My mind was foggy, and my whole body hurt like hell.
In a daze, I dreamed of the past, seeing young of Jaylin.
His eyes were clear, and those beautiful almond-shaped eyes were filled with nothing but me.
“Rae, have you decided which university to go to?” he asked.
I pouted. “I’m not sure yet. Haven’t you already been accepted to Stanford?”
Jaylin shrugged, “That’s just rumors.”
To attend the same university as me, the once-inexperienced boy had given up his chance to go to a top international school.
When I found out the truth, I was furious. “Jaylin, Stanford is a world-class university! Are you crazy not to go?”
Jaylin gently patted my head, his gaze soft. “Going to the same university as you sounds good to me.”
“I’ll still make a name for myself even at a regular school.”
A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth, dimples showing as I said confidently, “Jay, you’re amazing! You’ll definitely succeed in the future!”
Jaylin, with all the sincerity in the world, said, “When I’ve made something of myself, I’ll marry you in style.”
“Sound good?”
I began to dream about the future, but fate played a cruel joke on us.
The Reynolds family went bankrupt, overwhelmed by debt. Their once-glorious image was shattered.
Debt collectors stormed the Reynolds estate in the dead of night, looting everything.
When they couldn’t recover the money, they turned their attention to Jaylin’s young and beautiful mother, violating her in turn.
Unable to bear the humiliation, Mrs. Reynolds slashed her wrists in the bathtub at home.
Jaylin’s father, witnessing his wife’s tragic fate, jumped from the rooftop in guilt and despair.
Jaylin lost both of his parents in an instant. His once-bright life crumbled before his eyes.
That day, the rain poured down in torrents.
Jaylin gripped my shoulders tightly, his whole body shaking with anger.
He screamed at me, “Rachel, your father killed my parents! He’s a murderer!”
Upon hearing the terrible news, my heart broke for him.
“Jay, nothing can bring them back. Please, stay strong.”
Jaylin’s eyes were bloodshot, and he roared like a wounded beast, “Why did it have to be him? Why?”
“I’ve always respected him, and yet he killed my parents!”
I wanted to comfort him, but my throat felt tight, and it was as if I were falling into an abyss.
“I’m so sorry about your parents. There must be some misunderstanding. I’ll investigate and give you an explanation!”
Jaylin’s grip on my shoulder blades was so tight it hurt. The pain was unbearable.
“What misunderstanding? Everyone knows your father won the bid through dirty tricks.”
His icy fingers traced my face before he let out a cold laugh. “Whatever the Bennetts owe me, I’ll take back a hundredfold.”
The hatred in his eyes was intense. “Rachel, I can’t wait for the day you beg me on your knees for mercy!”
The cold rain poured down, each drop like a thousand needles stabbing my heart.
The sound of his heart-wrenching accusations played over and over in my mind, pulling at my nerves.
The events of the past played out like a rewound film, each scene flickering before my eyes.
When I woke up, I found myself lying in a hospital bed, an IV drip in my hand.
The memories from the dream gradually faded away.
In the window, I saw the reflection of my pale and haggard face.
Jaylin was sitting by my bedside, his eyes bloodshot, as if he hadn’t slept all night.
When he saw me awake, he pressed the call button to summon the doctor.
The doctor shone a light in my eyes and checked my wounds before turning to Jaylin and saying,
“Mr. Jaylin, make sure her wounds don’t come into contact with water to avoid infection.”
He also listed off foods I needed to avoid and reminded him to prepare a light diet for me.
Jaylin listened intently to the doctor’s instructions, his patience remarkable.
After the doctor left, Jaylin sat back down at my bedside.
“How are you feeling? Any better?” he asked, his gaze gentle. The sharp edge he usually had was gone.
My nose stung, and tears nearly spilled from my eyes. “The wounds hurt a bit, but everything else is okay.”
If that incident had never happened, Jaylin, now a successful man, would have kept his promise and married me in style.
My mind swirled in confusion, my head aching, drifting between dreams and reality.
I couldn’t tell if the man before me was the Jaylin from our youth or the Jaylin of today.