thought.

She always believed that she did not love Jay that much anyway and would gladly accept that he neverreturned.

And yet, her heart was now numbed from the pain.

If she had known Jay loved her so much that he almost died trying to propose to her, she would nothave left at all.

Nor would she have lied to herself that she no longer loved Jay, even if she probably would not hold outmuch hope for him, because she had been thoroughly every time she did before.nvëlx.o

And in worse cases, she thought she could die.

“It was months later when I finally regained consciousness. I was being treated abroad, and AlanLevine was there with me. He was the one who told me that my right leg was crippled.”

Jay smiled faintly even as he continued his story, as if all those troubled times were past him. “The onlythought I had was that I no longer deserved Zoe, and I felt the same way I did when I first met her-thatshe was an angel I could never reach. However, while I could work hard during my younger days tobridge our distance, I am now permanently a cripple. I would never be whole again, no matter how hardI try.

“I therefore knew very well that I should never impose on her, but ultimately I could not stop myself fromcalling her number. I was always thinking: what if she was still waiting for me? What if? I should at leastoffer an explanation in that case. However, the only response I got was that her number was no longerin service, and I thought I had the answer. I used to hurt her so much, and even though I had nochoice, she would never know that. To her, I’d be the cruelest being there is, so why would she still loveme?

“I therefore gave up and told myself that this was the best outcome. I’d never emotionally blackmail herto be with me-she made her choice, and I must respect her.”