Say Less I Love You Episode 20

Chapter 236

 TRIXA

I pause outside Jacob's hospital room, I steel myself to see the man I haven't seen since I left him at the altar. My hand trembles as I push it open, the familiar scent of antiseptic washing over me.

Jacob lies still on the pristine white sheets, tubes snaking from his arms. His usually commanding presence is diminished, vulnerable. My chest tightens at the sight.

"Oh, Jacob," I whisper, taking a hesitant step forward. "What have they done to you?"

The urge to rush to his bedside, to smooth back his hair and hold his hand like I used to, nearly overwhelms me. But that's not my place anymore. I gave up that right when I walked away at the altar.

My fingers grip my designer purse tighter. "I know you probably can't hear me, but..." I swallow hard. "I never meant for any of this to happen. The games, the manipulation - it all spiraled so far out of control."

Then, I look up and see photos and cards from Nyla. She plays the part of doting nurse very well. I scoff, remembering all the times I saw how much more he loved her than me.

"Look at you now, Jacob. Is this the future you dreamed of? We could've had an amazing life together - success, status, a beautiful family. But you tossed it all away for her."

A cold laugh escapes my lips as I shake my head. "And what do you have to show for it? Lying here half-dead while Nyla plays corporate queen."

My fingers brush against his hand, remembering how those same fingers once caressed my skin. The expensive silk of my dress rustles as I lean closer.

"You know what's truly ironic? She's becoming exactly like me - ruthless, ambitious, willing to do whatever it takes. The very things you claimed to hate about me." I straighten his already immaculate blanket. "At least I never pretended to be anything else."

The monitors continue their monotonous beeping as I smooth my perfectly styled hair. "I wonder if you can even hear me right now. Part of me hopes you can. I want you to know exactly what you gave up when you chose her."

My lipstick leaves a perfect crimson mark as I press a kiss to his forehead.

I lean in close, my voice dropping to a venomous hiss. "Well, I'm through letting her destroy my happiness. If you won't give me the life I deserve, I'll find someone who will."

My Cartier bracelet catches the fluorescent light as I straighten up, pulling my compact mirror from my Hermès bag. The reflection shows my flawless makeup - not a single imperfection mars my carefully crafted facade.

"I gave you everything, Jacob," I say, snapping the compact shut with a decisive click. "But now, I'm taking it all back."

My fingers trail along his arm one last time, remembering all the nights we spent planning our future together. The empire we would build, the legacy we would create. All those dreams shattered the moment he laid eyes on my half-sister.

"You know what's funny?" I adjust my Louboutin heel, the red sole gleaming. "Daddy always said I was too soft, too willing to let others take what was mine. But he was wrong about me. Dead wrong."

The steady beeping of his heart monitor punctuates my words like a metronome counting down to his destruction. I gather my belongings, the familiar weight of my designer bag a comfort against my arm.

But as I walk away, I hear someone come out of the bathroom behind me. "You shouldn't be here, Trixa," a gentle voice says.

I whirl around to face Lori, my silk dress swishing against my legs. "Oh look, it's Saint Nyla's little guard dog. How precious."

"I don't owe her anything," I snap, adjusting my Cartier bracelet with deliberate casualness. "A few stem cells don't buy my eternal gratitude."

"No, but basic human decency should." Lori crosses her arms, blocking my path. Her scrubs are wrinkled from a long shift, but her stance is pure steel. "She saved your life when you were dying from leukemia."

I laugh, the sound sharp and brittle in the sterile hospital room. "Saved my life? Please. She only did it to look good for Jacob. Everything she does is calculated."

"That's rich coming from you." Lori's eyes narrow. "You're just bitter because Jacob saw through your act."

"Act? I gave him everything!" My perfectly manicured nails dig into my palms. "We had a future planned - marriage, children, the whole empire. Then she swooped in with her fake innocent routine and stole it all."

"Jacob wasn't yours to steal." Lori's voice carries that infuriating calm that makes me want to scream. "He chose Nyla because she actually loves him, not his money or status."

"Oh, spare me the romantic fairy tale." I toss my hair back. "She's turned into exactly what she claimed to hate about me - ruthless, ambitious, willing to do anything for power. At least I never pretended to be something I'm not."

"Get over yourself, Trixa. Your obsession with Jacob is pathetic."

My nails dig deeper into my palms as I stare down at this self-righteous nurse. The sterile hospital air burns in my lungs as I struggle to maintain my composure.

"A timid hospital mouse like you could never understand what it's like," I snarl, adjusting my Cartier bracelet. "Growing up knowing you're destined for greatness, then watching someone else steal everything you've worked for."

"No, I understand perfectly." Lori's voice carries that infuriating calm that makes my blood boil. "This isn't about Jacob at all. It's about fighting for Daddy's love - something you've never been able to earn."

The words hit like a physical blow. My designer heels wobble slightly as I take an involuntary step back. How dare this nobody nurse psychoanalyze me?

"You don't know anything about my father," I hiss, but my voice wavers traitorously. "Marcus chose me as his heir, not her."

"Did he? Or are you just the backup plan now that Nyla won't play his games anymore?"

White-hot fury courses through my veins. I shove past her roughly, our shoulders colliding with enough force to make her stumble. The silk of my dress rustles angrily as I whirl back to face her.

"Stay the hell out of my way," I threaten, jabbing a finger in her direction. "Or you'll learn exactly what a Swan is capable of."